Salaat ul-Fajr - By the 8^th, arrive in Mecca in ihraam (state of consecration) check into your lodging. Rest if you have time because after the fajr prayer, you will be conducting your Tawwaf al-Qudoom, the ancient circumambulation.

Tawaaf - Starting at the south corner, where the black stone is mounted is where you start, no matter what door you enter. You join the tawwaf, and when you see the marking on the floor and green light, you start. Say: b’ismillaah, allaahu akbar, al-hamdu lillaah (istalaam). Then recite as your group is, or as you know as better. Believe it or not, it may be difficult to keep track of how many circuits you have performed, so fix a way to count (fingers). Make 7 circuits saying istalaam upon passing the south corner markers. It is good to touch the black stone or kiss it, but that will be difficult because of all the people there trying to do that at once. It’s your choice, but expect to get battered if you try. Stay out of Hateem, as it is an ancient graveyard of 51 souls.

Salaat Maqaum al-Iraheem - Perform 2 raka’t salaat and make dua’. Men and women will be mixing somewhat, so be careful to guard your prayer and not be angry about people stepping in front of you and not being able to get close to the shrine. If you do, you will see what appears to be footprints in a rock, made by Ibraheem (as). This is the only masjeed where it is allowed for men and women to mix freely.

‘Ayn al-Zum-Zum - Go to the steps that lead down to the well of Zum-Zum. Drink and wash. Renew your ablution if you need to. It is not good to stay there, but resting a little is OK.

Sa’iy - Starting at Safaa, making 7 passes, and ending marwa, make the rite of Saiy. After the passes, make 2 raka’t salaat near the area, where it is open to do so. Make 3 more circuits of tawwaf to prepare to meet the tent city at Mina until the next day.

Maqaum ‘Arafat - You perform your salaat al-fajr in Mina, then board your transport to the plain of ‘Arifat. Due to congestion, it will take time, but the requirement is to reach there to your tent by dhuhr salaat. In any case this is the most important and concentrated time (rukn), so be sincere in deed and intention. Recite the Talbiyya, tasbih, dhikr, fikr, and Qur’an without counting, as Ashabah (rd) did.

Dhuhr & ‘asr salaat is combined, as a traveler. You can miss all the rest of the events, making only the Tawaaf az-ziyaara (rukn) upon exiting ihram, thereby finishing your Hajj.

Contemplation - If you have extra time, spend it concentrating on your duties, and not in shopping, riding camels, and other heedlessness. Contemplate the story of Adam and Hawwa’s (Eve) fall & reconciliation. Sunnat is: laa ilaaha illa allaahu wahdahu laa shariyka lahu, lahu al-mulku wa lahu ul-hamdu, yuhyiy wa yumeet, wa huwa ‘alaa kulli shay’in qadir. (4^th Kalima). No god is except God - One without associate with Him, with Him is the dominion and with Him is all the praise, reviving and surpressing, and He is upon all things in total control.

Jabbal Rahma - You will be surprised about the small size of Jabbal Rahma, however when you see it recite: subhan allaahi wa al-hamdu lillaahi, wa allaahu Akbar, wa laa haula wa la quwwata illa billah, wa huwa al-’aliyyu ul-’azheem. (3^rd Kalima). Glory is to God, and all the praise is to God, and God is Greatest, and no physical might and no spiritual dominion is except by God, and He Most High and Tremendous (without peer or comparison). Then make Fathiha. You can also make istalaam and istaghfar and talbiyya with no counting or limit. b’ismillaah, allaahu akbar, al-hamdu lillaah (istalaam).

Travel and make prayer and preparing to spend the night in Muzdelifa. You will pass an area known as wadi an-nar, precinct of the hell fire. It is also called the wadi al-hashshir, the precinct of the re-gathering, or the place where gathering takes place before yaum al-qiyyama and yaum ad-deen, the day of stand up (for examination) and the day of judgment (you get your decree). Take note that disbelievers were destroyed here by fire in ancient times, and during the time mentioned in surat al-Fil. Recite:

Allaahumma laa taqtulna bi ghadabika wa laa tuhlikna bi ‘adhaabika wa ‘aafina qabl dhaalik. Oh God, no cursing on us, no anger on us, and no torment by Your punishment, and excuse us before that happens.

Maghrab and ‘isha salaats are combined as a traveler. You must do this in Muzdelifa, or you do over.

Muzdelifa Open Space - under the stars - Rest and spend the night awake in contemplation. This is the place where the historical events of surat al-Fil occurred. Pay heed to all the history described by Qur’an and Sunnah, for many ancient events happened in Muzdelifa. Don’t be disturbed by people answering the call to toilet in a manner that seems improper. Although this situation has been improved, if you must, most likely it will be there in the sand. With no water you will be doing tayyamum ablution with clean sand and use odd numbers of small rocks, to clean yourself. Men are required to stay, but women and elderly may return to Mina. Make istalaam, istaghfar, dhikr, fikr, Qur’an and contemplate the fact that you will be seeing this place again, after the barzkhi grave life we will be gathered here.

Fajr salaat - pray and then travel to Mina, back where you started. Get your 72 stones for Jamaarat.

Jamaraat - wash your 72 bean sized stones and go to the 3 Jamaraat areas and stone the shaytan.

Sacrifice - you bring your gift animal and sacrifice her. If you have employed people as your proxy, or if you intend to fast without sacrifice, wait until you are sure the sacrifice time is over.

Shave/cut hair - unless you have a scalp condition, you should have hair, and you cut it after the sacrifice. Women are allowed to cut short, 1 finger long, but not shaved like men. You will be walking in a sea of cut hair up to your ankles.

Tawaaf al-Ziyaarat - 2^nd best time of Hajj. Re-enter Mekka and do that tawaaf

Return to Mina. Before Maghreb, you should be back. Gather 21 stones for the next day at the Jamaarat.

Stay in tent city. Food will either be there, or be provided by your tour agency.

Jamaraat each day. Get and wash 21 date pit sized pebbles. Not from Mekka, but from Muzdelifa or Mina. It is not allowed to re-collect stones from the Jamaarat area, as they are dirty to Allaah during Hajj.

Tawwaf as-Sadr - the farewell to Hajj in preparation to leave. When you finish this, you take ihraam off, and you are no longer consecrated as a pilgrim. You no longer do the talbiya, as the promise (wad’a) is fulfilled to the best of your ability. You are free to visit places and shop and perform salaat in the Kaba’ area as you wish.