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By Maha Elgenaidi, Founder and Executive Director (Bio)
Updated May 21, 2026
The season of Hajj—Islam’s annual pilgrimage to Mecca—is upon us. This year, it will take place between May 25 and May 30.
Rooted in the story of the Prophet Abraham, his wife Hajar, and their son Ishmael, Hajj commemorates their trials and steadfast faith. It also serves as a powerful reminder of the deep connections between the three Abrahamic faiths—Islam, Judaism, and Christianity—all of which honor Abraham as a prophet and include aspects of his family’s journey in their sacred texts.
At its core, Hajj is a spiritual renewal: a time for Muslims to seek forgiveness from God and return home spiritually reborn, with a sense of clarity, humility, and a clean slate.
This article covers the following topics:
- Impact on your Employees and Students during Hajj and Eid al-Adha
- Hajj in the Context of Islam’s Core Practices
- An Overview of the Hajj Pilgrimage
- Returning Home from Hajj
- Additional Questions and Answers
Impact on Your Employees and Students
During Hajj and Eid al-Adha
Employees
Hajj Pilgrimage Leave:
Observant Muslim employees planning to perform Hajj may request an extended leave lasting approximately 8 to 21 days. As a once-in-a-lifetime religious obligation, Hajj requires international travel and several days of sacred rituals.
Accommodation for Employees Not Embarking on Hajj:
- Day of Arafat (Tuesday, May 26)
A day of fasting and deep reflection. Accommodation may include:- Adjusted work hours (e.g., starting early and leaving early).
- Avoiding lunch meetings or events where food is served.
- Providing a brief pause at sunset to allow employees to break their fast.
- Eid al-Adha (Wednesday, May 27)
One of Islam’s most important holidays, Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) honors the Prophet Abraham’s faith and is marked by early morning congregational prayers and gatherings with family and friends.- Employees may request the day off, or at minimum, the morning off.
- Try to avoid scheduling major meetings, deadlines, or events on this day.
- Consider acknowledging Eid in internal communications or company bulletins.
- Offer an Eid greeting: A simple “Eid Mubarak” (“Blessed Eid”) goes a long way in making Muslim employees feel seen and valued.
- Consider inviting a Muslim employee to briefly share the holiday’s significance.
- In many Muslim-majority countries, Eid al-Adha is celebrated over four days. While most U.S.-based employees will take only one day off, some may request additional leave to observe cultural or family traditions.
Best Practices for Employers:
- Offer floating holidays or flexible PTO to support religious observance.
- Ensure managers understand religious accommodation rights under Title VII of the U.S. Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on religion.
- Ensure that time off for religious reasons does not impact performance evaluations or advancement opportunities.
Students
Hajj Travel:
If a student’s family is undertaking the Hajj pilgrimage, the student may be absent for 8 to 21 days. If school is still in session:
- Treat the absence as excused for religious observance.
- Allow students to make up missed assignments or exams without penalty.
- Provide supportive re-entry plans, such as access to tutoring, class notes, or assignment extensions.
Accommodation for Students Not Traveling to Hajj:
- Day of Arafat (Tuesday, May 26)
- Students who are fasting may prefer to spend lunch in the library or a designated quiet space.
- Eid al-Adha (Wednesday, May 27)
- Students may request the day or morning off to attend congregational prayers and community celebrations.
- Schools should avoid scheduling tests, field trips, or presentations that day.
- Offer make-up opportunities for any missed work or assessments.
- Consider acknowledging Eid in school-wide communications such as morning announcements or newsletters.
- Offer an Eid greeting: A simple “Eid Mubarak” (“Blessed Eid”) goes a long way in making Muslim students, faculty and staff feel seen and valued.
- Encourage voluntary participation by inviting students to share how they celebrate Eid, promoting a culture of understanding and inclusion.
- In many cultures, Eid celebrations span several days; additional time off may occasionally be requested.
