One million Muslims will be allowed to travel to Makkah for this year's Hajj season, one of the key tenets of the Islamic faith.
Hajj is a beautiful spiritual journey, but the pilgrimage is also arduous and physically demanding. Preparation is key. Making sure you take all the essentials with you is particularly important this year, since Hajj falls during one of the hottest months of the year.
Getting organised well before you land in Makkah means you’ll be able to spend the majority of your time in Saudi Arabia focusing on the true purpose of your trip — worship — rather than rushing around trying to find something you forgot to pack.
Preparing for the pilgrimage can be a challenge in itself. But if you’re planning to perform Hajj this year, a little bit of organisation can go a long way in ensuring your journey is more spiritually invigorating and less gruelling.
The actual Hajj pilgrimage lasts from the eighth day of Dhu'l-Hijjah (known as Yaoum Al Tarwyya) until the 12th or the 13th of the same month, depending on the dates that the group you’re travelling with has chosen. That’s a total of five or six days where you’ll be doing a lot of walking and possibly travelling to the holy city of Al Madinah, a four-hour bus trip or a three-hour train journey away. You need to pack accordingly.
Keep in mind that this year, Hajj season is taking place in July, so it’s going to be relatively hot.
Daily temperatures are forecast to range from 38°C to 41°C, something that is worth thinking about when you’re deciding what to bring.
As well as needing comfortable footwear for all the walking involved in the pilgrimage, you also need to remember that for some of the journey, you’ll be in the sacred state of Ihram. This is achieved by completing the correct cleansing rituals and wearing specified attire.
For women, it also means that only the face and hands should be visible. For men, it means no shaving, and for everyone involved it means not cutting your nails or using scented toiletries or perfumes, as well as abstaining from arguing, impure thoughts or marital relations.
What to pack for her
- Take at least three or four modest outfits. These should be loose fitting and with long sleeves. Ideally, they'll be white or light-coloured. Breathable and cotton materials will definitely work better in the summer heat.
- Take at least two head coverings with you so that you can swap between them.
- While you're doing Hajj, it's also going to be Eid so you can pack something new to wear to celebrate. This should still be modest with long sleeves, but you can wear something a little special to celebrate the occasion. Many people wear their national dress.
What to pack for him
- Men and boys must wear the Ihram outfit, which is created out of two white unhemmed sheets. It makes sense to pack more than one set of these so that you have a clean option on alternate days.
- After the 10th day of Dhu'l-Hijjah, men can wear other clothes, so pack at least two pairs of loose fitting trousers or a couple of kanduras. Again, light, cotton materials will work best.
- Remember to pack loose cotton underwear to wear once you remove the Ihram outfit.
What everyone should pack
- Lightweight pyjamas for sleeping in.
- Shower shoes or flip flops and a towel are also important, as well as comfortable footwear.
- For toiletries, pack your toothbrush, toothpaste, hair products and soap, but keep in mind that all beauty goods need to be unscented while you're in the sacred state of Ihram.
- Sunscreen and unscented lip balm are also good additions.
- To maintain Covid-19 regulations, be sure to pack masks and sanitiser spray or gel.
Here's a checklist of everything you might need:
Anything else?
- Food will be provided for all as 195 catering companies approved by Makkah’s municipality are expected to provide 4.8 million meals per day to pilgrims. Worshippers are also reminded that they will not be allowed to bring food of any kind from their countries.
- An umbrella will protect you from the sun.
- A portable hand fan can help keep you cool.
- A couple of extra masks and a sanitiser spray or gel.
- Your phone charger, especially if you plan to use your phone to access Islamic apps for supplications and dua.
The day of Arafat
Most pilgrimage groups will provide a bag for you to carry during the day of Arafat, which is the most important day of Hajj, but you can also pack a small cross body bag if you prefer.
In this, it's a good idea to put:
- A foldable lightweight prayer mat, tissues, wet wipes, Dettol spray and a water facial spray.
- There will be no need to pack your own water bottle as robots will be roaming the site between 8am and 5pm to give out the water bottled from the well under the mosque.
- The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has received 80,000 new copies of the Quran for distribution to pilgrims at the Makkah Grand Mosque, so no need to pack your own.
- Any medicine that you might need.
Emotional scenes at Mount Arafat as Hajj pilgrims offer prayers
What to expect during your Hajj Journey
If you’ve never performed Hajj before, it can seem overwhelming. Here’s a diary of what to expect each day so that you can get organised.
8th of Dhu Al Hijja
This day is known as Yaoum Al Tarwyya — pilgrims head to Mina at noon and sleep there for one night.
9th of Dhu Al Hijja
The day of Arafat and the most important part of the entire pilgrimage. Today, after Fajer prayers, pilgrims will head to Arafat until sunset. Once sunset has passed, the pilgrimage continues to Muzdalifah, where the Maghrib and Isha prayers are performed together. Pilgrims spend the night at Muzdalifah. Then head back to Mina to participate in a ritual that replicated the stoning of the devil. After this, some pilgrims head to the Holy Mosque for Tawaf Al ifadah — where pilgrims complete seven rounds of circling the Kaaba. The stoning usually has to be done before the 11th day of Dhu Al Hijja, while Tawaf Al Ifadah must be performed before the end of Dhu Al Hijja.
10th of Dhu Al Hijja (Eid)
Pilgrims no longer need to be in Ihram, so they can now wear a modest Eid outfit. During this day, they can travel anywhere in Makkah, but they must come back to sleep in Mina. As it’s Eid Al Adha, Muslims celebrate by sacrificing a sheep.
11th to 13th of Dhu Al Hijja
This period is known as Ayam Al Tashreeq and pilgrims will typically stay in Mina and participate in stoning the three sites of the devil each day. This is a festive time, when Muslims celebrate with gatherings and large feasts. When leaving Makkah, pilgrims stop for the last time at the Great Mosque for Tawaf Al Wadhaa, where they perform again the seven circles of the Kaaba.
This article was originally published in 2019.
