Umrah
Main article: Umrah

A supplicating pilgrim at Masjid Al Haram
Upon arrival in Mecca, the pilgrim (locally known as a 'Hajji'), performs a series of ritual acts symbolic of the lives of Abraham (Ibrahim) and Hagar (Hajarah), and of solidarity with Muslims worldwide. These acts of faith are:
a tawaf, which consists of walking around the Kaaba three times at a hurried pace, followed by four times, more closely, at a leisurely pace, in a counter-clockwise direction.
the sa`i, walking seven times back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwah now enclosed in the Masjid al-Haram. This is a re-enactment of Hagar's frantic search for water, before the Zamzam Well was revealed to her by an angel sent by Allah.
These rituals comprise the Umrah, sometimes called the lesser Hajj. The Umrah can be taken at any time throughout the year and although completing it is highly commendable, Muslims are still required to perform the greater Hajj, during the appointed time.
Despite not being part of the ritual, most pilgrims drink water from the Zamzam Well when the Umrah is completed. Also, men and women trim off approximately one inch of hair.
At this point, the pilgrim can change from the ihram to regular clothes. This release from ihram is known as the mut'ah of Hajj.
If the pilgrim dies before entering Mecca, their soul is sent into limbo, where Allah will judge them by the purity of their soul and their lifetime devotion to Islam and the words of Muhammad.

[edit] Optional journey to Medina
Though it is not required as part of the Hajj, after the Umrah, pilgrims often travel to visit the city of Medina and the Mosque of the Prophet. Muhammad's tomb is enclosed by the mosque. It is one of the locations where the tomb of Muhammad's revered daughter, Fatima, can be found. After spending a night or more in Medina, pilgrims return to Mecca to prepare for the beginning of the greater Hajj.

[edit] Completing the Hajj

Plains of Arafat on the day of Hajj

The route the pilgrims take during the Hajj
The greater Hajj (al-hajj al-akbar) begins on the eighth day of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah. Pilgrims again put on ihram. They leave Mecca for the nearby town of Mina, where they spend the rest of the day.
The next morning, on the ninth of Dhu al-Hijjah, the pilgrims leave Mina for Mount Arafat. They must spend the afternoon within a defined area on the plain of Arafat until after sunset. No specific rituals or prayers are required during the stay at Arafat, although many pilgrims spend the time praying, talking to God, and thinking about the course of their lives. It is said that all prayers will be answered. After sunset they leave for Muzdalifah, an area between Arafat and Mina, where pebbles are gathered for the stoning of the Devil (Shaitan).
Having spent the night in Muzdalifah, the pilgrims now go back to Mina. It is now the 10th of the month, the day of Eid ul-Adha. As the first part of the stoning of the jamarat ritual, pilgrims throw seven pebbles at the large jamrah (wall) in Mina. After this, an animal is sacrificed. Traditionally the pilgrim slaughtered the animal himself or oversaw the slaughtering. Today many pilgrims buy a sacrifice voucher in Mecca before the greater Hajj begins; this allows an animal to be slaughtered in their name on the 10th without the pilgrim being physically present.
On this day pilgrims are released from most ihram restrictions; they have their heads shaved and change out of the ihram garment. The head shaving is a symbol of rebirth, signifying that the pilgrim's sins have been cleansed by completion of the Hajj. On this or the following day the pilgrims visit the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca for a tawaf called the Tawaf az-Ziyarah (or Tawaf al-Ifadah) which is an obligatory part of the Hajj. The night of the 10th is spent back at Mina.
On the afternoon of the 11th, pilgrims must stone all three jamarat in Mina. The same ritual must be performed on the following day. Pilgrims must leave Mina for Mecca before sunset on the 12th. (If they are unable to leave Mina before sunset, they must perform the stoning ritual again on the 13th before going to Mecca.)
Finally, before leaving Mecca, pilgrims perform a farewell