the Prophets عَـلَـيْـهِمُ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّـلَام. They remind us of Prophet Ibrāhīm عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم. They make us recall Prophet IsmāꜤīl عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم and his blessed mother, Lady Hājarah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا. These noble individuals showed utmost obedience to Allah Almighty, gave immense sacrifices for His sake, and faced many hardships, but they did not waver at all. These days remind us of those great sacrifices.

Another beautiful and faith-inspiring thing these days remind us of is the Ḥajjat al-Widāʿ (حَجَّۃُ الوِدَاع). This was the final ḥajj performed by the Greatest and Final Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم during his physical life, in which he gave parting advice to the Ummah as a whole.

How many times did the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم perform ḥajj?

Scholars of Islam say when the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was in Makkah al-Mukarramah before hijra, he صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would perform ḥajj every year.^[1] He صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم performed only one ḥajj after hijrah.^[2]

Ḥajj was made obligatory in the 9^th year of hijrah, but due to certain reasons, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم did not perform it himself that year and instead appointed Sayyiduna Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ as his representative to lead ḥajj proceedings.^[3]

This was also an indication, Sayyiduna Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ would be the first Caliph after the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. When the next year came, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then performed ḥajj himself.