Call me ignorant but it's true that I am not aware of others culture and religion. I gained Buddhist friends during my stay in Bangkok, I respected their traditions but I didn’t delve more about their religion and what's in it.

Now with my new sets of friends (from different nationality) I didn’t hesitate to asked them regarding their culture as well as their religion. I am persistent but it’s good coz they were very cooperative as well as inquisitive regarding my religion too.

This month they will celebrate Hajj. I gathered some facts from my friends and over the net what is Hajj all about.

- Islam's has Five Pillars of Faith and the last or "Fifth" Pillars is Hajj (Pilgrimage). Each year, Muslims from different countries journey to Mecca to make the Spiritual Pilgrimage.
- Hajj is a once in a lifetime obligatory pilgrimage of Muslim to the holy city of Mecca, during Dhul Hijjah (month for Hajj) and all Muslims who are physically and financially able are expected to perform the Hajj at least once.
- Muslims trace the origin of the Hajj to the Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismael. God Tested Ibrahim by sacrificing Ismael to him.
- The Koran credits them with building the Kaaba, the shrine in Mecca toward which Muslims turn five times each day when praying.
- The Hajj begins on the eighth day of Dhul-Hijjah (month for Hajj), the 12th month of the Islamic year, and lasts for as long as six days.
- Over the course of the Hajj, pilgrims travel the nine miles from Mecca to the Plain of Arafat and back, stopping at the sacred sites of Mina and Muzdalifa to perform prayerful rituals.
- At the Hajj, men and women walk together and pray together. Mosques around the world are generally segregated into sections keeping the sexes apart.

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Happy Eid Al Adha