New
New
Year 10
AQA

How and why Muslims perform Hajj

I can explain how and why Hajj is performed by Muslims.

New
New
Year 10
AQA

How and why Muslims perform Hajj

I can explain how and why Hajj is performed by Muslims.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Hajj is part of the Five Pillars and Ten Obligatory Acts.
  2. Hajj is a pilgrimage taken to Makkah where different sites are visited and rituals taken part in.
  3. Many of the parts of Hajj follow the actions of important prophets in Islam.
  4. Muslims are obligated to perform Hajj once in their lifetime.

Keywords

  • Ibrahim - important Prophet in Islam who many of the steps of the Hajj pilgrimage are connected to

  • Ka'aba - also known as the Ka'ba; a sacred cube-shaped building in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

  • Makkah - city in Saudi Arabia where the Prophet Muhammad was born and received the first revelations of the Qur'an

  • Pilgrimage - a religious journey to a holy site/sacred place; an act of worship and devotion

Common misconception

When pilgrims stop to kiss or point to the 'Black Stone' as part of the Hajj ritual, they are worshipping that stone as an idol.

Muslims do not worship idols or anything other than Allah. The Black Stone is touched or kissed as that is what the Prophet Muhammad did upon his return to Makkah and the Ka'aba.


To help you plan your year 10 religious education lesson on: How and why Muslims perform Hajj, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Students can see footage and photos of the different rituals and steps that form part of the Hajj pilgrimage online to better understand its importance and significance. Students could interview or speak with Muslims who have undertaken the pilgrimage to better understand its importance.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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5 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is not one of the Five Pillars?
salah
zakah
Correct answer: jihad
Q2.
What is the purpose of the Five Pillars?
to show political loyalty
Correct answer: to guide everyday life and worship
to control Muslim countries
Q3.
The Ten Obligatory Acts are mainly followed by ...
Sunni Muslims.
Correct answer: Shi’a Muslims.
Christians.
Q4.
Which of the following is one of the Ten Obligatory Acts?
Correct answer: khums
jumu’ah
the Trinity
Q5.
In Shi’a Islam, what is the Imamate?
a type of prayer
the belief in angels
Correct answer: the leadership of the Muslim community

Assessment exit quiz

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5 Questions

Q1.
Hajj is one of the Pillars of Islam and one of the Ten Obligatory Acts.
Correct Answer: Five, five, 5
Q2.
Which groups of Muslims see Hajj as a religious obligation?
only imams and scholars
only Sunni Muslims
Correct answer: all Muslims who are physically and financially able
Q3.
What is the significance of the rituals performed during Hajj?
they celebrate Eid
they are randomly chosen symbolic actions
Correct answer: they re-enact the actions of important figures in Islamic history
Q4.
Why do Muslims perform animal sacrifice during Hajj?
Correct answer: to remember Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son
to celebrate Eid
as a form of charity
Q5.
Why do Muslims touch or kiss the Black Stone during Hajj?
it brings luck
it is considered a god
Correct answer: the Prophet Muhammad did this

Additional material

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