The most important ritual is to spend the night between the 9th-10th of the month called (thill'hijja) on (Arafat) a mountain nearby Mecca. This year it will be the night between Wednesday the 19th and Thursday 20th of January. A holiday for four days is taken each year in the Islamic countries (20-23 Jan 2005).

 

Hajj is one of the five basic elements of Islam. Though, it is not an obligation. It is said in Koran "…God bids people to go to Hajj. People who have the physical & financial abilities may go to Hajj. Others, who don't, they won't be blamed…"(not certified translation).

 

Another ritual is to slaughter a (sheep, cow) as an oblation. The meat is to be donated to poor people. With advanced technology of abattoirs, freezers and transportation, this enormous quantity of meat, nowadays, is freighted to poor people all over the world.

 

About twenty years ago, the Saudi authorities reached an agreement with the Islamic countries that each country should not send more than 0.1% of its population annually to Hajj. Mecca & Medina become very crowded during Hajj, and to avoid accidents they reached this agreement. Nowadays, more than two million Muslim pilgrims may gather there annually.

 

Muslims greet each other on this occasion. The most common greetings is (Ayamkum Sa'eida) which means (wishing you happy days). When a pilgrim returns from Hajj, he/she is greeted by (Hajj Mabroor) which means (may God accept your penitence). Now, if you'd like to greet a Muslim friend, who understands Arabic, on this occasion, you may copy, paste & send the following:

 

(Ayamkum Sa'eida. Kul Aam Wa Antum Bikhair)

It means: Wishing you happy

days and hope everything goes well for you.

 

Finally, Ayamkum Sa'eida all, wishing you & the whole world peace and prosperity.