Welcome to the Hajj Information Center
"... and take a provision (with
you) for the journey (to Hajj), but the best of provisions is right
conduct. So fear Me, o ye that are wise. " Qur'an 2:197
Hundreds of thousands of Muslims performing
the Hajj are heading out of the holy city of Mecca to the plains of
Mina for the next stage of the annual pilgrimage. In temperatures of
35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit), they are travelling the 12km (eight
miles) by bus, car or on foot. They would spend the night at Mina, before
ascending Mount Arafat. Among the hajjis is this year's youngest pilgrim,
a newborn Egyptian girl, whose mother went into labour on Friday. Aisha,
named after the Prophet Mohammed's favourite wife, will travel by ambulance
with her mother to Mount Arafat.
Security
Police helicopters monitored the crowds leaving Mecca, and emergency services were on hand to deal with any incidents. The large crowds have led to several stampedes in recent years, which have left hundreds of pilgrims dead. So far, there have been no security problems this year, although officials said that 53 elderly Indian pilgrims had died from natural causes.
The Saudi authorities are providing 10 million free bottles of water and one million free meals over the next two days. A tent city has been built at the foot of Mount Arafat, where pilgrims will rest and pray, before ascending the mountain to pray for forgiveness. On Monday, the al-Adha feast begins, and the pilgrims will throw stones at pillars that symbolise the devil.
This year around 2.5 million pilgrims are performing the Hajj, somewhat fewer than last year. Performing the Hajj at least once in a lifetime is one of the five "pillars", or duties, of Islam.
Hajj Tour 2005 Join us for a Hajj the journey of a lifetime, which every Muslim desires to take. Those fortunate enough to go are considered guests of God. After careful evaluation we have selected two Hajj Packages to offer.More
Hajj Step by Step Guide
Short History of Hajj
Hajj The Journey of a LifeTime
