Most of you may be aware that I went for Hajj last year and it turned out to be one of the most rewarding trips of my life. I meant to share some tips and suggestions with those of you who are going this year, IA. This is from my experience and I’m hoping it can help you in some way.

I would highly recommend looking up a few more articles on Hajj tips on the internet. Because in my experience, when I was researching, I found a few different tips across multiple articles. Don’t oversaturate yourself, but do have a look at a few posts.

So in no particular order, here are my Hajj tips and suggestions. Feel free to add to these from your experience as well.

TOPLINE

1. My number one tip is to take a  deep breath and trust that it will be okay. Hajj feels very overwhelming on paper, in an unmanageable way and it really is overwhelming. When one starts to prep for Hajj, it feels like this massive task that you have to learn about, prepare for, and even ‘just get done with’ because it sounds taxing. It’s all of that but with a LOT of upsides that can neutralize the tough bits. You have to ease into the preps with the right mindset for yourself. Think of it as the (probably) once-in-a-lifetime spiritual retreat that you’re taking with a loved one and approach it with love.

2.  For people who don’t know Hajj steps (I didn’t), just keep in mind that the actual duration of Hajj itself is about 5 days only. The rest of the days in your package are for however you wish to spend time in Makkah and Madina – prayers, etc. So the real physically exhausting days are those few days only. The rest can be easy, chilled out, praying, enjoying the experience, type.

3. Our maulvi saab at Hajj was really very nice. He said two things consistently to us: a) Pray as much as you can. Don’t let any opportunity go to pray, pray, pray. b) Have itminaan. Don’t be scared, park your fears and just go in with a grounded approach. Inshallah, your Hajj will be exactly what you need it to be.

PREPS – BEFORE FLYING

1. A friend of ours gave us ‘Getting The Best Out Of Al-Hajj’ by Abu Muneer Ismail Davids to read when we were prepping for Hajj. This is the only book I read, and that too not fully. But it’s AMAZING and is written from a very logical and balanced perspective. I’d highly recommend getting this. (And while searching for the book link for this post, I discovered the author is Sydney based!!!!! So this is sadqa jariya for you guys 🙂 Helping me find someone who I’m now going to read up more about)

2. About clothes, I was so confused as to what to wear. I couldn’t understand what people wore at Hajj despite my two best friends having gone the year prior. Here’s what people wear, if you’re wondering: ANYTHING MODEST. You don’t necessarily have to be in an abaya. Any kind of loose, non-see through clothing goes. My personal recommendation would be to do an abaya though because it’s easy to take on and off when you need to. Under the abaya, I’d recommend normal shalwar kameez or a tanktop and pants. Modest prints are okay, colors are okay. Just don’t take something flamboyant, if you don’t wish to stand out.

3. Wear light fabrics. My biggest mistake was getting abayas in a very non-breathable fabric (I was in a rush so couldn’t look more) and I was hotter than I needed to be. If you need to get some quickly stitched in a light cotton fabric, do that. Style is not necessary, no one cares. Under your abaya, I’d suggest very breathable clothes. So linen pants or very light shalwar kameez. Even your cotton pajama suits can work. Loose is better than tight, because airy feels great, and tight stuff can make the skin go through more than it needs to in the sweat. So take breathable clothes. It’s so hot, you don’t want to add to that.

4. If you haven’t worn a hijab before, there’s not much to it. I practiced a bit at home in terms of how I wanted to wrap it. Just put on your head and wrap one time around your neck, don’t confuse yourself too much.

5. I did get hijab caps though because I felt like the hijab would keep slipping off. And this was a brilliant decision because the caps really did keep everything in place. As a non-hijab wearing person, I was super comfortable and didn’t struggle with it at all, thanks to the caps. I got mine from Union Coop in Barsha in Dubai. They had a ton of colors and styles. (Also had loose clothing if you’d like to see).

6. I wasted a whole day in looking for non-fragranced products here and there. The ones in the pharmacy were outrageously expensive and so I kept trying to find better options and I did find whatever I needed eventually. BUT, they were all already available in Makkah, in the mall right across the Haram. In an affordable, small pack, so just get it from there and don’t waste your time. If you’d still like to get it in advance and have time to order online, here’s one you can get (this kit is available in many countries, just search for it by name on Google). I did order it, it’s decent.

