The Hajj

A

Arafat
The Hajj reaches its apex on the plains of Arafat, south-east of Mecca.

Asr
One of the five daily prayers performed between afternoon and sunset.

Ayah
Verse from the Quran.

B

Black Stone
Said to have fallen from heaven, the sacred black stone is built into the south-east corner of the Ka’aba at a height of four feet. Part of Abraham’s original Ka’aba, Mohammad placed it into the wall during the reconstruction. He kissed the black stone during his Farewell Hajj – touching and kissing the stone that is not part of the Hajj but is considered sunnah.

C

C.E.
Common Era. Date from the Christian Era

D

E

Eid al-Adha
Day/Feast of sacrifice cmarking the end of the Hajj on the 10th day. Hajj pilgrims celebrate at Mina, while Muslims all over the world celebrate in their own communities with food, new clothes and the exchange of gifts.

Eid Al-Fitr
Three day festival marking the end of Ramadan.

F

Fajr
One of the five daily prayers performed between dawn and sunrise.

Five Pillars of Islam
Islam is based upon five cornerstones of faith and worship. They are Shahaddah (expression of faith), Salah (Prayer), Zakah (Giving of Alms), Siyam (Fasting) and Al-Hajj (Pilgrimage).

G

Great Mosque
Otherwise known as Al-Haram Al-Sharif, the most important Mosque in Islam.

H

Hadith
Sayings or traditions of the Prophet Muhammad.

Hafize Quran
A person who memorizes the entire Quran.

Hagar
The second of the Prophet Abraham’s wives and mother of his first son Ishmael. The Sa’i (Hajj rite of running) symbolises Hagar’s desperate search for water for her son between Safa and Marwa.

Hajj
The Fifth Pillar of Islam and the annual pilgrimage to Mecca to be performed by able Muslims at least once in their lifetime.

Hijaz
A region in south-western Saudi Arabia regarded as the holy land of the Muslims. Contains the sacred cities of Medina and Mecca and other places associated with the life of Mohammad.

I

Ihram
The state of spiritual and physical purification in which Muslim pilgrims begin Umrah or Hajj. Pilgrims must wear simple ihram dress and abstain from prohibited acts including cutting/shaving hair, violent disputes, sexual intercourse, marriage proposals).

Isha
One of the five daily prayers performed between night and dawn.

Ishmael
First son of Abraham and Hagar. Ishmael helped his father build the Ka’aba.

Islam
Means to ‘submit to oneself’. An Abrahamaic faith, Islam is the religion of the Muslims and a complete way of life.

J

Jamarat
The three stone pillars at which pilgrims cast pebbles during the Hajj. The three stone pillars are Jamarat al-Aqaba (biggest), Jamarat al-Wusta and Jamarat al-Ula (smallest) and each symbolises Satan.

K

Ka’aba
The square stone building in the Great Mosque in Mecca, towards which all Muslims face in prayer.

Kiswa
A brocaded black apparel of gold and silver threaded silk and cotton draped over the Ka’aba. It is changed annually.

L

Last Sermon
Mohammad's last sermon during his last Hajj delivered on Mount Arafat. A pivotal address outlining the religious, social and political foundations of Islam.

M

Maghrib
One of the five daily prayers performed between sunset and night.

Mahram
A man whom a woman may never marry because of a close blood relationship e.g. father, son, brother, uncle.

Maqam Ibrahim
Station of Abraham, a small glass station near the Ka’aba door marking the spot of a legendary boulder where the Prophet Abraham is said to have stood when building the Ka’aba.

Marwah
One of two hills in Mecca between which Hagar ran in search of water for her son. Marwah is the hill on which the Sa'i ends.

Mecca
Birthplace of Islam and birthplace of Mohammad in 570CE. Mecca is the capital of the Hijaz and located in Western Saudi Arabia.

Mina
Eaxt of Mecca, the Hajj passes through this village on its way to and from Arafat.

