Once in your life time obligation.

My astonishment for the Hajj.

Tentatively next month  ( September ) will be the Hajj pilgrim's journey for Muslim for the year 2015.  But for the Muslim calendar it'll be all the time on the 12th month ie Zulhijjah.  I did my Hajj on December, 2007 Gregorian year.

My wife and I took  the Saudi Airlines en route to Mekah to perform the Hajj in the year 2007.

The Hajj ritual will start from the Plain of  Arafah on the 9th of Zulhijjah.  Arafah is about 22 km from Mekah.   In the year 2007 there were 2.4 million pilgrims from all over the world compare to 1.9 million in 1997. If you failed to stay in Arafah  by the 10th of Zulhijjah then your Hajj is invalid.

The second day of the ritual is  stop over Muzdalifah.  From Muzdalifah to Arafah is 8 km.  Sleeping on the ground with the open sky after picking up pebbles  at Muzdalifah for "stoning the devil" in Mina.  It is not compulsory to sleep in Muzdalifah,  It is acceptable just by passing this piece of land before going to Mina/

Three days living in the fire proof tent  in Mina,   Mina is 7 km from Muzdalifah.   Main ritual here is to throw pebbles toward a pillar.  It is a symbolic gesture stoning the devil which relates the story about Prophet Ibrahim and the Devil.  The moral of the gesture is to throw your ill feeling toward others and plunge your negative attitude and purify your heart.

On the way to "stone the devil".

Brisk walking 7 times around the Kaabah is compulsory in the Hajj ritual.

Thanks Allah with His gracious and mercy my wife and I have had successfully completed the Hajj.

Words of warning for anyone who wish to perform the Hajj once you are here do not " talk big" or brag around, here you will be punished immediately somehow.