This list of things will be useful for those who plan to live in a tent or in any other place other than a hotel.
- 2-3 sets for ihram (if you will wear it)
- Sheets
- Hand and body towels
- Comfortable scarf to wear indoors
- Medical masks to wear in crowds (can be purchased at a pharmacy in Saudi Arabia)
- Ties or hair ties
- Hangers (also useful for drying washed clothes)
- Low-top shoes or sneakers
- Socks
- Pajamas
- Robe
- Comfortable sandals
- Plasters
- Bandage
- Hand sanitizer
- Waist bag
- Soap without fragrance
- Washcloth in a plastic bag
- Pillow
- Small bag or suitcase (for a trip to Arafat)
- Sun umbrella
- Prayer rug
- Sunscreen (unscented)
- Koran
- Collections of duas and other Islamic books
- Chapstick
- Lightweight folding chair
- Hiking water bottle holder, plastic cup
- Battery operated mini fan
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Eye drops
Important!
The Hajj experience will likely be ruined if you get sick. Unfortunately, this happens quite often to pilgrims. Therefore, we recommend wearing a medical mask whenever you find yourself in a crowd and, most importantly, NEVER touch your face without first washing your hands with soap or treating them with sanitary gel.
At the first symptoms of the disease, take echinacea, vitamin C, aspirin or any drug prescribed for such cases, and, of course, drink plenty of water.
Another important tip is that if you are crushed by a crowd, never try to pick up a dropped object: it is better to buy new sandals or a book later than run the huge risk of being crushed, which can easily happen if you suddenly stop and bend over. Most often, the crush occurred on the Jamrat Bridge, so before going there, find out from the “scout” from your group if there is any special crowd there.
Muslim Village, " Islam is for everyone"
While we are waiting for the appointment of leaders and the establishment of a flight schedule, we will be packing our bags for the Hajj together with you. You can also read the publication about baggage allowance
Today we will tell you what shoes are best to take with you on Hajj.
Remember that time spent in the Holy Lands of Medina and Mecca is priceless. Try to take care of all worldly affairs as much as possible in advance, so that nothing distracts you already during the Hajj. This also applies to shoes.
1⃣The first thing I would like to note is that for women on Hajj, whether during Ihram or outside of it, there are no Shariah requirements for shoes. Unlike men, whose ankles, heels and toes must be open during ihram. Think about this in advance so that you don’t have to buy shoes there later or cut out your own so as not to violate ihram (saw one like this in Mina:grin:)
2⃣Don’t take with you new shoes that you bought two days before the trip and haven’t had time to wear out yet. It will cause you a lot of discomfort and may cause calluses, which will create discomfort during your worship. If you don’t have suitable shoes right now, buy them in advance so you have time to break them in.
3⃣Remember that you will have to walk a lot. Sometimes even several kilometers when you perform the ritual of throwing stones at pillars (Jamarats). Therefore, take with you already proven shoes, comfortable and soft.
4⃣Flat-soled shoes like ballet shoes and moccasins can cause discomfort, and you will quickly get tired in them. Try to choose shoes with a slight instep. These could be sports open sandals. Or canvas sneakers. Who is more comfortable in what?
5⃣ Take several types of shoes with you. In addition to the one in which you will walk to the mosque and perform rituals in Mina and Arafa, take with you slippers for the hotel and for the Mina Valley, it will be more convenient to do ablution and take a shower in them.
6⃣Don’t leave your shoes at the mosque, you will then waste a lot of time looking for them. Take a shoe bag in advance. Or you can use a bag that you will put in your Marva Tour bag along with your shoes.
Here are some tips. If anyone who has already visited the Hajj has anything to add, write in the comments.
📚"Hajj of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace" Faisal bin Ali al-Baadani
📚Pilgrim's Guide
📚Pilgrim's Handbook Lightweight
📚Daily guide for a Muslim when performing Hajj and Umrah
📚Mecca - Kaaba - "Zam Zam"
📚Answers to questions about purification and menstruation during fasting, hajj and prayer. Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymin.
📚Hajj Guide. Abu-Bakar Magomedov.
📚Rules for performing Hajj and Umrah.