7. EVERYONE gets sick sooner or later, you will get sick for sure. If you know that one person who didn’t get the “Hajj cough”, forget about them and remember that chances are high you will get sick. You can pray to Allah mian to help you. But as a backup to help yourself as well, keep all relevant meds on you (Panadol CF type stuff). I ended up running out of mine during Arafat (for Nabeel, which made me feel worse) and it was so difficult to get them at that time. As soon as you start feeling the remotest itch, go to the doctor instantly and get meds for it (trust me, there is no merit to not taking medication during such a trying time). Keep the basics on yourself too. Keep more than you think you’ll need because people also borrow. Please don’t take this lightly, it really interferes with your experience if you’re feeling like feet. (Also, thankfully I only had the cough/flu etc, but keep meds for stuff you’re susceptible to – like acidity, diarrhoea, headaches, etc.)

8. Buying a hand fan is a good idea. I got a small motorized one too but you really don’t want to carry it. Just carry a foldable hand fan.

9. If you want, you can keep toilet seat covers on you to use in the public restrooms. They’re flushable covers for the toilet seat which I used a few times, especially when once I had to desperately go in the one near Haram (got it from Boots Pharmacy Al Safa in Dubai). I also got a toilet seat disinfectant spray to use before putting the cover as a double protection. It was a very small spray, the size of my finger, so very easy to carry. In Arafat, the loos were very bad and this helped (this is the one I had, also from Boots). If you can’t find something like this, just get any Dettol type spray or sanitary wipes. If you can’t find at all, then just do your best, you can take a shower later, lulz.

10. Ask family and close friends for duas and note them down in a safe place.

11. If you wear eyeglasses, make sure to take a spare. We also got one of those eyeglasses cords for wearing around the neck for Nabeel so just in case, if someone pushed or shoved, the glasses wouldn’t fall off of his body. We got it from Daiso in Union Coop in Dubai.

11. For women specifically, please note, your menstrual cycle can go up, down. I thought it was a myth but the intense heat and intense activity can make things crazy. Your period may come early. Getting your period in the Hajj days itself can really make things tough, because you have to do your farewell Tawaaf. And altering your flight schedules for that can be difficult. I thought I was in the safe zone and I got my period (and then had to scramble to figure stuff out). So work out your dates and plan your flights accordingly, keeping a buffer. Also, consult with someone knowledgeable because I may be not fully informed on all the different aspects of this.

BEFORE HAJJ (MAKKAH)

The stay at Jeddah terminal when you arrive in Makkah can be VERY LONG. It took us 9 hours to get out of the terminal and to the hotel. Don’t let that overwhelm you as soon as you arrive. Just nap here and there, check out all the Muslims from all over the world (all dressed so differently). It’s actually quite the experience if you ask me, because you realise how MANY people have come together to do that one act for God. It’s amazing. Keep small snacks in your pouch, and keep something you can sit on, like a travel jaanemaz (I sat on the floor at some points btw, doesn’t matter). For perspective, we did three hours just sitting around in the lounge after landing, three hours in the passport line and three hours waiting for luggage/driving to hotel. It goes by, just chat, nap, have tea.

Once you reach the hotel, you can choose to either go for Umrah right away or rest a while and then go. We chose to go after resting a bit and did our Umrah around midnight. It was very quiet and peaceful around that time and also easier to do because we felt rested after such long travel.

For any namaz in Haram, you have to be there about 1.5 hour before or you don’t find space. Pace yourself accordingly.

No cameras were allowed in the haram so don’t bother taking any (I’m talking about point and shoot type small ones).

While you’re in and around the Haram, try to visualize the Prophet (PBUH) having walked the same land, prayed in the same place. It’s very, very humbling.

If you want to say Friday prayers in the haram (on the normal days, not during Hajj itself), you have to go there a night before and sleep in the mosque if you want to pray inside the mosque. We ended up praying outside in the heat even though we tried to enter the mosque at 9 am and it didn’t feel so hard when we were out there, but when we got back to our hotel room, we realized we shouldn’t have done that. I ended up with a terrible migraine which ended up wasting the rest of my day for prayers etc.

