When is Hajj 2025? Eid-ul-Adha date, significance, history and rituals of Muslims pilgrimage to Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi

Eid-ul-Adha 2025: Here’s all you need to know about the date, history, significance and key rituals of Hajj, from wearing the Ihram to celebrations of Bakrid.

Eid-ul-Adha 2025: The spiritual peak of the Islamic calendar has arrived as Saudi Arabia officially sighted the crescent moon, marking the start of Dhul Hijjah 1446. The country has also confirmed the dates for Hajj and Eid ul-Adha, also known as Bakra Eid, Bakrid, Bakhreid, Eid-ul-Zuha, Eid Qurban, Qurban Bayarami, or the Feast of Sacrifice. Hajj, one of Islam’s five pillars, is the annual pilgrimage to the Kaaba, the “House of God”, located in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Eid-ul-Adha 2025: Hajj is a significant pilgrimage involving rituals that symbolize faith and unity among Muslims. (AFP)

It is an obligation for all able-bodied and financially capable Muslims to perform Hajj at least once in their lifetime. During Hajj, millions of Muslims from around the world gather in Mecca to fulfill religious rituals that commemorate the actions of the Prophet Muhammad and the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), holding deep spiritual significance and serving as a time of reflection, repentance and unity among Muslims, irrespective of their caste, culture and colour.

Hajj 2025 date:

The Hajj pilgrimage takes place during the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, specifically from the 8th to the 12th of Dhul Hijjah, which is the twelfth and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar. This year, Hajj is slated to begin from June 04, 2025 while the Day of Arafah — the pinnacle of the Hajj pilgrimage — will fall on Thursday, June 05, 2025, followed by Eid-ul-Adha on Friday, June 06, 2025.

History:

A visit to the holy shrine of Kaaba in Mecca has a remarkable history. It began when Prophet Ibrahim or Abraham, the dearest friend of God and father of prophets, was instructed by God to leave his wife Hajar and son Ismail in the desert of Mecca.

Ibrahim AS left the family well-flourished but in due course of time, it all diminished and his wife Hajar and son Ismail faced lots of trouble. On one occasion, Hajar travelled seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah but was unable to find any source of water.

However, when her little son Ismail AS rubbed the ground with his foot, a water fountain sprang up at the spot. This spot was then marked sacred and God ordered Ibrahim to build Kaaba at that place and to invite people to perform pilgrimage there.

Hence, the Kaaba is considered the holiest site in Islam and serves as the focal point for the Hajj pilgrimage. The origins of Hajj are closely tied to the story of Ibrahim's unwavering faith and his willingness to submit to God's commands.

Prophet Ibrahim, along with Ismail AS, constructed the foundations of the Kaaba as a place for people to worship the one true God, Allah. Ibrahim and Ismail AS did as instructed and the Quran even narrates how the archangel, Gabriel, brought the Black Stone (which was originally white but has become black by absorbing the sins of the thousands of pilgrims who have kissed and touched it) from heaven to be attached to the Kaaba.

Muslim pilgrims circumambulate the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Over time, the pilgrimage to the Kaaba became a significant annual gathering for the Arab tribes of the Arabian Peninsula however, the rituals associated with Hajj were reformed and revitalised by Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century CE. During Muhammad's time, the pagan practices and idol worship that had become associated with the pre-Islamic Hajj were eliminated and the pilgrimage was restored to its original monotheistic purpose.

In pre-Islamic Arabia time of “jahiliyyah”, some pagan idols were placed around the Kaaba but in 630 CE, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) led the believers from Medina to Mecca and cleansed the Kaaba by destroying all the pagan idols. He was another messiah and the last prophet considered in Islam and after cleansing the Kaaba, he reconsecrated the building to Allah.

Muhammad performed the Hajj pilgrimage in the year 632 CE, delivering his famous farewell sermon to thousands of Muslims gathered in the plain of Arafah and that is how Hajj became one of the five pillars of Islam. Following Muhammad's example, the rites and rituals of Hajj were standardised and it became an obligatory act of worship for all Muslims.

Significance:

Hajj facilitates and tends to bring together Muslims across the world in a spirit of unity and brotherhood without any discrimination based on caste, culture and colour, an unmitigated representation of equality. It is believed that whoever performs the Hajj rites truly and with purity, returns home washing off all their lifelong sins.

This annual pilgrimage not only ensures equality but it also rewards pilgrims heaven after death, if the obligations are performed righteously. It symbolises kindness, positivity and is the highest form of honour earned as it is a re-enactment of the sacrifices and obedience of Prophet Abraham to God almighty, following the instructions laid down by Prophet Muhammad.

One of the Hajj rituals involve pilgrims heading to an area called Muzdalifa, west of Arafat. Many walk while others use buses. They spend the night picking up pebbles along the way that will be used in a symbolic stoning of the devil back in the city of Mina, where Muslims believe the devil tried to talk Ibrahim out of submitting to God’s will. (Image by Dar Yasin / AP)

 

The pilgrimage involves a series of prescribed acts and rituals that symbolise various aspects of faith, devotion and unity. Throughout history, the Hajj pilgrimage has seen fluctuations in the number of pilgrims and the level of organisation.

The expansion of Islam beyond the Arabian Peninsula led to an increasing number of Muslims participating in Hajj from various regions around the world and today, millions of Muslims from diverse backgrounds and countries undertake the Hajj pilgrimage every year.

The Saudi Arabian government, in collaboration with religious authorities, manages and facilitates the logistics of the pilgrimage to ensure the safety, comfort and well-being of the pilgrims. Hajj remains a significant spiritual journey for Muslims, fostering a sense of unity, humility and devotion to God.

It serves as a profound reminder of the shared heritage and the common bond that Muslims have with the Prophet Ibrahim and their commitment to the principles of Islam.

Rituals:

The rituals of Hajj include -

1. Ihram: Pilgrims enter a state of consecration called ihram. They dress in simple white garments, symbolising equality and the renunciation of worldly possessions.
2. Tawaf: Pilgrims perform a series of circumambulations around the Kaaba, the sacred black cube located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram. This act signifies the unity of Muslims and their devotion to God.
3. Sa'i: Pilgrims walk between the hills of Safa and Marwa, following the path of Hajar (Hagar), the wife of Ibrahim, who searched for water for her son Ismail (Ishmael). It symbolises perseverance and trust in God's provisions.
4. Arafah: Pilgrims gather on the plain of Arafah, where they engage in prayer, supplication, and contemplation. It is considered the most crucial day of Hajj, known as the Day of Arafah.
5. Muzdalifah and Mina: Pilgrims spend the night in Muzdalifah, collecting pebbles for the next ritual. They then proceed to Mina, where they perform the symbolic stoning of the devil by casting pebbles at three stone pillars.
6. Eid al-Adha: The culmination of Hajj is marked by the celebration of Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice. Pilgrims sacrifice an animal, typically a sheep or a goat, symbolising Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son.

Uniting Muslims from diverse backgrounds, cultures and languages, the spiritual journey of Hajj reinforces the principles of equality, humility and devotion to God. Pilgrims seek forgiveness, spiritual purification and a deeper connection with their faith and it is an experience of a lifetime that leaves a lasting impact on the hearts and minds of those who undertake it.