Hajj and its Restrictions Trivia Quiz

Answer: Allah

This is said in numerous texts, most prominently Bukari Volume 2, Book 26, Hadith 596. It has been reinterpreted with slight changes to very specific words or phrases, which mostly stem around briefly specifying 'obscene speech' or 'evil deeds'. One such example is adding that having sexual relations with one's wife is forbidden, as one such 'evil deed'.

Answer: Speaking disrespectfully to others

Specifically, participants may not "hurt anybody with their words."

The Quran says: "The pilgrimage is in the appointed months. Whoever intends to perform it during them must abstain from indecent speech, from all wicked conduct, and from quarrelling while on the pilgrimage." (2:197)

There are the three ways stated in the Quran in which people hurt each other with words: a person says indecent things, uses bad language about others, or argues and fights. During Hajj, these are forbidden. The purpose is to make it so that when someone returns from the Hajj, which is a deeply spiritual venture, their tongue remains clean from such words forever.

Answer: Seven

The intended way for this to go is that participants will begin the Sa'i on the hill of Safa and walk towards the hill of Marwa. Along the way, green-colored markers are meant to help people determine when they should run and when they should walk; upon spotting one, they should run until they reach it, then walk until spotting the next one. The Sa'i is complete once a total of seven trips have been finished between the hills of Safa and Marwa - a total distance of about three kilometres.

This is meant to represent Hajar, and her struggle in the desert in search of water for her son, Prophet Isma'il.

Answer: Cutting your nails

Ihram is a spiritual state of mind, achieving which marks the start of Hajj as a whole. In addition to refraining from nail cutting, men in Ihram must also wear two white seamless cloths and they may not cover their heads. For women, they must wear hijabs, where the hands and face are uncovered.

For both genders, they are forbidden from shaving any part of the body, having sexual relations, using perfumes, damaging plants, killing animals, getting married, or carrying weapons.

Answer: No

Hunting and killing anything that is alive is forbidden during Hajj - even an ant or a fly. However, if done accidentally, it essentially does not count, so you don't need to micromanage your footsteps while you're outside in fear of stepping on an ant.

Answer: It doesn't

The Ihram is very explicitly meant to show the equality of all participants in front of Allah, with no regard for financial or social status. While one's financial status could determine if they can plausibly even afford to participate, once engaged with Hajj, the meaning of this status becomes irrelevant.

Answer: 10th

On the 10th of Dhuj Hijjah, seven pebbles are used. On the following two days, 21 apiece are used. The reason is that there are simply more targets for stoning on the latter two days than on the first. On the 10th, participants must strike the Big Jamarah with seven pebbles. During the next two days, they must turn their attention to all three walls of the structure, hitting each wall seven times apiece in the process.

Answer: 10th

Dhul Hijjah is the twelfth and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Its name literally means "The Month of Pilgrimage", which is intended to reflect that it is the month in which Hajj itself takes place.

Incidentally, Eid al-Adha and the start of Rami both occur/begin on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah. This, in effect, makes it an especially iconic day for the Hajj pilgrimage, known as Yawm al-Hajj al-Akbar.

To begin, Muslims recite the takbir, or a prayer of "Allahu Akbar" roughly translating to English into "God is greater". Like on Eid al-Fitr, the Eid prayer is performed on Eid al-Adha any time after sunrise and before the Zuhr prayer. This is followed up by a sermon, and is finalized by the exchanging of gifts. For those living in the US or in a Europeanized setting, you may view this similarly to how a family may exchange gifts during Christmas.

Answer: Mina

Mina is where, according to the Qur'an, Ibrahim was ordered by the archangel Ibrayil to throw stones at Shaitan to demonstrate rejection of sin. Three specific commands corresponded to three instances of temptation to disobey Allah's instruction to sacrifice his son Ismail: his own desire to disobey, that of his wife Hagar, and Isma'il's own reluctance to be sacrificed. It was only because all three temptations were resisted that Allah provided the miraculous substitution of a ram for the boy.

As such, the Rami al-Jamarat, undertaken at Mina, reenacts Ibrahim's obedience to the commands of Ibrayil. Mina, because of the way it accommodates Hajj with tents, is largely considered to be the biggest tent city in the world.

Answer: Reciting a verse from the Qur'an

Qur'anic verses, dhikr, or any supplications from the Sunnah will suffice for making dua. Once seven rounds have been completed, participants are then expected to perform two rak'ahs of prayer near Maqam Ibrahim, if possible.