Monthly Archives: November 2008

a sepia hajj

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“… The vague longings that filled my soul,

Took the form of a prayer I upward sped,

To Him, the One, The Essence of All….

And the weird cadence of the Mueddin’s cry

Bid the faithful prepare for the day that was nigh….”

Lady Evelyn Cobbold Pilgrimage to Mecca, with photos and excerpts from Mayfair to Mecca.

On her 1933 pilgrimage, she became the first international traveler to record the buses that had recently begun service in Makkah.

“Two hundred and fifty miles [400 km] from Jeddah to Medina took us fifteen hours to accomplish and I take off my hat to the little Ford that gallantly carried us through those sandy wastes…. Besides the pilgrims on camels, we met many on foot, toiling slowly through the scorching desert with water jugs in their hands clad in their Ihram (or two towels), and, as they were bare headed, many carried umbrellas. Ten days is the usual time it takes a camel to accomplish the journey between Medina and Jeddah and three weeks for the pilgrim on foot….

Today the news has come through that I am permitted to do the pilgrimage to Mecca and visit Medina. I had for so long lived in alternate fits of hope and despair, that I can scarcely credit that my great wish is at last to be fulfilled. Preparations for my journey are in the hands of my host…; while I prepare…my pilgrim dress which consists of a black crepe skirt, very full, and a cape and hood in one, to be worn over ordinary dress when I visit Medina, also a black crepe veil entirely obscuring my features; but for Mecca I shall be entirely in white, no colour is allowed in any garment….

I am in the Mosque of Mecca, and for a few seconds I am lost to my surroundings because of the wonder of it. We are walking on white marble through a great vault whose ceiling is a full fifty feet above us, and enter pillared cloisters holding the arched roof and surrounding an immense quadrangle…. I had never imagined anything so stupendous…. We walk on to the Holy of Holies, the house of Allah [the Ka’bah] rising in simple majesty. It would require a master pen to describe the scene, poignant in its intensity of the great concourse of humanity of which I was one small unit, completely lost to their surroundings in a fervour of religious enthusiasm…. I felt caught up in a strong wave of spiritual exaltation….”

This first Hajj account by an English woman also contains the first recorded trip by car from Mina to Arafat.

~*~

SubhanAllah how rapid the changes in such a short span of time. And yet all the rituals all Hujjaj remain the same. May the Pen have written Maqbool for all, Ameen.

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.

dusty and dishevelled

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Allah Ta’ala, ever Mighty and Majestic is He, says to the Angels on the Day of Arafat: “Regard my servants! They come to Me dishevelled, dust-covered, down every long mountain pass. I call you all to witness that I have forgiven them.”

The Angels then ask: “But Lord, this one has done wrong and this one and that one!”

Allah Ta’ala, ever exalted is He will reply: “I have already forgiven them!”

The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said: “Whoever prays fajr in congregation and then sits in remembrance of Allah Ta’ala until the sun rises, then prays two rak’at, he has the full reward of Hajj and Umrah.”

There is a seven page Makkah Supplement in Arab News today. A considerable amount of space is taken up by advertising where numerous companies convey messages of welcome to the ‘guests of Allah’ with photos of the Royals and the Haramain composed within a decorative border.

The rhythmic sqqiiishh sqqiiishh sound of straw brooms and dust swirling through the window screens alerts me to the sweepers below. They routinely maintain the streets throughout the entire Kingdom. Dusty and dishevelled they diligently work that half of Iman; cleanliness. They, along with housemaids constitute a huge percentage from the millions of guest workers here. But unfortunately only a small percentage from this category of workers is able to perform Hajj. Many Hujjaj would spend in one day what some of these people receive as a monthly wage. The cost for them to perform Hajj with an official group would be more than a year’s wages. These guest workers leave their impoverished countries in the hope of not only sending a pittance back to destitute families, but with the hope of being called to perform Hajj and or Umrah during the time they are here. Sadly many return without ever seeing the Kaabah.

