…crash::bang::rumble::dust…

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…this is the eastern tunnel accessing the the underground carpark…the fence to Jannatul Baqi is on the left and the blue fence to the right is the barrier to where the work is now happening…the new eastern side of the expansion will occupy the area now seen in this photo, but reach far back to the north (right) incorporating the area where you can see the tops of the hotels which will be demolished…one can ascertain the distance from the Green Dome which is seen just peeking over the far left umbrella…this is a GIGANTIC PROJECT…no drawing or artist rendering or model or google representation conveys the massive scope of this expansion…

…Source: Skyscrapercity where you can find more images and the latest updates, SubhanAllah Sister Roukaya does an amazing job sharing so much about the Haramain, may Allah Ta’ala reward her immensely for her efforts in benefiting the Ummah, Ameen…(the intention was to photo shop the eastern area to clarify where they are working now but unfortunately I do not have access to photo shop at the moment but work now is confined to the sqaure of the open courtyard on the left along with the area to the left of it)

…buildings stripped of the marble facade and ready for implosion…Insha’Allah I try to be there for one of them going down…

…gone are all the ornate decorations and hotels hardly been occupied…and this is just the beginning…SubhanAllah!!!

…some ask where is all this happening in relation to the present Masjid…this photo was taken at the same place as the above two…just turning 180 degrees…

…all the fences between the site and the courtyard are covered in plastic to lessen the dust so looking into the actual area is difficult…unless of course for brothers who can ask for entry…clearer photos here…

…there are a couple of places along the fence where one can look through dusty window…

…most of these buildings will soon be gone…

…Jannatul Baqi directly opposite the above photo…

…it was a very cloudy day so photos are gloomy…but easy to see how close to the eastern umbrella courtyard is the demolition site…

…recycled steel companies must be very happy…

…again…Janntul Baqi fence to the left and the Ottoman minaret and Dome of Peace outlined in the distance…I still find it difficult to comprehend the sheer scale of this endeavour…and this is only the eastern side…the same area is to be added on the western side as well as the long northern area…

…palaces come and go…Insha’Allah our final Blissful Abode will be for ETERNITY…and even the expansion will be dust…

…twisted steel mountains…the roar of bulldozers, diggers and the monster looking arm that lifts all this mangled mess creates an alien scene…

…Insha’Allah I will try to be frequent with updates…

…I wonder what will happen to the hundreds of umbrellas currently shading the north, east and west courtyards?…

…how many of the 1.8 million pilgrims expected to fill the new design will hope to actually step inside Rowdha Shareef? How will this be managed in the future? Especially for sisters where it is so chaotic now?

…scroll down here for other concerns regarding the extent of the expansion…plus Madinah already has a water shortage so how will the system cope with the addition of millions? not to mention the congested traffic problems…pilgrim buses line the narrow streets between hotels to drop and collect pilgrims as cars, pedestrians and taxis impatiently try to negotiate the dangerous jams…Insha’Allah the plan to construct a metro linking the airport to the Masjid is a positive plan…as is the rail link from Makkah…but how people move from the station, which is a distance from the central area, to their hotels may mean relying on buses which seems to defeat the efficiency of a railway…the situation requires forward thinking of scales not seen before…look back to just over two years ago when the exact area being dug up now was being filled and then paved to accommodate the overflowing crowds…and how do the elderly, the differently challenged move within and around such a massive complex…some say there are carts, Alhumdulillah, but from experience they are limited in the services they provide…and are only outside in the courtyard…how much courtyard will there be with the new plans?

…so many questions…may Allah Ta’ala guide and save us all, Ameen…your comments welcome on this topic…

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.

