Monthly Archives: November 2010

…Makkah Metro…

…the Mash’air Metro, Makkah Metro…check the discussions and links on this informative forum…articles on statistics, the political, economic, social and controversial mass conversions of hundreds of the Han Chinese workers, along with excellent photographs and video footage…the last pages cover the inaugural service during the recent Hajj…

…when completed and fully operational the transport dynamics of Hajj will be totally transformed…

…the white sails at the foot of the mountain at one of the Muzdalifah stations…

…one of the Mina stations…

…massive pylons dominate the landscape, as does the clock tower peering down as a sentinel overseeing the transformations of Makkah Al-Mukarramah…

…the abrupt end of the line seen top right parallel to the Jamarat…Insha’Allah the second stage of the project will extend the service to be near Masjid Al-Haram, Makkah…

…eventually linking to the Haramain Railway that will connect Makkah to Madinah and Jeddah…the above section is part of this line as seen from Aziziyah…Mina being behind that mountain…

…JazakiLlahu khaira to Sister Iman for this dramatic capture of work suspended in mid air! Spanning the Makkan mountains is an engineering feat!

…the Aziziyah district is now the major alternative area for accommodating pilgrims due to the lack of hotels in Makkah as the major future complexes are still under construction…reflecting the direction of Haram…

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.

…Mash’air…post Hajj…

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…the sheer enormity of the scale, size and execution of projects in and around Makkah defies describing…the gigantic clock tower looms from every direction, dwarfing every majestic mountain…

…Mash’air, our holy sites of Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina are now deserted…

…apart from the army of cleaners contracted to clear the tons and tons of rubbish…again, the enormity of the rubbish has to be seen to be believed. While the natural rocky mountains are being eroded away they are being replaced by ‘refuse’ mountains…the size of which reach heights compared to the multiple storey buildings, punctuating the landscape…

…hundreds of yellow clad men scour all the holy sites that only days ago witnessed the millions beseeching forgiveness and performing the ancient rites of the fifth pillar of Islam…

…these contractors were seen by the dozen in the backs of open garbage trucks…assigned one area after another dealing with the aftermath of the Hajj…

…work that could take many weeks to complete by the vast expanses of litter…

…such signs remain plastered all over Mash’air…but like every year there are thousands, Allahu ‘Alum, maybe a million plus who, despite all the threats against undertaking the Hajj without the ‘official’ permit, still manage to do so…it is Allah Ta’ala who has invited them, not an authority…and surely it is Allah Ta’ala Who is the Master Planner…

…Jabal Rahmah… Hajj visas expire by mid Muharram so remaining Hujjaj take advantage of visiting sites where they recently were part of a throng of millions…

…Ziyarah to these Mubarak sites can now be made with ease and the awe and significance deepened devoid of crowds…

…hundreds of cameleers vie for the remaining pilgrims to ride their decorated camels, tracing the actions of our Blessed Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam when he rode Qaswa as he delivered the Farewell Sermon from the foot of Jabal Rahmah…(Insha’Allah more photos for camel lovers to follow in another post)

…minaret of Masjid Namirah…

…this huge Masjid is now shut for another year…Wadi ‘Uranah in the foreground…

…moving to Muzdalifah…this is the Mosque of the Sacred Monument, standing where Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam supplicated and where Allah Ta’ala in His Divine Speech says:

When you surge down from Arafat remember Allah at al-Mash’air al-Harâm (the Sacred Monument) Remember Him. He has guided you. Before that you were astray. (2:198)

…royal palaces perched high above

the sea of tents in the Mina valley…

…tent city roads were strewn with piles of rubble that were once elaborate interior decorations for the elite Hujjaj…lime has liberally been spread all over Mina as a health precaution…Jamarat complex begins in the background…

…Masjid Khayf and the massive Jamarat structure…(previous Hajj entries document this modern Jamarat, as well the significance the position of Masjid Khayf…all plumbing fixtures have been removed from drinking taps and toilets avoiding looting… once the cleaning is complete concrete blocks will prohibit entry to the majority of the site…

…decorative detail of the window…

…and the doors which is missed with the surging crowds during Hajj…

…the following photos attempt, yet again to convey the enormity of Mina and the Jamarat…

…a dark makeshift tent still nestles on a precarious ledge…

…a tunnel that roared with transport and pilgrims only days ago…

…while centuries ago, this hidden Mubarak site echoes the beauty of allegiance, where the first noble group pf trusted Sahabah RadhiAllahu anhum supported our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, SubhanAllah…

…such a tiny area that dwarfs the physical enormity of all the concrete and steel that surrounds it…Masjid Aqabah…SubhanAllah!

…and just around the bend…Alhumdulillah Jabal Nur…

…where the true meaning of ‘enormity’ echoes with every atom enshrouded within it, above it, below it, around it…SubhanAllah!

