Istanbul 2019!

East is East and West is West and never the Twain shall meet.  That is until you get to Istanbul. Kipling was Wrong. 

by M. Hassan - 06/08/19

Historians have established that people have lived in Istanbul for over 3000 years this makes it one of the world's oldest cities.   Istanbul is a city built over and around 7 hills. The name Istanbul means "City of Islam". Istanbul is a city rich in history. Istanbul is a truly unique city in that due to its size it extends into both Asia and Europe. It is the only city in the world that spreads over 2 continents. 

Seeing holiday photos of Istanbul made us all want to come to Istanbul for a short family holiday and experience the allure of Istanbul for ourselves.

Istanbul's history also spans the rise and fall of some of the world's most famous empires….the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire, the Ottoman Empire.  Prior to the Romans establishing their empire in Constantinople (the name of Istanbul during the Roman period) the city was controlled by the Persians in the 6th Century BC and then by Alexander the Great after the 4th century BC.  

I hope you all enjoy reading about our experience of Istanbul.  Over the next pages I will be trying to paint a picture with the help of some photos in recreating our short stay in Istanbul.  I envy painters in that they have a magical quality in telling a story with a single painting. Two weeks before flying out to Istanbul we went to visit the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square and I was totally mesmerized by some of the paintings in how they managed to tell a story.  It's true that a good picture (painting) is worth a thousand words. And here I am writing thousands of words to paint a picture.  

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Istanbul 2019!

by M. Hassan - 07/08/19

Sultan Ahmet

After arriving at our Hotel the Albatross Premier  late last night luckily just before the local restaurants were about to close.  We all had a light meal before retiring for the night in anticipation of the day ahead.  

We decided that we will spend the first day like all tourists...a day of sightseeing.  Walking on the cobbled streets of the Sultan Ahmet area you can't help but notice that Istanbul lives in the the shadow of it's monumental past.  All around you you see the legacy of not just the Ottoman Empire but also the Roman Empire.  

Sultan Ahmet Mosque

Walking around Istanbul you can't help but think that this is culturally a Mediterranean country.  It really looks and feels like a European country. Maybe it's like this in the European side of Istanbul. 

The first place we visited was the Sultan Ahmet Mosque  or as its more commonly known as the "Blue Mosque". It really is a Grand Mosque in all its glory.  With vast prayer areas inside as well as outside. The interior has beautiful blue tiles. As with buildings of this age there constant ongoing repairs.  

The Mosque was built during the reign of Sulatn Ahmet who was the 14th Ottoman Sulatn in 1616.  The area that this Grand mosque and the other places that we visited on our first day are named after him.   There are long queues of people Muslim as well as non Muslim waiting to get inside. The non Muslim women or for that matter the Muslim women who do not have thier hair covered are all given a headscarf to cover thier hair when entering the mosque.  

Hagai Sofia

After finishing of our visit to the Blue Mosque we literally walked across the square to visit the Hagia Sofia.  Many hiatorian's have written that all the Grand Ottoman Mosques found thier inspiration from this historical Monument.  The Hagia Sofia (which means holy wisdom) was originally built as a Greek Orthodox Church has been built 3 times. The first building was destroyed by fire (it was built of timber) while the second which was also built of timber was destroyed by rioters.  The third and current building of the Hagia Sofia was commissioned by the Roman Emperor Justinianos in the year 532 and opened in 537. It took 10.000 people to bulld this Monument.  

I have to say that when you walk in it truly takes your breath away.  You are instantly struck by it's size and magnificence. This is one place where pictures or words simply cannot do it justice.  

The capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453 was significant for a number of reasons. First, the capture of the city made the Ottomans the most important power in southeastern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean and began a long period of expansion for the Empire. It also ended the Eastern Roman Empire.

The Ottomans converted the Hagia Sofia into a mosque.  Six minarets were added . They even changed its name to Aya Sofya although it's meaning remained the same.  Alll around this vast monument you see symbols of Christianity and Islam side by side. After the Ottomans converted the Hagia Sofia into a Mosque they covered all the mosiac images of Jesus, Mary as well as the emperor's with plaster and paint.  As we know Islam does not allow images of people to be portrayed in mosques. However since it was given the status of a museum in 1935 it has over the years carefully tryed to restore as many of the original features i.e. removing the painting to reveal the original Cristian mosiac without totally destroying it's features as a Grand Mosque.  The results are truly "Spectacular". No visit to Istanbul can be complete without a visit to the Hagia Sofia. A truly incredible engineering feet how such a structure of this size was constructed mainly out of stone.  

Topkapi Palace

After a short break we were off to see the Topkapi Museum.  After seeing the Hagia Sofia. I did not believe it was possible to be left in "Awe" twice in one day.  However a word of warning please be prepared to wait a long time to get inside the main building of the Topkapi Palace.  The queues are very long.  

Just like the Moguls of India the Ottomans were if nothing else Great builders.  The Topkapi Palace is nominally called a palace but the reality is that it is far greater than that. It was not  just the Palace where the Sultan resideded but also the Administrative centre of the vast Ottoman Empire. The construction of the Topkapi Palace was started by the first of the Great Ottoman Sultans Mehmet the Conquerer.  He was given this title because he defeated the Roman Empire and forced it out of Constantinople in 1453. Over the following decades and centuries successive Sultans expanded the size and scope of the Palace. By the middle of the 19th century the Topkapi Palace could no longer cope with the demands and needs of the empire.  To meet this demand the Dolmabahçe Palace was built nearby on the banks of the Bosporous. I will hopefully write more on this tomorrow as we hope to visit it then.  

Although we had to wait a very long time to get into the main building of the Topkapi Palace the wait was more than worth it.  Inside many of the rooms of this section of this vast Palace they have housed some of the oldest Islamic relics dating back to the time of the prophet (Pbuh).  

Above are some of the sacred relic's that belonged to the prophet (Pbuh) and his companions.  By the way we are not allowed to take pictures of the items in these room so as you can imagine they were taken sneakily.  They also have dress that was worn by Fatema the prophets daughter and a Tobe worn by Hussain the Proohets grandson. I must say looking at the Tobe the prophets grandson was a very big man.  

As I mentioned earlier the palace served many functions.  There are quarters that were exclusively used by the many wives of the reigning Sultan these quarters were known as the Harem.  The Topkapi Palace is situated on top of one of the 7 hills that Istanbul is built upon. And from the back of some of the buildings of the Palace is the Bosporous.  You can imagine the view the Sultan would have seen from the top of his palace. The view really is beautiful.  

Archeological Museum of Istanbul

After exploring as much of the Palace as possible. Believe me there was a lot more to see.  We were all feeling a bit tired of climbing the hills of Istanbul. So we decided to end our tour of this Grandest of Royal Palaces.  On the way out to the right you can see the Archeological Museum of Istanbul on the right hand side and since we bought a combination ticket to see the Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace and the Archeological Museum of Istanbul we decided to visit this place as our last call for the day before calling it a day.

After visiting the Topkapi Palace the Archeological Museum of Istanbul was always going to fall short in any comparison.  The museum houses artifacts that go back to the time of the Roman Empire as well a Egyptian mummies that were found in Anatolia. It also has Islamic artifacts going back hundreds of years.  We were all left a bit underwhelmed not to mention very hungry by the constant climbing up and walking down the hills of Istanbul. We therefore called it a day and headed to a restaurant to have something to eat before resting up in anticipation for our cruise of the Bosporous tomorrow morning/afternoon.  