📚Hajj lessons and tips
📚Jihad for a woman - Hajj and Umrah
📚Talbiya (in Russian, Arabic, transcription and audio)
📚Pilgrim's Handbook. A video film introducing the pilgrim to all the rules and regulations of the Hajj. Very useful for every pilgrim.
First of all, you will need comfortable clothes for yourself and your children. Choose clothes that are suitable for active physical activity - they should be comfortable for walking for a long time and climbing.
It is MANDATORY to take durable, wear-resistant shoes. In my presence, one girl tore her shoes and her father gave her his shoes. He himself wrapped his legs in plastic bags, which, of course, were too thin to walk normally in them for a long time on a hot, uneven surface... May Allah reward him in full!
You also need to take all the necessary medications, including anti-poisoning, allergy medications, plasters, and a thermometer.
Now let's get straight to it What to take with you when you take children on Hajj:
1. Card with information about the child.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent and the Merciful
Instead of an introduction, I will say that I will not go into detail and explain all the rituals of Hajj. For those who are planning to go, I recommend reading the book. Al Albani and this article.
In my article, I write more about my impressions and also give practical advice.
I have heard many times that Hajj is a gift from the Almighty, and not everyone can receive it. Hajj, a pilgrimage to holy places, is the fifth pillar of Islam and is obligatory for all Muslims who are able to perform it. Anyone who does it correctly will receive complete atonement for all sins and will go home clean, like a baby.
Until we left, we didn’t know for sure whether we were going or not. One or another obstacle appeared on our way, and we continually prayed and asked Allah for this gift, not knowing whether we were worthy of it. We were very nervous, and on the very last day we had a big fight. Apparently, Shaitan made every effort to ruin our Hajj, but in the end he didn’t succeed, and we still ended up at the airport;)
Advice 1) do not take children on Hajj!! This is extremely dangerous, incredibly inconvenient and completely unnecessary. I had to see many times unhappy, tearful and exhausted children, pushed into a crowd, tired and hungry, as well as their parents, in the same state. While the focus should be on Worship, parents are constantly being distracted by their children. I’m generally silent about the fact that a child can be trampled at a moment in an unexpectedly thickened crowd. In general, parents and children on the Hajj caused great bewilderment and pity for everyone.
Of course, it was not easy to leave the children at home, but it was better for them and for us.
Before leaving home, we “entered the state” of Ihram: for this it is advisable to perform a full ritual ablution; for men, use perfume, put on the white ritual clothes of Hajj and Omra, which is called ihram. Women can also use perfume that will not be noticeable to others (I did not wear perfume), put on ordinary, modest clothes that do not attract or distract other people from thoughts about the Almighty and worshiping him. Men can enter ihram at a specific place (mikat) near Mecca, but since this may cause inconvenience on a plane or bus, it is recommended to do this at home or at the airport. So, we entered ihram, and we were overcome by a pleasant and bright feeling that we were already in the Hajj. Already on the plane, flying over the miqat, the men out loud and the women in a whisper (again, so as not to distract), began to repeat Talbiya’s words: “Lyabbeik Allahumma lyabbeyk!” Lyabbeyka la sharika lyaka lyabbeyk! Inna-l hamda, wa inna-l mataa, laka val mulk. Laa balla lak!” Here I am before You, O Allah, here I am before You, You have no partner, here I am before You, truly, praise and mercy belong to You and dominion, You have no partner!..
To be honest, our entire Hajj for me personally was, first of all, a test of patience. Each step was sometimes accompanied by what seemed like an endless wait. First, the plane was delayed for 3 hours. Then we waited at the airport doors, then in front of passport control, then passport control, then at the bus, then on the bus for about 3 hours. And then, each new step required patience. In general, I had to be patient a lot.
At dawn our sleepy bus entered Mecca. I imagined Mecca as a fairy-tale city, but in reality it turned out to be an ordinary Arab town with low buildings that were located at the foot of the mountains or right in the mountain ledges. The mountains there are dusty and rocky.
My husband shook me by the shoulder - look, there's a clock tower! And then my fatigue disappeared as if by hand, and I wanted to immediately go there, to the Kaaba! But they took us to the hotel. It was very pleasant that we were greeted like family; in the lobby there was a wonderful smell of some kind of incense, which, after the airport and the road, seemed like a heavenly aroma.
