The Pillars of Hac (Arkan al-Hac): Essential Acts That Cannot Be Omitted

Islamic jurisprudence classifies the acts of Hac into three distinct categories, and understanding this classification is essential for every haci. The first category is the arkan (pillars), which are the absolutely indispensable acts without which the Hac is invalid. If a haci misses even one pillar, no amount of sacrifice or compensation can make up for it — the Hac simply does not count, and it must be repeated. The second category is the wajibat (obligations), which are required acts whose omission does not invalidate the Hac but requires expiation, typically in the form of slaughtering a sheep (dam) and distributing its meat to the poor in the Haram area. Examples of wajibat include entering Ihram from the designated miqat, spending the night at Muzdelife, stoning the Cemerat, and performing the farewell Tavaf (Tavaf al-Wada'). The third category is the sunan (sunnet acts), which are acts Hz. Peygamber Muhammad performed during his Hac and are highly encouraged but carry no penalty if omitted. These include reciting the Telbiye frequently, performing certain duas at specific locations, and kissing the Hacer-ul Esved. While scholars from the four madhahib agree on the general framework, there are some differences of opinion on which acts fall into which category. What follows is the majority position recognized across the Sunni schools of thought.

Ihram is the first and foundational pillar of Hac. Contrary to popular belief, Ihram is not merely the wearing of the two white unstitched garments (izar and rida) for men; rather, it is the intention (niyyah) to enter the sacred state of hac ibadeti. The physical garments are a manifestation of this intention, but the true Ihram resides in the heart. A haci must enter the state of Ihram at or before the designated miqat (boundary point) corresponding to their direction of travel. The five miqat points were designated by Prophet Muhammad: Dhul Hulayfah for those coming from Medine, Al-Juhfah for those from Syria and the West, Qarn al-Manazil for those from Najd, Yalamlam for those from Yemen, and Dhat Irq for those from Iraq. Upon entering Ihram, the haci declares their intention for the specific type of Hac (Ifrad, Tamattu, or Qiran) and begins reciting the Telbiye: 'Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk, Labbayka la sharika laka Labbayk. Innal hamda wan ni'mata laka wal mulk, la sharika lak.' From this moment, certain restrictions apply: the haci may not cut hair or nails, wear perfume, hunt, engage in marital relations, or (for men) wear stitched clothing or cover the head. Women maintain their regular modest dress but do not cover their faces or wear gloves, according to the majority opinion.

The standing at Arafat is considered the greatest pillar of Hac, so much so that Hz. Peygamber Muhammad (sallallahu aleyhi ve sellem) declared: 'Hac is Arafat' (reported by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and al-Nasa'i). This means that if a haci misses standing at Arafat, they have missed the Hac entirely. The standing takes place on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, the Day of Arafat, in the plain of Arafat located approximately 20 kilometers southeast of Mekke. The valid time for Wuquf extends from the sun's zenith (dhuhr time) on the 9th until the dawn (fajr) of the 10th of Dhul Hijjah. According to the majority of scholars, even a moment's presence within the boundaries of Arafat during this window is sufficient to fulfill the pillar, though remaining until sunset is strongly sunnet. The Hanbali school holds that being present at Arafat for any part of the day or night is valid, while some scholars specify that presence during the daytime is required with compensation (dam) needed if one only stands at night. At Arafat, hacilar spend their time in fervent dua, seeking Allah's forgiveness, reciting Kur'an, and making dua. Hz. Peygamber said that there is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Hellfire than the Day of Arafat. After sunset, hacilar depart for Muzdelife, where they spend the night under the open sky and collect pebbles for the stoning ritual.

Tavaf al-Ifadah, also known as Tavaf al-Ziyarah (the Tavaf of Visiting), is the third pillar of Hac and consists of circling the Kabe seven times in a counterclockwise direction. This Tavaf is performed after the haci leaves Arafat and Muzdelife and returns to Mekke, typically on the 10th, 11th, or 12th of Dhul Hijjah. It is distinguished from Tavaf al-Qudum (the arrival Tavaf) and Tavaf al-Wada' (the farewell Tavaf), both of which are wajib or sunnah but not pillars. The Kur'anic basis for this pillar is found in Surah Al-Hac (22:29): 'Then let them complete their prescribed duties and fulfill their vows and circumambulate the Ancient House.' Each circuit begins and ends at the Hacer-ul Esved (al-Hajar al-Aswad), and the haci walks with the Kabe on their left side. During Tavaf, hacilar supplicate freely, recite Kur'an, and engage in dhikr (remembrance of Allah). The first three circuits are performed at a brisk pace (raml) by men during Tavaf al-Qudum, but this is not required for Tavaf al-Ifadah according to the majority opinion. After completing the seven circuits, the haci prays two rak'ahs behind Maqam Ibrahim (the Station of Ibrahim) if possible, or anywhere in the cami. The haci then drinks from Zamzam water before proceeding to perform Say.

Say is the ritual of walking seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa, which are now enclosed within the Mescid-i Haram complex. This act commemorates the desperate search of Hajar (Hagar), the wife of Prophet Ibrahim, as she ran between these two hills looking for water for her infant son Ismail. Her trust in Allah was rewarded when the angel Jibril (Gabriel) struck the ground and the spring of Zamzam gushed forth. The Kur'anic reference is in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:158): 'Indeed, Safa and Marwa are among the symbols of Allah. So whoever makes Hac to the House or performs Umre — there is no blame upon him for walking between them.' The Say begins at Safa and ends at Marwa, with each one-way trip counting as one lap; thus the haci walks from Safa to Marwa (one), Marwa to Safa (two), and so on until completing seven laps, ending at Marwa. Between the two hills, there is a section marked by green lights where men are encouraged to jog lightly (this commemorates Hajar's frantic running in the valley where she lost sight of Ismail). Women walk at their normal pace throughout. The Say can be performed immediately after Tavaf al-Ifadah or, in the case of Tamattu Hac, the haci may have already performed Say after their Umre Tavaf and may perform another Say for Hac. The Shafi'i and Hanbali schools consider Say a pillar, while the Hanafi school classifies it as wajib — though practically, all schools agree it must be performed for a complete Hac.