…comparisons…

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…do you not see how Allah makes comparisons? ….Allah makes comparisons for people so they may reflect. (14:24-25)

…over the past few weeks the same topic that has arisen with numerous encounters with the Hujjaj revolves around how Iman can be increased when the conditions of being in extreme crowds and rapid developing surroundings leaves one fighting for survival and distracted rather than deepening the spiritual connection to the rites, or the sacredness of the holy places. Those who are returning to Islam’s hallowed lands, make comparisons to past visits with what they see and experience in the now while those blessed with a first time invitation compare what were expectations with what has been the reality.

We cannot turn back time, nor freeze it, nor preempt the future. Submission to all that is as it is, because this is what Allah Ta’ala in His Wisdom has decreed, is what is required of us regardless of how we may perceive the changes.

Discussions revolved around how to invest the limited time given on this precious journey to deepening connections to Allah Ta’ala and His Habib SallAllahu alaihi wasallam when the external conditions are testing on so many levels. The massive changes in and around the Haramain certainly are distractions compared to the simplicity of even just a few decades ago, let alone hundreds of years ago. There is no comparison between the lilting rhythm of a camel traversing the arid landscape from Makkah to Madinah, taking three to four weeks, and twelve plus hours in a bus covering a few kilometres. And what of the contrast between tent accommodation and lavish hotels? Or the hustle and bustle of shopping that has crept to the very edge of the Haramain compared to trading in dusty wind blown deserts…

How to deepen connections? What comparisons gain reward and take the Iman to soaring heights?

~*~

All the black and white prints are from a current exhibition in Dubai entitled Mecca: A Dangerous Adventure, based on the works of Snouck Hurgronie (1857-1936). This article explains more about his life and work.

The above is Arafat then…

…and this years Day of Standing…

…then: Our Noble Lady Maymunah RadhiAllahu anha’s grave site.

…as it is now. Click on photo for more information.

This stunning image of calm and serenity is from another exhibition currently at the Photographic Gallery at the American University of Cairo, as appearing in this article, along with other selections from the exhibition.

…while this is a moment in time from Hajj just gone…both exuding sublime worship in contrasting ways…vicariously compare the different conditions and the effect on the soul…

…Makkah then…

…compared to now…

…brothers then…

…brothers now…from Dear Sister Iman’s Hajj captures. Visit her site for more of her recent Hajj experiences.

…Alhumdulilah Allah Ta’ala’s Love and our Blessed Resident of the Dome of Peace SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s mercy remains constant, SubhanAllah!

…veils that distract us from our link to Allah Ta’ala and our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam need to be lifted…hearts need to be filled with reliving the life and following the footsteps of Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. So as we slide over polished marble in comfortable shoes we allow the heart to imagine walking on course sand and rubble wearing thin leather soles, in the hope that just one footstep may be treading where the best of creation once passed. Allow the eyes to no longer see the glamour of modern buildings, and are downcast passing the throngs of vendors thrusting items at all who pass by. Turn the inner eyes to what the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam may have witnessed as he walked around Makkah and his Radiant City. Allocate more time reading the Seerah and Qur’an, reciting Dhikr and Salawat, sharing the message of a Hadith, seeking to improve in oneself the noble characteristics of the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, especially forbearance, patience, acceptance, justice, grace and tolerance.

Insha’Allah we devote time this Juma’ah making comparisons between the perfection of the character our Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and the effort we make in our lives seeking to emulate him through his Sunnah. May this Juma’ah be a day when we make a firm and conscious decision to rekindle our Iman with the flames of love for this glorious Deen. May we make comparisons between the vast history of our past and critically assess how we may be assessed by Allah Ta’ala right now in this present moment.

…Allah makes comparisons for people so they may reflect.

JUMA’AH MUBARAK!

Click on images for source.

…spot the differences…

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October 2008

January 2010

November 2010

What may we see in another year or so?

~*~

Amid the confusion, the chaos and the pain
A man emerged and Muhammad was his name
And walking with nothing but Allah as his aid
And the mark of a prophet between his shoulder blades
In a cave in Mount Hira, the revelation came
Read O Muhammad, read in Allah’s name
May the blessings of Allah be on Al-Mustafaa (the selected one)
None besides him could have been Al-mujtabaa (the chosen one)

Muhammad, peace be upon his soul
The greatest of prophets, Islam was his only goal
Muhammad, salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam
From among all the prophets, Muhammad was the last
As his was a mission of the greatest task
There was only moral degeneration
People clung to idol adoration
For all nations, he was Al-Mukhtaar (the preferred one)
So was he praised by Allah, Al-Ghaffaar
The bearer of glad tidings, Al-Basheer
Leading into light, As-Seeraj-Al-Muneer (lamp of Radiance)

