Hajj timeline: the five days of Hajj, day by day
Hajj unfolds over five key days. Here is what happens on each, at a glance.
What the timeline shows
Five rows: 8 Dhul Hijjah (Tarwiyah), 9 (Arafah and the night at Muzdalifah), 10 (Eid, the stoning of Jamrat al-Aqabah, sacrifice, hair and Tawaf al-Ifadah), 11 to 13 (the days of Tashreeq in Mina) and the farewell tawaf. It is the order of events for a pilgrim performing Tamattu, the most common form for pilgrims arriving from abroad, written so you can glance at it on a bus.
What it assumes, and where practice differs
- Tamattu. Qiran and Ifrad pilgrims are already in ihram on 8 Dhul Hijjah and do not enter it again; see the three types of Hajj.
- Order on the 10th. The sequence stoning, sacrifice, hair, tawaf is the Sunnah order; scholars differ on whether changing it requires a penalty. Follow your group's guide.
- Leaving on the 12th. Leaving Mina after the stoning on the 12th, before sunset, is permitted in the schools; staying to the 13th is the fuller practice. Operators fix which their group does.
- Stoning times. The Ministry and your operator assign time slots to control crowds; the timeline does not show them.
- Muzdalifah. Exemptions for the weak, elderly and their carers to leave after midnight are recognised by scholars; ask your guide.
How to use it in planning
- Match each row to your package itinerary and ask the operator where a gap is: for example, whether Tawaf al-Ifadah is on the 10th or delayed to the 11th or 12th because of crowds.
- Use the row for Arafah to plan hydration and shade; it is the longest outdoor day.
- Open the guided Hajj in the companion for the step-by-step version with duas and counters on the day.
Worked example (illustrative)
A pilgrim on a non-shifting package with a Zone C hotel reads the row for 10 Dhul Hijjah and realises that stoning, the barber, and then a bus into Makkah for Tawaf al-Ifadah and sa'i on the same day is a long day in the heat. Asking the operator, she learns the group does Tawaf al-Ifadah on the 11th after the stoning, which is valid and far calmer. Knowing the order let her ask the right question.
Common mistakes
- Reading Gregorian dates from a calendar; Hajj follows moon sighting and shifts about 11 days a year (Hajj 1448 is expected around mid-May 2027).
- Stoning at a time other than the assigned slot.
- Leaving Mina on the 12th after sunset without staying the night, which most scholars say obliges the 13th.
- Forgetting the farewell tawaf, or doing it and then shopping for days.
When to ask your operator or scholar
Anything about penalties, missed rites, or exemptions for illness is a question for a qualified scholar and your group's guide, not a timeline. Anything about buses, timings and slots is for the operator; ask before Dhul Hijjah, not in Mina.
Questions pilgrims ask
How long is Hajj in total?
The rites run from 8 to 12 or 13 Dhul Hijjah; most packages are two to four weeks including Madinah. See how long Hajj takes.
What happens at Muzdalifah?
Maghrib and Isha combined, a night in the open and collecting pebbles; details in what to expect at Arafah, Muzdalifah and Mina.
How many pebbles do I need?
Seven on the 10th and 21 on each of the following days; the stoning guide explains the sizes and the slots.
When are the exact dates for Hajj 2027?
Only after moon sighting; Hajj 2027 dates and planning tracks the expected window.
Related guides
The days of Hajj explained · how to perform Hajj step by step · qurbani and sacrifice · what to pack for Mina and Arafah · heat safety
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