…not exactly the weather for wandering around with the sun as a searing furnace at mid morning…its rays burnishing the current roadworks north of Haram…

…these cylindrical tanks are part of the on site concrete production…indicating the extent of the project of redeveloping part of the first ring road…

…buildings were demolished long ago, anticipating this vast construction…for the moment the expanse of open spaces becomes another pigeon feeding ground…

…there are only two passageways for pedestrians to access Haram form the northern residential and older commercial areas, resulting in long and arduous detours for those who need to cross this chaotic road…the local sisters selling seed to be scattered take advantage of the foot traffic and hope for a meagre days earnings from the bags of wheat and lentils…

…some sit fully covered in the glaring sun, others seek the shade of the fence…one was crouching in the feeble shade of her wheelchair…all beg for you to buy seed…so sad…so very sad…

…looking towards Haram which is hidden behind the dense labyrinth of hotels…

…a mother and her five children huddled beside the yellow fence…kids all ragged and dirty, usually they are unable to attend school as they are not legal residents and could not afford it anyway…there was an animated excitement as they looked at the pictures in an old newspaper…chatting and grabbing…

…Jabal Uhud is just visible in the background…

…with Jabal Sala’ to the west…the length of the work extends for more than a kilometre which snarls traffic in this busy area…

…standing where the above photo was taken is the view of the King Fahd door of Haram…

…umbrella maintenance teams under the full blast of the unrelenting sun…though there may have been some respite as jets of water intermittently were sprayed over the surface…

…weird patterns formed by their shadows and the lines of the umbrellas…

…groups of sisters assembled prior to going in Masjid Nabawi for Ziyarah…

…as nearby workers were repairing the courtyard…

…exacting work displaying the variety of skills needed for the constant upkeep of a surface that sees millions of footsteps traverse it day and night…

…the pillars parallel to Jannatul Baqi have been ‘decorated’ with bands of adhesive fly catching tape…

…but it seems the flies are too cunning to be tricked into landing on their lookalike images…

…these new fans are being installed on the pillars in the courtyard area between the Abode of Peace and Jannatul Baqi…

…two to each pillar…they seem high up and rather small to deal with the extreme temperatures…some say the umbrellas trap the heat in and need fans to move the air…Allahu ‘Alum…behind is the progress on the removal of a section of the wall preparing the way for additional doors…

…a view showing the position of the new doorways in relation to Bab Baqi, Bab Jibreel and Bab Nisaa’ which are to the left…and how the fans appear from a distance on the pillars…

…preparatory work on the facade on the Bab Slam side is seem for another extra doorway to be created…

…the work and changes seem never ending…

…with the one sublime constant…

…our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…

…and all he has been sent for…

…regardless of what changes and conditions befall any of us, his SallAllahu alaihi wasallam love and compassion and mercy is forever constant…

Allahumma Salli ‘alaa Sayyidina wa Maulana Muhammadin ‘adada maa fee ‘ilmillahi Salaatan daa’imatan bi dawaami mulk illah.
JazaLlahu anna Sayyidina Muhammadun sallAllahu alaihi wasalama maa huwa ahluhu.

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.