TY - JOUR T1 - Hajj: what it means for general practice JF - BJGP Open JO - BJGP Open DO - 10.3399/bjgpopen18X101493 SP - bjgpopen18X101493 AU - Faraz Mughal AU - Carolyn A Chew-Graham AU - Ahmad Saad Y1 - 2018/04/17 UR - http://bjgpopen.org/content/early/2018/05/09/bjgpopen18X101493.abstract N2 - Annually, about 20 000 British Muslims journey to Saudi Arabia to undertake the Hajj, the greater Muslim pilgrimage.1 The National Travel Health Network and Centre advises intended pilgrims to see their GP 6 weeks prior to travel, to review their health needs and fitness to perform Hajj.2 With rising multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and risk of infectious disease, it is important for those in general practice to understand what Hajj involves, in order to provide culturally and religiously sensitive and appropriate medical advice and support.Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam and is described in the Quran, as Almighty God says: 'Pilgrimage to this House is an obligation by God upon whoever is able among the people' (3:97).3 It is obligatory for every Muslim adult with mental capacity to perform the Hajj once in a lifetime, if reasonably able to do so without excessive hardship. The pilgrimage lasts 5 days, although pilgrims usually travel for longer. The Hajj occurs 10 days earlier each year (adhering to the lunar calendar), and in 2018 it is estimated to start around the 19 August.The word 'Hajj' means to travel to the holy city of Mecca with the intention of performing certain rituals and visiting certain places at a specific time of the year. The actions of Hajj are specified and detailed in the books of jurisprudence. During Hajj days, millions of pilgrims move and worship within a small area of around 12 kilometers, in a display of dedication, universal … ER -