The Hajj: At a Glance
One of the five pillars of Islam is that each believer is called, at least once in their lives, to make the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage that starts and ends in the holy city of Mecca located in today's Saudi Arabia. The journey recreates Muhammad's own path as the native son returned to his tribal home as the leader of a vibrant new religion. Unlike other sacred sites, Mecca is closed off to believers of other faiths: only Muslims are permitted on the Hajj.
| Religion: | Islam |
| Earliest pilgrimage on record: | 629 CE |
| Frequency: | Once a year |
| Duration: | 5 days |
| Annual participants: | Over 3 million |
| Following in the footsteps of: | Abraham and Muhammad |
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