Signing Off

For everything there is a beginning and there is an end just like this world we live in, so also for our Hajj trip and this personal blog of this amazing journey.

As we have finished all our Hajj rituals and moved out of Makkah early this morning, I am writing this last post before I signoff.

When I set out back in september to blog this trip as a personal record for me and my family I had little idea that it will get so many visits and such encouraging reception. With the suggestions of my friend Anwar, I decided to make it a bit more elaborate giving details of the historical significance of this great yearly event and also upload pictures of the daily life in this great place.

I particularly wanted to highlight the connection of this event to events mentioned in the Bible which is followed by both Jews & Christianity and incorporating nearly 3/4th of the human race if you include Jews, Christians & Muslims as one group.

As you can see, we share a common heritage and if we can make a little effort to understand this fact, we can eleminate a lot of misunderstanding that exists between us.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who visited my blog and for the encouraging emails you sent. I have tried to upload as much information with pictures as I could regularly without hampering my own religious duties as this was my first Hajj and I wanted to ensure I did it well without diverting my attention to much else, hence if there is something not done well on this blog, I offer my apologies.

Warm Regards

Salam alai kum (Peace be upon you)

Imac30
30th Nov. 2009

Jeddah

Yesterday was the toughest day. We walked and walked and walked and we walked, from 11.30 AM until 10 PM with just a couple of 1/2 hour breaks in between. We had a stroller for our daughter Shireen throughout the Hajj but even that broke down as one of the wheel came off, so even she had to walk for the last couple of hours and she was not happy about it at all.

We had a deadline to meet to finish all the rituals so that we can shift to Jeddah. Hence the walk.

Alhamdulillah, managed to perform the third stoning of Satan and also the last farewell Tavaaf of the Kaaba. We finally got our Passports back around 1.30 in the morning and immediately hired a taxi to Jeddah & arrived here at 3 AM

Sorry for the bad picture quality, but I couldn't help myself from taking this from inside the car as it was zooming at 150 kms an hour. This is the famous monument of the concrete Quran on a Rihal (book stand) which one has to pass under when you drive between Makkah & Jeddah

Link to great photos

Take a look a this, the pictures are fantastic.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/11/eid_aladha_and_the_hajj_2009.html

Sunday

We are almost approaching the end of Hajj. We have done two days of stoning the Satan and we have one more stoning left for Sunday just after noon & after that perform Tavaaf Widaa (Farewell circling of the Kaaba) and hoping to leave Makkah on Sunday night to Jeddah to spend a day there with my brother in law before we fly home.

Got a few more photos that I need to upload & will do it as soon as I get Internet access.

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Excellent articles

Excellent articles on Zam Zam Water & Arafat Mountain

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2009/11/27/miraculous-zamzam

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2009/11/26/crush-arafat


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Bumper to bumper

Taken on Friday night at 9 pm inside a tunnel leading to Haram (Grand Mosque)

Wonder if they have the seatbelt on?

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Jamarat (Stoning of Satan)

For full explanation on the significance of this ritual, read my post 'Jamarat - Stoning of Satan'

Photos taken at 11am on Friday 27th Nov. 09

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Surah Waqia

I am always told by my very dear non-Muslim friends that we Muslims spend too much time in prayers & that we need to easy up a bit.

How can you not when you profess to follow a book where God says:

57. It is We Who have created you: why will ye not witness the Truth?
58. Do ye then see?― The (human seed) that ye throw out,―
59. Is it ye who create it, or are We the Creator?
60. We have decreed Death to be your common lot, and We are not to be frustrated
61. From changing your Forms and creating you (again) in (Forms) that ye know not.
62. And ye certainly know already the first form of creation: why then do ye not celebrate His praises?
63. See ye the seed that ye sow in the ground?
64. Is it ye that cause it to grow or are We the Cause?
65. Were it Our Will, We could crumble it to dry powder, and ye would be left in wonderment
66. (Saying) "We are indeed left with debts (for nothing):
67. "Indeed are we shut out (of the fruits of our labour)."
68. See ye the water which ye drink?
69. Do ye bring it Down (in rain) from the Cloud or do We?
70. Were it Our Will, We could make it salty (and unpalatable): then why do ye not give thanks?
71. See ye the Fire which ye kindle?
72. Is it ye who grow the tree which feeds the fire, or do We grow it?
73. We have made it a reminder (of our handiwork), and an article of comfort and convenience for the denizens of deserts.
74. Then celebrate with praises the name of the Lord, the Supreme:
75. Furthermore I call to witness the setting of the Stars―
76. And that is indeed a mighty adjuration if ye but knew―
77. That this is indeed a Qur'an most honourable,
78. In a Book well-guarded,