Miqat
The townships which mark the sacred territory where pilgrims undergo the spiritual cleansing for the donning of ihram. The Miqat boundary is marked by townships around the Ka’aba: Al-Juhfah in the North-West, Dhul-Halaifa in the North, Dhat’Irq in the North East, Qam Al-Manazil in the East and Yalamlam in the South East.

Mohammad
The final Prophet of Islam.

Mutawwif
A professional Hajj guide who steers the pilgrim through the course, rites and prayers of the Hajj.

Muzdalifah
A small town where pilgrims camp overnight on the 10th day en route from Arafat back to Mina.

N

Niyyah
Is the Intention. When a person undertakes a pilgrimage, he/she has to declare a statement of intent.

O

P

Q

Qibla
The direction Muslims face to pray towards the Kaaba in Mecca.

Quran
The sacred book of the Muslims revealed to the Prophet Mohammad bythe Angel Gabriel (jibraeel) over 23 years.

Quraysh
At time of Mohammad’s birth, the Quraysh tribe of merchants and traders controlled Mecca including the Kaaba. Initially resisted Mohammad’s Islam but eventually succumbed after Mohammad took Mecca in 630CE.

R

Rakat
A position of prayer consisting of recitation, bowing, kneeling and prostration.

Ramadan
The month of fasting and the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Mohammad received the divine revelations during Ramadan.

Ramal
The accelerated pace into a leisurely jog for the first three circuits of the Tawaf.

S

Sa'i
The running rite which remembers Hagar's desperate search for water in the desert with seven ritual laps between the hills of Safa and Marwa.

Safa
One of two hills in Mecca between which Hagar ran in search of water for her son. The hill on which the pilgrim begins the Sa’i.

Salat
The second pillar of Islam - the prayers a Muslim must perform.

Sarah
Abraham’s first wife and mother of his second son Isaac.

Sawm
The fourth pillar of Islam – fasting during the month of Ramadan.

Shahada
First pillar of Islam and declaration of faith that makes one a Muslim. ‘There is no God except Allah and Mohammad is his messenger.

Sharia
Islamic Law.

Shiite or Shia
The minority branch of Islam. Unlike the Sunnis from whom they split after the death of Mohammad, the Shiites have their own Islamic law, theology and believe in a succession of imams who followed after Mohammad.

Sunnah
The teachings, example and practice of the way of life of the Prophet Mohammad which Muslims are meant to follow.

Sunni
The majority orthodox branch of Islam. 90% of Muslims are Sunni. 95% of Saudi Arabia is Sunni. The word means ‘traditionalists’ and is one of two main sects. The other is Shiite. The Sunnis split from the Shiites over the issue of the Prophet Muhammad’s successor, the Sunni tradition stressing the relationship between the worshipper and Allah without intermediaries.

Surah
Chapter from the Quran.

T

Talbiyah
The prayer which responds to Allah’s call for Hajj. Begins with the word ‘labayk’ – ‘I am here’.

Tawaf
The rite of turning. The pilgrim circumambulates seven times around the Ka’aba. The first Tawaf is performed upon arrival to Mecca, Tawaf al-Ifadah is performed when coming to Mecca from Mina after Arafat day and Tawas al-Wada is the Farewell Tawaf undertaken before departing from Mecca.

U

Ummah
Global Muslim community.

Umrah
The Minor or Lesser Pilgrimage. An individual pilgrimage performed only at Mecca anytime of the year outside the Hajj which includes sacred rites such as Ihram, Tawaf and Sa'i.

V

W

Waseeyat
An Islamic will drawn up before departure for the Hajj.

Wudu
The act of performing ablution before prayer.

Wukuf
The noon to sunset Rite of Standing at Arafat symbolising the climax of the Hajj.

X

Y

Z

Zakat
The third pillar of Islam – an annual charity tax of approximately two percent on all wealth to be donated to worthy causes.

ZamZam
The sacred well of water which sprang up beneath the Prophet Ishmael during Hagar’s search for water.

Zuhr
One of the five daily prayers performed between midday and afternoon.