… the northern side of Masjid Nabawi used to be where our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam would depart and return from al-Sham…present day Jordan, Syria, Palestine (YA RABB…shower Your Rahmah upon these ancient lands and their dear people…InshaAllah each and every one of you continue with istiqama in making Du’a for all that was al-Sham) …where camel trains of thousands would arrive and depart…where armies and forays would set out and return…for Uhud, Khyber, Tabuk being battles fought to the north…by tuning the imagination of the heart we can almost hear and smell and see so many of the Sahabah RadhiAllahu anhum trading, living, visiting, farming this very land…
…today it is a very congested side of Masjid Nabawi…especially after each Salat when the street vendors set up their trolleys and mats on the ground with hardly any space in between for pilgrims to reach their hotels…the above photo was taken immediately at the end of Asr Salat with sisters waiting for customers…the brothers do not seem to join the Safr in favour of being ready for brisk business the minute Salam is said…the walkways between the fence and the hotel shops become packed with much yelling to get attention to buy…how different from the atmosphere during the time of our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…but the things that are not different is Islam, Iman and Ihsan…Insha’Allah all who are invited here make these the focus and negotiate these market areas making the Du’a for attending a market place and in Dhikr…
…this northern side will see the greatest changes one the expansion demolitions begin…
…the southern Qiblah side leads to Makkah…spending time in the courtyard, especially late in the night, is the so peaceful…the tranquility pierces the heart regardless of what it may be holding…sitting quietly cleanses…it is almost as one sees all the unnecessary dross being lifted and dissipated…the fourth pillar along this wall is the closest a sister can physically be to our Blessed Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…what more earthly bliss could one ever hope or want?
…volumes could be filled with photos of all the various scenes in the market area directly over the road from what used to be the Aswaq al-Haram…still many of the buildings are repositories for rubbish while some have been converted into a medical depot and used by the police and guards…for the moment this southern side outside the courtyard fence is relatively free of the hustle and bustle of the north…with many hotels still under construction in this vicinity, many walkways are partially fenced leaving the narrow alleys, already with goods spilling into them like an obstacle course…
…soon the establishments on this side with be joyous once the shift from the north begins…the higher levels in hotels such as this one will offer views directly towards The Dome of Felicity…
…the Qiblah hotel, the biggest in Madinah moves closer to completion after ten years since the excavation was dug…
…the almost deserted walkway between the courtyard fence and the old Aswaq al-Haram…before its demise this area was pulsing with activity…Alhumdulillah after Maghrib each day the Fuqara are offered simple meals and tea, with dozens availing themselves of this khidmah…
Sallallahu ‘alaa Muhammad
Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallim
Yaa Nabi Salaam ‘alaika
Yaa Rasul Salaam ‘alaika
Yaa Habib Salaam ‘alaika
Salawatullah ‘alaika.
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…may our praises reach to the farthest north and south east and west of Allah Ta’ala’s creation…
So happy is the one who visits him with sincerity
and comes to him and receives his hospitality.
Shaykh Saleh al-Ja’fari Rahmatullahi alaihi
~*~
JUMA’AH MUBARAK!
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.
