WHAT  EVERY  PILGRIM  SHOULD DO  AND  WHEN

This is just reminder of what is necessary for every pilgrim to do, and the time when it should be done. This article only intended as an outline of the actions of every pilgrim on the days of pilgrimage.

WHEN YOU ARRIVE

When you approach the meeqat prepare yourself for ihram. Have a shower if it is convenient. If not, do the normal ablution, wear your ihram garment and pray two raka’hs. Make your intention clear, stating what you intend to do, whether a pilgrimage only, or an Umrah only or both together. Repeat the talbiyyah as often as you can. The best phrases of talbiyyah are those used by the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)

“Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik, Labbaik la shareeka laka labbaik. Innal Hamda wannimata laka wal mulk, lashareeka lak”.

When you arrive at Makkah, go directly to the Sacred Mosque and do your tawaf of Arrival, walking round the Kabah seven times. If it is convenient, make your entry from Al-Salam door. If you wish to do the Sa’ie,  start at the hill of Safa and finish your seventh round at Marwah. If it is your intention to do the ‘Umarah only, that is, if have opted for the tamattu’ method of ihram, then shave your head, or shorten your hair and release yourself completely from ihram and wait for the pilgrimage. If it was your intention to do the pilgrimage, or both pilgrimage and ‘Umrah together, then do not shave or shorten your hair. Continue to observe the restrictions of ihram until you have completed the duties of pilgrimage.

8TH DHUL-HIJJAH

You are recommended to go to Mina and stay the night there before you proceed to Arafat. If that is not possible for you, then go to Arafat directly where you are due to arrive on the following day.

9TH DHUL-HIJJAH

Try as much as you can to be present at Arafat before sunset. If you cannot make it, it is sufficient to be present at Arafat at anytime from noon till dawn of the following day.

Pray Dhuhr and ‘Asr, prayers together, in their shortened form. If convenient, offer these prayers at the Mosque of Namirah. After sunset, proceed from Arafat to Muzdalifah and pray Maghrib and Isha as a delayed combination. Isha also should be shortened. Stay the night at Muzdalifah and shortly before sunrise.

10th DHUL-HIJJAH

You should proceed to Mina and do your first stoning at the Jamrah of A’qabah, which is known as the Grand Jamrah, at any time between dawn and midday. If the method of Ihram you have opted is either tamattu’a or Qiran, that is, if you started with as Umarah or you have combined both the Umarah and the pilgrimage together, you are required to sacrifice an animal (a one year old sheep or two year-old goat.) Alternatively, seven pilgrims may share together in sacrificing one camel or cow).

Shave your head, or shorten your hair. Women are required only to shorten their hair by an inch. You may then wear your ordinary clothes, but you continue to observe the restrictions on all sexual activity.

Go to Makkah, if you can, to do your tawafe ifadah. When you have done it all restrictions of ihram are lifted. If it is not convenient for you  to go to Makkah for this tawaf, you may delay it until you have completed your stay at Mina. When you have finished your tawaaf of ifaadah go back to Mina to spend the night there. The requirement is to stay at Mina for the larger part of that night and the following night.

11TH DHUL-HIJJAH

You have to do the stoning at the little one, then the middle one, and finally the Jamarah of Aqabah. Stoning that day and the following days starts at mid-day and finishes at sunset. Again, you have to spend the night at Mina.

12TH DHUL-HIJJJAH

You do the stoning at the three Jamrahs in  the same way as you have done on the 11th of Dhul-Hijjah. When you have finished your stoning, you may leave Mina, provided you are out of the boundary of Mina before sunset. If the sun sets when you are still in Mina, you have to stay that night in Mina again and do the stoning at the three Jamarahs once more, the following day after mid day. When you arrive at Makkah, you do the tawaf of ifadah if you have not done it yet.  Again, you have to do the Sa’ie if you have not done it after the tawaf of arrival or the tawaf of ifadhah. Otherwise, all your duties of pilgrimage are completed. If you had opted for the ifraad method of ihram (that is if you intended to do the pilgrimage only) and you have come from outside the “hill” area you may do the ‘Umrah as from the 14th of Dhul-Hijjah. To do that, you have to go out of the “haram” area to start your ihram and come back for your ‘Umrah.

BEFORE DEPARTURE

Although you have completed the duties of pilgrimage, one duty is left for you to do, and its timing depends on your departure. Just before leaving Makkah, you have to do a farewell tawaf, in the same manner as you have done the earlier tawafs. When you have finished it, you proceed straight away to leave Makkah.