(Holy Quran 56:57-78)

Subhanallah (Glory be to God)

This is the reason why we cannot be greatful enough.

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Sombre Day of Prayers in Arafat & Night at Muzdalifah

It was a very heart warming & sombre day at Arafat & night spent under open skies in Muzdalifah.

We started yesterday Thursday at 7am & reached Arafat Plains in just 20 minutes. We were provided sleeping bags in tents and immediately all of us took a nap for a couple of hours as we wanted to be fresh for the afternoon wakoof. Lunch was served in aluminium take away boxes consisting of turkish kebabs & rice.

After lunch & zuhr prayers, it was the time to stand in sunlight & plead to Allah for the forgiveness of all our sins just as Prophet Adam (PBUH) had pleaded aforetime & Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) later on, who stood praying for 6 hours pleading for the salvation of humanity. We wish we could do as long as him.

Arafat Plains, just by looking at the cluster of Mountains in the background will make you believe in their Creator

After sunset, we left to Muzdalifah which was a 1/2 hour drive. In Muzdalifah, we slept under open skies and it was the most spiritually uplifting night sleep one can have.

Imagine a sea of humanity sleeping under open skies & in the midst of you there are some people spending the whole night in prayers. It was a feeling I will never forget.

Early morning at Muzdalifah, after spending the night under open skies

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Wakoof in Arafat (Standing in Arafat)

After the downpour yesterday, it was a quiet evening of prayers & contemplation. Everyone had good sleep & were up by 3-4am for Tahajjud (early morning prayers).

Today is Day of Arafat, the main Hajj day, the 9th of Dhul Hijjah. Refer my previous post on the significance of 9th Dhul Hijjah.

Inshallah will try and upload some photos later.


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Heavy rains in Mina

Since the last couple of hours, it's been raining heavily here which is unusual for this part of the world. Some of the tents had some leakage but everyone is helping eachother out.

Allah is testing the resolve of the Hujaj here, and we can only respond by proclaiming the Talbiah 'Labbaik allahuma labbaik'

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Labbaik Allahuma Labbaik (Here I am O Allah, here I am)

By the grace of God, we reached the tent city of Mina reatively easily. It was a short 20 minutes ride from the Aziziyah Apartment.

The tents we are provided are with individual sofa bed and fully air conditioned & there are around 100 people in our tent all in their Ihram garb which sometimes makes it difficult to recognise people as everyone looks the same. But then that's what Hajj is all about, remember there is no King nor Peasant here.

Streets of Mina

Group of Hujaj arriving at the tents

Entrance to Tents from street

One of our Tent

Faisal our Group Leader with Mohammed in their Ihram attire

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Leaving to Mina Tomorrow

Inshallah after Fajr (early morning prayer) we depart to the tent city of Mina in our Ihram garb (Read my post 'Ihram')

Mina is a temperory city setup close to Arafat Plains where Prophet Adam (PBUH) sought Allah's forgiveness & also the place where Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) gave his last sermon and Jamarat, the site of stoning of the Satan. For full explanation on the significance of Arafat & Jamarat, read my previous posts 'Jabal Rahma - Mountain of Mercy', 'Jamarat - Stoning of Satan' & '9th of Dhul Hijjah - Day of Arafat'.

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Hujaj everywhere

All these photos were taken outside the Haram (Grand Mosque) as we coudn't get in.