Best Practices for Schools and Colleges:
- Clearly state in student handbooks that religious holidays qualify as excused absences.
- Provide training for teachers and staff on the significance of Hajj and Eid.
- Include Islamic holidays in diversity and academic calendars.
- Foster inclusion by supporting interfaith learning opportunities and cultural awareness programming.
Hajj in the Context of Islam’s Core Practices
The Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, is the culmination of Islam’s Five Pillars—the core ritual practices that shape a Muslim’s spiritual life and sense of duty. Each pillar combines both spiritual and physical dimensions and serves as a foundation for daily living, moral discipline, and devotion to God. Together, they provide a holistic framework for a life rooted in faith, purpose, and community.
1. Shahada – Testimony of Faith
A Muslim’s religious journey begins with the Shahada, the declaration of faith: “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is messenger of God.”
This statement is not just a verbal affirmation—it is a spiritual and existential commitment. By accepting it, Muslims embrace belief in the same God worshipped by Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, recognizing all prophets as part of a single divine message.
The spiritual dimension of the Shahada is expressed through dhikr—the remembrance of God through repeated prayers, Qur’anic recitation, and devotional litanies (known as wird).
The physical dimension lies in how one lives this commitment: by surrendering to God’s will while actively engaging with life’s challenges. This idea of “surrender” doesn’t mean being passive; rather, it reflects a deep trust in divine wisdom—approaching life with calm and purpose and without anxiety, while actively doing one’s best with whatever circumstances arise.
2. Salat – Daily Prayers
Next is Salat, the five canonical daily prayers performed from dawn to night, each serving as a spiritual reset. Muslims face the Kaaba in Mecca, believed to have been first built by Adam with the help of the angel Gabriel and later rebuilt by Abraham and his son Ishmael as a monotheistic sanctuary.
Each taking 5-10 minutes to preform, Salat involves physical movements—standing, bowing, and prostration—symbolizing humility, focus, and spiritual grounding. It’s a structured act of devotion and discipline that reconnects the believer to God throughout the day, providing clarity, stability, and peace.
3. Zakat – Dues to the Community
Zakat is a form of social and spiritual purification. It requires Muslims to give from their wealth—usually 2.5% of saved income—to support the poor and those in need. However, Zakat is not limited to financial giving. Even a smile, a kind word, or an act of generosity is considered a form of giving back to the community.
The principle behind Zakat is that all blessings are a trust from God, and we are responsible for sharing what we have to help build a more just and compassionate society.
4. Sawm – Fasting During Ramadan
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset for 29 or 30 days. This act commemorates the revelation of the Qur’an and is meant to cultivate taqwa—mindfulness of God, self-awareness, and ethical conduct with the hope that these virtues become lasting habits over the course of the month. Muslims seek to enhance their spirituality through self-restraint, reflection, and recitation of the Qur’an, often aiming to complete it during the month. It is a deeply introspective time of purification, gratitude, and renewal.
5. Hajj – The Pilgrimage to Mecca
Finally comes the Hajj, a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for Muslims who are physically and financially able. It represents the ultimate act of devotion, a rededication of the self to God through a powerful set of symbolic rites, performed annually during the 12th Islamic month of Dhul-Hijjah.
An Overview of the Hajj Pilgrimage
The Hajj pilgrimage centers around seven essential steps: making a sincere intention, gathering with other pilgrims, seeking forgiveness, praying for guidance, asking for protection from heedlessness, recommitting to God through Abraham’s sacrifice, and returning to daily life grounded in the worship of God. These steps unfold over five sacred days, each rich in meaning and spiritual purpose as follows:
Step 1: Making Intention (Ihram)
Pilgrims make the intention of entering a state of spiritual purity and equality, wearing nothing but simple white garments. This symbolizes humility, shedding worldly distinctions of class, race, and status.
