The Journey of Faith – Umrah in Ramadan

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam ‘ala Rasulillah
In the Name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful

If given the means, I would want to spent Ramadan at Masjid Al Haram in Makkah and Masjid Al Nabawi in Madinah again. The experience spending more than the last 15 days of Ramadan at these two holy places, where the good deeds of Ramadan can be performed with much pleasure, cannot simply be forgotten. I was there with my parents. My parents had perfomred their Hajj a couple years back. While for me this was the only visit to the holy cities so far. Alhamdulillah, on this visit, we completed Umrah a few couple of times, completed Ramadan, enjoyed the festivities of Eid-ul-Fitr, and prayed our first Jummah in Masjid Al Haram and also the Jummah-ul-Alvida. Muslims around the world should prefer to go for Umrah during the month of Ramadan instead of spending the money to go to other popular destinations during vacation. Insha’Allah somewhere in the future may Allah (SWT) bless us with another visit to the holy lands again. Ameen!

Ibn Abbas relates that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) asked a woman from Madinah: “What prevented you from embarking on the Hajj pilgrimage with us?”

She replied: “We had two camels. My husband and child took one and left the other for the rest of us to ride on.”

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) then told her: “When the month of Ramadan arrives, go for ‘Umrah, because `Umrah in Ramadan is like accompanying me on Hajj.” [Bukhari]

During our stay, there were many more fascinating experiences and holy places we visited during Ziyarah that could be described in length; however, I will mention more about the ambience, spirituality, feeling and thoughts on this holy and blessed experience. There are some aspects of Umrah that are too difficult to describe. Seeing the Kaaba for example, is one of the spiritual peaks of your life, but it is too deep an experience to describe to others, but I will try to share with you all as best as I can, inshaAllah.

The satisfaction during the Umrah trip that fell in the year December-end 1999 of the Gregorian Calendar, was splendid. Every night we were given the chance by Allah (SWT), the Most High to perform Taraweeh, the special night salah of Ramadan. There was always a spot for us to perform salah in the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, that were always crowded with people like us, wanting to grab the opportunity in utilizing the blessed month of Ramadan to the maximum, for the sake of Allah (SWT). We spent around 3 days at Madinah in between.

We reached Jeddah by evening. We immediately boarded a coach awaiting our arrival (we were a group of some 25 people) and set off for Makkah. As we stepped outside our coach in Makkah, our hearts were illuminated by the grand sight of Masjid Al Haram and its towering minarets. Our first instinct and desire was to hurry on to the Haram and join the millions in prayer… but of course we had first to complete our check-in and refresh ourselves at the Madarsa Saulatya.

We set out for our Umrah reciting the Talbiyah (“Lab’baik Allah’humma Lab’baik…”) as we approached the Haram. We entered the Haram after the Taraweeh prayer was competed. As we entered the Masjid and proceeded towards the Sacred House, my parents suggested that we keep our gaze down until we neared the courtyard and were in full eye’s range view of the Kaaba. The moment of first sight of the Kabaa is a special time for the acceptance of prayers and so we raised our head once in full range of the Kaaba. SubhanAllah, that was a moment never to be forgotten… paralyzed in our footsteps, awe-stricken with the sight of the most Majestic House, and eyes fixated at Baitullah… we stood in supplication to our Creator, The Glorious, the Most High. Ahamdulillah, one could but endlessly thank Allah (SWT) at that moment for bringing us to this high degree, for including us in the company of those who reach Him.

Seeking out the corner of the Kaaba in which the Black Stone (Hajre-e-Aswad) is embedded, and from where the circumambulation is to start, we began our Tawaaf with words of praise to Allah (SWT). We joined the host of Muslims, assembled from every land and belonging to countless races and cultures, circling the Kaaba and completely absorbed in pouring out their hearts in supplication before Allah (SWT). Indeed, in this Divine presence, our hearts were filled with a multitude of emotions… reverence, fear, hope, and love… all for our Creator, Great and Glorious is He.

Tens of thousands of Muslims congregate around the Kaaba in the Great Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, during the last week of the Ramadan holy month.

