Pilgrimage (Hajj) is the fifth pillar of Islam. It is a duty for a Muslim to perform pilgrimage once in a lifetime and voluntarily to perform it more than once.

However, Islam insists that a Muslim must have the means before he or she can perform the duty of pilgrimage. Pilgrimage has lots of benefits for a Muslim
1. In fulfilling this service, man expresses his devotion to Allah; not only by performing rites which need physical effort but he also expresses his deep spiritual devotion to Allah and spends his money for Allah’s sake.

2. Pilgrimage is an annual event in Mecca, all those who participate in this important spiritual exercise dressed in one uniform, worship Allah’s bondsmen; no white man has perform over a black man neither the rich over the poor. In this way Muslims are acquainted with one another, co-operate with each other, and they remember the day when they will be accounted for their deeds.

Thus, they prepare themselves for the here after and do their best to obey Allah through their prayers their prayers. But it should be will-known that all the rites of pilgrimage, such as circumambulation round the Ka’aba, attending Arafat, Muzdalifa, and staying for several days in Mina…all these rites have one objective---that is to worship Allah according to the method he commanded and during the time he fixed; worshipping is neither dedication to the Ka’aba nor to any of these other places which are not more than objects created by Allah, they can never bring benefit or cause harm to any one. Worshipping is dedicated to Allah alone, the lord of everything, who alone has the absolute sovereignty and all power

According to the Muslim’s faith, all forms of worshipping are enjoyed by Allah and should never be based on individual judgement or taste. Therefore, has Allah not commanded people to perform pilgrimage from the Qur’an. “Pilgrimage therefore is a duty men own to Allah; those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of his creatures”. (3:97).

Performing therefore is a duty men own to Allah; Allah stands not in need, performing “Umra” or lesser pilgrimage once in a life – time is also a duty that a Muslim should fulfil either during Hajj time or at any other time. It is not an indispensable duty for every Muslim to visit the mosque of the prophet in Al-Madina during Hajj-time or at any other time, but this is an advised deed and Allah will compensate whoever performs it. The tradition, which states: - “whoever performs pilgrimage and does not visit me is turning away from me” is untrue and is imputed falsely to the prophet.

A Muslim leaving for Medina intends to visit the mosque and them visits the tomb of the prophet (peace be upon him). The visitor salutes the prophet politely and leaves the place adopting the same manner that the companions of the prophet used to do. He should not ask the prophet or supplicate for anything from him. In fact those who supplicate the prophet for help, ask him for what they needs, or invocate him to be their intercessor to Allah, are committing idolatry and the prophet is innocent of their-ill deed. Therefore, every Muslim should be aware to avoid such idolatrous deeds. After visiting the prophet’s mosque, the visitor visits also the tombs of Bageih. He should behave during his visit in conformity with Islamic ethics and invocate Allah to bless the deeds and martyrs burred in these tombs.

The manner of performing pilgrimage
A Muslim who intends to perform pilgrimage or Umra should expend in this journey of his, pure and lawful property and avoid using illicit gains. The prophet, (may the peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said: “whatever flesh that comes to grow out of illicit gains is rather doomed to hellfire”. It is also advisable for a pilgrim to select a man of good faith to accompany him on pilgrimage.

A pilgrim whether travelling by car or train, puts on ‘Chram’ as soon as he arrives at the migat (the station for Ihram), and a pilgrim, travelling by car; puts on ‘Chram’ when he approaches the migat. According to the prophetic traditions, there are five mawaqit (five stations for Ihram):

1. Zul Hulaifa (Abyar Ali): for pidgins from Madinah.
2. Al-juhfa, a place near Rabigh, for people coming from Majd, al-Talf and others.
3. Quran A-Manazil, for people coming from Majd, Al-Taif and other regions of that direction.
4. Zat- irq, for people coming from Iraq.
5. Yalamlam, for people coming from Yemen. These mawaqits are not only for people coming from the above-mentioned regions, but also for those who choose to travel by these routes.
6. As for the inhabitants of Makka and those who live within the area bounded by these mawqit; they assume their Iharms from their homes.

Performing Ihram
It is advisable for a pilgrim to take a bath, clean and perfume himself before assuming Ihram at the migat. The Ihram dress for males consists of two simple white seamless sheets, one to be wrapped round the lions and the other to cover the upper part of the body. The head should not be covered. Women have no special dress for Ihram, but they should be dressed in wide veiling and unalluring clothes. After assuming the chram, a woman should neither veil her face with a seamed veil, nor use any seamed gloves to cover her hands.

It is permissible for her to cover her face with a part of her head veil if she finds herself surrounded by men, the same manner adopted before by the wives of the prophet (peace be upon him) and the wives of his companions. The pilgrim, after assuming Ihram intends by heart to perform Umra should say: O’ Allah, here I am at thy services intending to perform Unmra. In this way the pilgrim perform Hajj-Tamattu, which is really excellent because the prophet (may the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) recommended to his companions to perform this kind of Hajj. He even obliged them to abandon their Ihram and make their visit to Kaaba and Umra. Giving exception only to those who brought with them their “Hady” “Scrificies,” and carried on their Hajj by Qiran, the same manner that the prophet adopted.

Each one of these jamarat is pelte by seven pebbles. The pilgrin has the choice after that, either to leave mina on the 12th of Zul-Hija or stay there till next day. It is better to stay next day and perform a pelting at noon. The final thing that a pilgrim should do before leaving Makka, it to perform Tawaf Al-wadaa (Tawaf of Departure). However, a woman in a state of menstruation or childbed is allowed to leave Makka without performing Tawaf Al-waddaa. Offering the sacrifice can be done also on 11th, 12th or 13th Zal-Hija, and Tawaf-al-ifada can also be postponed till the pilgrim leaves Mina, but it is better to perform the rituals in accordance with the order and times which are mentioned above.