Tip 2) Bring a thin blanket. It was very cold on the bus, and because of the cold I hardly slept a wink.
By the way, let me write what we took with us in our suitcases.
Tip 3): suitcases. Our operator gave us 5 suitcases: 2 large, 2 medium and 1 small. 2 backpacks, a belt bag (like a belt), a shoulder bag, 2 towels. Of all the things we didn't need, only 1 small and 1 medium suitcase were useful. The husband did not take the bag on his belt, which he later greatly regretted: this bag holds ihram (the attire of men for Omra and Hajj), and it is also very convenient to carry money and a mobile phone in it. I highly recommend bringing one empty suitcase for shopping, we bought a lot of gifts and souvenirs that barely fit into one large suitcase. And also, everyone should have 1 backpack for trips to Mina and Muzdalifa, the backpack should fit a thin blanket, toiletries, a change of clothes. Don’t forget to take money with you. During the Hajj you will have several “empty” days, during which you can walk through the market and choose souvenirs and gifts for yourself, your family and friends. Don't forget to take all kinds of medicines for all occasions. I was surprised to discover that the medications that can be easily purchased in neighboring Bahrain are not available in Saudi Arabia. Stomach problems are the most common during Hajj. Heavy Arab food often made itself felt. Also take everything you need for colds, because this is also one of the most common diseases. Constantly in the heat or under air conditioning, in the end any microbe will provide you with all the “joys” of a cold. I highly recommend taking multivitamins before the Hajj and during the Hajj itself.
Don’t forget to take books, first of all, a good guide to Hajj (the tour operator gave us one), a collection of duas (Muslim Fortress), and of course the Koran (take it in a small format). I recommend taking books and not relying on technology.
I also had a notebook with me, in which I wrote down in advance everyone for whom I needed to make a dua, as well as my personal requests to the Almighty. I informed everyone in advance that I was going and collected all the duas into one big list, which, by the end of the Hajj, I remembered almost by heart. Carry this notebook with you always. You can also write down those duas that need to be said during rituals in it, this is very convenient (and it is better, of course, to learn them by heart in advance).
Women: take 4 abayas (women's outer dress) and 4-5 sets of clothes under the abaya. If you don’t wear an abaya, several sets of outerwear and several underwear, at home. I don’t recommend wearing a skirt or dress underneath, as you have to walk a lot in the heat and your legs rub against each other. Men: take baby powder, the same problem awaits you in ihram. I thought this only happened to fat people, but it turns out it happens to anyone ;)
Phone and camera: I took a regular push-button phone, which holds a charge for a very long time, since a phone is extremely important in a crowd, it’s difficult to break, and if it does, it won’t be a pity. He does not present a surprise like complete discharge when he is really needed. Also, such a phone does not distract you with the Internet and applications. I took with me a good but small camera; the photos it takes are much better than even the most sophisticated phone. And in general, it looks much more decent than when people take a “selfie” in front of the Kaaba or photograph something with their phone.
Regarding SIM cards: at the airport we were offered to buy SIM cards, but we decided not to take them. Upon arrival, our operator gave us SIM cards with the best rates. Find out in advance about this.
The room was very cozy, with a homely feel. There was everything you needed - iron, kettle, refrigerator, ironing board, dryer. In a separate room on the floor there was a washing machine and even washing powder. In general, it’s very nice that such things have already been taken care of.
Tip 4) find out what will be in your room. I still advise you to take your own iron, besides, there was no iron, board or dryer in Medina. But there was no need to take the cups and boiler.
On the day of arrival, we were fed breakfast and sent to rest and gain strength. We slept until lunch, prayed, and at about 3 we left to perform Omra. A small digression: the Hajj at-Tamatu, which we performed, includes 1) Omra (minor pilgrimage) and 2) the Hajj itself. There are 3 types of Hajj in total. One of them (al Qiran) is performed only by residents of Mecca, as well as those who are late for any reason, it includes only Hajj. The other (al Ifrad) is committed by those who bring sacrificial animals with them (we, of course, did not take sheep with us on the bus:). So for us there is only one option for Hajj - at-Tamattu: Omra, exit from ihram. Then again Ihram and Hajj.
