My Hajj Diary - Day 5

و هو الذى أرسل الرِّيٰح بُشْرا بين يدىْ رحمته

وأنزلنا من السماء ماء طهورا

لنحىِ به بلدة مَّيتا و نسقيه ممّا خلقنا أنعاما و أنا سىَّ كثيرا.

And He it is who sends forth the winds as a glad tiding of His Coming Grace and (thus too) We cause pure water to descend from the skies so that We may bring dead land to life thereby, and give to drink thereof to many (beings) of Our Creations, beasts as well as humans

(Al-Furqan:48-49)

Today is the day of rest before we head out to Mina tonight, insha Allah.  I was just reading the above passage and thinking how appropriate these verses are in the context of the land we are in.  The barren desert with rocks and mountains truly need the life giving rain water.  We (I) don't truly appreciate it, living in Scotland.

And a remark by Shahidah a few days ago about the cool wind also comes to mind.  In this area, the cool wind is a sign of His blessings and Grace.  May He make this journey easy for us and grant us cool winds along the way.  Ameen.

Maghrib has arrived and I have done my ghusl.  Prayed qasr and jama'.  Been trying to be quiet and focus.  I guess I am not good at dzikr or reading the Qur'an consistently but I am trying.  I am also reading the books I brought with me so that I can catch up on my readings and reflect.  Perhaps that is the best I can do.  Ya Allah, accept this hajj of mine.

There seems to be some confusion as to the salah for Ihram.  Two questions that might help clarify matters:-
1.  When the Prophet s.a.w. prayed two raka'ah at Bir-Ali (or other miqat), did there exist a mosque there already?  Was his intention that of salah al-Masjid or for Ihram?

2.  What did the Companions do after they came out of ihram and then went back into it when they did hajj tamattu' on the first and final hajj of the Prophet s.a.w.?

These questions should highlight if there is a salah specially for ihram.  Will need to read up more on the hadiths and athars related to them.

My Hajj Diary - Day 4

Day 4 (11/10/2013)

9am - Alhamdulillah, arrived safely at 3 am in the morning at the apartments in Aziziyah.  It was a long journey...we set off from Madinah at 3 pm and then from Bir-Ali at almost 7 pm before reaching Mecca close to 2 am.  Drove around for about an hour before arriving at our destination.

So haven't really slept because by the time we settled down, it was time for fajr and we (Shahidah and I) decided to perform our umrah.  Alhamdulillah, we finished it well before 9 am and am now having a well deserved breakfast.  Sitting here at the food court, I miss my family.  Last year, they were here with me.

3 pm - Back at the apartment after Juma'ah.  It was difficult to find a taxi but alhamdulillah, Shahidah managed to get one for us.  Rested a little but still tired.  Will rest for the rest of today and tomorrow as the focus should be on hajj.

Today, doing the umrah, I was in a daze.  It was probably the tiredness but the sight of the Ka'abah didn't move me as much as usual.  Also, didn't know what to pray for.  Mind was a blank.  But still alhamdulillah, my umrah is completed.

Ya Allah, let me be able to walk safely alone if no one else wishes to go with me.

My Hajj Diary - Day 2

YDay 2 (09/10/2013)

Waiting for Asr in Masjid Nabawi.  It has been an emotional day.  Had a good rest last night, alhamdulillah.  But while waiting for Dzuhur, I was thinking of the book on the puritans vs the moderates.  (The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremist by Khaled Abou El Fadl which I was reading to Shahidah on the plane here)  I realised how daunting the challenges that the Ummah faces but two things stood out:
1.  God does not burden us more than we can bear.
2.  God does not change a people unless we change ourselves.

Thus this is my du'a:
1.  That I am able to make some small contributions towards the change that we need to make.
2.  That I not be overwhelmed and daunted by the task.

My resolve:
1.  Gain an understanding of the religion through learning and scholarship
2.  Contribute to the body of knowledge
3.  Spread good in this world through the various good works and stand for justice wherever it may be.

