Hajj guide · For pilgrims
Hajj step by step: what happens on each day
Hajj takes place over five or six days, from the 8th to the 12th or 13th of Dhul Hijjah, and moves between Makkah, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah. Here is what happens on each day, where you will be, and what you need to do.
Labbyk editorial team 5 min read
On this page
- 1The three types of Hajj
- 2The route: Makkah, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah
- 38 Dhul Hijjah — to Mina (Yawm at-Tarwiyah)
- 49 Dhul Hijjah — the Day of Arafah
- 5The night at Muzdalifah
- 610 Dhul Hijjah — the Day of Eid
- 711–13 Dhul Hijjah — the days of Tashreeq in Mina
- 8Tawaf al-Wada‘ — the farewell Tawaf
- 9Going for Hajj from India
Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam, obligatory once in a lifetime for every adult Muslim who is physically and financially able. Unlike Umrah it can only be performed in the days of Hajj, from the 8th to the 12th or 13th of Dhul Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar. Because the Islamic year is shorter than the solar year, Hajj comes about eleven days earlier each year.
The three types of Hajj
Before you travel, decide which type of Hajj you are performing, because it decides when you enter Ihram and whether you must offer a sacrifice. Most pilgrims from India perform Tamattu‘.
| Type | What you do | Sacrifice |
|---|---|---|
| Tamattu‘ | Umrah first, then leave Ihram and live normally in Makkah. Enter Ihram again for Hajj on the 8th of Dhul Hijjah. | Required |
| Qiran | Umrah and Hajj together in one Ihram, which you keep on from your arrival until the 10th. | Required |
| Ifrad | Hajj only, in Ihram from the Miqat until the 10th. No Umrah with it. | Not required |
The route: Makkah, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah
The rites of Hajj move between four places east of Makkah. Mina, the tent city, is a few kilometres from Masjid al-Haram; Arafat is about 20 km from Makkah, and Muzdalifah lies between them. Groups travel between them by bus, by the Mashair train, or on foot.
- MakkahMasjid al-Haram
- MinaThe tent city and the Jamarat
- ArafatThe standing, on the 9th
- MuzdalifahA night under the sky
- 8thMakkahtoMinaEnter Ihram; the day and night in Mina
- 9th, after sunriseMinatoArafatStand in dua until sunset
- 9th, after sunsetArafattoMuzdalifahMaghrib and Isha together; sleep under the sky
- 10th, before sunriseMuzdalifahtoMinaStone Jamarat al-Aqabah, sacrifice, haircut
- 10th or laterMinatoMakkahtoMinaTawaf al-Ifadah and Sa'i
- 11th – 13thMinaStone all three Jamarat each day
- Last dayMakkahTawaf al-Wada‘, then home
8 Dhul Hijjah — to Mina (Yawm at-Tarwiyah)
Pilgrims performing Tamattu‘ enter Ihram again from where they are staying in Makkah: take a bath, put on Ihram, make the intention for Hajj and say “Labbayk Allahumma Hajjan”, then begin the Talbiyah. Pilgrims on Qiran and Ifrad are already in Ihram.
Go to Mina and spend the day and night in your group's tent. Pray Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha and the next morning's Fajr there, each at its own time, shortening the four-rak‘ah prayers to two. Rest — the next day is the most important day of Hajj.
9 Dhul Hijjah — the Day of Arafah
After sunrise, travel to Arafat. Standing at Arafat (wuquf) is the heart of Hajj — the Prophet ﷺ said, “Hajj is Arafah.” Missing it means missing Hajj, so make sure your group's camp is inside the boundary of Arafat, which is marked with signs.
- Pray Dhuhr and Asr together at the time of Dhuhr, both shortened to two rak‘ahs.
- Spend the afternoon until sunset in dua, dhikr, Qur'an and repentance, facing the Qiblah. You don't need to climb Jabal ar-Rahmah or even see it; anywhere inside Arafat is fine.
- Stay until the sun has set. Don't leave Arafat before sunset.
The best dua of the Day of Arafah
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamd, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay'in qadir.
The night at Muzdalifah
After sunset, leave for Muzdalifah without praying Maghrib at Arafat. When you arrive, pray Maghrib and Isha together, with Isha shortened. Spend the night under the open sky, then pray Fajr early and remain in dhikr and dua until it is light, leaving before sunrise.
Collect small pebbles, about the size of a chickpea, for the stoning: 49 if you will leave Mina on the 12th, or 70 if you stay for the 13th. Many pilgrims pick a few extra. Pebbles can also be collected in Mina. Elderly pilgrims, the weak, women and those looking after them may leave Muzdalifah after midnight.
10 Dhul Hijjah — the Day of Eid
The 10th is the busiest day of Hajj. There are four rites, and doing them in this order is sunnah (and wajib in the Hanafi school for some pilgrims):
Rite 1
Stone Jamarat al-Aqabah
Back in Mina, throw seven pebbles at the large pillar only, one at a time, saying “Allahu Akbar” with each. Stop the Talbiyah when you throw the first pebble.
Rite 2
Offer the sacrifice
Required for Tamattu‘ and Qiran. Almost every pilgrim now pays for it through the official Saudi sacrifice (Adahi) coupon, usually arranged by the agency — ask yours for the confirmation.
Rite 3
Shave or trim the hair
Men shave (better) or trim evenly; women cut a fingertip's length. You are now out of Ihram for everything except marital relations.
Rite 4
Tawaf al-Ifadah and Sa'i
Go to Makkah for Tawaf al-Ifadah, a pillar of Hajj, followed by Sa'i for pilgrims on Tamattu‘. It can be done on the 10th or later in the days of Tashreeq. After it, you are fully out of Ihram.
11–13 Dhul Hijjah — the days of Tashreeq in Mina
Spend the nights of the 11th and 12th in Mina. On each of these days, after midday, stone all three pillars in order — the small (Jamarat al-Ula), the middle (al-Wusta) and the large (al-Aqabah) — with seven pebbles each, saying “Allahu Akbar” with every throw. After the first and second, step aside, face the Qiblah and make a long dua.
You may leave Mina on the 12th, as long as you leave before sunset. If you are still in Mina at sunset, stay the night and stone all three pillars again on the 13th. Pilgrims who can't stone themselves — the sick, the elderly, pregnant women — may appoint someone who has already stoned for themselves to throw for them.
Tawaf al-Wada‘ — the farewell Tawaf
The last thing you do in Makkah, right before you leave for home or for Madinah, is the farewell Tawaf: seven rounds, without Sa'i and without Ihram. Women who are menstruating are excused from it. Then your Hajj is complete. May Allah accept it.
Going for Hajj from India
Pilgrims from India go either through the Haj Committee of India or with a private Haj Group Organiser (HGO) — a travel agency registered with the Ministry of Minority Affairs. Under the Haj Policy 2026, 70% of India's seats went to the Haj Committee and 30% to HGOs. Applications open months ahead, so watch for the announcement on hajcommittee.gov.in and check that any private agency is on the Ministry's list of registered HGOs before you pay.
