Welcome to new home of hajdirectory.com and Haj related information!

"To gain love and forgiveness from Allah Almighty the best way to perform Hajj is the way the Prophet."

1. Haj is an obligation a person owes to Allah. Haj is incumbent upon an adult Muslim of sound mind, who has the necessary financial capability and physical capacity.

2. Islamic Haj was first performed in 9th Hijri. The Prophet (PBUH) performed only one Haj.

3. When the intention for Haj is made, the person should start praying to Allah to make Haj easy for him. Please remember Haj entails physical hardship, combined with spiritual upliftment.

4. Intending pilgrims after submitting their applications to the Haj Committee should immediately start consulting/studying and obtaining information and knowledge about religious rituals, especially about Wudu, Salaah (Namaz), Ihraam, Umrah, Haj and Ziarat. This can be got thru books, thru audio and videos, by talking to people who have performed HAJ, and through other knowledgeable persons. Do not feel hesitant embarrassed about asking basic Hajj questions from your friends/ relatives/ teacher/ guide/ Maulvi/ Aalim. You must know all about the Haj rituals and living conditions in Saudi Arabia. Proper knowledge about all these is also essential for your safety as well as the safety of those with you.

5. Start taking long walks every day in preparation for the walks that you will need to make during the course of Haj and at Makkah and Madiah. This will build up your stamina and accustom your body to such long distance walking. Also take care of your health and obtain all the medication required by you and your family members accompanying you.

6. You must start making other preparations for your journey like booking your railway or bus tickets, or other transport for travel reservations from your home to the city and airport from where you are to embark for Saudi Arabia. You must also ensure that you have a proper place to stay at this embarkation point. If you are advanced in age, your must have a companion accompanying you from home to your embarkation airport. Get photocopies of all your medical records, purchase, your medicines and get the doctor's prescription for he same, purchase necessary items like pyjamas, kurtas, shirts, lungis, underwear, slippers, shoes, caps, sweaters, blankets, toilet mug (lota), water bottle, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, socks, handkerchief and such items that are necessary for your travel and long journey.

Remember you need to travel light. For example, if your are accustomed to wearing kurta and pyjama then you must carry only 4-5 (washable) sets of the same. Remember that Haj season is now in the relatively colder months and, hence, you need to have a sweater and blanket with you. Your rooms in Makkah and Madiah and the tents in Mina are air-conditioned and, hence, you may feel cold, especially during night. Even in the Haram Sharief at Makkah and Madinah, most of the area is air-conditioned.

7. Remember to take you Meningitis vaccination at least 10-days before travel embarkation and to keep the certificate along with a photocopy of he same. (The original with you and the photocopy in your luggage.)

8. Get to know of he items that are banned in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia before packing your luggage. Narcotic drugs invoke the death penalty. Liquor is banned. If you are bringing medicines for your personal use, you should bring the doctor's prescription in original with you, otherwise medicines will be confiscated. Do not bring cooking oil, kerosene, flour, perishable items or other things that the customs officials may object to or may have problems in identifying. Do not carry any gift or packet given to you by any one, not even by your relatives and friends. If carrying such a thing becomes essential then you must thoroughly inspect the packet that you are to carry since you will be personally held responsible and liable if it contains any objectionable things. Please remember that even magazines, photographs, books and religious literature as well as audio, cd's, dvd's and videos may be confiscated by the Saudi customs authorities.