BMJ  2005;330:133-137 (15 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7483.133

Clinical review

Hajj: journey of a lifetime

Abdul Rashid Gatrad, consultant paediatrician1, Aziz Sheikh, professor of primary care research and development2

1 Manor Hospital, Walsall WS2 9PS, 2 Division of Community Health Sciences: GP Section, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh

Correspondence to: A R Gatrad sec.gatrad@walsallhospitals.nhs.uk

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Introduction

Journeying to Mecca for Hajj (pilgrimage) is no ordinary undertaking for many Muslims (boxes 1 and 2; fig 1). Hajj represents the culmination of years of spiritual preparation and planning. Once they have completed the pilgrimage, pilgrims are given the honorific title Hajji (pilgrim).


Figure Removed (Available Only in the Full Text)
 Fig 1 Holy Ka'bah, Mecca, Saudi Arabia

 

Hajj commemorates the patriarch Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son Ishmael in biblical times. Performing Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is therefore obligatory for all adult Muslims who can afford to undertake the journey and are in good health. Hajj lasts for five days, and, as the Islamic calendar is lunar, the precise Gregorian calendar dates of the Hajj season will vary each year. Muslims travel to Mecca at other times to perform a lesser pilgrimage called Umrah.

Mecca's resident population of about 200 000 swells to well over two million during the Hajj season. . . . [Full text of this article]

Sources

The rites of Hajj

Minimising risks to health

The "Hajj travel consultation"


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Relevant Article

Hajj and the risk of influenza
A Rashid Gatrad, Shuja Shafi, Ziad A Memish, and Aziz Sheikh
BMJ 2006 333: 1182-1183. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Laird, L. D, Amer, M. M, Barnett, E. D, Barnes, L. L (2007). Muslim patients and health disparities in the UK and the US. Arch. Dis. Child. 92: 922-926 [Abstract] [Full text]  
  • Sheikh, A. (2007). Should Muslims have faith based health services?. BMJ 334: 74-74 [Full text]  
  • Gatrad, A R., Shafi, S., Memish, Z. A, Sheikh, A. (2006). Hajj and the risk of influenza. BMJ 333: 1182-1183 [Full text]  
  • Shafi, S., Gatrad, A. R., Quadri, S. M. H., Sheikh, A. (2006). Vaccinations for Hajj. The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health 126: 68-69  

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