Filmed by Almuhannad Alkadam over 5 days at Mecca, Hajj.. A Journey of Purity offers viewers a time-lapsed vantage point into the holy pilgrimage made by millions of Muslims each year.
As one of the largest annual pilgrimages in the world and as the fifth pillar of Islam, the religious duty must be carried out at least once in the lifetime of every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to make the trip. The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and ultimately, their submission to God.
When a pilgrim is about 10 kilometers from Mecca, he enters a state of holiness and purity known as Ihram, and adorns himself with two white sheets wrapped around the body. The individual then walks seven times, counterclockwise around the Ka’ba. After entering into the shrine, the pilgrim kisses a sacred stone in the southeast corner.
Once a believer has made the pilgrimage to Mecca, men may add the title al-Hajji to their name; hajjiyah for females.