Al Khalid

Lead your way to a productive Hajj

There are a lot of discrepancies about how ideally Hajj needs to be performed. But to avoid all the perplexity we have listed below a few things you should know before you perform Hajj and things that you should carry on HAJJ.

Just before you travel;

• This is not an ordinary journey; you need to double check and make sure everything is in place. This will ensure that your journey is on the right track
• You need to take a photocopy of all your official documents. Make sure you have extra copies of passports and photos
• It is advisable to keep both your national currency along with Saudi Riyals in your wallet
• Make your agent check all the bookings related to travel, hotels, foods, and other arrangements
• Pay all your dues or pre-pay your monthly bills

Educate yourself and surround yourself with the Learned:

• This holy journey needs perseverance and sincerity to have the right mentality; otherwise it becomes way too difficult to cope
• List down things and take it one thing gradually
• Make your mind to please Allah in the best way possible, and go with an open mind. It is necessary to have a complete and authentic knowledge about Hajj
• You can learn the basics of Islam all over again. This is just to make sure that you perform Wudhu & Salah perfectly
• It is also advisable to familiarize yourself with the whole Hajj plan. You cannot really imagine yourself to be guided by Imam after every little Dua
• Read the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad & Prophet Ibrahim before you go
• You can also go through a book name ‘Getting the best out of Hajj’ by Abu Muneer Ismail Davids. The book has all the important steps mentioned both before and during Hajj
• Be extra careful when it comes to incorrect practices
• Surround yourself with scholars who are better at explaining the rituals correctly. You will be able to find some group that arrange daily motivational reminders and also guides on various Hajj related rituals
• Take an effort to learn some common Arabic phrases and vocabulary to ease the communication during Hajj. As the sign-boards are in Arabic, it becomes difficult to understand.

What to Wear:

• Make sure your sandals or shoes are comfortable
• If you have sensitive feet then make sure you carry your comfortable slippers in a bag while visiting Masjid al-Haram. The hard granite floor can hurt your feet. It is advisable to carry soft padded slippers to avoid pain on the feet
• Carry an extra Ihram while visiting Mina, just in case if it gets dirty
• As the excruciating heat may make you irritable and lethargic, you can place a damp hand towel under your cap. This will surely make you feel fresh and energized

What to carry:

• Ensure you only pack essentials in your bags
• Carry a few empty plastic bottles to fill up ZamZam when you visit Masjid al- haram
• Carry a lightweight umbrella & prayer mat, which also protects your head from the heat, but if you have weak joints and bones, carry a padded one
• Make sure you have the handheld fan, sunglasses, medical face mask, Vaseline, wet tissues and a phone with longer battery life
• Keep a first aid kind handy
• As the journeys are long, it is advisable to carry a mini Quran, Hajj guide, mini supplications book. Make sure your Mp3 player carries Quran, Duas, and lectures. This will surely keep you going

Other than these essential things, it is important to immerse yourself completely in the holy experience. The only way to immerse yourself is by keeping disconnecting from the life back at home, no phone, emails, social media. Hajj is for the sake of Allah alone. Simply submit yourself to Allah as the journey begins. It is necessary to mentally prepare yourself for the whole journey, as you would make it an unpleasant one by fretting over the daily hassles.