Bakrid 2026: The last month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Zilhijja, is considered important for Bakrid and Hajj pilgrims. Bakrid is a sacred festival of Islam and Hajj is an annual pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, which is considered mandatory for every able-bodied Muslim in Islam.

This year, Bakrid will be celebrated in India on 28th May and in Saudi a day earlier i.e. on 27th May. Haj pilgrimage has started from 25th May. The day of Arfa is considered the most important among the 5-6 days of Haj pilgrimage. On this day, millions of Hajj pilgrims from all over the world gather near the historic plain and mountain near Arafat and offer prayers. Let us know about Arfa and Arafat a day before Bakrid.

difference between arafa and arafat

Arfa and Arafat occur a day before Bakrid or Eid-ul-Azha. Generally people consider it to be the same, but there is a difference between Yaum-e-Arafa and Arafat. The biggest difference between Arfa and Arafat is that, Arfa is a holy day and Arafat is a holy place.

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When is Yaum-e-Arafah?

Arfa is a day before Bakrid. However, due to time difference, the day of Arafah may also change along with the difference in the date of sighting of the moon in different countries. This year Bakrid will be celebrated in India on 28th May. Therefore, in India, the day of Arafah will be on 27th May, whereas in Saudi, today is the day of Arafah on 26th May. On the day of Arfa, people spend time in prayer and worship and those Muslims who do not perform Hajj, also keep Roza (Yaum-e-Arafa).

Arfa is an opportunity for Muslims to pray, contemplate and seek mercy from Allah. Prayer for the day of Arfa-La ilaha il-Allahu, Vadhu La Sharika Lah, Lahaul-Mulku or Lahaul-Hamdu, Wa hua ala kulli shayin kadir.

what is arafat

Arafat is the holy place (Mount Arafat) located about 20 km from the Grand Mosque in Mecca near Saudi, where it is believed that Prophet Mohammed gave the last sermon. On the day of Arfa, Haj pilgrims gather at this holy place and pray.

Bakrid will be celebrated after Arfa and Afraat

Bakrid is celebrated on the 10th of Dhul-Hijja after Arafah and Afraat. The festival of Bakrid is celebrated in memory of the sacrifice of Hazrat Ibrahim Alaihissalam. According to Islamic belief, on the orders of Allah he had decided to sacrifice his son. Pleased with his obedience, Allah sent a dumba in place of his son, since then the tradition of sacrifice has been going on.

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Haj pilgrimage is going to start from Tuesday (26 May 2026) in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. From tonight, more than 15 lakh Hajis will be transported from hotels in Mecca to Meena through about 24 thousand buses. For the next five days, all Haj pilgrims will stay in the huge tent city of Mina, where the main religious rituals of Haj will be performed. This year, about 1 lakh 75 thousand 25 Haj pilgrims from India have reached Saudi Arabia. More than 45 thousand modern and air-conditioned tents have been installed in Meena for the accommodation of Hajis. These tents have the capacity to accommodate about 24 lakh to 30 lakh people. Apart from this, arrangements have also been made for accommodation of passengers in multi-storey buildings.

This time, comfortable beds like sofa-cum-beds have also been installed in many tents in Mecca. The Saudi Arabian government has deployed more than 1 lakh security personnel and paramilitary personnel to make the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage safe and orderly. Artificial intelligence, drones, thermal imaging, face recognition technology and thousands of CCTV cameras are being used in the security system. Fixed-wing aircraft have also been deployed to control the crowd and keep an eye on suspicious activities.

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Saudi Air Force got a big responsibility

Under the Unified Safety System of the Saudi Defense Ministry, the Air Force has been given the responsibility of monitoring and protecting the airspace of holy sites. The government says that the safety and convenience of the guests of Allah i.e. Haj pilgrims is the top priority. Strict action is also being taken against those performing Haj without valid Haj permit or visa. A fine of up to 20 thousand riyals i.e. approximately Rs 5 lakh can be imposed on such people. Foreign nationals will be immediately deported from the country and may be banned from entering Saudi Arabia for 10 years.

How long will the main event of Haj pilgrimage last?

The main event of Haj pilgrimage will run from 25 May to 29 May 2026. May 26 will be the day of Arfa, when all the pilgrims will gather at the grounds of Arafat. The next day, Eid al-Adha will be celebrated in Saudi Arabia on 27th May, while Bakrid will be celebrated in India on 28th May. This time the Indian Haj Committee has provided Haj Suvidha Smartwatch for the convenience and safety of Haj pilgrims. It has the facility of GPS and SIM card, due to which the location of the passenger can be easily traced if lost in the crowd. This watch also monitors heart rate and walking activities and helps in providing medical assistance if needed. Through this, information about helpline, important alerts and Haj Committee can be sent directly to the pilgrims.

Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam

To protect from heat and heat waves, water fountains, cooling systems and air-condition shelters have been installed on the roads. ORS packets and water bottles are also being distributed to the Hajis. Millions of seats have been reserved in the Al Mashaer Al Mugaddasa metro train service connecting Mecca and the holy sites to ease the movement of passengers. Hajj is considered one of the 5 basic pillars of Islam. It is considered necessary for every physically and financially capable Muslim to perform Hajj at least once in his life. This journey symbolizes following the religious traditions and teachings of Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Muhammad. The gathering of millions of Muslims from all over the world at one place gives the message of brotherhood, equality and humanity.

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