So, we were taken to the bus stop.
Only special buses go to the territory of the al-Haram mosque, where the Kaaba is located, so all pilgrims are brought there. The ticket is purchased only one way; buses take people back free of charge. On the buses we also repeated Talbiya (Lyabbeika Allahumma..), this created an atmosphere of unity. We all came with the sole purpose of showing submission to the Creator, going through all the rituals (and for many these are real tests) and being cleansed of sins. So, we entered the square near the mosque, there was just a sea of people! I advise everyone who goes to Hajj to go around the Kaaba on the second floor when performing Omrah. It seemed to me that the largest crowd was on this day, and on the second floor it is cool, you can drink water and even take a bath.
The entrance to the second floor is located to the right of the main gate, that is, you do not need to enter the mosque at the main entrance (in the center of the photo), where everyone goes, but go to the right to the large staircase. There (slightly to the left of the entrance to the 2nd floor) there is an entrance for disabled people and their accompanying people.
The clock tower (there is a hotel in it, and a large shopping center below, the lower the floor, the lower the cost of souvenirs, keep in mind) is huge, as if looming over us. Its size is simply frightening.
But we followed the rest of the crowd and finally saw the Kaaba.
Tip 5) On Omra, take with you: a phone, an empty Zamzam water bottle to drink and take with you, because before you get home you will be thirsty more than once, and zamzam cannot be poured everywhere . And also a bag for shoes, since it’s difficult to leave them somewhere, all the places for shoes are crammed to capacity. It is advisable to put all this in a backpack and, when walking around the Kaaba, close it well and hang it in front. I also took my camera with me. It is best to visit the toilet in advance; there are several of them; in the square at the main entrance there is one on the left for women, to the left and straight ahead for men, and even further back again for women. Once you enter the mosque, getting back out to perform ablution is very difficult and time-consuming, so take care of this in advance.
Kaaba.
She stood, so big and black, bright on the white floor and among the white clothes of the pilgrims, and attracted us like a magnet. I read somewhere that this place is the center of the Earth. At least for all Muslims on the entire planet, the Kaaba is the center! I imagined how millions of Muslims all over the planet are now praying, facing the Kaaba, and I was overcome by an extraordinary feeling that is difficult to describe. Many times I saw people crying during Hajj, crying in prayer (Dua), crying in prayer, crying with joy that they were lucky enough to get to these sacred places. So many times I wanted to cry from the feelings overwhelming me. These were tears of joy, purification and gratitude.
So, Omra (the first of the rites of our Hajj) began with Tawaf (circulating the Kaaba 7 times counterclockwise), it begins from a certain place, which is marked with a green lamp, in which each circle you need to raise your hand and say Allahu Akbar.
It wasn't easy! There were a lot of people, some were pushing, some were shouting something. Some even shouted curses. Some were frankly sick with unknown diseases, could barely stand on their feet, coughed, sneezed. The Africans set up a “train”, holding on to each other, extremely quickly and aggressively crashed into the crowd in the most unexpected place, they could simply knock down and trample people. We tried to concentrate as much as possible on our prayers, but the crowd and this kind of pilgrims constantly confused us. I looked at people and thought that it was true, as some say, many have crazy eyes, as if it were Judgment Day.
I dreamed of at least looking at the Black Stone (this stone is from Paradise, it was originally white, but over time it turned black. I would like to note that Muslims do not worship the Kaaba, not the black stone. This is just a place to which Muslims turn when offering prayers and they also perform a ritual circumambulation), which is located on one of the corners of the Kaaba, but even this I failed!