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Istanbul 2019!

by M. Hassan - 08/08/19

Chora Museum

After a long day there can't be many  better ways to spend the following day with a river cruise of the Bosporous Straight.  After being picked up by our mini bus just before 9.00 we headed for what we thought was the harbour.  However after we reached the harbour we transfered to a bigger mini bus where we linked up with other tourists who were also booked on the cruise and were taken to the Chora museum which was built in the 5th century.  We were intially booked into go to the Dolmabahçe Palace, however the Palace is closed every Monday and Thursday. After visiting the Topkapi Palace yesterday we were looking forward visiting this Grand Palace.  

The Chora Museum shares a similar history with Hagia Sofia in that it was built as a  Greek Orthodox church and then after the Ottomans took control in the 15th century the church was converted into a mosque during the Ottoman era. The Chora church does not have the aura of the Hagia Sofia however it's significance as our very knowledgeable guide explained to us comes from the restored mosaic's on the walls and ceilings of this small church depict not just the life from birth of the prophet Jesus (Pbuh) to his death but also the birth and death of the prophet Jesus's (Pbuh) mother Mary. The mosaic in the picture shows the Prophet Jesus (Pbuh) and his family tree leading all the way to Adam (Pbuh).  If nothing else this trip has made me more appreciative of art and it's meaning.  

Golden Horn

After our short trip to the Chora Museum we were taken by cable car to the top of a Hill, this hill is named after a 19th century French novelist by the name of Pier Loti.  The view from the top of Pier Loti gave us a perfect panoramic view of the Golden Horn which in all intent and purposes looks like a river however our guide repeatedly stressed that "it is not a river but a river Inlet".  The views overlooking the Golden Horn are spectacular. The Golden Horn leads onto the Bosporous which leads to the Black Sea in one direction and the Mediterranean Sea in the opposite direction.

After this short stop overlooking the Golden Horn we thought we were going to go straight to the Cruise Ship however things went from the sublime to the ridiculous.  Our guide took us to a fashion show, show-casing the latest leather jackets made from the finest Turkish lamb. All the guests were given an opportunity to buy some of the leather jackets at "discounted" prices.  I think everyone gave it a miss after seeing the price labels. At this point we were all getting worried that maybe I booked the wrong type of tour.  

We were then taken to a confectionery wholesaler where although we bought a few items it did little to stop us worrying weather the cruise was going to happen or not.  Luckily our worries were laid to rest as our guide notified us that we will now be going to the Ship for the main part of our tour. On our way to the ship we were shown the Roman Wall Fortification's that helped the Romans  stay in control of Constantinople for more than a 1000 years until they were eventually defeated by Mehmet the Conquerer in 1453. We also drove over one of the 3 Big suspension bridges that takes you from Europe into Asia. The Asian side definitely looks a lot more greener than the European side.  

Bosporous Cruise

Buffet lunch was being served as we entered our cruise ship.  After a relaxing lunch we all went to the top floor to enjoy the full view of the Bosporous.  Some of the facts that were given to us by our tour guide was truly amazing. For example during the Ottoman rule only the Sultan could build a mosque with 4 mineret's or more.  Anybody else who wished to build a mosque would have to bulld a mosque with less than 4 minaret's .  

Although we could not visit the Dolmabahçe Palace as it was closed on Thursday we got a glimpse of it on our cruise of the Bosporous.  

The Dolmabahçe Palace architecturally looks very European in design and appearance whilst the Topkapi Palace is Classic Ottoman with wide domes  as you can see from the picture above of the 2 palaces.  

On our tour it was amazing seeing so many palaces and mansions that date back centuries.  One mansion was pointed out to us that cost the owner a rich business man $150 million US Dollars.  There are also still lots of beautiful houses that were made from wood. Although they are now becoming more rare as people tend to build more with concrete and steal.  Wood was used in the construction of houses in the 18th and 19th century as it improved the chances of survival from earthquakes. That's a pity in a sense as the wood constructed nmansions definitely have a lot of character.  

A Church and Mosque that were built side by side were pointed out to highlight the religious tolerenace of the Ottoman period. The Church was built a number of years before the mosque however when the land around the mosque was aquired but a rich nobleman he wished to build a mosque on his land which happened to be the plot right next to the church.  However out of respect to the church the mosque owner designed and built his mosque dome to be a little shorter in height to the Christian Church.  

Although the cruise was very relaxing in hindsight I think it might have been a bit better to have booked a shorter cruise that lasted a few hours rather than one that took up the best part of the whole day.  These are available. 

There are many small ports on the Bosporous amongst them is a port that going back centuries was used as a Hajj port for the pilgrims of Eastern Europe.

The cruise took us all the way to the end of the Bosporous and we turned back at the edge of the Black Sea.  The currents are very rough there as compared to the currents on the Bosporous. On the way back we stopped off for a short break on the Asian side.  We walked around a village called Byazit. After that it was back to the harbour.

Hippodrome at the Sultan Ahmet Square

After finishing our cruise just after 6pm we had to find out designated coach to take us back to the Albatross hotel.  We wanted to go to the Grand Bazaar however after being advised that the shops in the Grand Bazaar will be closing soon we thought let's just spend the rest of the evening exploring other parts of the Sultan Ahmet area.  

We went to an area called the Hippodrome.  The shape of the Hippodrome resembles an athletic track; a long rectangular shape. Back in the time of the Ancient Romans they engaged in sporting activities such as athletics and chariot racing which would take place in arena's called the Hippodrome.   

A number of big structures were placed in the middle.  The most famous of these structures at the Hippodrome in Constantinople was an Obelisk that was taken from Egypt during the reign of the Emperor Constantine to decorate his new capital city of Constantinople.  Approximately 50 yards from the Obelisk is a similar length Column in honour of the Emperor Justinious. Other remnants of the Hippodrome have been placed in the Museum of Islamic and Turkish Art which is nearby.  Hopefully we will be visiting it tomorrow. We would have gone today if it was still open.  

After having Turkish food for the last couple of days we all went in search of No not Rice n Curry but McDonald's.  

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Istanbul 2019!

by M. Hassan - 09/08/19

Basilica Cistern

I have been told off by Jeba a few times that when I talk to the Turkish people for some reason  I am slowing down my speaking speed and it seems that as a consequence I am talking with a bit of an accent which they (the kids) are all finding annoying.   Salim calls it the Steve McLaren affect.  

Being the day of Jumma we decided that we will visit a few places that we had still not managed to visit which were close to the Blue Mosque. That way we will all insha Allah be able to  pray Jumma salah at the famous Blue Mosque.  

The first place we visited was the Basilica Cistern.  The Basilica Cistern is another salute to the engineering brilliance of the Ancient Romans.  The Cistern is an Underground water reservoir while the Basilica which was a big Church on top of the Cistern apart from a few remants is no longer there.  However the Cistern is still there. The Basilica Cistern was built during the reign of Justinios during the 6th century. Walking around the Cistern you can't help but be taken aback at this extraordinary feet of engineering.  The Cistern has 336 concrete/marble pillars that have been holding it up for the last 1400+ years. However amongst these pillars are 2 very famous pillars they are the known as "Heads of Medusa". Many ancient Roman temples used to have structures of Medusa (a head that has snakes on it) to head off evil spirits.  

Museum of Islamic and Turkish Art

After our short visit to the Basilica Cistern there was still almost 2 hours to Jumma.  So rather than go back to the hotel we decided to visit the nearby Museum of Islamic and Turkish Art.  The museum used to be the residence of Ibrahim Pasha the second Grand Vizir (Prime Minister) of Sulaiman the Magnificent. And since the 1930's it's been used to house some of the most valuable Islamic and Turkish Art.