Over the years I have become aware of families who leave the maid with the children while they themselves go for Umrah and Hajj. Little concern for treating ones fellow brother/sister as you would like to be treated.

If these people were truly ‘guests’ then couldn’t the government formerly institute that part of the contract of these workers include at least one Umrah and one Hajj over the two years, sometimes three, duration of the contract? Instead the current conditions stipulated for a permit and accommodation for Hajj deem such a dream to be prohibitive for them. Some companies do assist their employees with this Islamic duty, but the majority do not. Some places are reserved and financed for certain groups to perform Hajj, for example those who have converted to Islam whilst contracted in the country, but the numbers are not grand. Many who are financially able perform Hajj multiple times year after year. Alhumdulillah, it is Allah Ta’ala Who invites, but maybe it is time we had more awareness of the plight of others and extended the hand of Ikram to those who are not so fortunate, still gaining the reward of having performed the Hajj by assisting others to do so.

May one day these dusty and dishevelled sweepers be among the forgiven dusty and dishevelled ones on the Plains of Arafat, and if not then may they be among those who can leave their duties in order to reap the rewards of Hajj and Umrah after Fajr according to the Hadith.

And may those of us not called to the House this year focus during these Ten Blessed Days to at least once be written as one who has, without even being dusty and dishevelled, fulfilled the requirement of Hajj and Umrah, as related by our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. Insha’Allah.

[Various other articles related to the usual departments responsible for the overseeing of all the Hajj arrangements also appear in the supplement. Plus a full page, with several diagrams, (unfortunately not online) explaining a proposal by a member of the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry to ease Hajj traffic. The side bar on the link page lists the articles.]

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.

ten ‘gift wrapped’ days

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By the daybreak

and ten nights,

and the even and the odd

and the night when it passes.

(89:1-4)

Blessed are we for the gift of Islam, and for the gift of every second bursting with the opportunity to draw nearer and nearer to our Rabb Subhanahu wa Ta’ala and His Habib SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. However the gifts bestowed upon us during the next ten days are uniquely blessed. Our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said:

There are no days greater in the sight of Allah and in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days. So, during this time, recite a great deal of tahlil , takbir and tahmeed.

He SallAllahu alaihi wasallam also said:

If anyone observes fasts during these days, he is granted the reward for one fasting equal to the reward for fasting for a full year, and worship in one of these nights is equal to the worship performed during Laylatul Qadr.

SubhanAllah, such a degree of excellence Allah Ta’ala has ‘gift wrapped’ these ten days.

Many Mubarak events from our illustrious past adorned these days. Reflecting upon these increases the Iman and injects the heart with a beauteous Muhabbah.

  • Allah Ta’ala willed ‘Bayat-Aqabah’ the Pledge of Allegiance during these sacred days.
  • Fatimah RadhiAllahu anha was married in this holy month to the fourth Caliph Ali RadhiAllahu anhu.
  • Ibrahim RadhiAllahu anhu, the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s son was born in Dhul Hijjah 8 AH.
  • ‘Umar RadhiAllahu anhu was smitten with Hidayah during this month, as well as becoming a martyr on the 27th of Dhul Hijjah in 26 AH.
  • Uthman RadhiAllahu anhu not only embraced Islam and subsequently appointed the third Caliph, but also met his martyrdom on 18th of Dhul Hijjah in 35 AH.
  • And the last revelation was sent with Jibreel Alaihis Salam and the Hajjat al-Wada, the Farewell Pilgrimage occurred in 10 AH in Dhul Hujjah.

JazakiLlahu khairan to our dear sister at Green Horizons for sharing the following Du’a, to be read between Zuhur and Maghrib ten times throughout these ten ‘gift wrapped’ days, earning the reward of Allah Ta’ala’s forgiveness of past, present and future sins, Insha’Allah. The longer Du’a can be preceded with this Du’a:

La ilaha illa Allah Adadah khalqihi wa ridda a nafsihi wa zeenatha arshihi wa midada kalimatihi

There is no deity worthy of Worship except Allah,

to the amount of His creation, until He is pleased,

to the amount of the beautification of His Arsh and the spiritual healing behind His Words.

