Hajj or pilgrimage is set yearly on the five days of the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar: From Dhul Hijjah 8-12, 1426 (which corresponds this year to January 8-12, 2006, a rare occurrence).

Sultan Kudarat Gov. Datu Pax Mangudadatu, this year’s "ameerul hajj" (head of Philippines hajj delegation), and Maguindanao Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan, a special representative to the hajj, are jointly looking after the welfare of the Filipino pilgrims and monitoring their condition.

Office on Muslim Affairs (OMA) Executive Director Sultan Yahya Tomawis has sent a supervisory group led by his three deputy executive directors — Nor Adiong, Solaiman Mutia and Adam Musa — to complement pilgrimage Director Dr. Monib Maniri in handling the hajj operations in the holy sites in Makkah, Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah, as well as in Madinah (though not a part of the hajj) where pilgrims pray at the Prophet Mohammad Sallallahu Allaihi Wassalam’s Mosque and pray for God’s mercy at his tomb.

Director Usop Kasan of the Bureau of Muslim Cooperative, a former OMA pilgrimage director, has also been tasked by Tomawis to assist the pilgrims due to his long experience in hajj operation.

"We are going to do our utmost best to assist our pilgrims," said Mangudadatu.

Earlier, Tomawis said no Filipinos figured in the collapse of an old hostel building in Makkah which killed at least 76 pilgrims, most of them non-Saudis.

A Saudi Gazette newspaper article on Sunday said the pilgrimage stages are:

Day 1 — Dhul Hijjah 8/January 8. Pilgrims leave Makkah for Mina after Fajr (early morning) prayers but preferably before midday. Then stay at Mina overnight although other pilgrims, like many Filipinos, prepare to go to Arafat directly in the evening of Dhul Hijjah 8.

Day 2 — Dhul Hijjah 9/January 9. Leave for Arafat after Fajr prayers. Stay at Arafat until sunset. Leave for Muzdalifah after sunset. Stay at Muzdalifah — in the open until Fajr of Dhul Hijjah 10. Collect pebbles for Jamarat (stoning of the devil). Leave for Mina after Fajr prayers.

Day 3 — Dhul Hijjah 10/January 10. Arrival at Mina. Throw seven pebbles at Jamarat-Al-Aqabah, offer sacrifice, shave or clip hair. Go to Haram Al-Shareef in Makkah and perform tawaf-al-Ifadah. Having completed all the Manasik (hajj duties) you are released from Ihram though certain restrictions remain valid. Stay at Mina.

Day 4 — Dhul Hijjah 11/January 11. Today is the first day of Tashreeq. Throw seven pebbles at each of the three Jamarat starting with the smallest and ending up with Al-Aqabah.

Day 5 — Dhul Hijjah 12/January 12. Second day of Tashreeq. Throw seven pebbles at each of the Jamarat starting with the smallest and ending up with the Al-Aqabah. Pilgrims can leave Mina today but if they wish they can stay until the Dhul Hijjah 13 (January 13).

Hajj or pilgrimage, the fifth pillar of Islam, has many rituals to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith and relive the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.

Hajj is mandatory to every able-bodied adult Muslim who can finacially afford the trip to Saudi Arabia.