It's truly a blessing to visit these places to see some of the very early copies of the Holy Qur'an on display.  The pages of the Qur'an that you see in the picture below are refered to as the "Damascus Documents". These are amongst the very first copies of the Qur'an.  

They have on display other copies of the Qur'an from the Ummayad period, Mamluk period, Abbasid Period and  Fatimid period as well as others periods.

The museum also houses an exhibition of scared relics belonging to the prophet (Pbuh).  After seeing a large number of scared relics at the Topkapi Palace this really came as a surprise as well as a bonus. 

Jumma at the Blue Mosque

Sometimes when you set an iteniary of things to do in a day and try and follow it to a tee you either chase time or have too much time on your hands.  The latter is exactly how it felt today after we left the Islamic Art museum there was still more than an hour to Jumma. Before going into the Mosque we went into the tomb chamber of Sultan Ahmet which is attached to his mosque.  This is something that I noticed later on in the day that the Sultan's were buried in tombs attached to thier mosques or mosques built by thier forebears. Our guide on the Bosporous Cruise the previous day had mentioned that when the Sultan's died they would have a very tall turban placed on thier headstones.  While the women's one would remain plain. When noble men or other male dignitaries died they also had turbans on the headstones of their graves, however they had to be kept shorter than the Sultan's turban. We noticed this when we visited the tomb of Sultan Ahmet and later on in the day when we visited the tomb of Sultan Sulaiman.   

I was worried about weather the Grand Blue Mosque will fill up for Jumma.  The worry came from seeing the small gatherings for some of the other salah's that we prayed in mosques during our stay.  Its a pity that Istanbul the "city of Islam" with more than 3000 mosques struggles to fill thier mosques. Allhumdliah the mosque seemed full.  At full capacity the Blue mosque holds 10.000 worshipers. Although the Blue mosque and all the other Ottoman mosques are open to the tourists free of charge throughout the day.  They do apply restrictions during the times of Salah. During these times the mosque is closed to the tourists (non Muslims). Only the people who want to pray are allowed in.

Grand Bazaar

After Jumma because it was so hot today we decided to go back to the hotel for a bit of a breather rather than go straight to the Grand Bazaar.  Another feature of Istanbul is that it has a tram line. To get to the Grand Bazaar which is in the neighbouring area called Beyazit you have to take a short ride from Sultan Ahmet.  It's only 2 stops. We were told that the Sulemaniye Mosque is on the same stop.  

The Grand Bazaar is one of the oldest indoor markets not only in Istanbul but the world.  It is over 300 years old. Before coming to Istanbul I read that it has more than 4000 shops with visiters numbering between 250.000 to 400.000 people daily.  We went there not as a shopping trip necessarily but to see this ancient market in full flow. In full flow it most certainly was. The Grand Bazaar is designed like a Maze.  So it's advisable to remember the entrance in which you came in. Please be prepared to bargain. The market is full of jewellery shops, leather jacket shops and Confectionery shops.  If you love Turkish Delight this is the place for you. 

Sulemaniye Mosque

The magic of Google maps showed us that the Suleymaniye Mosque was a few minutes walk from the Grand Bazaar however it took us approximately 30 minutes to find it as we did not switch on Google maps during our walking tours to avoid roaming charges.  We just equipped our self with a map and directions from the locals. I think we got a little lost.

To say that the Sulemaniye Mosque is breathtaking is an Understatement.  You are captivated by it's beauty as soon as you see it. The mosque is truly a work of Art. This Imperial mosque sits on top of one of the 7 hills of Istanbul overlooking the Golden Horn. It's as if it's the Crown on Top of the Hill.   In my opinion along with the Masjid Al Nabi in Madina this is the most beautiful mosque I have seen. It truly is spell binding. Of all the places that we visited this was the place that Jeba did not want to leave. She was saying let's stay s little longer so that we can soak in the atmosphere of  this beautiful mosque a little longer. We all just sat there spellbound bby the beauty of this Mosque.

The Sulemaniye Mosque is not just a mosque but just as the tourist board describes it,it is a social complex.  Within this huge complex you have a traditional madressa, as well as a separate madressa for students of Hifths and also a medical center.  Suleman the Magnificent really was thinking of everything. From cradle to the grave.  

Mimar Sinan who was  simply known as "Sinan the Architect" was the chief architect during the reign of Sulaiman the Magnificent.  During the course of his career he built more than 150 mosques, nearly a 100 of those were Grand Mosques. The Centre piece being the Sulaimaniye Mosque.  Sinan also built the tomb that houses Sulaiman's grave as well as the graves of some of the Sultan's other family members. This Imperial mosque was built in 1558.  

There are 7 Imperial mosques in Istanbul.  Built for the family of the Sultan's of the time.  On this trip we have had the privilege of visiting and praying in 3 of them.  It was our intention to read Asr salah at the Sulaimaniye Mosque however as we could not find it in time.  We luckily spotted another Grand mosque on the way. It was infact one of the 7 Imperial mosques of Istanbul.  This one was the Sutan Beyazit Mosque. The tomb of the Sultan is adjoined to the side of his Mosque. Currently this mosque is undergoing renovation and restoration work.  We have seen from a distance or have been very close to the other 4 Imperial mosques without realising it. Otherwise we would have visited them as well. 

Our  guide on the Bosporous tour mentioned that Istanbul has more than 3000 mosques the vast majority of which were built before 1923 (end of the Ottoman Empire) . On this trip we have truly seen some beautiful mosques however in our opinion the Sulemaniye Mosque surpasses everything that we have seen.  It seems we left the best till last. The Sulemaniye Mosque truly is a Masterpiece. The Beauty, Splendor and Magnificence of this Mosque will live long in the memory.

Whirling Dervish

After we got back from the Sulaimaniye Mosque we decided to linger around Sultan Ahmet Square one final time until Magrib salah so that we can read the salah  at the Blue Mosque. After that we decided to have our last meal at a restaurant in Arasta Bazaar. The Mesale Cafe. Everytime we would walk to Sultan Ahmet Square we would walk past this outdoor restaurant where we would be greeted by one of thier waiters with a broad welcoming smile.  The restaurant has live music for it's customers usually it's traditional Turkish songs being played. However on this occasion they were singing Nashids.  

Just before our food arrived a gentleman dressed in  a long white robe walked onto the stage. As a Nashids was being sung he started to whirl on the stage.  He was in fact a "Whirling Dervish". The Whirling Dervishes practice a form of physical meditation to please Allah.  They belong to a Sufi sect known as the Mevlevi order whose most famous scholar was Mevlana/Mowlana Muhammad Jalal Uddin Rumi.  Who is known simply as Rumi. Rumi was a 13th Century Islamic scholar as well as a poet who spent most of his life in Turkey. He is buried in a place called Konya, which is not too far from Istanbul.

Memories of Istanbul

As the sun sets on our family trip to Istanbul there were still a few other places that I had on my list of places that we wanted to visit on this short trip.  However time defeated us once again. Salim was happy it did as he was totally knackered. At one point today when we were looking for the Sulaimaniye Mosque he was joking with his siblings that "Aba will not give up until he finds the Sulaimaniye Mosque".  I suppose l was seeking these places with the zeal of a convert having previously not gone on a proper holiday abroad. I was trying to make up for lost time. Previous to this I would often see the world through books. Travel the world without moving an inch.  