The walk took us about 2 hours. My husband finally decided to try to approach the black stone, and I remained waiting for him. We almost got lost because security doesn't allow us to sit or stand anywhere other than the designated areas. Wherever I settled down, I was immediately driven away. Moreover, the security did not stand on ceremony at all; people sitting in the wrong places could easily be pushed. Therefore, always keep your phone ready. Afterwards, we went to drink water from the sacred Zamzam spring. I used to imagine that somewhere in a mosque a spring flows from the bowels of the earth, and everyone drinks from it :)Of course, everything was not like that, there are special sinks, they have disposable glasses and taps with Zamzam. My husband drank 6 or 7 glasses, I only managed one, we offered a prayer (Dua) with requests to the Almighty. Then it is advisable to stand behind Ibrahim’s place (this is a small structure next to the Kaaba, in which you can see the footprints of the Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him) and perform a small prayer of 2 rak’ahs (you don’t have to do this right behind him, you can move to any free place behind him , even a hundred meters away. So we did, but of course it was far from the Kaaba.
Then came Sa-i, this is a ritual “run” between the mountains of Safa and Marwa. So Hajar, the wife of the prophet Abraham (peace be upon him), ran in search of water for her son Ismail, and when she returned, she found a miraculously filled key with Zamzam at his feet. It is said that this water is named after Zamzam because of its abundance. There is also a version that Hajar, when the water of Zamzam began to say: “Zam, zam” (in the form of an order), which meant: come on, grow and increase. I also imagined that somewhere behind the mosque there were mountains, and we would run back and forth. Everything turned out wrong! These mountains have already become part of the mosque, following the sign, we reached them. This is a long wide corridor, with an elevation near the place of the mountains (if you turn on the live broadcast from the Haram, they always show the Kaaba and the place of Sa-i). There is even a part of the stone mountain preserved on the ground floor. We stood at the site of Mount Safa, prayed (Dua), and began our run. In fact, only men are running and only in one place on the road, but we ladies are walking at a normal pace, reading prayers and asking the Almighty for everything we need: the blessings of this life and eternal life, forgiveness, we ask for everyone we know and in general for all Muslims and all people on the planet. We were very tired, but our legs seemed to carry us there and back! Just taking the last steps, fatigue fell on us. We heard the azan, prayed and went back to the buses.
At the end of Omra, men shave their heads or cut their hair, and women cut off a small amount of hair, about a centimeter from just one strand.(I have come across different opinions on whether it is necessary to cut along the entire length or just a strand).
The next 3 days we were at the hotel. Unfortunately, due to the large number of pilgrims, we went to the al-Haram mosque only once. The next day, after Omra, we were taken to the central market. There we bought most of the gifts and souvenirs, and I bought myself an inexpensive and very decent abaya (traditional black women's outer dress). The next day we were at the mosque and went into the shopping center under the clock - right opposite the mosque. There are several floors with shops, the lower the floor, the lower the price.And on the last day they didn’t take us anywhere and we just sat in the hotel and gained strength before the Hajj.
The next day (it was the day of Tarvius, 8th day of Dhul Hijjah- Islamic month) we again put on ihram, took backpacks with everything we needed and at about 11 o’clock in the afternoon we left for Mina, this is a tent city not far from Mecca. It was truly a tent city! Everywhere the eye could see there were pointed white pilgrim tents. We were taken there by bus. A very cozy large tent was waiting for us, which accommodated all the women from our group (about 30 people). Each of us had a mattress, a blanket, a pillow. The mattress was thick but soft, so the next night we spent, I simply slept on a thin mattress pad right on the carpet. The tent has air conditioning (although it is still very hot (October), a refrigerator with water and juices, hot water. There is a toilet outside with a shower. The toilet was quite clean, which was a pleasant surprise.
Tip 6) Take with you to Mina and Arafat: the Quran, a guide to Hajj and a collection of Dua!
And also: slippers for going to the toilet and showering, disposable gloves, a towel, all toiletries, soap, antibacterial hand gel. It is quite possible to shower and sleep clean. I also took with me 2 clean abayas and 2 sets of clothes under the abaya, in which I could sleep or sit with women in the tent. I recommend taking thin cotton sports pants and a T-shirt (and if it’s cold, dress warmer). We were also given a clean sheet and pillowcase and bags for pebbles. Don’t forget to take a bottle of water with you everywhere; when it runs out, you can get clean water in many places, for example, at the metro you can drink and get clean water. Take very comfortable, proven shoes! You'll have to walk a lot.
