almiskeenah

Words do not come easy to describe the gift of being able to climb Jabal Thawr and spend uninterrupted quality time in Ghar Thawr. Cliches whiz through the mind, but barely reveal the extent of how the heart and soul felt, and still feel.

O Lord! What kind of fountain is the Fountain of Your Love

Of which I tasted but a drop and wept a river.*

The blessing of being in this profound confined space where our Beloved HabibuLlah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, his faithful companion Abu Bakr As-Saddiq, his son ‘AbduLlah, his daughter Asma and his freed slave ‘Amir bin Fuhairah RadhiAllahu anhumma spent days and nights in their flight from the Quraish can never be fully gratified. A dream come true for this speck. Every laboured breath on the ascent repeatedly marvelled at the details of the escape and the intricate Plans Allah Ta’ala had for their safety. One can never tire of the miracles of this story when read over and over but to actually be present on this Mubarak mountain and in this Mubarak cave opened deeper realms of appreciation for the Seerah, exploding a spiritual awakening that will forever resonate in the heart.

The beginning….the usual ‘warning’…unheeded in the determination to physically be present in this cave, fulfilling the desire to be blessed to be in the three caves (previously Jabal Nur and Jabal Uhud) that our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam spent time in…

…I had been told it was an ‘easier and gentler’ climb than Jabal Nur by sisters who had been here, but when I looked up at the task ahead I almost reneged! Alhumdulillah ALLAHU AKBAR became an invisible ‘engine’ and even though the going was slow with many stops to sit, take in the scenery, reflect on how it must have been for RasuluLlah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, and all associated with his flight and catch the breath, we reached the top in about two hours. There was a small group of young lads ahead of us, but apart from that there was nobody else, except a couple of brothers who operated a small shop at the summit. Then as we were almost down, another group of brothers were beginning the ascent.

Names were left along the entire trail. It was enough for me to realize that the earth was my witness.

Various wild plants were in abundance, so beautiful in their struggle amongst hardened granite…a poignant reminder!

Allah Ta’ala’s signs displayed everywhere!

Most of the track has been sculpted with convenient ’steps’ either shaped into the surface..

…or rocks laid making the way easier.

Examining some of the more prominent signatures and the country of origin of the scribe, it seemed that every Muslim country was accounted for….

….while Allah Ta’ala’s natural ‘calligraphy’ with the expressive veins of quartz and the seepage of mineral patterns affected the Iman in a much more powerful way…

…but not so much the practice of ‘tying knots’ on the trees…I am not sure why this is done??

There are a few ’shops’ along the way, but due to it still being off season they were not attended to…the structure on the rise in the distance was one of the rest places.

Looking down the valley with the winding track…

…one of the few flat stretches…

…with Burj Al-Bait towering over Makkah in the distance…

…and the sad reality that too many of Ummah are very neglectful of the Hadith that cleanliness if half of Iman…even, or if not more so, on these Mubarak sites..

…Jabal Nur, SubhanAllah! One can hardly conjure how our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam traversed these awesome mountains…such rugged terrain…

…the Burj, beside the Haram, visibly indicates the distance and the harsh conditions they covered when escaping the Quraish…it is said that Abu Bakr RadhiAllahu anhu’s shoes became worn out, and that he tipped toes for most of the way so as not to leave actual footprints! And his son AbduLlah RadhiAllahu anhu made this journey each night, in pitch darkness, and Asma RadhiAllahu anha brought them food, and ‘Amir RadhiAllahu anhu drove his flock to disguise any signs of their movements. Can you imagine making this journey from Makkah to here now??

We were so blessed for the hazy day that Allah Ta’ala gifted us with for this climb…the clouds did not lift until after we were down, SubhanAllah, making the task less gruelling, Alhudulillah!

Immerse yourself in this recent clip of Habib Umar, may Allah Ta’ala sanctify his soul, protect his secrets and increase his rank, and his students as they fill this hallowed place with Salawaat and Du’a, SubhanAllah!

Note the linked photos are images from my dear companion who, Insha’Allah will be updating her site soon with more of her pictures from this Makkan time.

I decided to post this ‘expedition’ in two parts after realizing that 40+ photos were far too many to include in one post. So Insha’Allah more next time, and then still more to follow in documenting this Makkan interlude.

* I have quoted this some time before, but cannot find the source, apologies, and if you know, do tell, Insha’Allah.

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.