Amidst the sea of worshippers within the shadow of the Kaaba, one experiences a deep sense of timelessness and insignificance, realizing that one is only an atom in an endless ocean of believers who have worshipped at this Holy House of God since the beginning of time. In the face of Allah (SWT)’s ineffable glory and sanctity, one comes in full reach of the essence of His Greatness and our utter dependence on His mercy. Truly, we are but that one atom that comes and passes away. Truly, we will all soon come alone before the One who gave us life and receive judgment and recompense for all that we have done. And so, there we stood, encircling the House of our Great Lord, beseeching His forgiveness, His mercy, and His blessings.

Upon completion of the seven circuits around the Kaaba, we prayed two rakahs of salat near the Maqam-e-Ibrahim. Here, we were reminded of the prayer made by the Prophet Ibrahim (AS) when he and his son Ismail (AS) completed the building of the Kaaba at Makkah:

“Lord, make this a city of peace and sustain its inhabitants with the fruits of the earth…”.

SubhanAllah, to this day, one can witness the fulfillment of that du’a. Truly, one of the most fascinating aspects of the divine comes through assurance of the mercy of Allah (SWT), that He looks after His servants and takes care of them. That is the lesson reaped from the story of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and his family, who came and lived on this very land. Indeed, the power and fragrance of the faith of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) abounds the city. The blessedness of Makkah can also be noted by the immense love our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) repeatedly expressed for this city.

We finished offering our 2 rakahs of nafls wajib al-Tawaaf and supplication, we stood to complete our Umrah with the Sai’. But first, we refreshed ourselves with the blessed water from the spring of Zam-Zam situated underground within the compound of the Haram and about 200 feet from the Kaaba’s door. Alhamdulillah, the miracle of this sacred water is incomparable. It has been bestowed as a gift from Allah (SWT) to the faithful, as it refreshes pilgrims like no other water. (In fact, a study has proven the Zam-Zam water to be higher in its quantity of calcium and magnesium salts, and plentiful in fluorides).

At a nearby area within the compound of the Haram, we began our Sai’, hastening back and forth seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah, commemorating Hazrat Hajra’s search for water for her son. While going back and forth between Safa and Marwah, we are reminded of how we will oscillate between the two scales of the Balance at the site of the Resurrection… between the scale of good deeds and the scale of bad deeds. Indeed, the Sai’ is a stark reminder of our efforts and movements in this life, of our soul’s ceaseless striving for good over evil in our journey through this Duniya.

After the Sai’, we men, got our head shaved, while mom got her hair ends cut. Alhamdulillah, I had completed my first Umrah in the month of Ramadan. For my parents, it was the first one during the month of Ramadan. We had some snacks and came back to the Masjid Al Haram. It was nearing the time for Fajr.

The Tears of the Imaam

“Then when you pour down from Arafat, celebrate the praises of Allah at the Sacred Monument, and celebrate His praises as He has directed you, even though, before this, you were astray.” (Al-Baqarah 2:198)

As we walked through the courtyard and towards Masjid Al Haram in the serenity and stillness of the last third of the night, a time when according to Prophet Muhammad (SAW), our Lord descends to the lowest heaven and inquires ‘Who will call on Me so that I may respond to him?’, those verses from Surah Baqarah flooded my mind.

This was my first visit to the Haram. These verses in al-Baqarah were often recited, not only in a mood of reflection but in a mood of excitement, in anticipation of a unique and glorious opportunity, the opportunity for spiritual purification, guidance and seeking Allah (SWT)’s forgiveness on the day of Arafah.

Couple of weeks earlier, back at home, standing in Taraweeh behind a Imaam, the Imaam struggled to recite this very verse due to his weeping, and this weeping was greater than any I had ever heard from him.

All of us should weep upon hearing this verse, but perhaps the one who understands the Quran or has done Hajj, can really truly understand, and understand with feeling, why the Imaam may have wept.