I was reading Surah An-Nur: 57-60 and the following questions come to mind:
1.  What is the wisdom behind these verses in regulating the privacy of a person?
2.  When and in what circumstances is it applicable?
3.  What is the meaning ثِيابَهنَّ (outer garments) in this verse?  How is it related to modesty and how old is that - related to sexual desire or marriage?

After Isha' prayers:  "Ilm is Islam" stated Rosenthal in his book and yet as I walk around Madinah I wonder where are the bookshops?  When I first came here (over a decade ago), I remember seeing rows of bookshops and similarly when I went with my dad and Cik Nani.  But these two days, I only spotted a single big bookshop and a scattering of tiny ones with nothing really substantial.  Instead I see hotels being built, tourist type shops taking over and spreading everywhere.  Everything except the very thing this Ummah needs - 'ilm.

'Ilm has been the characteristic of this Ummah since the very beginning and yet today, this is absent.  Where are our Ibn Khaldun, Ibn Haytham, Ibn Al-'Aarbi, Al-Ghazali etc.?  Ignorance is spreading.  Our young are no longer rooted in the Islamic scholarship and history.  Our women are illiterate when before they were amongst our top scholars and teachers of our top scholars.  It is very important for us to pursue and revive this culture of knowledge and it should start with the self.

Questions that I have:
1.  Who is responsible to preserving and granting/withholding access to the old manuscripts of past Islamic scholars?
2.  Why are some materials not accessible?

10 pm - Went to the bookshop.  The books for English readers were the same as can be found elsewhere and perhaps more limited.  Very disappointing.

My Hajj Diary - Day 1

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace.

Alhamdulillah, I was invited this year to be His guest for Hajj this year.  Some people are invited many times over while others struggle to get invited.  So, alhamdulillah for the invitation and no one can predict the future, however, there is something in me that tells me that this is to be my first and last hajj.  May Allah accept it.

Thus, on this brilliant,demanding and at times scary journey, I have written an ongoing diary of my observations, thoughts etc.  I hope by sharing some of the entries of the diary, others can benefit from my experiences.

Wassalam,
Sid

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Day 1 (8/10/2013)
5.30 am - Alhamdulillah!  Alhamdulillah!  We have arrived safely in the beloved city of the Prophet s.a.w.  Miracles do happen - Shahidah is absolutely fine after 5.5 hours of flight.  Insha Allah, we are on the bus, waiting to be taken to our hotel.  Alhamdulillah! Alhamdulillah!  I hope that the rest of the journey will be as smooth.  May Allah grant me patience throughout this journey.  Right now, I am looking forward to be in the company of the Prophet and the Companions in the blessed city.  Alhamdulillah for His call.  Labbaik!

8.43 am - Finally arrived at the hotel after a long delay at the airport parking lot.  Now we have to wait till 12 pm to check in.

2.30 pm - Went to Masjid Nabawi for Dzuhur.

4.00 pm - Right now, sitting in the Masjid after Asr.  Alhamdulillah finally showered and changed clothes.  What a ni'mah, that is.  What is more a ni'mah is to be able to sit here in the relative calmness of the Prophet's mosque.  Sent my salam to the Prophet earlier.  I pray that God will let me be amongst His grateful servants like the Prophet s.a.w. and his companions.  Let me never be ungrateful for His favours upon me.


I was reading the following verse in the Quran:

و إذا دُعُوا إلى الله ورسولهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بينهم إذا فَريق مِنهم معرضون

(When they are called to/summoned unto God and His Apostle that he/it might judge between them, lo! a party of them turn away)

And I had two different translations in my kindle for the term ليحْكم.  In one translation, it said "he might judge", i.e. that the Prophet, and in another translation, "it [the divine writ] might judge".  The ability to interprete  ليحْكم into the two different interpretation gives rise into a rich meaning of the term -

1.  Who judges?
2.  If the Prophet s.a.w., how does he continue to judge even after his death?  In what sense?
3.  If it is the Qur'an (divine writ), how does it act as a judge?
4.  What implications do the different interpretation have upon us?

And yet there are other words with precise meaning in the Qur'an for which if you substitute a different word, the meaning changes.  What a beautiful book, Masha Allah.

