When Does Hajj Start and End? The 5 Days of Pilgrimage

Unlike Umrah, which can be performed on almost any day of the year, Hajj is strictly bound to a very specific timeframe.

In Islam, Hajj can only be performed once a year during the sacred month of Dhul-Hijjah, the 12th and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Attempting to perform the rituals of Hajj outside of these specific dates is invalid.

Here is the exact timeline of when Hajj starts and ends.

The Official Start of Hajj

Hajj officially begins on the 8th day of Dhul-Hijjah. This day is known as the Day of Tarwiyah (The Day of Quenching). On this day, millions of pilgrims formally enter the state of Ihram, declare their intention for Hajj, leave the city of Makkah, and travel to the tent city of Mina to spend the day and night in prayer.

Note: While the rituals officially start on the 8th, pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia weeks in advance to perform Umrah first and settle into their accommodations.

The Core of Hajj: The 9th of Dhul-Hijjah

The second day of Hajj, the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, is the Day of Arafat. This is the single most important day of the pilgrimage. Pilgrims spend the afternoon standing on the plains of Mount Arafat, engaged in intense prayer and repentance until sunset. If a pilgrim misses standing at Arafat on this specific day, their entire Hajj is considered invalid.

The End of Hajj: The 12th or 13th of Dhul-Hijjah

Hajj concludes during the Days of Tashreeq (the days following Eid al-Adha). Pilgrims have a choice of when to officially end their Hajj:

• The Early Departure (The 12th of Dhul-Hijjah): Most pilgrims choose to finish their Hajj on the 5th day. After stoning the Jamarat in the afternoon, they leave Mina and return to Makkah before sunset. This officially ends their Hajj.
• The Late Departure (The 13th of Dhul-Hijjah): Pilgrims who wish to earn extra reward (or who miss the sunset deadline on the 12th) stay an extra night in Mina. They stone the Jamarat one last time on the afternoon of the 13th, making their Hajj a 6-day journey.

Summary Timeline of Hajj

• Start: 8th of Dhul-Hijjah (Travel to Mina)
• Day 2: 9th of Dhul-Hijjah (The Day of Arafat)
• Day 3: 10th of Dhul-Hijjah (Eid al-Adha / Stoning / Sacrifice)
• Day 4: 11th of Dhul-Hijjah (Stoning the Jamarat)
• End (Option 1): 12th of Dhul-Hijjah (Leave Mina before sunset)
• End (Option 2): 13th of Dhul-Hijjah (Leave Mina on the 6th day)

Before flying back home, whether they ended on the 12th or 13th, every pilgrim must perform one final act: Tawaf al-Wida (The Farewell Circumambulation) around the Kaaba.

The Timeline of the Great Pilgrimage

The timeline of Hajj is strictly defined by the Islamic lunar calendar, specifically the month of Dhul Hijjah. Unlike Umrah, which can be performed on any day of the year, Hajj is a rigid, synchronized, mass movement of millions of people that must be executed on specific days.

The Five Days of Hajj

The core rituals of Hajj span over five intense days:

1. 8th Dhul Hijjah (Day of Tarwiyah): This is the official start. Pilgrims enter the state of Ihram, leave Mecca, and travel to the massive tent city of Mina, where they spend the day and night in prayer and preparation.
2. 9th Dhul Hijjah (Day of Arafah): This is the climax of Hajj. Pilgrims travel to the plains of Arafat. Standing here from noon until sunset in deep supplication is the absolute requirement of Hajj. If missed, the Hajj is invalid. After sunset, they move to Muzdalifah to spend the night under the stars.
3. 10th Dhul Hijjah (Day of Sacrifice / Eid al-Adha): The busiest day. Pilgrims return to Mina to stone the largest pillar (Jamarat al-Aqabah), perform the animal sacrifice, shave or trim their hair, and then travel to Mecca to perform Tawaf al-Ifadah and Sa'i.
4. 11th & 12th Dhul Hijjah (Days of Tashreeq): Pilgrims stay in Mina and stone all three pillars each afternoon.
5. 13th Dhul Hijjah: The final optional day of stoning. Pilgrims then perform the Farewell Tawaf (Tawaf al-Wida) before leaving Mecca, officially ending their Hajj.

Common Questions Pilgrims Ask Pilgrims Ask

Can I perform Hajj in a different month if Mecca is too crowded? No. Hajj is explicitly tied to the dates in Dhul Hijjah. If you travel to Mecca to perform these rituals in any other month, it is an Umrah, not a Hajj, and your religious obligation remains unfulfilled.

What happens if a woman gets her menstrual cycle during these days? She continues to perform all the rites of Hajj—including going to Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah, and throwing the stones. The only ritual she is prohibited from doing is the Tawaf (circumambulating the Kaaba). She simply delays the Tawaf until she is pure. Her Hajj is completely valid.

Why is it called the 'Day of Tarwiyah'? Tarwiyah means "fetching water." Historically, pilgrims would spend the 8th of Dhul Hijjah fetching and storing water to sustain themselves and their animals for the arduous journey to Arafat the next day.