Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is obligatory for all adult Muslims who can afford the journey and are in good health. Hajj is the Arabic word for pilgrimage; it commemorates the patriarch Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son Ishmael in Biblical times. Over two million pilgrims gather from different nationalities to perform pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, and more than 20,000 Britons do the Hajj each year,1 most from south Asian origin with a high prevalence of diabetes. Most healthcare professionals in the west are unaware of what the Hajj entails or its associated health risks and typically find it difficult to offer an informed opinion. This article deals with the effects of this event on diabetes and its management and explains the Hajj journey and the possible associated health hazards.
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