We spent the whole day reading the Koran, praying and Dua. Early in the morning, at day of Arafah, 9th day of Dhul Hijjah, after morning prayer, we got ready and went towards the Arafa Valley. We were told to take blankets with us, since we needed to spend the night in Mina. However, they were of no use to us there. We had to get to Arafat by skytrain. Imagine that all the thousands and even millions of pilgrims on this day are walking in the same direction! I don’t know how the organizers managed to let everyone through and prevent a crush. You need to come to an agreement with each group of pilgrims; each group goes at its own time. I can’t even imagine how many people are involved in organizing the Hajj, and everyone should always be in touch! Like ants, they communicate with each other, organize movement, help and advise pilgrims.
Very slowly, with constant stops, we finally reached the metro, passed several stops (there were almost as many people as during rush hour in the Moscow metro! Moreover, there were no separate men’s and women’s carriages, and the pilgrims often behaved exactly like Muscovites: healthy guys ran inside and took their seats, and the women stood modestly at the door). To enter the metro we were given special bracelets; we had to put them on and not take them off until the end of the hajj. We also had special cards that were given to us before the trip to Mina. Apparently to control illegal pilgrims (although there were a lot of them, so the Saudi authorities still have to work on this).
I again imagined and made things up: it seemed to me that we would sit somewhere under a mountain, under the scorching sun, and wait for sunset. But it turned out to be completely wrong. The mountains were far away, and a cozy tent was waiting for us. In the morning it was cool inside, but in the afternoon the temperature inside rose to 36 degrees, and despite the air conditioning, we were all drenched in sweat. Taking a shower in the toilet was quite problematic. However, our thoughts were completely different. The Day of Arafah is the most important day of the Hajj. According to the hadith, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Hajj is Arafah!” On the day of Arafah, the dua (requests) of the person praying are not rejected, and sins are forgiven. Therefore, we prayed, read dhikr (remembrance and glorification of the Almighty) and the Koran. By a happy coincidence, our day of Arafah fell on Friday, just like when the Prophet s.a.w. performed his hajj. It is advisable on this day to pray midday and afternoon prayers and listen to the sermon in the Namira mosque, but unfortunately, we were not able to get there and the sermon was read by a Sheikh from our group. Turning towards the Kaaba, we prayed all day, remembering all our loved ones, friends, acquaintances, as well as all Muslims and non-Muslims, asking for us and for them well-being in this life and in the next. They asked to forgive us our sins and not allow us to commit new ones and for everything, everything, everything that we wanted, hoping for the mercy of the Almighty. We cried and felt cleansed.
Muzdalifa
Shortly before sunset we went towards the metro. Perhaps this day and this path was the most difficult for me in the entire Hajj. It was very hot, we stood in the subway, waiting for our turn and pouring sweat. I constantly remembered that hadith about the Day of Judgment,quoted by Tabrani with a good isnad, which says that on the day when people drown in sweat, many, unable to bear it, will say: “Oh my Lord, send me even to Hell, do not leave me in this torment!” Hakim also cites a hadith with an authentic isnad: “Drowning in sweat, a person will suffer so much that, knowing about the torment of Hell, he will say: “O my Lord, it will be easier for me if You send me to the fire of Hell.”
We waited for sunset, since on this day we are supposed to leave the Arafa Valley after sunset. When the sun finally set, the train arrived, and we, happy, boarded the train, under the air conditioning, and, happy, went to Muzdalifah. There were no tents, there were carpets on the ground, and the areas for women were fenced off with cloth. Inside there were thin mattresses, pillows, blankets, which, however, were not enough for everyone. In Muzdalifa, you are supposed to collect pebbles for the ceremony in Jamarat (more about it later). The stones should be between the size of a pea and a hazelnut.
It is best to immediately collect all the necessary stones; their number depends on how many days (days of At-Tashriq) the pilgrim will stay in Mina. We needed about 50 stones (take extra, because in a hurry you may drop some stones, and you can also give them to those who forgot to collect them or lost them). In Muzdalifah, brand new toilets were waiting for us, we washed ourselves, changed clothes, prayed and went to bed, looking at the sky and stars. We got up for pre-dawn prayer at 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah, Day of the Sacrifice(Kurban Bayram, Eid Adha), they prayed and walked towards the metro, pronouncing the words of Talbiya.