In handling the wicked, he had the best of skill
He pacified with tolerance and goodwill
The best of morals he aimed to attain
All he accomplished through suffering and pain
Reviving Imaan as Al-Muthakkir (the reminder)
He is known in the Qur’aan as Al-Mud-dath-thir (covered up)
Only he was given the honour of Miraaj
Unique was this glory to Muhammad As-Seeraj (the lamp)

He was ad – da’ee illAllah hil azheem
All hadi elaa seerauteem mustakeem
His mission complete, his held in great esteem
Allah praised him as bil-Khuluqil Azeem
May the blessings of Allah be on mustafaa
None besides him could have been Al-Mujtabaa
So perfect were his morals, so justly did he rule
Darkness had vanished and the word was full of Noor

Balagha ‘l-ula bikamalihi
Kashafa ‘d-duja bijamalihi
Hasunat jami’u khisalihi
Sallu alayhi wa ‘alihi

Muhammad, peace be upon his soul,
The greatest of Prophets, Islam was his only goal…

Zain Bhikha

…betwixt…

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betwixt…such a wondrous word…not only visually exciting with juxtaposed slanting angles but also the adventurous way it trips around the mouth producing great muscular contortions with a vast array of sounds… betwixt…a word that seems to evoke fantasy worlds, conjuring rustling fabrics, stiff collars, magic ….rosebuds, owls, dragonflies…
…along with a spiritual perspective that exists betwixt everything and nothing and everything…all that is between an intention and an action…between the deed and the reward…or that nebulous space filled with acrobatic jumps, flips and springs betwixt an idea and its manifestation.
…or betwixt each salat…a deep deep chasm of forgiveness pours from Allah Ta’ala, SubhanAllah!
…the empty-full spaces betwixt matter and void…the roads and alleys that twist and turn between these rambling paragraphs…
…consider what is betwixt the moment of death and the moment of rising…between the moment of conception and the moment of birth…betwixt one inhalation and the next…there is an entire universe…betwixt one decaying leaf as a new bud unfurls…what is it that is betwixt an instance of calm and an outburst of anger…between burdens and the secret subtle graces hidden in trials…betwixt a smile and a frown, a hard word and a tender embrace, a drought stricken land and a torrential flood, betwixt alienation and intimacy…between provision and destitution, hope and despair, trust and suspicion…
…gratitude and thanklessness…humility and insolence…oceans could be filled with all that lies within the betwixted…

…betwixt the dark of last night and the caress of this day this space was declared a winner…a daunting gap betwixt honour and expectations…

…which can only be filled with reality that Allah Ta’ala encompasses ALL, SubhanAllah!…to Him belongs all the praise and His Glory is the betwixt between the betwixt and beyond the beyond…

He is the First and the Last, the Evident and the Immanent: and He has full knowledge of all things. (57:3)

When there was nothing, Allah T’ala was, and when there will be nothing, He will be. He is the most Manifest of all the manifest, for whatever manifests itself in the world, does only by His attributes and His works and His light. And He is the Most Hidden of all the hidden, for not only do the senses fail to perceive Him but the intellect and thought and imagination also cannot attain to His essence and reality.

He has the keys to the realm that lies beyond the reach of human perception; none knows them but He. (6:59)

…~*~…

Masha’Allah to all nominees and winners and heartfelt JazakumLlahu khaira Katheeran to all involved with these awards and most importantly to all of you who voted. Insha’Allah Du’a is needed for all that is betwixt our limited knowledge and attaining a closer link to Allah Ta’ala and His Habib SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.

…Arafat Day in Makkah…new Kiswa…and…and…

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…at no stage is the Sacred House left exposed during the annual changing of the Kiswa, such Haya, Masha’Allah! This is an excellent video from 2009 showing the initial stages of the procedure.

…first some scenes approaching Masjid al-Haram where thousands of Hujjaj were still about even until Zuhur time…streets were chaotic as pilgrims were desperately trying to haggle drivers to transport to them to Arafat…a money spinning time for locals…but despair and dejection for so many…

The black kiswa is made with 670 kg of pure silk, and 150 kg of gold and silver thread that is used for sewing the Qur’anic verses. It is 658 square meters in size and consists of 47 pieces, each 14 meters long and 95 cm wide. It costs about SR16.8 million ($4.5 million).

Arab News

This glorious Kalimah Tayyib is an integral part of the weave of the Kiswa, not really visible until light shines on it….or one is so close you can see and feel it, so too are these words of Divine presence in our heart….an intricate weave of sublime trust and submission, a sole neediness on Allah Ta’ala with an unsullied love for all that He commands and acceptance for all that He wills. With such pure threads spun and firmly woven in the heart, nothing is able to tease the fabric apart. May we too reveal this rapturous pattern as we allow the inner mirror reflect the light from the Sunnah of our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, nurturing our Iman to be so strong that others are able to see and feel it when close like hidden texture of the Kiswa.

…from this previous post