The Hajj, is an obligatory duty of a Muslim (a person whose religion is Islam), to be performed once in his or her lifetime or voluntarily more than once. Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam along with the Testimony of Faith; Performing Prayer; Giving Zakat (Charity) and Fasting in Ramadan. All Muslims, men and women who are able-bodied, who reach puberty, who is sane and can afford it have the obligation to undertake this journey of a lifetime to accomplish and perform Allah's (God's) command on them, as an act of worship.

The Hajj pilgrimage takes place in Mecca, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Mecca is the place where the Kabbah is located, at the Mecca's Sacred Mosque.

Pilgrims for the Hajj have to enter in a state of Ihram, which is the purification of body and mind; have the intention in their hearts to perform the Umrah or Hajj; and have to wear the obligated attire, which is the Ihram garment. A prescribed station, called Meeqat ,is where the pilgrims make their body purification then donning their Ihram garment and making their intentions and continuing to the next steps of the ritual.

According to Verse Al Imran 3.97 of the Holy Quran: And pilgrimage is a duty which man owe Allah, but if any disbelieve in Allah, then He surely does not need His creatures. This revelation in the Quran is the proof that Hajj, is one of the pillars of Islam.

1. Hajj Al Tamattu - When a pilgrim enters into the state of Ihram with the intention to perform Umrah and takes off Ihram after performing Umrah. When the time for Hajj comes, on the 8th day of Dhul Hijjah, the pilgrim will have to enter into Ihram state again and intend it for Hajj. Al-Tamattu is considered the most encouraged type of performing Hajj.IslamWeb: What is Hajj (Pilgrimage)?
2. Hajj Al-Qiran - When a pilgrim assumes the Ihram state only once for intending to perform Umrah and Hajj consecutively and will continue in Ihram until Eid Al Adha (Day of Sacrifice), which is on the 10th day of Dhul Al Hijjah. This type of Hajj requires a pilgrim to offer sacrifice by slaughtering an animal, same with Al-Tamattu type of Hajj.
3. Hajj Al-Ifrad - The pilgrim enters Ihram in Meeqat and makes an intention to perform Hajj only. This type of Hajj does not require sacrificing an animal.

1. Ihram - state of purity
2. Rituals at Mt. Arafat - pilgrims remain within the bounds of the mountain and offer supplications facing the Qibla and pray obligatory prayers.
3. Tawaf Al Ifadah (going forth circumambulation) - the act of circumambulating the Kabbah on the Day of Sacrifice (Eid Al Adha).
4. Sa'ye - the act of walking and climbing the hills from Safa and Marwa seven times and making supplications facing the Qibla.

From the verse Al Imran, of the Holy Quran, the evidence that Hajj was made obligatory in 9AH was revealed. God commanded and prescribed the way of Hajj to prophet Abraham with his son Ishmael, who together built the Kabbah (house of God) on the same ground as it stand to this day, as said in the Quran through verse Al Hajj. The Hajj started by Abraham and his son was corrupted by people who turned to paganism and idolatry for many centuries continuing until the Prophet Muhammad's revelations from God began. After many struggles and resistances from people who had fallen out of the original beliefs since Abraham, the prophet Muhammad returned the Kabbah to its usual purpose which is, for people to come to it and perform acts of worship to the one God. Prophet Muhammad performed Hajj on 10 AH with thousands of people and from then on Hajj is being held annually by Muslims all over the world who wants to adhere to one of the forms of worship obligated by God, in the religion of Islam.