Jamarat
The metro brought us to Jamarat - this is a place in Mina where there are columns, jamarat (in the photo in the center, it is an oval column, this shape appeared not so long ago and was chosen to avoid crowding). The ritual of throwing stones at these columns originates from the Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him. In these places, Satan appeared to him and he threw stones at him, so pilgrims follow this ritual, obeying the command of the Almighty. I, as always, imagined that it would be very long and very dangerous, and that I would certainly get hit on the top of my head with a stone, but everything, as usual, turned out to be completely different. We quickly reached the large column (Jamrat-ul Aqaba), because... this time we only threw stones at her, there were a lot of people, but everyone quickly came up, threw them and walked forward, so there was no crowd.
Quite easily, I walked right up to the barrier of the column and threw seven pebbles, glorifying the Almighty (Allahu Akbar - Allah (translated, the One/Only God) the Greatest). Immediately after this we walked to Mecca.
We walked for quite a long time, I can’t say how many kilometers we walked, but miraculously our legs carried us on their own, and there were practically no calluses. I rubbed my foot in one place, but the callus healed very quickly, in the evening I already forgot about it. In Mecca, our favorite bus was waiting for us, which took us to the hotel. We were so glad to have our cozy beds, shower, and air conditioning!! After all, only in such moments do we begin to appreciate what has been given to us by the Almighty and thank him for everything. Throughout the Hajj, we saw pilgrims who did not have tents; they simply slept on the ground. They probably didn’t even have cozy hotel rooms, just a prayer mat, a starry sky and a shower in a public toilet. There were a lot of such people, both men and women, and I was amazed that they decided to undertake such a difficult journey, and I am sure that they were happy at the chance to perform the Hajj. How many people live every day in such conditions? There are millions of them, but we live in our cozy apartments and it is a tragedy for us that one air conditioner does not work or the shower or dishwasher is broken. Or that the power went out or there was no Internet for half a day.
On this day, men are supposed to shave their heads or have their hair cut short (the former is preferable), and women are supposed to cut off their hair by 1 finger. Men can now remove their ihram and change into their own clothes.
Happy, we washed ourselves, changed into clean clothes, washed our clothes, and in the evening we went to the al-Haram mosque for the second circumambulation of the Kaaba on the holiday (tawaf al-Ifada). This time we went straight to the second floor. The walk around took us longer, but there was no crowd, it was cool and there was Zamzam everywhere. It was possible to have a drink, and some people sneakily did ablution, since the toilets are located outside the mosque and it would take at least half an hour to get to them and return. This is not easy for tired people! After tawaf, we performed sa-i again and prayed. This time the sa-i was especially difficult, we were very tired, and we made a mistake, starting the sa-i from the wrong hill (it should be from the Safa hill), we had to redo it.
It turned out that we and another couple were the last of our group, and all the buses had already left without waiting for us. It was already evening, there were very few people at the bus stop. We called the organizers of our group and they said that they could no longer send anyone, but we could find a taxi and they would pay for it later. Some guy in military uniform agreed to take us. We drove around the outskirts of Mecca for a very long time, but eventually ended up at our hotel.
Advice! Always take money with you and hide it securely. A taxi (and most likely it is a private taxi) can be very expensive if you are not smart and you can’t talk the driver out, like my husband did. Plan your time so you don't arrive later than everyone else! Know exactly the location of your hotel; it’s best to immediately make a note in the navigator on your phone or check the directions and hotel address in advance.
Finally we returned to the hotel, where a festive dinner awaited us. The next three days after Kurban Bayram (11th, 12th, 13th of the month Dhul Hijjah) are called days Ayyam at-tashrik. It is advisable to spend the nights of these days in Mina. At least one night is required. If the pilgrim does not spend a single night in the valley Mine, he is obliged to pay a fine in the form of a sacrifice. If he does not have the opportunity to do this, he is obliged to fast: three days in Mecca, seven after returning to his homeland. Unlike the day of Eid al-Fitr, on the days Ayyam at-tashrik pilgrims are required to throw stones at all three jamrata, observing the order in which they are placed when throwing. They are located in the following order, if you go from the valley side Mine: jamrat al-sugra, jamrat al-wusta, Jamrat al-'Aqaba. While throwing stones, the pilgrim should face the Kaaba and after each jamrata It is advisable to stand and pray to Allah.
