What makes Hajj special
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is not just a journey of the body but a journey of the soul — a time to leave behind worldly distractions and turn fully toward Allah. During Hajj, a pilgrim enters a state called *ihram* (a state of ritual consecration), and while in this state there are things to avoid: sexual relations, sinful behavior, and arguing or disputing. Allah says:
> "The Hajj is [during] well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein, there is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj. And whatever good you do — Allah knows it. And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah. And fear Me, O you of understanding."
> [Coran, Sourate Al-Baqara:197]
The call to Hajj
Hajj is not a new practice — it goes back to Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). Allah commanded him to announce the pilgrimage to humanity, and people have been coming ever since, from every distant path:
> "And proclaim to the people the Hajj; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass."
> [Coran, Sourate Al-Hajj:27]
The reward of Hajj
The Prophet ﷺ described the immense spiritual reward of Hajj. He said that whoever performs Hajj purely for Allah, avoiding sexual relations and sin, returns as pure as a newborn baby — free of sins:
> "Whoever performs Hajj for Allah and does not commit sexual relations or sin will return like the day his mother gave birth to him."
> [Sahih Bukhari 2:133, Sahih Muslim 2:983]
He ﷺ also said that performing Hajj and Umrah in succession wipes away poverty and sins, and that the only reward for an accepted Hajj is Paradise:
> "Perform Hajj and 'Umrah in succession, for they expel poverty and sins just as the bellows expels impurities from iron, gold, and silver. There is no reward for an accepted Hajj except Paradise."
> [Sunan al-Tirmidhi 2:167, Sunan al-Nasa'i 5:115]
Sincerity above all
One beautiful lesson from the Prophet's ﷺ own Hajj is that it should be done with humility and pure intention, not for showing off. He performed Hajj on a simple, worn-out saddle and then prayed:
> "O Allah, grant me a Hajj in which no showing off is intended nor reputation sought."
> [Sunan Ibn Majah, authentic]
A practical note
Hajj involves many detailed rites — ihram, tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka'bah), sa'i (walking between Safa and Marwah), standing at Arafah, and more. These are best learned step by step. For the exact rituals and their order, it is highly recommended to consult a qualified scholar or an official Hajj guide, as the details can vary slightly between the four schools of jurisprudence.
For your daily practice, you can use your Al Muslim Plus application to follow the Islamic calendar, check prayer times, and find relevant duas — especially the Talbiyah ("Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk") in the Invocations section, which pilgrims recite throughout Hajj.