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relates to the state of purity and equality before God (Allah) which Muslims enter before going on Hajj. To symbolise this state, male wear two lengths of white cloth whilst on Hajj; female pilgrims wear ordinary clothes, but must keep their faces uncovered. These clothes may be kept by the pilgrim and at their death used to wrap their body for burial.

On the first day of the Hajj, pilgrims walk around the seven times in an anti-clockwise direction while repeating prayers. This is called . Thousands of people do this at the same time and only a few are able to touch or kiss the , embedded in one corner of the Ka'bah. If a pilgrim isn't able to touch the Black Stone, they hold up their hand to it as they pass.

Walking around the Ka'bah with thousands of others represents the Muslim belief in the equality of all Muslims. Muslims are recommended to complete a second Tawaf at the end of their pilgrimage.

Safa and Marwah

Pilgrims next run between the hills of seven times. This is to represent the search of Hagar, wife, for water for her son Ismail.

Pilgrims travel from Makkah to to spend the first night of the Hajj. The next morning they travel on to the plain of , where they stand on or near the Mount of Mercy from noon until dusk, praising . This is the climax of the Hajj, and Muslims believe that this rite represents what it will be like on the when all of humanity will be judged by Allah according to their actions.

Muzdalifah

Pilgrims spend the second night at , where they collect small stones to use on the third day when they return to Mina. They throw these stones at three pillars called , which represent the .

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Pilgrimage - Revision 1 - GCSE Religious Studies - BBC Bitesize

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relates to the state of purity and equality before God (Allah) which Muslims enter before going on Hajj. To symbolise this state, male wear two lengths of white cloth whilst on Hajj; female pilgrims wear ordinary clothes, but must keep their faces uncovered.

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Islam - Beliefs and Teachings | RE:ONLINE

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Supporting school-based teachers of religious education in every part of their professional lives

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In 630 the Prophet Muhammad entered Mecca with a band of his followers. He rode into the city, circling the Kaaba seven times and touching the Black Stone set into the corner. On entering the Kaaba, he threw out and destroyed all the idols that were kept there. From this time on, Mecca became the holy city dedicated to Allah. Just as Muhammad did, pilgrims on Hajj start from the Black Stone and walk seven times around the Kaaba, this is called Tawaf. Pilgrims also run between the mountains of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah, following the events in the life of Hagar and Ismail.

Students could create a colour coded concept map of the rituals that are performed on day one of the Hajj. They can focus on what Muslims do, such as their behaviour in general as well as specific examples of the actions they perform, what they wear (looking at the clothing and the symbolism of purity and equality), what they say and how they demonstrate membership of community. Subsequent points can be added to the concept map for each day of the Hajj and the five pillars of Islam as a whole. These can be used later for exam revision.

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Hajj - day one - GCSE Religious Studies - BBC Bitesize

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In 630 the Prophet Muhammad entered Mecca with a band of his followers. He rode into the city, circling the Kaaba seven times and touching the Black Stone set into the corner. On entering the Kaaba, he threw out and destroyed all the idols that were kept there.

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Around two million Muslims from around the world are beginning the five-day Hajj pilgrimage on Saturday. They will circle Islam's most sacred site, the cube-shaped Kaaba in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca, and take part in a series of rituals intended to bring about greater humility and unity among Muslims.

Here's a look at the pilgrimage and what it means for Muslims:
What is the purpose of the Hajj?
The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and all able-bodied Muslims are required to perform it once in their lifetime. The Hajj is seen as a chance to wipe clean past sins and start fresh. Many seek to deepen their faith on the Hajj, with women taking on the Islamic hair covering known as "hijab" upon returning from the pilgrimage.

Despite the physical challenges of the hajj, many people rely on canes or crutches and insist on walking the routes. Those who cannot afford the Hajj are sometimes financed by charities or community leaders. Others save their entire lives to make the journey. A few even walk thousands of miles by foot to Saudi Arabia, taking months to arrive.
What is the history of the Hajj?
While following a route the Prophet Muhammad once walked, the rites of Hajj are believed to ultimately trace the footsteps of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail, or Abraham and Ishmael as they are named in the Bible.