There is no God but Allah, up to the amount of nights and lifetimes,

There is no God but Allah, up to the amount of days and months

There is no God but Allah, up to the amount of Waves in the sea

There is no God but Allah, up to the amount of Great rewards

There is no God but Allah, up to the amount of Rain and Raindrops

There is no God but Allah, up to the amount of Leaves upon Every Tree

There is no God but Allah, up to the amount of Fur upon Every Animal

There is no God but Allah, up to the amount of Pebbles and Grains of Sand

There is no God but Allah, up to the amount of Flowers and Fruits

There is no God but Allah, up to the amount of Breaths that Man takes

There is no God but Allah, up to the amount of Blinks of an Eye

Things that have happened and things that will come to pass

There is no God but Allah, He is greater than what they associate with Him

There is no God but Allah, He is greater than all that they can bring together

There is no God but Allah, In the Night as it draws to a close, for the morning as it comes to daybreak

There is no God but Allah, up to the amount of Wind that blows upon Rocks

There is no God but Allah, from this day onwards till the trumpet is blown, all of creation, all that He has created from today until the day we Meet Him

Ameen thumma Ameen.

So much is available online elaborating virtues, suggesting forms of worship and the best of deeds and explaining the benefits of Dhul Hijjah. I include a few along with previous Hajj categories, sharing many aspects of this fifth Pillar of Islam.

http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=751&CATE=105&redirect=yes

http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=4751&CATE=105&redirect=yes

http://www.sacredlearning.org/audio/general/2005/dhul_hijjah.mp3

http://www.deenislam.co.uk/dua/Dhul_hijjah.htm

http://www.deenislam.co.uk/dua/Dhul_hijjah_ibadah.htm

http://www.deenislam.co.uk/dua/Dhul_hijjah1.htm

http://www.islamonline.net/English/hajj/TenBlessedDays/Merits_Virtues/index.shtml

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1196786119573&pagename=Zone-English-Living_Shariah/LSELayout

May we all take advantage of these best days of the year so generously gifted to us, keeping the Hujjaj in our Du’a. May Allah Ta’ala’s mercy shower all responding to His call, granting all an accepted Hajj, and answering their every Adiyah. May their efforts and sacrifices contribute to the betterment of the Ummah during these times of fitan, Ameen.

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.

Hajj hubbub

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A softened murmur emanates from half a million pilgrims, followed by that distinct sound of muffled footsteps carrying the bier to Jannatul Baqi. While simultaneously it seems that thousands of Angel wings create a heavenly breeze along with a celestial song that only the ears of the heart can discern. Until today more than one hundred pilgrims have been blessed to be laid in the Mubarak dust of Baqi. SubhanAllah! Inna liLahi wa inna ilaihi rajeoon. One hundred souls who left their homes with the intention of performing Hajj, but whom Allah Ta’ala had other plans for. The Master Planner knows what is best for each of us and has already accepted their Hajj, SubhanAllah. And it is only He, the All-Wise Who knows how many will join them during these inviolable days.

~*~

Whenever Yahya ibn Ma’in (158 AH in Baghdad-233 AH in Madinah) went on Hajj, he used to go to Makkah via Madinah, and on his way back from Makkah he would return to Madinah. When he went to Hajj in 233 AH, he entered Madinah before Hajj at the end of the month of Dhul-Qidah, and fell ill, and dies seven days before the end of the month. People heard of his arrival and his death, and the tribe of Banu Hashim brought out the bed on which the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam was washed, and used it to prepare him for burial. People attended his funeral prayer and buried him in Al-Baqi, and the people said: “Here is the man who used to defend the Prophet of Allah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam from lies fabricated about him.”

Try conjuring the sounds that would have surrounded this City of Peace during his Janazah.

