---
title: "Hajj — The Pilgrimage to Makkah | Islam Is Mercy"
description: "Hajj is the pilgrimage to Makkah that every able Muslim makes once in a lifetime. It is the fifth Pillar of Islam and recalls Abraham."
lang: en
url: https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/hajj/
---

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3.  Hajj — The Pilgrimage to Makkah

# Hajj — The Pilgrimage to Makkah

Written by **Islam Is Mercy Editorial Team**· 1 min readAwaiting scholar review

## The short answer

Hajj is the pilgrimage to Makkah that every Muslim who is physically and financially able must make at least once in a lifetime. It is the fifth of the Five Pillars of Islam, and many of its rites recall the Prophet Abraham and his family.

## On this page

1.  Meaning
2.  How Muslims use it
3.  Example

**Hajj** (Arabic: الحج) is pronounced *HAJJ*, with a breathy “h” and the double “j” held for a moment.

## Meaning

*Hajj* means “to set out for” a place with purpose. It is the great pilgrimage to Makkah, which takes place every year during the Islamic month of *Dhul-Hijjah*. The Qur’an records God’s command to Abraham to call people to this journey:

> وَأَذِّن فِى ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًۭا وَعَلَىٰ كُلِّ ضَامِرٍۢ يَأْتِينَ مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍۢ ﴿٢٧﴾

> And proclaim to the people the Hajj \[pilgrimage\]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass -

[Qur'an, Al-Hajj 22:27](https://quran.com/22?startingVerse=27&translations=20)Saheeh International

Pilgrims enter a state of devotion called *ihram*; men wear two plain white cloths, so that king and labourer look the same. They walk around the Kaaba (*tawaf*), walk between the hills of Safa and Marwa as Hajar once did, and stand in prayer on the plain of Arafah — the high point of Hajj. Millions of people from every nation pray side by side.

## How Muslims use it

Hajj is the fifth of the Five Pillars of Islam, required once in a lifetime of those who can afford it and are physically able. Its end is marked by *Eid al-Adha*, the festival of sacrifice, celebrated by Muslims everywhere. A smaller pilgrimage that can be made at any time of year is called *umrah*.

## Example

*“My grandparents performed Hajj last year and came home with Zamzam water for everyone.”*

To learn more, read [Abraham, Friend of God](https://islamismercy.com/en/prophets/prophet-abraham/) and [The Five Pillars of Islam](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/five-pillars-of-islam/).

## Key takeaways

-   Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime duty for Muslims who are able.
-   Pilgrims dress simply and stand equal before God, whatever their wealth or race.
-   Many rites recall Abraham, Hajar and Ishmael.

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## Sources

-   [Qur'an, Al-Hajj 22:27](https://quran.com/22?startingVerse=27&translations=20)

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