During the day we were at the hotel, and at night we went to Mina (2 nights), and in the morning we threw stones at the jamarats.
Farewell to the Kaaba
Before leaving Mecca, the pilgrim is obliged to perform farewell tawaf al-wada. At the beginning, it is necessary to make the intention to perform a farewell tawaf. After completing the tawaf, having performed two rakaat sunnah prayers, preferably approach the Kaaba and, standing between the Black Stone and the door of the Kaaba, ask Allah Almighty for help in the needs of this and the afterlife.
Saying goodbye to the Kaaba was the most touching moment of the entire Hajj for me. We were performing the last tawaf, and about halfway through we heard the adhan. For some reason he was 1 hour earlier than expected. We took our seats and began to wait for prayer. Next to me were Tatar women from Russia, and we talked about this and that, about the Hajj and about our faith. Finally, the iqama sounded, it slowly began to get light, it was very quiet and only birds like swifts circled around the Kaaba and flew under the roof of the mosque. I will remember this prayer for the rest of my life. The Hajj ended, I felt clean from sins, and I wanted the Sheikh to take the biggest surah (al Bakarah!!), and this prayer would never end! Isn't this the sweetness of faith? Tears flowed from my eyes. The prayer was over, we completed the tawaf and went to the hotel. We were on our way to Medina.
News from Islamic countries
30.12.2018« People are obligated to Allah to perform the Hajj to the House (Kaaba), if they are able to make it this way. If anyone does not believe, then Allah does not need the worlds» (3: 97).
When planning to perform Hajj, you need to take many points into account. First, you need to decide what to pack so that you are prepared for anything, but at the same time, you need to keep the number of items to a minimum so as not to overload your luggage with unnecessary items. Secondly, you need to determine which items are most important on the trip, such as documents and medications. You should leave behind everything that will distract you from the main purpose of your trip, since Hajj consists of leaving behind worldly entertainments. After all, you don’t want to take absolutely unnecessary things with you on the most important trip of your life.
Small Hajj Bag
It should be a small, but quite strong rag bag that you can wear around your waist. It is best to wear it under ihram for security reasons and protection from thieves.
Store your most important documents here, including:
Air ticket
Copy of passport and visa
Shahada Certificate (if you are a convert to Islam in a non-Muslim country)
Hotel address (in English and Arabic)
Cash
Medicines
Glasses, contact lenses
Hajj suitcase
For 5 days of Hajj and traveling between Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat, Mina and Mecca, you will need a medium-sized suitcase that will be easy to move. The ideal option is a backpack.
However, before packing, think about what you will wear during the 5 days of Hajj. This is ihram. You need to prepare a set of clothes that will be your ihram.
Put in your suitcase:
Second set of clothes (underwear, trousers, abaya, hijab, socks, etc.)
Hand towel
Spare pair of sandals or flip-flops
Unscented lotion or Vaseline
Unscented sunscreen
Sun umbrella: it’s better not dark so as not to absorb light
Toilet paper
Toothbrush, miswak and toothpaste
Food for a snack: dried fruits, nuts, bars
Water bottles
Hajj manual, small copy of the Koran, books with duas, etc.
Check with your tour operator for lunch and availability of blankets
Necessary medications, painkillers, first aid kit
Personal care products
Surgical mask
Prayer rug
Folding stool
For women: a sheet, hair ties, sneakers, pajamas, tissues, some laundry detergent, lip balm.
The main attribute of Hajj
Hajj takes place in certain months. Whoever intends to perform Hajj during these months should not have sexual intercourse, commit sins or enter into disputes during the Hajj. Whatever good you do, Allah knows it. Take provisions with you, but the best provision is fear of God. Fear Me, O people of understanding! (2:197) The main attribute to take with you is your intention.
Why are you performing Hajj?
The answer to this question should be: to gain the pleasure of Allah Almighty. Another essential provision for Hajj is not what you pack in your suitcase, but what you take with you in your heart - fear of God, obedience and awareness.