Hajj Pilgrimage is a religious practice of submission to Allah in the city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. According to Islamic doctrine, hajj is obligatory on every abled Muslim who can afford its expenses at least once in their life.
When Muslims visit Saudi Arabia for Hajj, they submit to Allah and perform the rituals of Hajj and also visit different religious sites for wonderful experiences. Therefore, in this article let’s discuss Hajj and its significance along with Hajj 2025 destinations.
Must Visit Sites Hajj Pilgrimage:
Hajj is performed in the month of Dhul Hijjah. It is obligatory on every Muslim who can afford it once in a lifetime. However, Muslims wish to visit different holy sites to make their Hajj experience wonderful and a memorable one. After visiting Masjid al Haram, these are the important places that the pilgrims from all around the world must visit. Let’s have a quick look at different Ziyarat places:
Mina:
Mina is a place you might have heard of, it is located in the east of Makkah. The Hajis spend their nights in this place from 10th to 13th Dhul Hijjah. It is also known as the city of Tents.
One of the most important events takes place in Mina that is the stoning of Shaitan known as Jamraat in remembrance of Prophet Ibrahim A.S how he stoned the Satan when it interfered.
Muzdalifah:
Among the pilgrimage experiences Hajj, Muzdalifah is also an important one. The Muslims visit this place on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah and spend the night there. Moreover, the pilgrims collect pebbles from this location for the stoning of shaitan.
Mount Arafat:
Among the Holy sites in Mecca, standing at the Arafat among the crucial and sacred rituals of Hajj. The mount Arafat is also known as Jabal ar-Rahmah, meaning Mount of Mercy.
The purpose of wuquf on Mount Arafat is seeking forgiveness, spiritual awakening and commemorating the last sermon of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). If the pilgrim misses his visit to this spot, his pilgrimage will be nullified. Moreover, the Muslims listen to Hajj Khutbah and stay there till the afternoon.
Cave Hira:
Every Muslim will have knowledge about Cave Hira as it is the place where our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) received his first revelation. Our Prophet used to visit the cave during the early years of his life. The Hira Cave is 5km away from Masjid Al Haram. It takes up to 50 minutes to climb the mountain and reach the cave.
Cave of Thawr:
Every place that our Prophet visited has a great significance. In this cave, our Prophet spent three days and nights with his companion Abu Bakr (RA) when he migrated from Makkah to Madinah.
When the pilgrims visit this cave they remember how the Prophet Muhammad and Abu Bakr (RA) took refuge in it. And it also reminds them of the sacrifices that our Prophet and Muslims made in the early days of Islam.
These are sacred sites that the pilgrims visit during the ten days of Hajj. Which starts from the 1st of Dhul Hajj to the 10th of Dhul Hajj? Apart from these, some people also visit Jabal al noor, Masjid Ayesha and Masjid Qubah.
Muslims sacrifice and men shave their heads on the 10th of Dhul Hajj and people all around the world celebrate Eid ul Adha on that day.
Religious significance of Hajj
When discussing the religious significance of Hajj these are a few most important ones:
- Fulfillment of religious obligation and the fifth pillar of Islam.
- A wonderful chance to seek forgiveness.
- Spiritual awakening and building a bond with Allah.
- Following the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad SAWS.
- Unprecedented example of unity and brotherhood. As Muslims from all over the world stand shoulder to shoulder in front of Allah regardless of cast, creed and colour.
Lastly, Hajj the fifth and final pillar of Islam holds a great reward which includes the cleansing of soul, forgiveness of sins and closeness to Allah. It is the sunnah of our Prohet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and performing it sincerely solely for the sake of Almighty will get the pilgrim a great reward in the hereafter.
There are many agencies or groups offering Hajj packages with premium services who offer a complete plan of visiting holy sites during Hajj 2025 with best facilities of travel and stay. Such Hajj packages providers can help you cover all the things discussed above.