Hajj overview

Hajj is the major pilgrimage. Umrah can be performed at any time of year. Hajj cannot. It is tied to specific days in the month of Dhul Hijjah.

This page is an overview for someone planning ahead. It is not a day-by-day manual. Where scholars differ on who must perform Hajj, and on the details of the rites, ask the scholar with your group.

A different permission from Umrah

A Saudi tourist eVisa can allow Umrah. It does not allow Hajj. The official eVisa terms exclude Hajj. People coming for Hajj need a Hajj visa, arranged through the official route, not through this website.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah oversees Nusuk Hajj for registration and packages from serviced countries: hajj.nusuk.sa.

What the days are built around

The rites are in and around Makkah. They include entering ihram, standing at Arafat, and the days at Mina. The order, the nights, and what is required versus recommended should come from your group scholar and from the ministry’s Hajj pages, not from a short article.

Read the ministry’s Hajj section before you commit to a year: haj.gov.sa.

If you are only doing Umrah

Start with How to start Umrah, then How to perform Umrah.