Jeba, Nazia and Salim would often tease Yusuf saying that the only reason Aba bought us to Istanbul to visit all these museum's is to inspire you to do your best in Latin. I strongly recommend coming to Istanbul to experience this unique history.  The people are friendly and hospitable. I feel so privileged and blessed by Allah that I was able to do this with the family. I apologise to you all if it seemed like a school trip at times. That was never the intention. The intention was always to make it fun with an element of education in the mix in order to pique your interest and curiousity into the history of Islam. Insha Allah we won't leave it so long to have another family holiday.  

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Umrah 2017:First sight of the Holy Kabba in 2017

Umrah 2017!

by M Hassan

If there are any historical inaccuracies or misrepresentations then please feel free to correct me. This was never meant to be written or read as an academic exercise.

Ever since we both performed our Hajj in 2013 it was always our intention to come back to the House of Allah with the kids.  In February 2017 we were invited back to the House of Allah. We truly feel blessed to have been able to make this journey again.  Coming back to perform our Umrah is in my opinion a chance to renew as well as reinvigorate our faith in Allah. It is our opportunity to seek his blessings, to seek forgiveness. To get our prayers answered.  

We were intially planning to go during the summer holidays however Jeba wanted to go before her A Level exams in May/June to seek Devine help from Allah.  Her argument was if we are going to go then let's go now if will be more beneficial for me. You can't really argue with that.

When I first came in 2013 I often thought that I was following in our parents and grandparents footsteps in performing the Hajj.  Abba and Amma performed thier Hajj in 1999. Not going to Hajj earlier is also one of my big regrets. Six months prior to Amma passing away out of the blue in front of everyone she said that she wants me to take her on another Hajj.  I politely said I will. However it was said without much conviction. Dada Saab and Bibi performed thier Hajj separately, Dada Saab performed his Hajj in 1958 while our Bibi performed her Hajj with her brother in the early 1970's. It's odd how history repeats itself. Bibi went for her Hajj with her brother and approximately 50 years later Mushiur and Shamima also went to Hajj together.  Nana Saab also performed his Hajj however I cannot remember the year, I think it was sometime in the 1970's. If someone knows please let me know. I was indeed following in thier footsteps. This was a truly humbling feeling. 

However the footsteps can be traced even further back right to the time of the Prophet Ibrahim (Pbuh).  All around us in Macca we can see the legacy of Prophet Ibrahim (Pbuh). For a start the hotel where we stayed during our Hajj was located on a road named Ibrahim Khalil road. Subhanallah how much more blessed can we be?  Much much more. The monumental structure that we call the house of Allah.. The Kabba was re-built by the prophet Ibrahim (Pbuh) and his son the prophet Ishmael (Pbuh). Situated very close to the Kabba is Muqam Ibrahim (the station of Ibrahim).  The Muqam Ibrahim is a large stone. According to tradition the prophet Ibrahim used stand on the stone when he needed to go to the higher levels of the Kabba during the rebuiding of the Kabba. On the stone there is an imprint of prophet Ibrahims (Pbuh)) feet.  To protect the stone from the pilgrims the stone has been encased inside a glass and metal structure. During the tawaf there is always a stampede of people going towards the Muqam Ibrahim to see the footprint of prophet Ibrahim (Pbuh) as well as to pay thier respects.  

Prophet Ibrahim (Pbuh) is referred to as Ibrahim Khalilullah this means Ibrahim friend of Allah.  You can't be given much higher status than that. Apart from this another major part of the Hajj is the stonning of the Shaitan, this also dates back to the time of the Prophet Ibrahim (Pbuh).  When Allah set Ibrahim the ultimate test to sacrifice his beloved son Ishmael (Pbuh). On the route to sacrificing his son Ibrahim (Pbuh) was being distracted by the Shaitan, the Shaitan was trying to put doubts in his mind.  The Shaitan tryed to distract/stop Ibrahim (Pbuh) from carrying out his sacrifice on 3 separate occasions on each occasion Ibrahim (Pbuh) threw stones in the direction of the Shaitan. Only after he threw the stones on the 3rd occasion did Shaitan give up and let Ibrahim go on his way.  We still comeromrate this by throwing stones at the Jammarat on 3 separate days during the days of Hajj. 

Other rituals that we perform such as the Sae (walking between mount Safa and Marwah) in rememberence of how Hajrah searched for water for her baby son Ismael (Pbuh).  Ismael as we all know started kicking the ground with his heal and springs of water started to burst out from the ground. On seeing this his mother was so relieved and excited.  They were drinking the water as fast as they could probably thinking the water will stop. The water did not stop it kept on coming out faster and faster. This is probably when she uttered the imortal words "Zamzam' which means Stop Stop.  By the grace of Allah the water has still not Stopped. These all date back to the time of the prophet Ibrahim (Pbuh). We truly are following in the footsteps of Ibrahim, just as the Islam channel program during the Hajj "Footsteps of Ibrahim" What more humbling thought can there be then that?

Arafat

You could say that we are following the Hadith's of Ibrahim (Pbuh) in performing our Hajj.  However it is not only the Ibrahims (Pbuh) footsteps that we are following. We are also following in the footsteps and Hadiths of other  Prophets. By following in the footsteps of Ibrahim (Pbuh) we are also following in the footsteps of his son the prophet Ishmael (Pbuh) as I have mentioned above.  We go to Arafat as this is the place where we believe the prophet Adam (Pbuh) and his wife Hawa (Pbuh) eventually found each other after wondering all over the world in search of each other following their banishement from jannat.  We perform the biddai tawaf as a way of remembering the sacrifice as well as paying respect to our beloved prophet Mohammed (Pbuh) who had to leave his home in Macca due to persicuation and migrated (Hijra) to Medina. If Mohammed (Pbuh) had not migrated to Medina then the young religion of Islam may well have ended with him.  At the time of the migration there were less than 200/300 Muslims left in Macca. Some had already migrated to Medina others to Abyssinia while others had been killed by the Quraish.  

At the top of Mount Arafat you can see the white pillar

It is believed that both Adam and Hawa found each other on this mount.  Also when Mohammed (pbuh) performed his only Hajj he gave his qutbah (sermon) standing at the top of Mount Arafat.  This qutbah is still read out by an imam during Hajj every year on the day of Arafat from the nearby Masjid al-Namira. A mosque that is unique in many ways, firstly because it is only open on the day of Arafat. For the rest of the year if remains closed.  Secondly because a part of the mosque is situated outside the borders of Arafat. One of the conditions of a Hajj is that you spend the day of Arafat in Arafat. Our tour guides may Allah reward them for engaging in such a noble profession would constantly remind us in the build up to the day of Arafat that it is critical that you spend the day in Arafat otherwise your Hajj will not be valid.  They would point out the anomoly of Masjid al-Namira. Telling those of us who wish to go to the mosque to listen to the qutba to be wary of where we sit. To make sure that we are placed within the boundaries of Arafat. The day of Arafat is the main day of Hajj. It is often said that "Hajj is Arafat and Arafat is Hajj".  

Umrah 2017! 

Tawaf

The Tawaf is genuinely unique.  You can stand for prayer anywhere in the world, however only around the Kaaba can you perform a Tawaf.  The word Tawaf literally means to turn. The origins of the Tawaf pre dates even the time of Ibrahim. (Pbuh) as the following verse from the holy Qur'an will indicate. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“and We commanded Ibraaheem (Abraham) and Ismaa’eel (Ishmael) that they should purify My House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah) for those who are circumambulating it, or staying (I‘tikâf), or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in prayer)”

[al-Baqarah 2:125]

There are many stories and explanation given for the purpose of the Tawaf some of them scientific, theological and some historical however I do not think that this is the right place to debate them.  I will leave that up to you all to research. It's quite fascinating. Here I will only talk about my own personal experience.  