Make a dua list for Arafat. Write it all down. Arafat is a spiritually overwhelming experience and you can lose track of all the things you want to ask for. Have them written down so you can remember everything. I had a big stack of duas and was able to go over them a few times this way.

Our Hajj group was amazing (details below) but they provided a lot of food at each meal. I personally wanted modesty in everything so I chose not to eat more than one dish each time. But you do your own thing. My suggestion would be to not overeat during the Hajj days specifically. Too much walking, too much heat, over oily food can weigh down on you.

Keep your focus on duas throughout. Pray, pray, pray constantly. Don’t chat unnecessarily (of course, don’t be rude) but pray as much as you can. It’s just a few days, and it’s a special time (just typing this out is giving me goosebumps).

Nabeel and I didn’t go out to eat or shop anywhere in Makkah. This is totally not a judgment on those who do, but try to maximize your activities to praying as much as possible. But sure, take a break once in a while if you need to. We shopped for gifts in Madina one hour before our bus was leaving for the airport for our flight home – this helped us restrict our shopping time to just one hour and also be able to get things for people we loved.

DURING HAJJ (MAKKAH)

The first day of Hajj you will only be in the tents in Mina. Take your time to settle in, pray, make acquaintance with your tent buddies. I brought a backpack with me with some clothes for these 5 days in Mina.

During your time in Mina focus on praying as much as possible. Say duas, say Talbiyah, do Tasbeeh, do whatever works for you. But this is the land where Prophets have moved and done their Hajj. It’s exceptional. Don’t waste your time with anything else. PRAY.

Prepare a small pouch for the second day of Hajj when you will be leaving for Arafat and staying the night in Muzadalifah (I’ll mention what was in my pouch at the end). When we left for Arafat, we left our main backpacks behind in our tents in Mina – some people feel they can be stolen that way, so better to not bring anything to Mina anyway that’s too precious.

Wear comfortable shoes. For hajj days, I wore my Skechers Go Walk 3 throughout, best decision. For the rest of the days, I would sometimes wear regular chappals because easy to take on and off for entering Haram and easy to carry.

Keep stuff on you, especially during Hajj days, that can be quick fuel. Dates, bananas, any energy bars, etc. Stuff that’s light to carry, easy and quick to eat, non messy.

Recite Talbiyah as much as you can. I recited it so much, I realized I was saying it in my head even when I wasn’t consciously saying it. Just keep repeating.

Do Tawaf at higher levels when the lower level is too crowded. I personally think pushing, shoving on the lower level just to be close to the Kaaba isn’t exactly within the spirit of Islam. Do it in peace and with your focus on God instead of where the next dhakka is coming from, all levels are the same.

If you’d like, write down your feelings in your phone, or a small notebook. They are amazing to look back on later. (I did the whole post on my Hajj story, which I love going over)

During Hajj days you have to walk a LOT. In the heat. Other than having enough water to keep yourself hydrated, I got myself some electrolytes before flying and I’d have one packet in the morning before setting out. Just for a few days but I did it to keep things in check and I think it did help. Doing these extra things can feel like a chore during the actual Hajj days itself so I’m literally only mentioning the ones that I did end up doing.

Believe that your duas in Arafat will come true. Ask with that conviction and they will come true, IA.

No matter how fantastic your group is, logistics are tough to manage during Hajj. There are SO many people, SO MANY. Be patient and understand that delays will happen.

People may be rude, you be patient. Sometimes people are rude out of exhaustion, fatigue, the heat. Let your first response be patience. I once responded with irritation to a guy who snapped at me, and he immediately apologized (I saw an old aunty getting lost and walked through the namaz ki saff to bring her back to her spot, so I went over his spot twice and he yelled at me thinking I was walking idly here and there). It made me immediately realize that he was tired, I was tired and that he only did it because he thought I was being disruptive for no reason and I got annoyed because I was just trying to help someone. Patience is key.

