The Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest city for Muslims, located in the Hejazi region of Saudi Arabia. It can be undertaken at any time of the year, in contrast to the Ḥajj, which has specific dates according to the Islamic lunar calendar.
Pilgrims circumambulating the Kaaba in Mecca
Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and of supporting their family during their absence from home.
Pilgrims at the Al-Masjid Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca on Hajj in 2010
Air-conditioned tents for Hajj pilgrims in Mina, Saudi Arabia, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) away from Mecca
A Hajj certificate dated 602 AH (1205 CE).
A 1907 photograph of people praying near the Kaaba in the Great Mosque of Mecca