Although you are very excited to perform the Tawaf after all that is what you are there for.  It's also quite daunting; you want to perform it sincerely, spiritually with everything that you have above all you want to perform it correctly so that Allah accepts it.  Seeing the Kabba for the first time is always emotional, although everybodies experience is different. It is not uncommon to see people being overcome with emotion tears rolling down thier cheeks.  During the Hajj we found the Tawaf to be the most physically demanding ritual that we had to undertake. That's because you have people pushing you from both sides as well as from the back. During our Hajj I only had to protect Fatema from being pushed around this time I not only had to protect her but also the 4 kids.  However you have nothing to worry about in all this pushing and shoving because at the end of the day you will be looked after in Makkah as you are a guest of non other than Allah. Subhanallah. 

I was worried for them.  How would they cope physically?  Alhumdulialh none of them complained.  They all felt re-energised after having a cup of Zamzam water and were ready to perform another Tawaf.  With every step during a Tawaf it is believed that you are forgiven 70.000 sins and at the same time you are gaining 70.000 rewards.  Do we need any better reason than that to perform a Tawaf?

As we had landed in the early hours of Friday morning at Jeddah airport and arrived at our  hotel the Dar Al Eiman Ajyad before 9.00am and found that our hotel room was not ready this was possibly because the Haji's and Hajja's  who were to vacate the room had most likely not checked out at that point. The concierge suggested that we all use the rest room to freshen up and go to the Haram and if possible perform our Umrah as there was plenty of time before Jumma.  I thought that was a very good idea rather than spend the next 3 hours in the hotel lobby it would be better to use the time more productively. As it was the Jumma day we performed our Umrah on either side of Jumma. Before Jumma we finished the Tawaf. We got through half of the Sae when the adhan for Jumma was called.  The adhan in Makkah is awe-inspiring. Once you hear the adhan in Makkah you will never forget it, it made the hairs on my arms stand. After finishing the Sae we dropped off the 3 ladies back to the hotel. In the meantime me and the boys went in search of the local barbers to have a hair cut (boys) or completely shave the hair off (myself). Once the hair cuts were done our Umrah was complete. 

We bought some Chicken Swarma for everyone.  For some perculiar reason all food in Makkah comes stuffed with chips.  Although we all enjoyed them by the end of our trip I think we all had enough of them especially the chips. I think even the kids were missing thier home cooked Rice & Curry.  

The one thing that you notice above all else during Tawaf is the pushing & shoving that happens in the Eastern corner or more simply in the corner where the  Hajr e Aswad (Black Stone) is situated. Pushing & Shoving is a polite way of putting it. It is very aggressive and violent at times. Women and men getting man handled by over excited men trying to getting close to the Black Stone.  In the Hadiths it's written that Mohammed (PBUH) would often kiss the Black Stone. Hence it has become a tradition for all who go to Hajj or Umrah to kiss or touch the Black Stone. On our Hajj in 2013 we both managed to touch the Black Stone amid the violent pushing & shoving.  We attempted to kiss the stone on a few occasions but gave up. We were advised by a scholar who was in our Hajj group Mowlana Hussain that there is no extra reward in kissing the stone during Hajj. On this occasion I made the decision that we won't even put the kids safety at risk.  Therefore we made no attempts to kiss the Black Stone. I personally managed to sneak in a lingering touch on one occasion. It is not uncommon to see men with blood pouring down from thier heads after attempting to kiss the Black Stone.

Another place that is always full of people within the mataf (the courtyard of the Kabba) is the Hijr Ismael (the stone of Ismael) Also known as the Hatim.  The Hatim is a semi circular wall on one side of the Kabba. This place is significant for many reasons. At one time the space lying between the Hatim and the Kabba belonged to the Kabba itself.  The prophet Ibrahim (Pbuh) had once constructed a shelter there for Ismael (Pbuh) and his mother Hajrah. Some scholars have written that the graves of Ismael (Pbuh) and Hajrah are beneath the Hijr Ismael.  However this is not the majority opinion amongst scholars. Aisha (wife of the prophet) reports that when she asked the Prophet whether the Hatim was part of the Kabbah, he replied that it was. When she further asked why it was then not included in the walls of the Kabbah, the Prophet replied, “Because your people (the Quraysh) did not have sufficient funds.” [Bukhari] Aisha says, “When I expressed the wish to perform salah within the Kabba, the Prophet took me by the hand and led me into the Hijr (Hatim) where he said, ‘Perform salah here if you wish to enter the Kabbah because this is part of the Baytullah.’”. 

People are always over eager to pray 2 rakat of nafl salah or more  inside the Hatim for these reasons. We may never get the opportunity to pray in side the Kabba but this is the next best thing.  I must add that the pilgrims from 4-5 decades and further back did get the opportunity to pray inside the Kabba. However with the massive boom in the numbers performing Hajj & Umrah every year we are no longer allowed to pray inside the Kabba.  At times it can be incredibly difficult to get in and out of the Hatim this is because the entry and exit points of the Hatim are one. I must also mention that while performing the Tawaf you are not to enter the Hatim since part of the area lies within the Kabba. We must not forget  the Tawaf is the "circumambulation," around the Kabba.

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Umrah 2017!

Ziyaraah

No Umrah or Hajj package is complete without a Ziyaraah tour.  As part of our package we had a tour to visit all the sites that would would entail a full Hajj.  First of all we drove through the tent City that is otherwise known as Mina. During Hajj Mina is full to capacity.  Mina is separated into sections all the European and American Hujaj are placed in the Turkish section of Mina. They also have a African section for the African countries  and an Asian section for the Asian countries. For the remainder of the year Mina is like a ghost town. Our guide dropped us of at the bottom of the Jamarat. The Jamarat is where the pilgrims stone the Shaitan following in the footsteps of Ibrahim (PBUH).  There are 3 stone structures which have to be stoned on 3 consecutive days. The Jamarat is housed inside a giant 3 storey car park.  

After spending some time walking between the 3 Jamarat structures we then drove through Muzdalifah. Muzdalifah is the place where on the night of Arafat all the pilgrims have to spend the night.  This is also a core requirement of Hajj. It's often said that if you get lost during Hajj fo not get lost in Muzdalifah. It's hard to get any sort of bearing in Muzdalifah as it all looks the same, in which ever direction you look.  On the night that you spend in Muzdalifah all around you the only thing you notice is a bed of humanity dressed mostly in white. Muzdalifah is also the place where the pilgrims collect the small stones which they throw at the Shaitan.  In total 49 stones are thrown over 3 days at the 3 Jamarat structures. The pilgrims are advised to always collect a few extra stones incase they drop a stone or two during the stonning. The pilgrims are not allowed to pick up a dropped stone.  They should throw a different stone. It is estimated that the Hajj Ministry scatterers 10's of millions of stones in Muzdalifah for the pilgrims to collect before the Hajj. 

From Muzdalifah we went onto Arafat we all climbed to the top of Mount Arafat apart from Fatema who did not think her back would be able to take the strain.  Salim was the quickest to get to the top of the mountain as well as the quickest to get down. At the top is the Big white pillar which tradition says marks the spot where Adam (PBUH) and Hawa (PBUH) re-united.  At the top we saw people doing things that are not permissable like kissing the stone or praying to the stone It's as if they believe that this pillar was put there by Adam (Pbuh) and Hawa (Pbuh) themselves. The Hajj Ministry have stuck a big poster on the pillar showing the activities that are not permissable but a lot of  people were just ignoring it. We then visited the nearby Masjid al-Namira where we all prayed 2 rakat of nafl salah. 