Summary:  All in all, alhamdulillah, a good day if a bit tiring.  Been able to pray all the 4 prayers in Masjid Al-Nabawi.  Soaking in the peace and marveling at the diversity of Muslims.

Survival tips for those who want to embark on Hajj

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace

Alhamdulillah I have just returned from one of the most momentous journeys in my life.  I don't normally say that given that I consider myself to be a relatively well travelled person.  But tha hajj is a different kettle of fish altogether.  Each person's hajj is different and individual but there are several things that will be similar and we can learn from those experiences, insha Allah.

So the following are my advice to those contemplating hajj while you are still relatively young and fit:

1.  Prepare your list of du'a/supplications because hajj is all about supplication.  

You don't do much prayer as you are considered a traveller.  But the Quran and supplications are your two main tools to communicate with your Creator.  A supplication is best from the heart and repeated often.  I see people with du'a books but I think it isn't necessary because the best du'a should be tailored to individual needs.  And God knows all languages...a sincere du'a is, to my mind, more likely to be accepted than one that is parroted.

2.  You are a traveller, so travel light.  

All you need is two pairs of ihram (for men) or comfortable loose clothes (for women) on hajj and another one kept aside for the way home.  A small kit of toiletry is more than enough.  I survived on a small toothbrush, small tube of toothpaste, and soap.  If you want to pack a small comb, that's a luxury.  Believe me, you don't need anything more than that in Mina and less in Arafah.  And don't buy gifts...truly there is nothing there that you can't find elsewhere.  The best gift is your du'a for those people you love and care for.

A lesson I learnt on this journey is the less baggage you have the easier your journey will be.  The same should be applied in our journey in this life.

3.  Get fit by walking

Before you embark on hajj, start training your body and feet by walking long walks.  Try walking 5 miles everyday if possible.  Insha Allah, You will find that you won't get much blisters nor will you find yourself too exhausted when you do that.

The reason why I am giving this advice is that I am advising people to do lots of walking during hajj.  Walk from Arafah to Muzdalifah and then from Muzdalifah to Mina. From Mina to the jamraat and onwards to the Haram.  This way, you will see the exact condition of the Ummah and not your own micro community/group.  You will learn how the poor amongst us survive and live while we are comfortably settled in our relatively cool tents.  You will witness the tonnes of rubbish we all produce and strewn all over the place.  And perhaps then awareness will start blooming in the hearts that this Ummah needs to change and change fast because we are in critical condition.

4.  Useful things to bring.

A sister I met in my group has been to hajj 9 times and there was one thing she always bring with her - ginger powder.  A pinch of ginger with honey in your tea or coffee will help keep up your immune system, insha Allah.  Alhamdulillah, with the ginger, I was able to stave off the flu till the day I finished the tawaf wada'.

Lozenges and paracetamol are quite useful too.  

Another useful thing is a tea towel.  It is smaller than a small towel and larger than a face towel.  So you can soak it with cold water and put it over your head in the heat.  That will help cool you down.

Draw string waterproof bag for shower in Mina.  Your things will get wet because the cubicle is very small and you don't want things to fall into the toilet hole below.  

5. Food for your survival

If you are vegetarian, your food choice is very limited and if you are not, you will get tired of rice and chicken.

So some good food tips, go out of the camps to the road side stalls.  They have some fresh fruits and perhaps veg like cucumber and tomatoes.  Also they probably have some veg curry.  For those practising macrobiotic diet, forget about it.  Not the place for it.

The best thing is to drink plenty of Zamzam and water.  I didn't touch any soft drinks at all but that is my preference.

6. Patience and socialising

There will be delays, chaos and people's personality that will test the patient of a saint.  But just keep reminding yourself that this hajj is a test on patience and supplicate that God grant you patience.  

Try not to socialise too much.  Keep your own company most of the time.  One of the best advice a friend gave me was to block out all chit chat, lay down the mattress and start with dzikr and du'a as soon as you get to Mina.  You need to get yourself into an introspective frame of mind for Arafah.  

May Allah accept all our Hajj!