…Quba::rain::another exhibition…

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…blissed and blessed with the most welcomed Rahmah…rain…rarely seen, heard, felt, tasted…or smelt…bringing the usual shrieks from children…seemingly echoed across the entire city…SubhanAllah…a perfume added to the already wondrous fragrance of our Madinatun Nabi…blissed and blessed…

 …but even with only a short time of deluge the streets become treacherous…white water rivers…

…with the sensible of drivers taking care…but Du’a for the ‘others’ who do not seem to care about not only endangering their own lives but those of all else on the roads…AstaghfiruLlah…

…heading for Masjid Quba…with the billowing grey clouds hovering overhead…thunder and lightning added to Allah Ta’ala’s dramatic theatrics…the power in the storms reminding us of His Qudrat…His Dominion over all…ALHUMDULILLAH ALLAHU AKBAR…

…this building, beside Masjid Quba was a struggling commercial site renovated for the special Cultural City celebrations…

…traditional decorative features break the austerity of the rectangular structure…

…along with newly landscaped areas…including much needed park benches…the building is currently used for another excellent exhibition…Ma’araz al-Eiman…The Refuge of Iman…one of the many names for this City of Light…

…people seem to remain indoors when it rains here…but this humble speck loves storms and revels in the refreshing air…the billowing abaya and the shine the rain leaves on every surface…ALHUMDULILLAH ALLAHU AKBAR…

…so it was no surprise to find the entrance to the exhibition empty…the first encounter as I walked inside was with a policeman saying it was closed due to the roof leaking very badly in one of the rooms displaying larger models of various stages of Madinah’s development…security brothers were running hither and thither with huge rolls of plastic to protect the models…

as-salatu wa salamu alaika Ya Sayyidy Ya Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam

…Alhumdulillah for their preoccupation with the problem as it meant my presence was ignored for some time…so I quickly clicked a few photos…more can be seen here, from the official Cultural City site…

…like the Seerah exhibition the effective display design uses back lit panels from many diverse aspects of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah…

…including geological features…maps…diagrams…charts…(an account of the volcano that threatened Madinah in 654 AH/1258 AD)

…old and contemporary photographs…including this stunning image by Brother Noushad…Brother Noushad is regarded as the official photographer of our Radiant City…his work is exceptional…please support his art by purchasing prints and/or maybe discussing publishing his work as an exclusive coffee table edition…Insha’Allah this dream becomes a reality for Brother Noushad…

…this aerial photo is of the two government buildings…the pinkish one in the foreground is the Amarah and the bluestone, fortress-like one on the background is the Amanah…situated opposite the Ottoman railway station to the south west of Haram…

…this photo and the one below form one huge map based on a 3D design…the interesting feature being that almost every street and every important building from the Ottoman times is named!! Masjid Nabawi in the above photo…

…Masjid Nabawi to the top right…the lower left shows details of the Musalla area with the Turkish Barracks on the bottom left…

…it was while trying to get snap more details of this fascinating map that my presence was noticed and I was kindly asked to leave…Insha’Allah another visit is planned…

…the dull monochromatic grey tones exuded a soothing peace…

…and the ‘shed’…looking somewhat bedraggled and dilapidated…refer back to this specks reaction to this structure…

…now that the brouhaha of the official visit is well and truly over it seems the space is neglected and a dismal blight on the beautiful Masjid beside it…

…the sweepers were seen inside and outside in the courtyards busily dealing with the accumulated water…

…as Maghrib approached the stormy clouds moved south and a serene silence filled the vitalized air…

…the few pilgrims present struggled with umbrellas and wind blown hijabs and abayas…

…while street vendors had retreated leaving their ‘shops’ securely covered…

…new shoe racks have been installed beside the major doorways of both the sisters and the brothers areas…

…and it wasn’t long before the marble was dry with children coming out to play and iPad photographers appeared…along with the mandatory Haia ‘vice brigade’…

 [Prophet] you should rather pray in a mosque founded founded from its first day on Taqwa: in this mosque there are men who desire to grow in purity-Allah loves those who seek to purify themselves. Which is better, the person who founds his building on Taqwa and desire for His good pleasure, or the person who founds his building on the brink of a crumbling precipice that will tumble down into the Fire of Hell, taking him with it? (108-109)

 …Imans and Khateebs of Masjid Quba:

  • Sheikh Salih Bin ‘Awad Al Mughamisi
  • Sheikh Muhammed Khalil
  • Sheikh Muhammad Ayyub And Adil
  • Sheikh Ahmed bin Ali bin Abdur Rahman Hudaify

 ~*~

…rain and reflections…rain on the Dome of Felicitiy in 2008…SubhanAllah!!!

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.

