Hajj Checklist and Packing Guide
For muslims, it’s a big occasion to perform Hajj and visit the sacred House of God in Makkah Al-Mukarramah. Hajj season is around the corner again and pilgrims are preparing for their journey of a lifetime! Since you’re reading this article, you might be preparing to perform Hajj this year.
Everyone in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia aims to facilitate hosting the pilgrims of the Two Holy Mosques, and providing the pilgrims with the best services. As a result, we have prepared a Hajj packing and pilgrimage checklist for you to make packing and pilgrim easier for you.
Packing for hajj is almost the same as packing for traveling except to highlight the priorities are different. Performing Hajj is different than all the other worship, it is a series of rituals to perform that need much preparation. In this article, we will list the essentials during packing, besides the packing guideline announced by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
Passport, flight tickets, identity proof ,hotel booking are all required to process the Hajj procedure. But what are the other essentials for Hajj? To answer this question, we have drafted a packing checklist for you in the following:
To ensure your journey is as smooth as possible, avoid any extra luggage. Pack in one good-sized suitcase to travel easily from one point to another. Also, you need to have a wheeled luggage that to make moving easier and more comfortable.
To perform hajj, it means you have to travel distances that may be long and arduous for some. Inevitably this means you’ll need a bag for all necessities. All you need with you when you set off is a small bag that could be a backpack or waist bag. It will prevent any fatigue when walking for long distances.
Also you will be willing to find your bag in case of loss, so put a ID card on. Id card can have some personal data such as (your name- phone number- family numbers – organizer company – data).
The national center of meteorology indicates there will be high temperatures in many regions of Saudi Arabia this year. It is important to prepare and pick the right clothes to be able to perform hajj in the hot weather. For men you will be wearing Ihram during hajj, so it is advised to get one made of cotton or soft linen. In the same way, women are recommended to pack cotton scarves and clothes for summer and hot weather.
While in the state of ihram, men are not allowed to wear socks or cover ankles, heels or toes. So wear flat and soft slippers or sandals because the right shoe should support your feet yet feel comfortable.
One of the most important things to pack is sun protection tools. As expected you will walk long distances in the sun so make sure to apply unscented sunscreen to when exposed directly to sunlight for long periods of times.
This year, Hajj falls at the height of summer. It’s better to have a folding umbrella for convenience to protect you from the extreme heat of the sun. Don’t forget to bring sunglasses with you to protect your eyes from bright and strong sunlight, especially at midday times.
Muslims have extremely high standards of personal hygiene. We know you intend to pack all supplies, like a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, deodorant, sterile wipes and more!
When preparing personal hygiene tools, you should pay attention to two important things: first, personal hygiene tools such as shampoo and soap used during hajj rituals should be unscented. The second thing is to choose the right size, as it is advisable to get the small sizes to travel light. Also, bear in mind that you can get many of these items from local shops in Makkah and Madinah.
Saudi red crescent authority provides medical supplies during the hajj season every year. They provided 300 medical boxes containing 2 million medical items over the last year. However, according to the Ministry of Hajj, you must adhere to a few things. Prepare a special bag of medical supplies that help you to be fully prepared in case of any emergency such as Headache, colds, diarrhea, or skin allergies. Further, pack your medicine container if required to be able to take your dose on time.
You will certainly need a fast power bank to charge your mobile phone. With a portable charger, you will no longer have to worry about finding electricity sources while performing hajj.
The Ministry of Hajj has implemented numerous efforts and programs to facilitate the needs of pilgrims. The program includes the smart ID cards that contain each visitor’s personal information, such as their medical and residential details. The ID card helps guide pilgrims and facilitate assistance to them, in addition to organizing the movement of pilgrims.
Saudi Arabia aimed at providing safety and ease of performance of religious rituals. For that, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has
announced the baggage and carry-on guideline as follow:
