Re-assume Ihram and declare your intention to perform Hajj: Depending upon how the trip is scheduled, most pilgrims performing the Tamattu’ pilgrimage have a several-day break in between their Umrah duties and their Hajj duties, so, for sake of ease, they leave the state of Ihram after their Umrah. However, as with Umrah, the Hajj requires ritual purity and meekness before God, so, at the outset of the Hajj, pilgrims re-assume the state of Ihram. As before, bathe, groom yourself, and don the proper Ihram clothes. When you’re ready, say another Niyyah: “O Allah ﷻ! I intend to perform Hajj. Please make it easy for me and accept it from me. Amen.” After, say the Talbiyah three times.;The rites of the Hajj last five days – from the 8th to the 12th of Dhu al-Hijjah. You must maintain in Ihram for about three days, abstaining from the activities that are forbidden to you until this period is over.

Head to Mina: On the first day of Hajj, pilgrims head to Mina, a town near Makkah, where they spend the rest of the day. Here, the Saudi government provides amenities – thousands upon thousands of white air-conditioned tents provide temporary housing for each year’s pilgrims. On the first night, no major rituals take place, so you may spend your time praying and reflecting with other pilgrims if you wish. Many pilgrims choose to say the Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha and Fajr Prayers.
Note that, in Mina, men and women stay in separate tents, which are located adjacent to each other. Though husbands and wives may interact, men cannot enter women’s tents.

Head to Arafat and perform Waquf: On the second day of Hajj, pilgrims travel to Arafat, a nearby mountain. Pilgrims must reach Arafat by the afternoon, because, at this time, a ritual called Wuquf begins. From the time when the sun first starts to decline until the time it sets completely, pilgrims hold a vigil on a plain of Arafat during which time they pray and reflect.;No specific Prayers are assigned for the Wuquf, so simply pray to Allah ﷻsincerely from your heart. Many pilgrims like to also spend time reflecting on the course of their life, their future, and their place in the world.

Pray in Muzdalifah: After sundown, pilgrims head to a place called Muzdalifah between Mina and Arafat. Here, they offer an evening Prayer to God (Maghrib) and spend the night sleeping on the ground beneath the open sky.;In the morning, gather pebbles, as you will use these for the Ramee “stoning” ceremony later in the day.

Perform Ramee in Mina: Before the sun rises, pilgrims head back to Mina. Here, pilgrims participate in a ceremony meant to symbolize stoning the devil. Pilgrims throw seven consecutive pebbles at a special stone monument called the Jamrat al Aqabah.;This ceremony can be extremely crowded, tense, and emotional. Trampling deaths, though rare, have occurred. Because of this, the elderly, sick, and injured are discouraged from participating. Instead, they may perform this later in the evening or have a friend or confidant perform the ritual in their place.

Perform Ramee in Mina: Before the sun rises, pilgrims head back to Mina. Here, pilgrims participate in a ceremony meant to symbolize stoning the devil. Pilgrims throw seven consecutive pebbles at a special stone monument called the Jamrat al Aqabah.;This ceremony can be extremely crowded, tense, and emotional. Trampling deaths, though rare, have occurred. Because of this, the elderly, sick, and injured are discouraged from participating. Instead, they may perform this later in the evening or have a friend or confidant perform the ritual in their place.

Perform the Farewell Tawaf: Finally, your Hajj has come to a close. To mark the end of the most important religious experience of your life as a Muslim, perform one final tawaf, walking around the Ka’bah seven times as before. As you perform the Farewell Tawaf, reflect on the thoughts and feelings you’ve experienced on your Hajj. Offer praise and supplication to Allah ﷻ. When you’ve finished, complete any unfinished business you have remaining in or around Makkah, then depart for your home.;After making the Hajj, many pilgrims opt to travel to Madinah, the second-holiest city in Islam. Here, they can visit such holy sites as The Prophet ﷺ’s Mosque and The Holy Tomb. No Ihram is necessary to visit Madinah.