…I know you’re tired but come, this is the way…

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…I know you’re tired but come, this is the way…

Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi Rahmatullahi alaihi

…vicariously wander from the north of Masjid Nabawi to the south, via the west, through these pictures…to the Abode of our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…

…an interesting juxtaposition…while this brother was lying prostrate the cart was delivering al-Mayyit for Janazah, top right…

Sallallahu ‘alaa Muhammad

Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallim

Yaa Nabi Salaam ‘alaika

Yaa Rasul Salaam ‘alaika

Yaa Habib Salaam ‘alaika

Salawatullah ‘alaika.

…I know you’re tired but come, this is the way…

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.

…hardships…contentment…

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…intercession is guaranteed for those who endure hardships in this City of Radiance (read the Hadith from Malik’s Muwatta)…SubhanAllah…

…passing this brother on returning from Haram the heart recalled a similar ‘cardboard’ abode from a few years ago… (photos below, click for the context)…

…choosing to live in what many consider extreme conditions may astound the passer by…

…an old vehicle covered with cardboard during the hot afternoon sun…all of one’s possessions cramped inside and on the roof…and a meagre living made from selling dates from the ‘tailgate shop’…see how close to Masjid Nabawi he is parked…SubhanAllah…

…Allahu ‘alum…Allah Ta’ala knows best…maybe these are Wali who have been blessed with the deep understanding that hardships open the doors to Rahmah…maybe their hearts and souls follow previous greats who have left us with sayings and teachings to assist us on our journey through the hardship obstacle course of valleys and ravines…see profound sayings shared here…

Sayyid Abu Bakr ibn Ali Ibrahim al-Bayti asked Imam al-Haddad about the saying of Shaykh Yahya ibn Mu’ath al-Razi:  “Abandon all the world and you will find all the world. To take it is to abandon it and to abandon it is to take it.”

He answered: The words are clear and show not the least obscurity. They mean that whoever abandons the whole world in renunciation, God will compensate him with repose both in his heart due to giving up avidity and preoccupation, and in his body due to giving up striving and seeking. Reasonable men only wish for repose in the world, for this do people strive and aspire outwardly and inwardly, but they miss the way to it which is only found by the renunciates. This is indicated by the saying of the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam: “Renouncing the world rests the heart and body, while the wish for it increases worry and sadness.” A sage was once asked: “To whom does the world belong?” He said: “To those who abandon it.” And: “To whom does the hereafter belong?” He said: “To those who pursue it.”

From Imam al-Haddad, The Sublime Treasures 

…what of the unseen trials many residents face in the Enlightened City of our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam?

…the past few months have seen raids on workplaces and in the streets checking the legality of people…matching their residency permits with the jobs they are doing…checking if their workplace corresponds to their ‘sponsor’…snatching those without visas…photos of people rounded up in trucks for deportation are being circulated…what of the hundreds…ney…thousands who have followed the dictates of the law in obtaining work only to be left without work or money or the means to return to their home country…for months…sometimes years on end…too many employers owe employees months and months of back pay…the push for ‘Saudization’ sees the tightening of the screws but few and slow resources to address the vast problem…may all affected take heed and remember…

No disaster strikes except by permission of Allah. And whoever believes in Allah, He will guide his heart. And Allah is knowing of all things. (64:11)


…whatever the hardship…and wherever you may be…may all that Allah Ta’ala promises those who remain steadfast and follow His commands and the Sunnah be successful with the understanding that all will disappear with no recollection the second one enters the Garden…Insha’Allah…

…and avail yourself of the wisdom being shared by Qibla Outreach with The Islamic Art of Problem Solving this Sunday 28th April…

You ask ….. Allah gives.

You cry ……. Allah listens.

You call …… Allah runs.

You sin ……. Allah forgives.

You knock ….. Allah opens.

You attend ….. Allah welcomes.

You request …. Allah accepts.

You question …… Allah solves.

You plea ………. Allah resolves.

You take ………. Allah provides.

You insist ……. Allah grants.

Everything you do is about you and
everything Allah does, is about you. So..


Which of the favours of your Lord will you deny? (55: 13)

How amazing is the case of the believer; there is good for him in everything, and this is only so for the believer. If he experiences something pleasant, he is thankful, and that is good for him; and if he comes across adversity, he is patient, and that is good for him.” [Muslim]

Is not Allah sufficient for His servant?  (39:36)

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.

