(Arabic; derived from the root 岣-j-j), meaning 鈥榯o betake oneself to鈥, also, occurs in other Semitic languages. The word Hajj usually refers to the annual pilgrimage by Muslims to the Ka士ba in Mecca, also called the Great Pilgrimage, in contrast to the 士Umra, the Lesser Pilgrimage. The Islamic Hajj owes most of its rituals to the pre-Islamic pilgrimage. Currently, it takes place over five days, the 8th-12th of the twelfth month (Dh奴’l-岣jja) of the Muslim lunar calendar. On the 10th day of Dh奴’l-岣jja, pilgrims offer an animal sacrifice to commemorate Abraham鈥檚 willingness to sacrifice his son. The day is celebrated by Muslims worldwide as 士莫d al-a岣嶀弗膩. Muslims from diverse ethnic, linguistic and cultural backgrounds come together to perform the ritual. It was only in the 8th year of the Hijra, 630 CE, when the first Muslim community performed the Hajj. The Prophet鈥檚 first pilgrimage as head of the Muslim pilgrims was in 10 AH/632 CE; it was also his last, whence the title, 岣jjat al-wad膩士 (鈥榯he farewell-pilgrimage鈥).