You have the choice to stay an extra, optional day in Mina and do a fourth day of stoning. It’s extra sawaab. Nearly everyone leaves before that and the tents also start getting pulled down. But it’s an AMAZING experience of Mina without the usual traffic and I absolutely loved it. If you can manage this, do go for it.

Rami/Stoning can feel intimidating. Just take it easy, don’t panic, be relaxed. It’s a VERY open area, there’s a lot of space, people push and shove but it can be handled. Try moving to the upper levels that are less crowded and move to the corners of the pillar where there’s more space. I didn’t face any issues on any of the days. Just relax and go araam se.

Muzdalifah is the place where you go right after Arafat. It’s about an hour drive but because of traffic can take very long. It took us 8 hours so we were in the bus for 8 hours. You can choose to walk but we chose to stick with the group. Be prepared for inconveniences, it’s not that bad.

In Muzdalifah, you’ll need something to sit on while you stay there. It was an open ground, and it’s helpful to have a small mat to use.

During Hajj days, put on Vaseline on body parts that can brush against each other and give you a rash. Put it on before getting dressed.

Ladies, keep a pair of scissors on you to snip your hair after Umrah and Hajj.

During Hajj days, make sure you do your wuzoo at least an hour before the namaz because the bathrooms get super crowded. Especially for Fajr, I would wake up before most people, do my wuzoo and then come back, lie down and say duas until namaz time.

You’re supposed to be humble and modest in your appearance during Hajj. Not filthy. A lot of people discourage so much against doing any kind of cleaning while you’re in your Ihram – cleanliness is a huge part of religion so how can filth be acceptable, that too during Hajj? If your ihram gets dirty for any reason, you can switch into another one so please keep an extra one on yourself.

People take your shoes in Mina to go do wuzoo, especially if your tent is right next to the public bathroom. Mine never got taken and I realized later why: I was using my Skechers throughout which were slightly inconvenient vs a bathroom slipper but no one wanted to take them. I also made sure I’d put them far under the shelf each time so they weren’t easy to reach.

Don’t waste time talking in too much but also don’t cut yourself off from others. There is incredible opportunity to learn from others as well. I was so inspired by a few females in my Mina tent, the things I learned I’ve tried to keep with me, so take it all with warmth.

Our package included three days at Movenpick hotel right opposite the Haram in Makkah which was incredibly helpful in getting there whenever we wanted to. We then moved to an area called Aziziya which was 20 mins from Haram and initially I wished we could have paid more and just stayed in Movenpick throughout. But then I realized that Aziziya was actually closer to Mina (when Haj begins) and you have to walk back and forth from there, so having your accommodation in Aziziya before Hajj makes so much more sense AND is easy on you. Taxi cabs don’t go beyond a certain point and drop you outside Mina so you have to walk QUITE A BIT to walk to and from Mina (you have to do this because you have to go for your Tawafs etc back to Haram and spend the nights in Mina). It’s a GREAT idea to stay closer to Mina later.

Like I mentioned, no one drops you to your tent in Mina during the days of Hajj, no buses are allowed, everyone has to walk. It’s a long walk, it’s hot, and tiring. Wear good shoes and be prepared to walk a lot for at least 3-4 days.

Trust your group organizers. They have done this many times before and even though sometimes it may feel like they’re just delaying for no reason, or taking you for a ride, most probably it won’t be that. Be patient, trust in their expertise and don’t try to harass with persistent questions all the time. Most of them are doing their Hajj right there with you, are just as exhausted and tired as you, be more flexible. I didn’t mention this before but I think it might be helpful to add, we gave small presents and handwritten thank you notes to our group supervisors (who were executing everything), in Madina before we left. They were so tired and their mood literally flipped around in front of us so fast, it was incredibly heartwarming. It’s their job for sure but it’s hard and a little appreciation hurts no one.

At some points, multiple people will be giving multiple opinions. Listen to all, but mainly follow your group supervisor. If you feel there really is an issue, then make a logical deduction and do what feels best. But don’t be influenced by everything someone says.

MADINA

I’d highly recommend the ziarats that your group arranges in Madina. For some people they are at before Makkah and for some after. We came to Madina after completing Hajj and took the ziarat on the last day and it was totally worth it. Other than seeing all the places you’ve only read about it in books, you get to pray at different mosques.