…north:south…

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… 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.

~*~

…may our praises reach to the farthest north and south east and west of Allah Ta’ala’s creation…

Salatun Salamun

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.

…Seerah exhibition:inside…

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…a real Muhabbat pervaded the space…was it the dramatic back lit panels? the less austere curving arrangements of the display panels? the curling around into large impressive spaces revealing more and more layers of the perfection of the Prince SallAllahu alaihi wasallam of the City of Radiance and Light? maybe it was the artistic designs with stunning calligraphy? the comprehensive inclusion of so many of the major aspects from the life of our Blessed Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam hitting the heart in a different way from reading a book or listening to a lecture? was it the obvious focus on displaying such attention to our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam when too often adoration and heartfelt signs of affection are usually met with negative reactions from various quarters in and around Masjid Nabawi? maybe the ambiance created by the recitation from our Holy Book? Allahu ‘Alum…the organizers have excelled with this exhibition, Masha’Allah…Alhumdulillah…

…a reproduction of the Qibla wall greeted one upon entering…

…each area was filled with a soft subdued lighting featuring the topic in Arabic and English, with the main text in Arabic…

…a beautiful rendering of the Noble Name composed of gold lettering spelling the invocation of Salat imposed on a subtlety designed tonal Islamic pattern…

…other medallion designs opened as blossoms the hallowed name…

…I was drawn to this impression of how Makkah may have been at the time of the honourable birth…

…the large Hijrah map included all the notable places relevant to the blessed journey…

…difficult to convey with photos…

…the map based on satellite images clearly showed the terrain, bringing the reality of the arduous journey into the heart…this particular section shows where our Beloved Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and his esteemed companion Abu Bakr RadhiAllahu anhu met with Umm Ma’bad RadhiAllahu anha (the top left position, see photos of how arid where this incident took place) …(audio of this miracle)

…model of the first mimbar and how the trunks and dried palms of the date palm constructed the first Masjid…

Prophetic lineage

…model of how the houses of our Noble Mother’s of the Believers were arranged around the Masjid according to some narrations…

…the naming of the significant pillars…details here, here…

…detail of the cluster of houses…

…just two examples of the decorative features, adding to the stunning overall effect…

…stylized interpretations of the names of Abu Bakr and Ali RadhiAllahu anhuma…

…each contained space seemed to have a unique concept…

…part of the huge impression of this Enlightened City at the time of our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…

…a model of the terrain including the vast lava tracts and sites of the Battle of Uhud and Khadaq…a guide was explaining the salient features to a group…

…a map showing the locations of the Ghazwat with an accompanying list…

…Surah Fath Ayat 29…

It was He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of Truth to show that it is above every other religion. Allah suffices as a witness: Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

…Surah Al ‘Imran 144…

Muhammad is only a messenger before whom many messengers have been and gone. If he died or was killed, would you revert to your old ways? If anyone did so , he would not harm Allah in the least. Allah will reward the grateful.

…this was the second exhibition area…unfortunately the system was controlling entry according to groups with the same language so this speck did not venture into this section…Insha’Allah another time…

…Alhumdilillah what was seen impressed and deepened the LOVE…SubhanAllah!

Sallallahu ‘alaa Muhammad

Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallim

Yaa Nabi Salaam ‘alaika

Yaa Rasul Salaam ‘alaika

Yaa Habib Salaam ‘alaika

Salawatullah ‘alaika.

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.

…Seerah exhibition…

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…just outside the Western Courtyard fence is the unfinished building earmarked for demolition due to the massive Masjid Nabawi expansion plans…

…Alhumdulillah as part of the celebrations associated with Madinah Munawwarah Capital of Islamic Culture 2013/1443H part of the building has been transformed into an exhibition based on the Seerah of our most blessed Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…

…the arcade that would have been shops, is now an impressive gallery of old photographs, the originals from the King Abdul Aziz Library Archives…

…studying these photographs instilled such a peace…a serenity that moved deep within…the sheer size…the pleasing colour scheme and the aesthetic design was all a delightful surprise…Insha’Allah the following convey some of the awe that imbued our recent past with a humble simplicity…

…next post to share images from inside the exhibition, 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.