~*~

The words from one of many visiting scholars were relayed to me. The naseehah given to a group of pilgrims reminding them of the Sunnah of having only one dish on the Sufrah, and to always have a date in the pocket to alleviate hunger, keeping the stone to suck on at a later time to satiate the thirst. SubhanAllah.

~*~

80,000 pilgrims are arriving in Madinah daily! Transported in hundreds of buses from the Hajj fleet of more than 20,000. Imagine the streets. A constant around the clock sound of air brakes, the spewing noise of escaping diesel fumes, a cacophony of horns, mingling with the nuances of hundreds of tongues exchanging Salam, hymning Qur’an, Dhikr, Du’a, Taubah and haggling bargaining in the market places, all producing an electric buzz that enlivens and reaches the entire Ummah.

~*~

If billboards could speak a shrill “NO PERMIT, NO HAJJ, COMPULSORY ABOUT TURNAROUND” would echo across the Kingdom. The effort to control any without permits seems to be far more serious this year.

~*~

And if all hearts could be heard, we would hear nothing but a soulful longing to be one of those crying Labaik Allahumma Labaik.

~*~

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.

Wild Park

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We placed firmly embedded mountains on the earth, so it would not move under them…(21:31)

SubhanAllah, Al-Muntazah Al-Bareey, The Wild Park approximately 30 kilometers north-west from Madinah embodies this Ayat. Allah Ta’ala’s sculptured granite eruptions are awesome. This area is like a walled fortress with the mountains forming an enclosed walled space, with an open pass only at the southern end.

And the mountains, He made them firm… (79:32)

Jaggered silhouettes puncture the sky with teetering primordial boulders, thrusting columns and cavernous air pockets. This is a favoured destination for people to enjoy the natural wonder of the rugged mountains, the sandy wadi and the desert vegetation, especially with the added attraction of horses and quad bikes for hire during the weekend.

Surely We made the mountains to sing the glory (of Allah) in unison with him at the evening and the sunrise… (38:18)

We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains,

but they refused to be unfaithful to it and feared from it….

…but man took it up…(33:72)

..a musalla in harmony with the environment; calling us not be unjust and foolish, inept or ignorant…

..Allah restores believing men and women to grace, as Allah is most forgiving, most merciful. (33:73)

The scraggy thorny desert acacia bursts with brilliant red spider-like blooms and a feathery foliage after the recent rains. Hundreds more are being planted to offer shade for the picnickers.

The Al-Ghaba dam is situated closer to Madinah from the Wild Park, and even though the rains were sufficient to form this picturesque lake, the valleys did not flood enough to flow over the dam wall.

..and Who gives life to the earth after it is dead.. (30:19)

The water quickly evaporated revealing these sandy stretches that were beginning to burst with life.

This is the pretty flower of the toxic plant ‘ushar, or botanically Calotropis which belongs to the milkweed family.

Also known as Sodom’s Apple, or Dead Sea Apple due to its strange avocado shaped fruit, with fine silk fibres appearing as the fruit ripens and dries. It grows profusely in barren desert climates. The Bedouin used to burn its wood to obtain a fine-texture charcoal valuable as an ingredient of homemade gunpowder, while the milky latex-like sap from the leaves and stalks was used as a poison on arrow heads, and apparently its toxic properties can cure camel mange. (1,2)

While adjacent to the above is what remains of the forest, Al-Ghaba. A previous post relays information of how the timber for the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s Mimbar came from here. A beautiful chapter from our glorious past.

This is also where Az-Zubayr RadhiAllahu anhu owned land which is referred to in this story (scroll to 202) about delivering trusts, SubhanAllah!

Such Mubarak earth!

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.

a week of mornings: seven

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Herein ends this weeks collaborative capturing of a fragment of our morning. SewQ initiated a year of mornings at Flickr for those who may wish to take up this challenge, or to peek at ‘morning snippets’ of others.

Heightening our observation expands our vision and our appreciation. New insights emerge with an awakened perception of our surroundings, leading to a greater awareness of all the tiny moments that form the grander scheme and magnificence of the Creator Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. Alhumdulillahir Rabbil Aalameen.

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.