Those who leave Makkah after Hajj often leave in sadness, sadness from having to leave the most blessed of places in the universe, where their hearts and souls are enveloped in the security and warmth of the remembrance and glorification of Allah (SWT). And when they return to their homes and their regular lives, they live in fear, in fear that their Hajj, the pinnacle of their religious and devotional life, was not accepted. Time does not pass without thinking of it and praying to Allah that He accept our Hajj or Umrah. So whether the physical performance of Hajj was two, ten or thirty years ago, the pilgrim feels a desire to ask Allah for it to be accepted. For if it is, then it suffices to be your only achievement in this world of any merit, and it will be greater than gaining the entire world on the Day of Judgement. Conversely, if it was not accepted, it is as if you had greater than the entire world sitting in the palm of your hand for a split second before dropping and losing it forever.

I continued to walk towards Masjid-al-Haram, looking at the night sky, the minarets of the Masjid, the Muslims around me. I watched my feet as they shuffled towards the Haram. The verse in al-Baqarah, particularly its end, continued to echo in my mind.

“and celebrate His praises as He has directed you, even though, before this, you were astray.”

Many muslims have preference to wait until they were much older to perfomr Hajj, as is customarily done in many parts of the world. They would agree that this is a cultural phenomenon, but some would say that once one performs Hajj, one shouldn’t be sinning or disobeying Allah (SWT) anymore when they return. That was too much responsibility and pressure for them in their opinion at their young age. I realised that I am here for the Umrah, and this made Hajj more mandatory for me. May Allah bless me with a chance for Hajj. Ameen!

The verse haunted me again.

“…before this, you were astray”.

Some of the commentators on this verse have stated that this being astray is the condition prior to the guidance of the Quran and Messenger. One may be astray before the guidance, before the Hajj or Umrah. Can one be astray after the Hajj or Umrah? There is no way of knowing if your Hajj or Umrah is accepted until the Day of Judgement, but some of the shuyookh have mentioned signs of an accepted Hajj or Umrah, and alternatively, a rejected Hajj or Umrah. And indeed, amongst them is that, if your Hajj or Umrah was accepted, one’s behavior and religious devotion is improved and consistently better upon returning. Not just immediately after the Hajj or Umrah, but years afterward for the remainder of a lifetime.

Perhaps it is this idea that caused the Imaam to weep, and for other Hajjis to be haunted and fearful. For when the Hajjis examine their faith and their character, what do they find? Are all those deficiencies we find within ourselves signs of our being astray, are they signs that our Hajj or Umrah was not accepted? Has what is greater than the entire universe slipped out of our hands like water seeping through a clenched fist?

Hajj is a discovery. A discovery by definition uncovers that which was covered. Hajj opens up the heart and leads one to a state of the heart which is in turn externalized into behavior that one was incapable of before. And those who have stood on the plain of Arafah on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah have sought to maintain and nourish those states ever since that day.

Ramadan is a means of such nourishment, a consistent opportunity given to the Muslims throughout their lifetime to purify the heart. If Hajj is a discovery, then Ramadan may be a rediscovery for the Hajji. An Umrah in Ramadan, according to Prophet Muhammad (SAW), if it is accepted, has the same reward as a Hajj. And an Umrah at any time can erase the mistakes since the previous one.

That is why I found myself, like many others, walking towards Masjid Al Haram, the most blessed of places in the universe, during the most blessed of times in the universe, the nights of Ramadan. This rediscovery reflected on my parents face. For them if Hajj truly was a discovery then their visitation to the Haram now, a couple of years later, was in hope for a rediscovery of the Hajj, and a reopening of the heart.

The Fasting and the Ihram of Ramadan

Upon entering the Masjid Al Haram, we went up near to the Kaaba, beside the zam-zam, and find a calm spot with an unobstructed view of the Kaaba, which we had circumambulated several hours earlier as part of the Umrah. Praised be to Allah, the Umrah had been completed.

It was still approximately an hour before Fajr and many people were still performing their Umrah. Others, like us, were using this opportunity for reading of the Quran or Tahajjud. On the journey towards Makkah I had been reflecting on the blessing of any prayer in the Haram for as Prophet Muhammad (SAW)  has said a prayer in the Haram, provided it is accepted, is worth the reward of 100,000 prayers in any other masjid. Subhanallah. May Allah (SWT) accept the prayers of the Muslims which are offered in His House!

