Loading...
| Arabic | حج |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | HAJJ (with a breathy 'h') |
| Etymology | From the Arabic root ح-ج-ج (h-j-j), whose primary meaning is 'to intend, to aim for, to set out toward a destination.' The verb hajja (حجّ) specifically means 'to make الحج' or 'to visit a sacred place with intention.' A related meaning of the root is 'to argue, to present proof' (as in hujjah, meaning 'proof' or 'argument'), linking the concepts of purposeful journey and establishing evidence — the الحج serves as the الحاج's living proof of faith. The word has been in use since pre-Islamic times when Arab tribes made annual الحجs to the الكعبة. |
الحج(حج) الحج is the annual Islamic الحج to the Sacred House (الكعبة) in مكة, performed during specific days of the month of ذو الحجة. It is the fifth pillar of Islam, واجب once in a lifetime for every Muslim who has the physical health and financial means.
حج
الحج is the largest annual gathering of human beings on Earth, bringing together two to three million Muslims from virtually every country, ethnic background, and social class. It takes place during the 8th through 13th of ذو الحجة, the twelfth and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The obligation of الحج is أُسس in القرآن: 'And الحج to the House is a duty owed to Allah by people who are able to find a way there' (3:97). النبي Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) performed one الحج in his lifetime — the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada) in 10 AH (632 CE) — which أُسس the rites as practiced today. The الحج rites follow a precise sequence over several days. On the 8th of ذو الحجة (Yawm al-Tarwiyah), الحجاج enter الإحرام and proceed to منى. On the 9th (Yawm Arafah), they stand at the plain of عرفة in the most critical rite of الحج (wuquf). After sunset they move to مزدلفة, where they spend the night and collect pebbles. On the 10th (يوم النحر, the Day of Sacrifice), they stone الجمرات al-Aqabah, offer an animal sacrifice (qurbani), shave or trim their hair (الحلق or التقصير), and perform الطواف al-Ifadah. The 11th, 12th, and 13th (Ayyam al-التشريق) involve stoning all three الجمرات pillars and spending nights in منى. Before departing مكة, الحجاج perform الطواف al-Wida (farewell الطواف). There are three types of الحج: Ifrad (الحج only), Tamattu (العمرة first, then الحج with a break in الإحرام), and Qiran (العمرة and الحج combined in one continuous الإحرام). Tamattu is the most commonly practiced and was مستحب by النبي. A الحاج who completes a valid الحج is given the honorific title 'Hajji' (male) or 'Hajjah' (female), and النبي stated that 'an accepted الحج has no reward except Paradise' (Bukhari and Muslim).
From the Arabic root ح-ج-ج (h-j-j), whose primary meaning is 'to intend, to aim for, to set out toward a destination.' The verb hajja (حجّ) specifically means 'to make الحج' or 'to visit a sacred place with intention.' A related meaning of the root is 'to argue, to present proof' (as in hujjah, meaning 'proof' or 'argument'), linking the concepts of purposeful journey and establishing evidence — the الحج serves as the الحاج's living proof of faith. The word has been in use since pre-Islamic times when Arab tribes made annual الحجs to the الكعبة.