Getting to go inside The Prohpet (PBUH)’s rawdah is quite the challenge because for women they open the gates for it a few times a day and let you in for a few minutes and then close them. If you get in, you get in, otherwise you try your luck next time. I went for it after Fajr prayers so I stayed after the namaz was over. It’s very unfortunate but you have to push forward to get in – try to not hurt anyone and not get aggressive, I tried to move with the crowd.

Inside the Rawdah, there is a section with a green carpet called the Riadul Jannah where two rakats are said to be equal to 1000 prayers. People are going kind of crazy here, pushing, shoving and you can’t really see the green carpeted area because the crowd is intense. My suggestion is to slowly keep moving forward with the crowd, people offer their payers and keep moving out. Be patient and keep moving, keep an eye on the carpet on the ground, it will change to green and you’ll know you’re in the zone. If you can make your way to the deep end of this space, right in front of the wall, then you would be able to pray to your heart’s content (but give others’ a chance), but if not, make a space anywhere and say your prayer. People walk in front of you, and over you, so be careful. Do it slowly, carefully and if you have someone with out, let them protect your space and do it turn by turn.

Taking zamzam home with you is an incredibly easy process. Just get it at the airport before checking in. In Madina, at that time there was a kiosk type close to the checkin counters, go there, get your bottles and check them in. Or just check with someone at the airport or your group supervisor in advance.

MISCELLANEOUS

Stuff I kept in my pouch during Hajj days: Tasbeeh, one painkiller, a couple of toilet seat covers, toilet spray, hair ties (a hack to hold up my sleeves/abaya bottom during wuzoo or in a dirty bathroom), pouch for collecting pebbles, small snacks.

Stuff we kept in our backpack during Hajj days (Nabeel carried the backpack): Meds, water bottle, travel jaanemaaz, spray bottle for water to do wuzoo in Muzadalifah (more convenient than a bottle).

What to pack generally: Simple and few things. Take a change of clothes/underwear for all Mina days (you’ll exit your ihram during sometime during your stay in Mina). And then take clothes for your regular days in Makkah, enough that you don’t have to do laundry too many times (we only did once). I took shalwar kameez, abayas, undergarments, hijab, hijab caps and some basic toiletries.

What we were provided by our Hajj group: Backpacks, small waterproof bags (like these, we used them to put shoes in when entering haram, for taking into the shower during Mina days to protect clothes, random other stuff etc, they collapse into nothing, so very easy to carry), crossbody pouch bag (like this), dua booklets, small Hajj guide, small bag for collecting pebbles, tasbeeh.

Gift ideas: I wanted simple things, easy to carry so I got a mix of tasbeehs, janemaaz, miswak, ajwa powder and black seed oil.

BEFORE I END

Hajj is crowded, exhausting and difficult.

BUT, it’s also a matter of perspective. It’s crowded but it’s so many people coming together for one purpose. I actually found that very inspiring. It’s exhausting but there’s a joy about getting each step done, it feels very fulfilling and you feel an undeniable connection to God. And it’s difficult but there are so many people in much worse situations doing each step right beside you – old people, bent backs, on wheelchairs, some with half the speed of yours – it humbles and powers you on.

Hajj is an incredible experience. I’m not just saying it. I did go into it trying to ‘get it done’ as a Muslim and I had an incredible experience. It’s your spiritual vacation, you’ll most probably do this once in your life, it’s just a few days, and it’s not fearful as people make it out to be. If God has brought you to Hajj, he will get you through it. Trust in Allah mian and do it with your full passion.

And if you aren’t going this year, but plan on going in the future, try to make it happen as soon as possible. It changes your dynamic with religion completely. It’s how you want to lead your life in the future. Try to make it happen as soon as you can.

Enjoy your Hajj. I wish you the best of times. Pray for me, if you can 🙂

My Hajj providers: We went with Universal Brothers and they were great. You can contact [email protected] for all Hajj packages that they offer. They are great on email. They also helped us fly directly from Dubai to Makkah without having to go to Pakistan. We also heard great feedback for the Hajj group, Al Khair.