Step 2: Pilgrim Gathering at Mina
Pilgrims travel to Mina, where Muslims from around the world meet for the first time. They camp in tents, share meals, and prepare themselves mentally and spiritually for the days ahead. It is a time of gathering, connection, reflection, and the building of bonds across cultures and backgrounds.
Step 3: Seeking Forgiveness at Arafat
Considered the heart of the Hajj, pilgrims travel to the plain of Arafat, praying and seeking forgiveness. This day mirrors the Day of Judgment, as millions stand in humility, stripped of distractions and seek forgiveness from God.
Step 4: Seeking Guidance at Muzdalifah
Pilgrims travel to the open plains of Muzdalifah, where they spend the night under the sky in prayer, seeking God’s guidance, clarity, and inner strength.
Step 5: Seeking Protection at Jamarat
The next day, pilgrims travel to Jamarat and throw stones at three pillars representing Satan. This act symbolizes the rejection of heedlessness and temptation– an external gesture of an inner struggle.
Step 6: Recommitting to God’s Divine Wisdom
A sheep, goat, or similar animal is sacrificed to commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son in submission to God—a story shared across Islamic, Jewish, and Christian traditions. Through this act, pilgrims reaffirm their trust in God’s wisdom and their commitment to compassion and charity. The meat is distributed to those in need around the world. (This ritual is carried out by professional butchers, whom pilgrims pay in advance to perform the sacrifice on their behalf.)
Step 7: Reentering Daily Life with Renewed Purpose
Pilgrims return to Mecca to perform a final tawaf, circling the Kaaba. It marks a symbolic re-entry into daily life, but with a renewed sense of purpose and spiritual clarity.
Returning Home from Hajj
Based on my own experience in 2022, coming home from Hajj was an emotional and joyous experience. For many Muslims, it is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream and a deeply personal spiritual journey. Pilgrims are welcomed back by family, friends, and community members with warmth, respect, and celebration. Loved ones often gather to hear about the experience, ask questions about the sacred sites, and share in the spiritual lessons the pilgrim has brought back.
In many cultures, a returning pilgrim is honored with the title “Hajji” (for men) or “Hajjah” (for women)—a sign of respect that recognizes the physical and spiritual effort of the journey. This title may be used before their name, much like a degree or honorific.
Beyond public recognition, many pilgrims return with a renewed sense of purpose. They may make changes in their personal or spiritual lives, inspired by the lessons and reflections of the pilgrimage. Friends and family may also seek the pilgrim’s prayers or blessings, believing that their gained intimacy with God adds a special weight to their prayers.
Additional Questions and Answers
While the core rituals of Hajj span 5–7 days, the entire journey often takes 2–3 weeks. This includes travel time, jet lag, pre-Hajj orientation, and post-Hajj recovery. To manage the large number of pilgrims, Saudi Arabia staggers arrivals over several days. Many pilgrims also choose to arrive early to acclimate and visit the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina before Hajj begins.
Around 2 to 3 million pilgrims attend annually. Saudi Arabia uses strict visa quotas, advanced technology, organized transportation, tent cities, and government-regulated catering to ensure safety and order.
Prices vary by country and travel package but typically range from $7,000 to $15,000 per person, including airfare, lodging, and guided services.
Each country receives a set quota based on its Muslim population. Local governments or agencies use lottery or application systems to allocate spots fairly.
Children may accompany their parents on Hajj, but the pilgrimage is only obligatory for adults who are physically and financially able. A child’s Hajj does not fulfill the lifelong obligation, as Islamic duties become required only after reaching puberty.
Many use wheelchairs, mobility aids, and group tours with medical support. Saudi authorities also provide special services and accessible facilities for seniors.
Pilgrims stay hydrated, wear light-colored and breathable clothing, and use umbrellas for shade. Saudi authorities provide misting stations, air-conditioned tents, and medical services to help manage the extreme heat. Most rituals are timed to avoid peak midday temperatures.
For answers to other questions, refer to this page or write to Mail@ing.org.