After several prayers, we proceeded to drink the water of Zamzam, which constituted the Suhoor for the upcoming fast. To partake of the greatest of all food or water, in the greatest of places, during the most blessed of months, as preparation for the fast, the only action in this world done by the children of Adam which is not for them but solely for their Creator as is reported in a Hadith Qudsi, is something which cannot be adequately put into words.

Shaykh Al-Hudhaifi, one of the Imams of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, has said that:

“Ramadan is like a rainy season and the human being is like fertile soil, and every kind of flower will bloom with the rainfall”.

Fasting in the Haram brings this to an even higher level, and it complements the Umrah and Hajj. For while Ramadan may bring the rain which allows the flowers to bloom, it is the pilgrimage, in the form of the Hajj or Umrah, that prepares the soil and plants the seeds before they can grow and bloom. If Ramadan is the cultivator then a visit to Allah’s House is the tillage, loosening the soil of sins which constrict and burden the seed of the heart, killing the weeds of spiritual disease within the heart, and improving the circulation and transmission of the water and air of divine guidance to the seed of the heart, allowing it to open and grow.

As we prepared for the coming of dawn and the beginning of a new fast, I looked at the white dress I was wearing. Just hours earlier I was in the white Ihram, two simple sheets wrapped around the body. Yet the Ihram is beyond the simple dress, it has deeper roots that mold the spirit and character.

“Let there be no obscenity nor wickedness nor wrangling in the pilgrimage.” (al-Baqarah 2:197).

It is making an agreement with Allah (SWT) and His creation to refrain from committing sins which make him deviate from the path of obedience and, among other things, to refrain from disputing or fighting with people.

Fasting, too, has a deeper spiritual meaning. It is not simply the abstinence from food and drink but the higher fast is to refrain from sin, be it from the tongue, the hand, the eye, the ear or anything else. When I had been in Ihram, I had been fasting for part of it, and I thought of how similar its restrictions and its motivations to higher moral behavior were to those of the fast. It seemed so natural to be fasting and to be in the state of Ihram, as if they complemented and supported one another. I believe I always appreciated the pilgrimage and the Ihram, but perhaps I truly did not appreciate and recognize the bounty and grace of fasting given to us by Allah (SWT). Indeed, fasting is a shield, and after making the Umrah in Ramadan, one realizes that fasting is the Ihram of the heart, which can be put on at the Meeqat of dawn in any place in the world.

When the Azaan for Fajr salah was called. SubhanAllah, there I experienced the beauty of my first congregational salah in the open courtyard of the Haram, enveloped in the heavenly breeze just after dawn.

The Dhikr of Circling Birds

The Fajr adhan was soon called and a new fast had begun. Imaam Shuraim, my personal favorite among all the Shaykhs of the Haramayn led the Fajr salah, and in the salah he recited the cluster of verses surrounding Ayat-ul-Kursi, the verse of the Throne in Surah Baqarah. Fitting, as it allowed us to reflect on the greatness of Allah (SWT) and His Attributes as we had begun the action of fasting which is for Him alone. In the second rakah, as the glimmers of sunlight began to color the once dark night sky, we heard of the subsequent verses in al-Baqarah detailing our father Ibrahim’s encounter with King Nimrud and his challenge to make the sun rise from the West. And then we heard of the story of Ibrahim and his request to Allah (SWT) to see how He gives life and death, after which he was ordered to place the bodies of birds on the mountains at different places and then witnessed the resurrection of these birds as they flew back towards him. Ibn Abbas is reported to have stated that this verse, perhaps more than any other in the Quran, gave him the most hope, for Allah (SWT) accepted Ibrahim’s simple answer of ‘Yes’ as an affirmation of his faith. And as we reflected on this story in the salah, we heard the chirping of birds glorifying Allah (SWT) and circling the Kaaba in their own way, perhaps descendants of those very same birds that flew to Ibrahim thousands of years ago. As the salah came to a close, the once black sky now took on a deep violet and blue hue.

