Top 5 Places To Attend Virtual Hajj

The Kaaba in Mecca is surrounded by Muslims completing the Tawat during the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Creative Commons photo.

Religious gatherings and in-person church services worldwide have been cancelled or altered due to the coronavirus pandemic and related lockdowns. This year, Hajj—the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca—is no different. 

Only Muslims already within the borders of Saudi Arabia will be allowed to attend and in limited number. Workers in Mecca are extensively sanitizing the Kaaba and the Black Stone for those who can attend in person, but millions of travelers will be prevented from making the pilgrimage. The Umrah, a non-mandatory pilgrimage to Mecca that can be made at any time of year, has been banned since February for the same health concerns. 

Though most Muslims seem to be in agreement that a virtual Hajj doesn’t fulfill the duty of the pilgrimage as the fifth pillar of Islam dictates, many will be participating virtually. This is particularly beneficial for those who can’t afford to go or those who are disabled or too weak to make the journey. 

These are the best places to participate in virtual Hajj:

Hajj360

Walk with Al Jazeera's Basma Atassi in Mecca, as she takes you on a tour to see the major landmarks that millions of Muslims visit during the period of Hajj,...

Created by Al Jazeera, this Hajj contains a 360 degree view of major landmarks on the pilgrimage, along with an interactive map that explains the route pilgrims take and the significance of important landmarks.

There’s also an option to follow along in real time. Check it out here.

iUmrah

iUmrah.world provides an Uber-like service by allowing users to hire someone in Saudi Arabia to complete a pilgrimage for them. This pilgrimage experience is primarily for those who couldn’t make the journey themselves but who want to receive the same spiritual benefits. 

Whoever hires the pre-appointed badal (or substitution) will receive a live tracking map of the journey, as well as live video of landmarks and events. Check it out here.

Experience Mecca

Experience Mecca is one of the first VR experiences from the Middle East, for use with goggles and Oculus. This experience is exclusively of the Kaaba in Mecca rather than the entire pilgrimage, but it allows the user to feel as though they are surrounded by other Muslims performing the Tawaf (the practice of circling the Kaaba seven times as a part of Hajj).

Check it out here.

Muslim 3D

Welcome to a brand-new & shiny Muslim 3D (formerly known as Mecca 3D). Muslim 3D is a content-rich, animated 3D software, designed to educate everyone who is...

An app developed by BIGITEC GmbH in Germany, Muslim 3D serves as a virtual museum with several aspects. Each user has an avatar they can guide through landmarks to learn about the history of Islam. Options for virtual reality are also available. 

The app is still in development, so only a demo has been released. Check it out here.

Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet

As an addition to a PBS film is this educational trip through the Hajj, with resources to read about the most important landmarks and steps of the journey. Other resources included here are information about Muhammad, the growth of Islam and an old discussion forum.

Check it out here.

Jillian Cheney is a Poynter-Koch fellow for Religion Unplugged who loves consuming good culture and writing about it. She also reports on American Protestantism and Evangelical Christianity. You can find her on Twitter @_jilliancheney.