Hajj To Mecca – The Annual Muslim Pilgrimage
Mecca is the capital city of the Saudi Arabian province of Makkah and is located some seventy kilometres from Jeddah. It is the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad and the Quran (the Islamic holy text) was revealed here. Muslims consider it a holy city and performing a pilgrimage, or Hajj, to Mecca is the fifth pillar of Islam. Over fifteen million Muslims visit the city every year with several million during Hajj alone. The pilgrimage is one of the biggest in the world, with the average city population more than tripling during Hajj.
Hajj takes place between the eighth and twelfth day of Dhu al-Hajjah, the last month in the Islamic calendar. It is incumbent on every able bodied Muslim with enough finances to perform the pilgrimage at least once in their life. The Muslims consider the pilgrimage a demonstration of solidarity with their fellow Muslims and their love and devotion to God. Although associated with the life of Prophet Muhammad, the history of the pilgrimage to Mecca is thousands of years old and can be traced to the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham).
As part of the pilgrimage, a Muslim must perform several rituals; walk around the Kaaba (the black cube which acts as a directional marker for prayer) seven times in a counter-clockwise direction, run between the hills of Al Safa and Al Marwa, drink the waters from the Zamzam Well, stand vigil on the plains of Arafat and finally cast stones at the pillars representing the devil. Umrah which is similar to Hajj can be performed during anytime of the year. One has to obtain a special visa to enter Mecca and tourists should note that only Muslims are allowed to enter the holy city.
To cope with the large influx of visitors Mecca has undergone major developments in the past few years. Those looking for well placed Makkah hotels can try Raffles Makkah Palace. This luxurious Makkah hotel is the ideal place for travellers performing Hajj as it is only a few steps from the Grand Mosque and the Kaaba. It also offers a range of contemporary comforts to make your stay all the more memorable.
Hajj takes place between the eighth and twelfth day of Dhu al-Hajjah, the last month in the Islamic calendar. It is incumbent on every able bodied Muslim with enough finances to perform the pilgrimage at least once in their life. The Muslims consider the pilgrimage a demonstration of solidarity with their fellow Muslims and their love and devotion to God. Although associated with the life of Prophet Muhammad, the history of the pilgrimage to Mecca is thousands of years old and can be traced to the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham).
As part of the pilgrimage, a Muslim must perform several rituals; walk around the Kaaba (the black cube which acts as a directional marker for prayer) seven times in a counter-clockwise direction, run between the hills of Al Safa and Al Marwa, drink the waters from the Zamzam Well, stand vigil on the plains of Arafat and finally cast stones at the pillars representing the devil. Umrah which is similar to Hajj can be performed during anytime of the year. One has to obtain a special visa to enter Mecca and tourists should note that only Muslims are allowed to enter the holy city.
To cope with the large influx of visitors Mecca has undergone major developments in the past few years. Those looking for well placed Makkah hotels can try Raffles Makkah Palace. This luxurious Makkah hotel is the ideal place for travellers performing Hajj as it is only a few steps from the Grand Mosque and the Kaaba. It also offers a range of contemporary comforts to make your stay all the more memorable.
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