From Arafat we went to the foot of Mount Thawr.  Mount Thwar was the mountain where the prophet Mohammed (PBUH)  and his best friend Abu Bakr hid from the Quraish to save thier lives after discovering that they were going to be killed.  They escaped in the night and climbed up to the top of mount Thwar and hid in a cave. After the Quraish discovered that they had escaped, they followed them to the top of mount Thwar thinking that they must be hiding in the cave at the top.  After getting to the cave they were left baffled as there was a spider web covering the face of the cave. This made them come to the conclusion that they cannot be inside the cave otherwise the spider web would be broken. 

After the Quraish left, Mohammed (Pbuh) and Abu Bakr left thier beloved Makkah and started thier migration (Hijra) to Medina.  Mohammed (Pbuh) came to the conclusion that if they were to spread Islam then they will have to do it away from Makkah. Our driver come guide who was from Pakistan advised us that if we wanted to climb Mount Thwar or Mount Nur (where the first ayat of the Qur'an was revealed) we would have to get there straight after Fajar salah as the climb can take up to 4 hours. Also that after Fajar it is not too hot. In the baking mid day heat it just won't be possible.  I will leave the climb for the next time I come insha Allah. We also had a Ziyaraah tour in Medina. More of that later.

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Umrah 2017!

Language Barrier

Wherever or whenever  we think of going on a holiday, please let me clarify before someone says performing Unrah cannot be regarding as a holiday. I totally agree going to Makkah to perform an Umrah is Not a holiday.  Performing an Umrah is a spiritual journey to reconnect with ones faith to get closer to our creater. So I should have rephrased my opening line and said wherever on whenever we think of going to a foreign country the language barrier is always a major concern.  Going to Makkah and Medina is no different. When we performed the Hajj the language barrier was not a major issue as we were sheltered and taken from place to place by our Hajj guides SkyView travels. They really did look after us. May Allah reward them for thier efforts.

Even then we did encounter a few problems on one occasion we wanted to visit on spot where the prophets house was built and the Jinn masjid on our own. Getting directions to the Prophets house was not a problem.  Our guides had told us that if we mention the word "library" to anyone they would know that we are referring to the prophet house. We asked one of the many hundreds of security guards that are on duty, that's when we realised that is going to be a major problem with the language.  We did not speak Arabic and the guard most certainly did not speak English. However we somehow managed to figure out the instructions that he was giving us.  

The library is a small house that is just outside the Haram.  This is not the original house where the prophet lived as that has been demolished, however in it's place the Saudi authorities have built a small library or so they call it.  It's s bit of an odd library in that nobody ever gets to go inside, from the outside there are a few gentleman who distribute pamphlets and small books. The books are available in Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, English and a few other languages.  On this visit Salim and Yusuf spoke to the gentleman outside the library and were given books in the English language. All the pilgrims who come to Makkah visit this place wanting to see the place where the prophet lived. 

From there we wanted to visit the Jinn masjid and Jannatul Mowla.  During our Hall getting directions to the Jinn masjid was hillarious.  The guard that I spoke to may Allah reward him for his efforts thought I was looking for a Jeep.  I am not sure what he was telling me however after a few minutes of trying I gave up getting directions from him, I thanked him and we went on our way.  I was thinking this is going to be hard. I then thought let me ask one of the brothers who works as a cleaner. Allhumdliah although he did not speak English he spoke Urdu. As I speak Urdu fairly fluently there was no problem in speaking with him.  He gave me the perfect directions. 

If ever you need directions in Makkah or Medina do not ask the guards unless you speak Arabic,  ask the cleaners. They are mostly from the Indian sub-continent. So if you speak Urdu or Bengali you will have no problems. After visiting the Jinn masjid we went to Jannatul Mowla. Jannatul Mowla is a cemetary.  Amongst the the thousands who are buried here is also the grave of Khadija the first wife of the prophet. Ladies are not allowed inside. Fatema waited outside while I went inside to pray. Khadija's grave is situated right at the top of Jannatul Mowla it is walled off so that no one can get too close to the grave.

On our Umrah trip this time round we were only in Makkah for 4 nights. So as you can imagine there was so much to fit in before we headed out to Medina.  Before going out for our Umrah we were told that if we had time we should visit the Hajj Museum in Makkah. Before going out you envisage that you will have so much time.  However once you get into the routine of Salah & Tawaf finding time for excersions is difficult. After Fajar salah on the morning of our departure from Makkah we decided that we will go and visit the Hajj Museum.  Finding a cab to take you on these tours is very easy. On this occasion all I had to do was go outside to our hotel and there parked up in the drop off area was a few cars. When I was approaching the cars one of the drivers came out and asked if I wanted to go on any Ziyaraah tour.  His family were from Burma although he was born in Jeddah. We spoke in Urdu. There are always cars available I would highly recommend to anyone who goes for an Umrah to go and visit this museum. They have Hajj artifacts as well as artifacts from the Masjid al- Nabi dating back 800/900 years.  It really is an education to visit this museum.  

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Umrah 2017!

Tawaf Al Wida

One of the sadest parts of going to perform an Umrah is that you eventually have to say your farewells to the Kabba.  On an Umrah there are only 2 Tawafs that are obligatory, (during Hajj there are 3 obligatory Tawafs) the Tawaf that you perform to complete your Umrah upon arriving and the Tawaf Al Wida otherwise known as the farewell Tawaf.  In between these 2 obligatory Tawafs we performed quite a number of Nafl Tawafs some for ourselfs and others for all our family members back home. I also performed Tawafs for both Amma and Abba. It's advisable to start a Tawaf by drinking some Zamzam water because during the Tawaf the body dehydrates due to excessive sweating.  We normally keep a bottle of zamzam water while we are doing the Tawaf to replenish our thirst. I have always found it amazing how zamzam water quickly reinvigorates you after finishing a Tawaf. At the end of the Tawaf you normally feel exhausted. However after drinking some zamzam you are ready to go again. No one more so than Jeba she was always full of energy always ready to perform another Tawaf.   She even lead our small Tawaf train round on a few occasions.  

We performed our Tawaf Al Wida on Tuesday morning as we were scheduled to leave after Dhuhur salah for Medina.  It's quite amazing the contrast in emotion that you go through while performing the first Tawaf after arriving and the Tawaf Al Wida.  With the first Tawaf you are so excited that you have arrived at the Kabba and although you are walking round the Kabba you cannot take your eyes of the Kabba at any moment.  You are totally mezmerized by the sight of the Kabba. This is in contrast with the Tawaf Al Wida where although you still can't take your eyes of the Kabba I found myself no longer excited but sad that I will be leaving shortly after completing the Tawaf. Will I be invited back again? Is this the last time that I get the opportunity to see the Kabba? to pray in front of the Kabba? There are so many thoughts that go through your mind while you are completing the tawaf.  Will our prayers be answered? Will my Umrah be accepted? The questions are endless.  

Our driver arrived shortly after Dhuhur salah it gave us enough time to have some lunch.  The drive to Medina took just under 5 hours. I was hoping the driver will be from the Indian sub-continent, that way I would at least be able to have a conversation on such a long journey.  Our tour operator sent an Arab driver. So no conversation. Although we both tried, however with our language limitations it was to no avail. At least the car that he came in was very luxurious and comfortable.   It was a GMC crossover Jeep. We made one stop at a service station to pray Asr salah. Shortly after Magrib we arrived in Medina Al Munwara for the final leg of our journey.  

