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StillnessCultural pilgrimage fact

Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca that every adult Muslim who is physically and financially able must make once in a lifetime. Over several days pilgrims enter ihram, a state of ritual purity marked for men by two plain white cloths, circle the Kaaba seven times, walk between Safa and Marwa and stand in prayer at Arafat.

Hajj pilgrimage

Religion & Belief

The story behind the card

Hajj falls in Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar, so its date moves about 11 days earlier each year. Its central rite is standing at Arafat on the ninth day, from midday to sunset. Pilgrims then spend the night at Muzdalifah and, at Mina, throw pebbles at three stone pillars, recalling Abraham's rejection of Satan's temptation. The tenth day is Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, celebrated by Muslims everywhere. Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, the basic duties of the faith. In recent years around 1.7 to 1.8 million pilgrims have taken part.

Türkçe oku
Hac, bedenen ve maddi olarak gücü yeten her yetişkin Müslümanın ömründe bir kez Mekke'ye yapması gereken ibadettir. Hacılar birkaç gün boyunca ihrama girer (erkekler dikişsiz iki beyaz örtüye bürünür), Kâbe'nin çevresinde yedi kez dolaşır, Safa ile Merve arasında gidip gelir ve Arafat'ta dua ederek vakfeye durur.

Hac, Hicrî takvimin son ayı olan Zilhicce'de yapılır. Bu takvim ay yılına dayandığı için haccın tarihi her yıl yaklaşık 11 gün öne kayar. Haccın en önemli bölümü, ayın dokuzuncu günü öğleden gün batımına kadar Arafat'ta yapılan vakfedir. Hacılar ardından geceyi Müzdelife'de geçirir; Mina'da da Hz. İbrahim'in şeytanın kışkırtmasına boyun eğmeyişini anmak için üç taş sütuna küçük taşlar atarlar. Buna şeytan taşlama denir. Onuncu gün, bütün dünyadaki Müslümanların kutladığı Kurban Bayramı'nın ilk günüdür. Hac, İslam'ın beş şartından biridir. Son yıllarda her yıl yaklaşık 1,7–1,8 milyon kişi hacca katıldı.

Sources and further reading

Background reading: Hajj
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