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Hajji (Arabic: الحجّي; sometimes spelled Hajjeh, Hadji, Haji, Alhaji, Al-Hadj, Al-Haj or El-Hajj) is an honorific title which is given to a Muslim person who has successfully completed the Hajj to Mecca.

Stemming from the same origin is the term Hadži or Χατζής, used by Orthodox Christians in some Balkan countries, which denotes people who have gone on pilgrimage to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Etymology

Hajji is derived from the Arabic ḥājj, which is the active participle of the verb ḥajja ("to make the pilgrimage"). The alternative form ḥajjī is derived from the name of the Hajj with the adjectival suffix -ī, and this was the form adopted by non-Arabic languages.^{[citation needed]}

Use

Hajji and its variant spellings are used as honorific titles for Muslims who have successfully completed the Hajj to Mecca.^[1]

In Arab countries, ḥājj and ḥājjah (pronunciation varies by Arabic dialect) is a commonly used manner of addressing any older person respectfully if they have performed the pilgrimage. It is often used to refer to an elder, since it can take years to accumulate the wealth to fund the travel (particularly before commercial air travel), and in many Muslim societies to a respected man as an honorific title. The title is prefixed to a person's name; for example, Saif Gani becomes "Hajji Saif Gani".^{[citation needed]}

In Malay-speaking countries, Haji and Hajah are titles given to Muslim males and females respectively who have performed the pilgrimage. These are abbreviated as Hj. and Hjh. (in Indonesian, it is H. and Hj.) ^{[citation needed]}

In Iran, the honorific title Haj (حاج) is sometimes used for IRGC commanders, instead of the title Sardar ("General"), such as for Qasem Soleimani.^{[citation needed]}

Other religions

The term was borrowed in Balkan Christian countries formerly under Ottoman rule (Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Romania), and are used for Christians who have travelled to Jerusalem and the Holy Lands.^[2] In some areas the title has been fossilised as a family name, for example in the surnames common among Bosniaks such as Hadžić, Hadžiosmanović ("son of Hajji Osman") etc.^{[citation needed]}

In Cyprus, the title is so prevalent that it has also been permanently integrated into some Greek Christian surnames, such as Hajiioannou. This is due to Cyprus' long history of Christian and Muslim influence.^{[citation needed]}

The title has also been used in some Jewish communities to honor those who made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem or other holy sites in Israel.^[3]^{[failed verification]}

In Popular Culture

On I Dream of Jeannie, Hajji was the name of the Chief of the Genies. The role was played by Abraham Sofaer.

Ethnic slur

In the 21st century, American soldiers began using the term Haji as slang for Iraqis, Afghans, or Arab people in general. It is used in the way "gook" or "Charlie" was used by U.S military personnel during the Vietnam War.^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]

References

^ Malise Ruthven (1997). Islam: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-19-285389-9.
^ "Jerusalem and Ancient Temples" (in Greek). apologitis.com. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
^ "ISRAEL ii. JEWISH PERSIAN COMMUNITY – Encyclopaedia Iranica". iranicaonline.org.
^ "Put 'Haji' to Rest | Marine Corps Gazette". Archived from the original on 2011-02-16. Retrieved 2011-04-16.
^ Learning to 'embrace the suck' in Iraq Los Angeles Times, 28 January 2007
^ Slang from Operation Iraqi Freedom globalsecurity.org
^ Herbert, Bob (May 2, 2005). "From 'Gook' to 'Raghead'". The New York Times.

[1] Malise Ruthven (1997). Islam: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-19-285389-9.

[2] "Jerusalem and Ancient Temples" (in Greek). apologitis.com. Retrieved May 4, 2010.

[3] "ISRAEL ii. JEWISH PERSIAN COMMUNITY – Encyclopaedia Iranica". iranicaonline.org.

[4] "Put 'Haji' to Rest | Marine Corps Gazette". Archived from the original on 2011-02-16. Retrieved 2011-04-16.