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Umrah 2017!

Medina Al Munwara

Coming to Medina is not a requirement of either Hajj or Umrah.  We come here to pay our Respects to our beloved Prophet Mohammed (Pbuh).  It gives us the opportunity to spend some time in the city where he spent the vast majority of his life as a Prophet. Medina is thus known as the city of the prophet.

On the journey to Medina it gives you an opportunity to reflect on the Umrah that you have performed.  While in Makkah I found it difficult to do that since you are trying to perform (well we were anyway) as many Nafl Tawafs as possible in the short time that we have.  On the long drive to Medina the city of our beloved prophet you cannot help but reflect on your Umrah; will Allah accept it? Will my sins have been forgiven? Will I be able to lead a  more virtuess and righteous life when I return home? Will I be invited back to Allah's house? Have I done enough Ibbadat? The thought of all this and more truly makes you sad and somewhat inadequate.  You try to put this into the context of how the prophet felt when he had to flee persicuation from the city where he was born and raised in order not only to save his life but to save the religon of Islam if self.  It is only then that you realise that your sadness pails into insignificance compared to his. We will be forever indebted to him and the Sahaba's.  

We arrived in Medina shortly after Magrib.  The first thing that you notice when you see the Grand Masjid is how brightly it shines.  It looks like the postcards that you see of the Masjid. The only difference being that you are literally standing in front of it.  After checking into our hotel the Dar Al Eiman Qibla we freshened up and then went to the Masjid Al Nabawi.

While we were in Makkah we tried to avoid the shops leaving the buying of gifts for ourselves and the rest of the family till we got to Medina.  This was a conscientious decision as we wanted to devout the maximum number of hours in the Haram in Ibbadat. Fatema and the girls even managed to stay a whole night in the Haram Sharif in Makkah, this was despite Nazia suffering from a bout of Hajj flu. The pace of life in Medina is much more relaxed compared to Makkah.  In Makkah you can feel the religious zeal in the air. I mean this in a very "Positive" way. The vast majority of the pilgrims want to do as much ibadat as possible. I think the way people look at it is that this is probably going to be my only chance. I may never have another opportunity to come back here. I have to give it my maximum, I don't want to go back home with regrets.  

Medina is known as the city of the Prophet.   The city where he came and settled after he migrated from Makkah.  Even the ettiqute of the local people is different. Everybody seems a lot more respectful.  Every city has an epicenter and although there are many historically important places in Medina (more of which later) undoubtedly the most important place and therefore the epicenter is the  Al Masjid al Nabawi. The Masjid of the Prophet. Although the original structure of the Masjid is no longer there due to the re-construction and expansion. The area of the original Masjid have all been kept with the boundary of this Grandest of Masjids.  The Masjid really is an architectural master piece.  

The most sacred place within the Masjid is the Riyadul Jannah - the garden of paradise.  It is believed that the prophets wife Aisha's house was located in this area. The Riyadul Jannah starts from the Roda Rasool (the prophet's grave) and extends till his pulpit.  The area of the Riyadul Jannah is easily recognised by the Green carpeting in the rest of the Masjid the carpet is red. It is always jam packed with people trying to get into the Riyadul Jannah to pray 2 rakat of salah.  During Hajj I thought the pushing and shoving during the Tawaf is aggressive, however trying to get into the Riyadul Jannah is just as aggressive.  

I tried to take both Salim & Yusuf to pray inside the Riyadul Jannah the following day after Asr Salah, to get in we had to line up behind a barrier which was monitered by a few guards.  They were letting in people as soon as the Riyadul Jannah area was cleared of the people who were already inside praying thier 2 rakat or more if they could without the guards seeing them pray extra salat.  Usually once the guards spot that you have completed your 2 rakat they usher you out towards the Roda Rasool for you to pay respect to the prophet and his companions (Abu Bakr and Umar) which then leads you out of the masjid.  This section of the masjid is controlled in such a way that it reminds you of a one way road. The area of Riyadul Jannah is segregated into 2 parts the men's section and the women's section.  

When we were trying to get in I instructed Salim that when the barrier is removed he should move forward as fast as possible, he is not to wait for us, that we will find him inside. Meanwhile I held onto Yusufs arm just above his elbows and as soon as the barriers were removed there was a sudden "Burst" forward to get into Riyadul Jannah, we thought we were going to be trampled upon, I ending up grabbing Yusufs arm very tightly.  As a consequence Yusuf ended up with "Burn Rashes". Sorry Yusuf! Once inside you just had to try your best to perform your 2 rakat salah. There is barely enough space to stand. The space in the women's section is just as congested as the men's section. The space inside Riyadul Jannah is even tighter than praying inside the Hatim.

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Umrah 2017!

Ziyaraah in Medina

-  Roda Rasool & Jannatul Baqi

The generation of the prophet is often regarded as the "Golden Generation".  Due to the sacrifices that they made and the hardship and persecution that they had to endure we will always be in thier debt.  Usually the best way to get to Jannatul Baqi is after you pay your respects at Roda Rasool. The Roda Rasool not only has the grave of our beloved prophet but also the graves of 2 of his closest companions Abu Bakr and Umar.  There is also said to be a fourth grave which has been left empty. It is said that this will be the final resting place of Issa (PBUH) when he returns to the world. However I must add there is no official explanation or confirmation from the custodians of the Holy Mosques (the Saudi King) with regards the empty fourth grave. 

The tradition of paying respects is to file past the  wall that hides the graves. None of the graves are visible although that does not stop the men (even I have tried it) from trying to peep through the circular holes on the walls of the Roda Rasool to see if you can get a glimpse of the graves.  Although the women are allowed to pray in the Riyadul Jannah which is adjacent to the Roda Rasool the women are not allowed into this section. After you exit the Roda Rasool you can see the walls of Jannatul Baqi, possibly the most famous cemetery in the Islamic world approximately 100 metres away. 

It has been said that there are some 10.000 Companions  of the prophet as well as a number of the prophets young children and other family members  buried there. None of the graves are marked as is the tradition in Arabia. The Jannatul Baqi is not open at all times.  Its usually open for a brief period of time after Dhuhur and Asr salah so there is always a rush of men trying to get in to pay thier respects at the  final resting place of the companions of the prophet. Unfortunately there is no timetables displayed of the opening and closing times for Jannatul Baqi.  During our Hajj I actually managed to get inside Jannatul Baqi on my third attempt, on the 2 previous attempts I found the gates were closed by the time I got there.  Only the men are allowed inside so it is not uncommon to see women paying thier respects from outside the walls of Jannatul Baqi.  

We also had a Ziyaraah tour arranged for Medina.  Due to the proximity of Jannatul Baqi to the Haram we did not need a tour guide to take us there.  To give you an idea of the size of the Masjid al Nabawi, due to all the expansions it is now Bigger than the original town of Medina when the Prophet first came here after leaving Makkah.  

Quba Masjid 

We went on our Ziyaraah of Medina on the second day after Dhuhur salah.  Our driver arrived in a mini bus that resembled the mini buses that we see disabled people travel in here in London.  There was only 6 of us and as there was room for I think 16 Yusuf and Salim decided to put their feet up at the back and make the most of the space.  Our first stop was at Quba Masjid. It has been Chronicled that the Quba Masjid was the first mosque that was built in Medina and it's first stones were layed by none other than the prophet Mohammed (Pbuh).  The Quba Masjid truly holds an "Elevated" status in Islam. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to go there, riding or on foot, every Saturday and offer a two rakaʿāt-prayer. He advised others to do the same, saying, "Whoever makes ablutions at home (in our case it was the hotel) and then goes and prays in the Mosque of Quba, he will have a reward like that of an 'Umrah." This ḥadīth was reported by Ahmad ibn Hanbal.  