We live in a billboard culture in this modern day age. These billboards surround us wherever we are and wherever we choose to go, and they are placed as a means to influence and mold our decisions in life. Interestingly, when one makes the drive from Jeddah to Makkah, there are literal billboards and signs on the highway which say Glory to Allah, Praise to Allah, and There is no God but Allah.

Those birds and the sun shown to Ibrahim are the same that we see today. Indeed the creation that surrounds us, the cosmic phenomena that intrigue and inspire us, the beauty of the mountains and rivers that captivates us, and the complexity and design of the animals and plants that astounds us, are our billboards. If we would but only examine and reflect on them, we would find that our hearts are naturally guided towards the proper decision, the decision to turn towards Allah.

A Gaze of Love

After the salah was completed, we moved around the Mosque. Finally we settled on the second floor, where the it was calm as the crowd was less, just behind the railing on the second floor, overlooking the Kaaba and the inner courtyard. As often is the case after salah in the Haram on the second floor and the roof, many people go over to lean over on the railing and look upon the Kaaba. I decided to restrain my own impulse to go over to the railing and continued to sit and begin the supplications of the morning.

As I was doing so, I looked not at that Kaaba but at all those in front and on the side of me standing over the railing looking upon the Kaaba and the thousands of people making Tawaaf around it. Someone said that all one has to do to recognize the existence of Allah (SWT) is to stand at these railings and to see what was before our very eyes.

As I watched the other people watching the Kaaba, I looked at the pattern of their eye movements. And one thing that was readily apparent was that one does not gaze at the Kaaba itself for an extended period of time. Most often people would initially glance at the Kaaba and fixate on it for several seconds, and then move on in their gaze to that which surrounds it, namely the thousands of people making the Tawaaf. It is as if the majesty of the Kaaba is deemed so great by the eye and heart, that one is humbled in the presence of such majesty and redirects the prolonged gaze elsewhere. And it is in this prolonged gaze of the creation of Allah (SWT) which glorifies Allah by circling His House in the Tawaaf, where one begins to appreciate the majesty. For the majesty of Allah and the majesty of His House, cannot be comprehended by our senses or our intellect. Yet when we look at our fellow human beings, our fellow creation, making the Tawaaf, we can get a sense of this majesty. For we see and reflect that within every single one of these thousands of hearts circumambulating the Kaaba, spiritual journeys are being made in each heart. And in each their hoped destination is something which dwarfs the entire universe as we know it in our own finite understanding.

Beyond the pattern of eye movements of those whom I watched, among all of them one could see the longing in their eyes. There is an Arabic proverb that states that lovers carry a mark between their eyes that no one can miss. One sees that love for the Kaaba and for Allah (SWT) in their eyes. One sees that spiritual yearning and longing to be in the Aakhirah (Life after death.. Judgement Day). Seeing them leaning over the railing and gazing at the Kaaba and those around it, it was like seeing a new parent with their face as close as possible to the glass of the nursery separating them from their child. They look upon their child in sheer awe and with the purest love. And yet the glass prevents them from fulfilling their longing to get close to their child and take them into their arms and embrace them, just as the glass of this world and this life prevents us from fulfilling our longing for the Aakhirah and the Divine presence. And yet how infinitely greater is the love Allah has for us!

Soon enough, though I had not finished the supplications of the morning, I could not resist going to the railing myself and continue the supplications while watching the people making the Tawaaf. One thing that is realized when one sees the Tawaaf is how truly insignificant one is. We tend to exalt ourselves and feel proud of our actions that we think makes us closer to Allah (SWT). Yet in the Tawaaf, one sees thousands and lakhs of people doing these same actions, and we are filled with this feeling of how insignificant we are and how everyone around us seems better than us. How could we ever compare with those other human beings around us making the Tawaaf? It is a truly humbling experience.

One of the supplications made by the Prophet in the morning states:

“O Allah, I have entered a new morning and call upon You and upon the bearers of Your Throne, upon Your angels, and all creation to bear witness that surely You are Allah, there is none worthy of worship but You alone.”

