Hajj, day by day.

Before the 8th — arrival

Where: Makkah

1. Complete your Umrah and exit Ihram Complete your Umrah and stay in Ihram — yours continues to the end of Hajj You arrived in Ihram for Hajj and stay in it. Perform Tawaf al-Qudum (the arrival Tawaf) when you reach Makkah, as your scholar advises
2. Rest. Protect your energy for the five days
3. Confirm your movement schedule with your group
4. Prepare your Mashair bag and organize your belongings
5. Learn the layout around your hotel, and agree meeting points

8 Dhul-Hijjah — Yawm at-Tarwiyah

Where: Makkah (where you enter Ihram), then Mina

1. Enter Ihram for Hajj: intention and Talbiyah Already in Ihram since the Miqat — renew the Talbiyah and move with your group
2. Travel to Mina on your group’s schedule
3. Pray each salah in its own time — shortened, not combined
4. Worship, prepare for tomorrow, and rest

This is the beginning. Tomorrow is the one that matters. Sleep when you can.

9 Dhul-Hijjah — Arafah

Where: The plain of Arafah. The heart of Hajj.

1. Travel to Arafah; confirm you are inside the boundary
2. Dhuhr and Asr per your group’s guidance
3. Du’a until sunset. Open your du’a list and ask for everything on it
4. Do not leave before sunset
5. After sunset, move with your group to Muzdalifah

Night of the 9th — Muzdalifah

Where: Under the open sky

1. Pray according to the guidance you have learned
2. Rest where you can. There are no tents here; a night on the open ground is part of Muzdalifah
3. Collect small pebbles for the Jamarat; your group will tell you how many
4. Depart for Mina on your group’s schedule

Keep the pebbles small. Large stones are not needed.

10 Dhul-Hijjah — Yawm an-Nahr

Where: Mina, then Makkah. The busiest day of Hajj.

1. Rami of Jamrat al-Aqabah — seven pebbles
2. Sacrifice (hady), usually arranged by your package No hady (sacrifice) is required for Ifrad, so skip this step. If you want to offer a voluntary sacrifice, ask your scholar
3. Cut or shave the hair. Sisters: trim only
4. Exit Ihram. This is called the first release; your scholar will tell you which restrictions are lifted now
5. Tawaf al-Ifadah, with Sa’i where required

11–13 Dhul-Hijjah — Ayyam at-Tashriq

Where: Mina

1. Each day: Rami of all three Jamarat, in order, at your group’s time
2. Dhikr, du’a, worship — these days are Hajj, not the part after it
3. Leaving Mina on the 12th? Leave before sunset. Your group will tell you what time to go that day
4. Staying? Rami once more on the 13th, and then you leave Mina

Before leaving Makkah — Tawaf al-Wada’

1. If it is required of you (your scholar will confirm), the farewell Tawaf is the last thing you do before leaving Makkah
2. Look at the Ka’bah knowing you are leaving. Do not rush this
3. Ask Allah to accept it. And ask Him to bring you back