Me and the boys prayed our 2 rakat salah followed by an additional 2 rakat. After that we came out side to wait for the ladies.  I had an eye on my watch or should I say mobile phone, it's sad how the watch has become redundant these days. The plan was to return to the Haram before Magrib.  Some 20 minutes after we came out of the masjid we were still waiting for the ladies to emerge. As I mentioned earier praying 2 rakat salah in the Quba masjid is the equivalent of performing an Umrah.  We were starting to think that Fatema and the girls were performing at least a Dozen umrahs each. When they eventually emerged we were on our way to Mount Uhud.

Mount Uhud

Although the Muslims had now settled in Medina the pagan Makkahans were not satisfied with driving them out they wanted to totally wipe out the existence of the Muslims.  Over the coming years there were many battles fought by Mohammed's (Pbuh) army and the Makkahan army led by some members of the Quraish tribe. There were also economic sanction against the Muslims.  Traders were banned from conducting trade with the Muslims. The Quraish were the tribe from which Mohammed (Pbuh) hailed from, however the majority of them were still practicing in pagan beliefs. The first major battle that they fought was in a place called Badr.  During this battle the Muslims emerged victorious although they were vastly outnumbered by the army from Makkah. This left the army from Makkah utterly humiliated and wanting the chance to avenge this defeat. The next major battle took place on the plains of Uhud.  

The outcome of the battle of Uhud did not end well for the Muslims. Although they they were still outnumbered it has been written that  complacency had set in and that the plans were not properly followed. This ultimately led to the Muslims being defeated. The Muslims lost 85 men amongst them was Hamza the beloved uncle of the prophet.  Hamza and the rest of the martyers are buried at the bottom of mount Uhud. Although the battle of Uhud is widely regarded as a bitter defeat for the Muslims, it was also a good lesson for the Muslims to understand the meanings of discipline and respect of the commander's orders, war strategy and tactics.  These lessons were not forgotten.  

As you wonder around the plains of Uhud you go through a lot of contrasting emotions.  As we climbed to the top of mount Uhud which was the station for the archers and looking below you see the graves of the martyers it brings it home that these battles were real as  the casualty of war are right in front of you in these unmarked graves. It really is a sobering thought. Luckily on the day we went to Uhud there was a gentleman speaking in Urdu giving a brief history of the battle of Uhud.  It was very interesting taking in the story.  

Masjid Qiblatain

For the final leg of our tour we went to visit Masjid Qiblatain also known as the mosque of the two Qiblas.  Masjid Qiblatain is historically important to Muslims as this is where on Rajjab 2 AH the revelation of the Quran came to change the direction of the Qibla from Bait-al-Maqdis in Jerusalem to the Kaaba in Makkah.  

During his time in Makkah, the Prophet  used to pray towards Bait-al-Maqdis, with the Kabba in front of him.  During Asr prayer the Prophet had led his Companions when he was commanded (through a revelation) to face towards the Kabba by the following revelation in the Quran in Surah al-Baqarah: “Verily, We have seen the turning of your (Mohammed’s) face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction.” [2:144 ]. Ever since then the Qibla has remained in the direction of Makkah for all Muslims.  

Masjid Qiblatain used to uniquely contain two mehrabs, one in the direction of Bait-al-Maqdis and the other towards Makkah. However, the old mehrab has now been covered. 

By fate or by chance as we were all walking into the Qiblatain masjid via our separate entrances the adhan for Asr salah was being called.  We all felt really blessed that we got the opportunity to pray a fard salah in this historical masjid. Normally pilgrims who go there just pray 2 rakat nafl salah before they go on thier way.  Subhanallah we all truly felt blessed.  

We wanted to go and see a few other sites such as the 7 Masjid or Sabu (7)  Masjid which is a complex of 6 small mosques. The 7th mosque used to be the Qiblatain masjid. We also wanted to visit the Masjid  Al-Ghamamah. This is one of the oldest mosques in Medina, where the prophet once led the Eid salah. However time defeated us once again. So much to see yet so little time.  Insha Allah if we get the opportunity to come again we will make it a priority to visit these places.

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Umrah 2017!

Intention to Return

There are so many experiencces of Makkah and Medina that I have not been able to write down.  I am Sorry in that I have been very selective in what I have included.  

There are some places that instantly make you feel welcome, you immediately feel at home.  Within that Makkah truly is unique. In Makkah you instantly feel at home. You immediately feel that you belong here. The interactions that you have with people from all over the world is unforgettable.  I normally have a lot of difficulty in striking up conversations with strangers. In Makkah these inhibitions totally disappear. 

I think this is because although the journey (not the literal journey) to get to Makkah for everyone is different the purpose and goal for everyone present is exactly the same; to please Allah.  I suppose this is all encapsulated in the recitation of the Talbia that we constantly recite straight after making the intention right upto the moment we get to the gate of the Haram Sharif. It is amazing striking up conversations with our fellow pilgrims hearing thier stories telling them your stories.  It is a feeling that is very hard to express, however I am sure that all of you who have been blessed to come here will be able to relate to this feeling of kinship. I made a special dua for Nacima and Mumin and all our other relatives who have yet to come, to be given the honour of coming here so that they too can experience this unique feeling.   

Back home in London I always find it difficult to wake up for Fajar salah, however here in Makkah & Medina it is never an issue with very minimal hours of sleep I was always full of energy. I need to "Bottle"this energy.  Salim was just amazing he never missed a Fajar salah always up immediately. Yusuf missed Fajar salah on the first full day that we were in Makkah. I was jokingly telling him that in Makkah nobody misses Fajar salah and that he was the only person in the whole of Makkah to miss Fajar salah that morning.  Yusuf being his inimitable self shot back "What did the Hotel Concierge also go"? Yusuf did not miss Fajar salah on all the other days that we were there. 

Going to Makkah to perform Umrah is always a challenge on many levels not just physical but also mental and emotional.  All these emotions are interlinked. I was always trying to stay calm. Telling my self to have Sabr..this is a phrase that you always here while you are in Makkah.  However I failed on this count on the first day. Although men and women are allowed to perform Tawaf together, however when the adhan is called for salah the men and women are segregated.  

After Salah it can be a problem finding each other if you do not have an agreed meeting point.   Although we had agreed on a meeting point getting to the meeting point can became difficult if you get lost.   Also with all the construction work going on inside the Haram it did not help as many parts of the masjid were operating a one way system in getting in and out of the masjid.  After Esha salah on the first night me and the boys could not find Fatema and the girls. We were all going round in circles to find each other. After an hour or so I eventually found them.  At this point I let my frustrations get the better of me. For that I apologise to Fatema and the girls. After that we were a lot more organised.  

Taking your children to perform an Umrah has a unique element in that when you go to Hajj or Umrah by your self you pray for your children.  When your children are with you although you are praying for them at the same time they are praying for you. It's like with one hand you give and with the other hand you receive.  

Without being too presumptuous I think I am right in thinking that everyone that comes here has many things that they ask Allah to grant them however I think there is one thing that is universal for everyone that comes here to be given the opportunity to come back here again.  Therfore before leaving they make the intention to come again. If Allah wills then Insha Allah we will. We all will insha Allah.  

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