Annual Pilgrimage to Mecca (1984)

This stamp commemorates the annual Islamic pilgrimage of Al-Hajj for the year 1404 AH (1984 AD), issued by the Sultanate of Oman. The Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, requiring every able-bodied Muslim with the financial means to make the sacred journey to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. Each year, millions of pilgrims from around the globe gather in Saudi Arabia during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah to perform a series of unifying rituals that symbolize devotion, equality, and spiritual renewal.

The specific ritual highlighted on this issue is Rami al-Jamarat (رمي الجمرات), or the "Stoning of the Devil." Performed in Mina, pilgrims cast small pebbles at three pillars (jamarat) to re-enact the Prophet Ibrahim's resistance to temptation. By issuing this stamp, Oman honored both the sacred journey taken by Omani pilgrims in 1404 AH and the broader spiritual solidarity shared across the Islamic world during the Hajj season.