Muslims worldwide are once again anticipating a very different hajj season due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has forced Saudi Arabia to cut the number of pilgrims this year to 60,000 people from the residents and citizens of the kingdom.
This holy journey includes a series of specific rituals carried out by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) nearly 1,400 years ago.
Hajj 2021 will commence on Sunday, July 18, and will continue till Friday, 23rd of July 2021.
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This is the tentative date as the actual date is contingent on Dhul-Hijjah moon sighting on Saturday, July 10.
“On July 10, the moon may be seen in Americas with difficulty, it may be seen. In Pacific ocean it may be seen easily,” Moonsighting.com reported.
“On July 11, it can be seen in almost the whole world.”
July 10, 2021 (Saturday)
July 11, 2021 (Sunday)
Hajj on Islamic Calendar
According to the Islamic Calendar, hajj begins on the 8th day of Dhul-Hijjah and ends on the thirteenth day of the same month.
The overarching aim of the Hajj is to strengthen one’s faith and purify him or her of sins. Allah (SWT) mentions the benefits of Hajj as:
“That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known days over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor.” (Quran 22:28)
Hajj consists of several rituals, which are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith. They also commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon them.
Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform hajj at least once in a lifetime.