Hajj is the same act of worship for both men and women, but some parts of the pilgrimage are carried out differently.
From what pilgrims wear during ihram to parts of sa’i and the final rituals in Mina, the differences are mostly practical but important to understand before travelling to Makkah.
For first-time pilgrims especially, knowing what to expect can help make the experience feel more focused and less overwhelming. Here are some of the main differences men and women may encounter during Hajj.
1. What men and women wear for ihram
Ihram is the sacred state pilgrims enter before reaching Makkah.
For women, ihram means modest clothing, with their hair covered, but without a niqab or gloves.
For men, ihram means two plain white cloths. One is wrapped around the waist and the other covers the upper body. The head is left uncovered.
Once in ihram, both men and women avoid using perfume, cutting their hair and nails, quarrelling, and anything that breaks the mental and physical discipline of the Hajj.
2. How tawaf is performed
Pilgrims then perform Tawaf at the Grand Mosque, walking seven times around the Kaaba.
Because the rite is the same for men and women, it is one of the most recognisable acts of Hajj and, for many first-time pilgrims, among the most powerful moments of the journey.
3. What to expect during sa’i
Pilgrims may also perform sa’i, walking seven times between Safa and Marwa.
These are two small hills inside the Grand Mosque, and the rite recalls the story of Hajar, the wife of Prophet Ibrahim and mother of Prophet Ismail.
According to Islamic tradition, she ran between the two hills while searching for water for her infant son before the miraculous spring of Zamzam appeared.
During sa’i, men may walk briskly in some marked sections, while women walk at a normal pace.
4. Spending time in Mina and Arafat
The main Hajj days begin in Mina, a valley outside Makkah, where pilgrims spend the day and night in prayer.
From there, pilgrims travel to Arafat to mark the most important day of Hajj. Men and women gather there in the same way for prayer and reflection until sunset.
5. From Arafat to Mina
After sunset at Arafat, pilgrims travel to Muzdalifah, an open area between Arafat and Mina.
Pilgrims spend part of the night there, rest under the open sky and gather small pebbles for the stoning ritual in Mina.
The next day, on Eid Al Adha, pilgrims take the pebbles back to Mina and throw them at Jamarat Al Aqabah, one of the stone pillars used in Hajj.
The act represents the rejection of evil and temptation.
6. How men and women cut their hair
After the stoning, men shave or trim their hair, while women cut a small amount from the ends of their hair.
This is when pilgrims begin to come out of the state of ihram before returning to Makkah for Tawaf Al Ifadah and walking a further seven times around the Kaaba.
They then return to Mina, where they complete the remaining stoning rituals.
Before leaving Makkah, pilgrims perform the farewell Tawaf, known in Arabic as Tawaf Al Wada, which is their final walk around the Kaaba.