Muslims believe Ibrahim's faith was tested when God commanded him to sacrifice his only son Ismail. Ibrahim was prepared to submit to the command, but then God stayed his hand, sparing his son. In the Christian and Jewish version of the story, Abraham is ordered to kill his other son, Isaac.

Pilgrims also trace the path of Ibrahim's wife, Hagar, who Muslims believe ran between two hills seven times searching for water for her dying son. Tradition holds that God then brought forth a spring that runs to this day. That spring, known as the sacred well of Zamzam, is believed to possess healing powers and pilgrims often return from the Hajj with bottles of its water as gifts.
Why is the Kaaba so important to Muslims?
Islamic tradition holds that the Kaaba was built by Ibrahim and Ismail as a house of monotheistic worship thousands of years ago. Over the years, the Kaaba was reconstructed and attracted different kinds of pilgrims, including early Christians who once lived in the Arabian Peninsula. In pre-Islamic times, the Kaaba was used to house pagan idols worshipped by local tribes.

Muslims do not worship the Kaaba, but it is Islam's most sacred site because it represents the metaphorical house of God and the oneness of God in Islam. Observant Muslims around the world face toward the Kaaba during the five daily prayers.
What are the rituals performed during the Hajj?
Pilgrims enter into a state of spiritual purity known as "ihram" that is aimed at shedding symbols of materialism, giving up worldly pleasures and focusing on the inner self over outward appearance.

Women forgo makeup and perfume and wear loose-fitting clothing and a head covering, while men dress in seamless, white terrycloth garments. The white garments are forbidden to contain any stitching - a restriction meant to emphasize the equality of all Muslims and prevent wealthier pilgrims from differentiating themselves with more elaborate garments.

Muslims are forbidden from engaging in sexual intercourse, cutting their hair or trimming nails while in ihram. It is also forbidden for pilgrims to argue, fight or lose their tempers during the hajj. Inevitably, though, the massive crowds and physical exhaustion of the journey test pilgrims' patience and tolerance.
The first day of Hajj
The Hajj traditionally begins in Mecca, with a smaller pilgrimage called the "umrah", which can be performed year-round. To perform the umrah, Muslims circle the Kaaba counter-clockwise seven times while reciting supplications to God, then walk between the two hills traveled by Hagar. Mecca's Grand Mosque, the world's largest, encompasses the Kaaba and the two hills.

Before heading to Mecca, many pilgrims visit the city of Medina where the Prophet Muhammad is buried and where he built his first mosque.
The second day of Hajj
After spending the night in the massive valley of Mina, where 160,000 tents are set up to house them, the pilgrims head to Mount Arafat, some 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of Mecca, for the pinnacle of the pilgrimage.

The Prophet Muhammad is believed to have said that Hajj is Arafat, in reference to the day spent there and its importance. Pilgrims are packed shoulder to shoulder, with some men and women openly weeping and praying.

Tens of thousands scale a hill called Jabal al-Rahma, or mountain of mercy, in Arafat. It is here where Muhammad delivered his final sermon, calling for equality and for Muslim unity. He reminded his followers of women's rights and that every Muslim life and property is sacred.

Around sunset, pilgrims head to an area called Muzdalifa, nine kilometers (5.5 miles) west of Arafat. Many walk, while others use buses. They spend the night there and pick up pebbles along the way that will be used in a symbolic stoning of the devil back in Mina, where Muslims believe the devil tried to talk Ibrahim out of submitting to God's will.
The final three days of Hajj
The last three days of the Hajj are marked by three events: a final circling of the Kaaba, casting stones in Mina and removing the ihram. Men often shave their heads at the end in a sign of renewal.

The final days of Hajj coincide with Eid al-Adha, or the festival of sacrifice, celebrated by Muslims around the world to commemorate Ibrahim's test of faith. During the three-day Eid, Muslims slaughter livestock and distribute the meat to the poor.

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What is the Hajj? The significance of the Islamic pilgrimage

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Around two million Muslims from around the world are beginning the five-day Hajj pilgrimage on Saturday. They will circle Islam's most sacred site, the cube-shaped Kaaba in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca, and take part in a series of rituals intended to bring about greater humility and unity among Muslims. Here's a look at the pilgrimage and what it means for Muslims: What is the purpose of the Hajj?