Stoning the Jamarat: A Practical Guide to Rami

What rami is

Rami is the act of throwing small pebbles at three stone structures in Mina, called the Jamarat. They are Jamrat al-Sughra, the small one; Jamrat al-Wusta, the middle one; and Jamrat al-Aqabah, the large one, which is the closest to Makkah. The act recalls the Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him, rejecting the devil's temptation. It is performed as an act of obedience to Allah and remembrance of Him, following the practice of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

Scholars class rami as an obligatory act of Hajj. If it is missed without a valid proxy, a compensation is due, which is commonly a sacrifice. It comes after the night at Muzdalifah, and it is the first act of the 10th. See what to expect at Arafah, Muzdalifah and Mina for how the days connect.

Pebble counts day by day

Carry a few spare pebbles each day in case you drop some or are unsure whether one landed. A small pouch or a plastic bottle works well. Many pilgrims keep each day's pebbles in a separate bag, so there is no counting to do in the crowd.

Collecting your pebbles

Pebbles can be collected at Muzdalifah, in Mina or anywhere else. Many pilgrims gather them at Muzdalifah because the Prophet, peace be upon him, had pebbles picked up for him on that journey. It is not a condition. Some providers hand out bags of pebbles, which is also fine.

• Size: small, about the size of a chickpea or a large bean. Larger stones are contrary to the Sunnah and can injure people.
• Washing: not required.
• Collecting all 49 or 70 at once: you may. Collecting only the first seven at Muzdalifah and the rest in Mina is also common.
• Do not reuse pebbles that have already been thrown, according to many scholars.

How to throw, step by step

1. Go to the pillar with your group at your allotted time.
2. Get reasonably close, with space to move your arm. You do not need to reach the front. The pillars are long walls, so move along the wall to a thinner part of the crowd. Most people stop at the first point they reach.
3. Throw seven pebbles one at a time. Seven thrown in one handful count as one throw.
4. Say "Allahu Akbar" with each throw.
5. Aim for the pebble to land in the basin around the pillar. It does not have to strike the wall. If you are sure one missed the basin, throw another.
6. On the 11th, 12th and 13th: after the small Jamarah, step aside out of the flow, face the qiblah and make a long dua. Do the same after the middle one. After the large one, do not stop for dua. Keep moving.
7. Leave by the exit route. Never turn back against the flow.

On the 10th, the majority view is that the Talbiyah stops when you begin stoning Jamrat al-Aqabah, and the takbir takes its place. After the stoning on the 10th come the sacrifice, the shaving or trimming of the hair, and Tawaf al-Ifadah. The preferred order, and what to do if it is changed, differ between schools. See the days of Hajj explained and Qurbani and sacrifice during Hajj.

Timing, and where scholars differ

Timing is where most questions arise, because the ideal time is also the most crowded.

• 10th: the Sunnah time is after sunrise, in the forenoon. Scholars allow the weak, women and those accompanying them to stone earlier, after leaving Muzdalifah in the later part of the night. The time extends through the day, and many scholars allow it into the night.
• 11th to 13th: the majority of scholars hold that stoning begins after zawal, when the sun passes its highest point at midday, and continues to sunset. Many allow it into the night where there is need. Some scholars, past and present, have permitted stoning before zawal, especially on the day of departure, to ease the crowding. This is a real difference of opinion. Follow the scholar guiding your group.
• Scheduled slots: the Saudi authorities assign each camp set times to go to the Jamarat, to keep the flow safe. Your provider will tell you yours. Keeping to it is a matter of safety for everyone, and stoning at a quieter permitted time is better than insisting on the peak hour.

If you plan to leave Mina on the 12th, the majority view is that you must stone and leave before sunset. See how long Hajj takes for the 12th and 13th choice.

The Jamarat bridge and the walk

The Jamarat are inside a large, multi-level structure with separate entrances and exits for each level and one-way flows. The old round pillars were replaced years ago with long walls, so that many people can throw at once. For most pilgrims today the stoning takes a few minutes and is calmer than they expected.

The walk is the hard part. Depending on where your camp is, the round trip can be several kilometres, partly through pedestrian tunnels, in strong heat, and you do it three or four times. Camps further out may use the Mashaaer train where their package includes it. See getting around during Hajj and Mina tent practicalities.

• Wear your most comfortable broken-in footwear, not new sandals.
• Carry water, an umbrella and your pebbles, and nothing else. Large bags are generally not allowed at the Jamarat and are dangerous in a crowd.
• Go with your group, behind its flag. Agree a meeting point at the exit in case you are separated.
• Keep your camp number and your pilgrim ID card on you. Save your camp's location on your phone.
• After the 10th, many pilgrims walk on from the Jamarat to Makkah for Tawaf al-Ifadah. Ask your provider how they handle this. It is a long day.

Heat safety during Hajj explains how to manage the walk in high temperatures.

When someone cannot stone: appointing a proxy

A pilgrim who is genuinely unable to reach the Jamarat may appoint another pilgrim to stone on their behalf. Scholars widely accept this for the very elderly, the sick, those with serious mobility problems, heavily pregnant women and young children.

• The proxy should be a pilgrim performing Hajj that year.
• The common view is that the proxy throws their own seven first and then the seven for the other person. Many scholars allow this to be done at each pillar in turn, without returning to the start.
• Crowding alone is not usually accepted as a reason for a healthy adult, because the rite can be performed at a quieter permitted time.
• The person who cannot stone still stays in Mina with the group.

Decide this before the day, and ask your group's scholar to confirm it. See wheelchairs and assistance for elderly pilgrims and Hajj with elderly parents.

Crowd safety

The Jamarat area was rebuilt specifically to prevent crowd crushes, and the scheduling system supports that. Your part is simple.

• Go at your assigned time, by your assigned route.
• Keep moving with the flow. Never stop, sit or pray in a walkway.
• If you drop something, leave it. Do not bend down in a dense crowd.
• Keep children and elderly relatives on the inside of your group, away from the edge of the flow.
• Follow the instructions of security staff, even when they send you a longer way round.
• If the crowd feels too dense, step out at the side and wait. The time for stoning is long.

See avoiding crowds during Hajj for more.

Common mistakes

• Anger. Throwing shoes, bottles or large stones, or shouting abuse. Rami is calm worship, and the pillar is not the devil.
• Throwing all seven at once. It counts as one throw.
• The wrong order on the 11th to 13th. Go small, then middle, then large.
• Pushing to the front to hit the wall. Landing in the basin is enough.
• Stopping for dua after the large Jamarah, or stopping in the flow after the others. Step well aside first.
• Using a proxy without a real reason when a quieter hour would have worked.
• Leaving on the 12th too late, so that sunset arrives while you are still in Mina.

More of these are in Hajj common mistakes to avoid and Hajj dos and don'ts. The guided Hajj in our offline companion has a pebble counter and the steps for each day, and it works without a signal in Mina.

The camp you are given decides how far you walk to the Jamarat, and the package tier decides the camp. If you are still choosing, read understanding Nusuk Hajj package tiers, or ask us for guidance on the official steps for your country. It is free.