۩ A daylong collective gathering
۩ An all-night vigil
۩ A casting out of temptation
۩ And a three-day feast.
Day One
When they first arrive in Mecca, they change from their street clothes into Hajj garments. For men, two lengths of unstitched cotton cloth resembling beach towels, and women wear the usual form of national dress. This is because they are supposed to look alike. Everyone is levelled and stripped of social distinctions before entering Mecca, just as everyone is equal before God. Then everybody takes part in walking prayer, called the turning. Each pilgrim arriving in Mecca sets out at the northeast corner of the building and, in keeping with an ancient tradition, walks briskly seven times around the Ka`bah. When the pilgrims leave the Ka`bah they approach a flight of steps that lead down to a cavernous room beneath the marble floors. That is where the ancient Zamzam well is. The well presents a fundamental wonder: water in a desert. Without it there would be no Mecca. Traditionally, each pilgrim takes a drink from it, to refresh himself and prepare for the rite that follows.
Pilgrims must then walk between the two hills of Safa and Marwa. This symbolises Hagar’s search for water for her thirsty son (Abraham). The 7th lap delivers the pilgrim to Marwa and completes the first set of the Hajj rites.
Early in the morning of the 8th day of Hijjah, the pilgrims go out of the town to Mina Valley. This is the start of the 5 day journey into the desert.
Dawn to Midnight – Day Two
Mina is a 10 mile long desert valley, during the Hajj season every square inch of the valley is filled with several hundred thousand canvas tents arranged in small quad lateral villages.
Day Three
Then the pilgrims go east towards the plain of Arafat, a barren sketch of sand marked by a single foothill, called Mount Mercy. The real point of that event is called the Day of Standing. To simply be there, and be a participating witness. The Mount of Mercy is the mountain where the Prophet stood and delivered his farewell sermon.
Day Three/Four
On the way back to Mina, the pilgrims stop at a patch of hills and pebbled plain called Muzdalifah. Here they stop for the night, to rest, eat and gather stones for the next day. At dawn, the crowds begin to move in the direction of Mina to take part in the final rites.
Day Four
Then they get ready to accomplish one of the Hajj’s final rites: the ancient practice of stoning three pillars that symbolise temptation. Each pilgrim approaches the first pillar to aim well enough to hit it seven times. The symbolism of the act is quite important: The Hajj has left its pilgrims with a clean conscience. These pillars represent the devil. The pillars at Mina, mark the place where the Devil tried three times to persuade Abraham to go against God's command and not sacrifice his son, Isaac.
Completion
Now, the Hajj changes to three days of restful, stationary celebration.
Three-day feast
When they have returned to Mina for the three-day feast, the Eid-ul-Adha. Some pilgrims if they wish return to Mecca to do what they did when they arrived. Males will have shaved heads by now and women will have had a lock of hair cut off. This symbolises that the pilgrim can now resume his normal life.