[5] Learning to 'embrace the suck' in Iraq Los Angeles Times, 28 January 2007

[6] Slang from Operation Iraqi Freedom globalsecurity.org

[7] Herbert, Bob (May 2, 2005). "From 'Gook' to 'Raghead'". The New York Times.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{short description|Honorific title given to Muslim who completed the Hajj to Mecca}}
+{{short description|Honorific title given to Muslims who completed the Hajj to Mecca}}
 {{other uses|Hajji (disambiguation)| Hadji (disambiguation)|Alhaji (disambiguation)}}
+{{More citations needed|date=July 2024}}
 [[File:Hajj 2010 1 - Flickr - Al Jazeera English.jpg|thumb|Hajjis in Hajj 2010]]
-'''Hajji''' ({{lang-ar|الحجّي}}; sometimes spelled '''Hadji''', '''Haji''', '''Alhaji''', ''' Al-Hadj''', '''Al-Haj''' or '''El-Hajj''') is an honorific title which is given to a [[Muslim]] person who has successfully completed the [[Hajj]] to [[Mecca]].
+'''Hajji''' ({{langx|ar|الحجّي}}; sometimes spelled '''Hajjeh''', '''Hadji''', '''Haji''', '''Alhaji''', ''' Al-Hadj''', '''Al-Haj''' or '''El-Hajj''') is an honorific title which is given to a [[Muslim]] person who has successfully completed the [[Hajj]] to [[Mecca]].
-Stemming from the same origin is the term '''Hadži''', used by [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Christians]] in some [[Balkan]] countries, which denotes people who have gone on pilgrimage to the [[Church of the Holy Sepulchre]] in [[Jerusalem]].
+Stemming from the same origin is the term '''Hadži''' or '''Χατζής''', used by [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Christians]] in some [[Balkan]] countries, which denotes people who have gone on pilgrimage to the [[Church of the Holy Sepulchre]] in [[Jerusalem]].
 ==Etymology==
@@ Line 12: / Line 13: @@
 ''Hajji'' and its variant spellings are used as honorific titles for Muslims who have successfully completed the [[Hajj]] to [[Mecca]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Islam: A very short introduction|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|author=Malise Ruthven|year=1997|isbn=978-0-19-285389-9|page=147}}</ref>
-In [[Arab countries]], ''{{transl|ar|ALA|ḥājj}}'' and ''{{transl|ar|ALA|ḥājjah}}'' (pronunciation varies by [[varieties of Arabic|Arabic dialect]]) is a commonly used manner of addressing any older person respectfully, regardless of whether or not the person in question has actually performed the pilgrimage. It is often used to refer to an elder, since it can take years to accumulate the wealth to fund the travel (particularly before commercial air travel), and in many Muslim societies to a respected man as an honorific title. The title is prefixed to a person's name; for example, Saif Gani becomes "''Hajji'' Saif Gani".{{cn|date=February 2023}}
+In [[Arab countries]], ''{{transl|ar|ALA|ḥājj}}'' and ''{{transl|ar|ALA|ḥājjah}}'' (pronunciation varies by [[varieties of Arabic|Arabic dialect]]) is a commonly used manner of addressing any older person respectfully if they have performed the pilgrimage. It is often used to refer to an elder, since it can take years to accumulate the wealth to fund the travel (particularly before commercial air travel), and in many Muslim societies to a respected man as an honorific title. The title is prefixed to a person's name; for example, Saif Gani becomes "''Hajji'' Saif Gani".{{cn|date=February 2023}}
-In [[Malay language|Malay]]-speaking countries, {{Lang|ms|Haji}} and {{Lang|ms|Hajah}} are titles given to Muslim males and females respectively who have performed the pilgrimage. These are abbreviated as ''Hj.'' and ''Hjh.''{{cn|date=February 2023}}
+In [[Malay language|Malay]]-speaking countries, {{Lang|ms|Haji}} and {{Lang|ms|Hajah}} are titles given to Muslim males and females respectively who have performed the pilgrimage. These are abbreviated as ''Hj.'' and ''Hjh.'' (in Indonesian, it is ''H.'' and ''Hj''.) {{cn|date=February 2023}}
 In [[Iran]], the honorific title ''Haj'' ({{lang|fa|حاج}}) is sometimes used for [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps|IRGC]] commanders, instead of the title ''[[Sardar (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps)|Sardar]]'' ("General"), such as for [[Qasem Soleimani]].{{cn|date=February 2023}}
@@ Line 25: / Line 26: @@
 The title has also been used in some Jewish communities to honor those who made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem or other holy sites in Israel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/israel-ii-jewish-persian-community|title=ISRAEL ii. JEWISH PERSIAN COMMUNITY – Encyclopaedia Iranica|website=iranicaonline.org}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=August 2018}}
+==In Popular Culture==
-==Racial slur==
+On [[I Dream of Jeannie]], Hajji was the name of the Chief of the Genies.  The role was played by [[Abraham Sofaer]].
+==Ethnic slur==
 In the 21st century, [[United States of America|American]] soldiers began using the term ''Haji'' as [[List of military slang terms|slang]] for Iraqis, Afghans, or [[Arab people]] in general. It is used in the way "[[gook]]" or "[[Viet Cong#Names|Charlie]]" was used by U.S military personnel during the [[Vietnam War]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mca-marines.org/gazette/article/put-%E2%80%98haji%E2%80%99-rest |title=Put 'Haji' to Rest &#124; Marine Corps Gazette |access-date=2011-04-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110216220339/http://www.mca-marines.org/gazette/article/put-%E2%80%98haji%E2%80%99-rest |archive-date=2011-02-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jan-28-op-bay28-story.html Learning to 'embrace the suck' in Iraq] ''Los Angeles Times'', 28 January 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq-slang.htm Slang from Operation Iraqi Freedom] globalsecurity.org</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/02/opinion/02herbert.html | work=The New York Times | first=Bob | last=Herbert | title=From 'Gook' to 'Raghead' | date=May 2, 2005}}</ref>