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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