History of Hajj
"Hajj" means literally "to set out for a place". For a Muslim, that place is the Holy City of Makkah.
Prophet Ibrahim abandons Haajar and Ishmael
The Holy Qur'an tells us that the Prophet Ibrahim was given the task of leading mankind.
And remember that Ibrahim was tried by His Lord with certain Commands which he fulfilled: He said: "I will make thee An Imam to the Nations."
Prophet Ibrahim was ordered to go Makkah. When he reached Makkah, he was commanded by Allah to abandon his second wife, Haajar, and his first-born son Ishmael in this barren, rocky, uninhabited valley.
O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell, In a valley without cultivation, By The Sacred House; In order, O our Lord, that they May establish regular Prayer: May establish regular Prayer: so fill the hearts of some among men with love towards them, and feed them with Fruits so that they may give thanks. S 14.37
Soon Haajar's meager provisions of dates and water were exhausted and both mother and child became thirsty. Seeing the suffering of her son, Haajar became desperate to find water. She ran to the hill of Safa but found nothing. She then ran to the hill of Marwah. But again she was disappointed. Seven times she ran between the two hills. Suddenly, close to where Ishmael lay, water sprang from the earth by the command of Allah. This source of water was to become known as the well of Zamzam.