Taken between Moghrib & Isha prayers (7 pm).























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Night photos of Haram (Grand Mosque)

Maqam e Ibrahim (Abraham). The caged stone tablet containing the foot print of Prophet Abraham

The door of the Kaaba

Marwaa Mountain, taken from the roof level

Zam Zam Water Taps in the Sayee area

Escalators leading to the upper levels

Minerats

Self contemplation

King Fahad Gate Minerats with some of the new Hotels in the background

Roof Top

Sayee Area taken from Roof Top

One of the Minerat with the Makkah Hilton Hotel in the background

Cave of Hira

This is the Cave near Mecca called Cave of Hira which is located on Jabal Al Noor or Mountain of Light. Its the place that Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) used to retire to whenever he wanted to be away from the corrupt life of the Meccan society. It is here that Archangel Gabriel appeared to him revealing the first verse of the Quran.

The Cave is at the peak of the Mountain

Note the white chain of humans that are making their way to the peak

Ihram

What is Ihram?

Ihram is a dress consists of men's and women's garments worn by Pilgrims during Hajj. Men's Ihram consists of two white unhemmed sheets (usually towelling material) and are universal in appearance. The top is draped over the torso and the bottom is secured by a belt plus a pair of sandals. Women's clothing, however, varies considerably and reflects regional as well as religious influences but mostly it consists of light colours .

Ihram clothing is intended to make everyone appear the same in the eyes of Allah. There is no difference between a king & a peasant & everyone is dressed equally. Ihram also contributes to a feeling of unity that pilgrims have when they are in the holy city of Makkah. They are all brothers and sisters assembled to worship God. There are also certain behaviors that are expected and forbidden once ihram is donned.

Ihram is also a state a pilgrim is in during the Hajj pilgrimage. Before entering Ihram, one takes a bathe, trim nails and hair, make wudu (cleansing ritual),and pronounce a formal intention to perform Hajj. While in Ihram, pilgrims are not allowed to hunt or kill any living thing or have sex, cut hair or nails, or wear makeup or perfume.

Ihram is donned on 8th Dhul Hijjah which is falling on 25th Nov before we leave to Mina in the outskirts of Makkah.

Jabal Rahma - Mountain of Mercy

Mountain of Mercy at Arafat Plains. The white pillar at the top is the spot where Adam (PBUH) stood pleading for God's mercy

Yesterday we went on a tour of some of the historical sites around Makkah. One of the site visited was what is known as Mountain of Mercy,

What is Mountain of Mercy?

Refer my previous post on Arafat. When Adam & Eve met again in Arafat, they were under tremendous pressure to seek God's forgiveness for having commited the sin of disobedience of God's command. Adam climbed the small rock hill which is now known as the mountain of mercy, and pleaded with God for his mercy & forgiveness.

One of the main ritual of Hajj is to stay on or around this mountain and seek God's mercy & forgiveness just as Adam & Eve did. It is believed that any pilgrim who performs all the rituals of Hajj & sincerely seeks God's forgiveness at this mountain can expect to have all his sins forgiven. This mountain is also the site where Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) gave his famous last sermon.

Muslims don't believe in the doctrine of Attonment. We believe Jesus Christ was one of mightiest Prophet of God who was born miraculously to Virgin Mary, however he was not sent to atone for the original sin. We believe every individual is responsible for his or her actions & nobody else can atone for our sins.

Therefore it is hoped that by praying at the very spot where Adam prayed, God in his infinite grace and benevolence will forgive all our personal sins just as how he forgave Adam & Eve and we can hope to start a new life as if we are just born.

This in effect is the purpose of Hajj.

Streets of Makkah

The ever present Pepsi - Its always Riyal 1 equal to A$ .30 cents

Ice Kream Shop

Ice Cream Shop

Ice Cream Shop

House of Donuts

Oudh & Perfumes Shop

Pharmacy & Luxury Watch Shops

Perfumes Shop

Electronics Shop

Group of Chinese Hujaj on their way to the Grand Mosque

Laundromat

Shop selling prayer beads