In reciting this while watching this never-ending wave of people circling Allah’s House and glorifying Him, it was as if this supplication was being partially manifest before our very eyes, seeing all of creation worshiping the Creator, as they were created to do so.

The Thousand Sleepers

After sunrise had come and gone, We left our perch at the railing of the second floor of the masjid and walked around the enormous masjid again. In doing so we saw an amazing sight, thousands of people sleeping, their heads resting in a variety of ways, on rolled up carpets, or even on the cold, hard marble, their hands, their shoes. And their colors and cultures were just as diverse, and Allah had brought them all together and given them the n’imah (gift) of sleep. Over fourteen hundred years ago, in this very month of Ramadan, Allah (SWT) had blessed the believers with the mercy of sleep just before the battle of Badr, giving them calmness and sakeena in their hearts, making their planned sacrifice of their very lives easy for them. Allah (SWT) always makes the sacrifices of the believer easy for him or her after they have committed to it.

There was a tremendous peace in all their faces as they slept quietly. You see the serenity etched on their faces as they sleep. You realise the hardship it took for them to get there, but you see the peace that Allah (SWT) has given them in return. Ibn Hazm wrote that when a man is asleep he leaves behind the world and forgets all its joys and sorrows. If he kept his spirit in the same state upon waking, he would know perfect happiness.

This peaceful happiness was evident in all of them in their sleep, and it is in sleep that the souls are taken away temporarily and only returned to the body if Allah wills that body to live another day. Sleep can be a frightening thing to the one who does not reflect, the one who disbelieves, for in lying down to sleep one abandons their will, and delivers it to the unknown. But for the Muslims, they are committing their will to their Lord and henceforth sleep in serenity and happiness, in hopes of one day finding rest in the divine presence in the Aakhirah.

After Fajr, people leave the Haram tired from a night spent in worship. We found this to be the quietest time to do Tawaaf, while sunlight streamed in and the Haram glowed in the light of a new day.

The Race Towards Marwa

It was close to the time of Dhuhr we took a seat amongst the many others waiting for the Azaan. One feels the anticipation of those surrounding you before the Azaan. It as if a loved one has informed you that he or she will call you at a certain time, and you sit by the phone waiting for it to ring. The preparation before our salah is all of this to a greater and grander scale, in which one goes through both physical and mental preparation. For salah is an intimate conversation for the servant with his most Beloved, the Master of the Day of Judgement.

As we waited anxiously for the Azaan to grace our ears for yet another time, I had the opportunity to watch several children in the row in front of me. One thing that one does not get to appreciate as much during Hajj is the beauty and lessons for us in children. During Ramadan in the Haram, one sees many children and families.

On seeing these children I thought of a young boy performing Sai’ with his family. He was very skinny, and sickly and weak appearing, and it looked as if he was actively struggling with a gastroenteritis of some sort. Yet despite all of that he was making the Sai’ with enthusiasm, walking ahead of his parents, who were working to keep pace with him and almost amazed to see their son walk with such strength.

Allah (SWT) has blessed us with a fitra and an inclination towards serving and worshipinspan style=”color: #003366;”g him. And He has blessed us with the n’imah of Islam, which is within every single one of us. The young boy was not yet at a discerning age, and the true faith was not yet in his heart, but the natural enthusiasm and inclination to serve and glorify Allah (SWT) was distinctly manifest as he surged ahead of his family as he made the Sai’. In time, inshallah, he will grow up to be a man, and inshallah he will be a great servant of Allah, performing many more acts of worship with the sincerity of faith. Yet all of that will simply be that initially planted ni’mah (gift) within him becoming more manifest.

We often times tend to feel good about ourselves and give ourselves credit in how many good deeds we do, how many prayers we offer, how much Quran or hadith we know and so on. And we often do this as we compare ourselves to fellow Muslims who we see are not doing these same external actions to the extent that we are doing so. Yet instead of exalting ourselves, we should in fact be more humbled, for none of this is from us. We have accomplished nothing. Allah (SWT), out of His grace, has given us tawfeeq, and enabled us to begin to recognize and actualize that potential and n’imah (gift) which has been within us long before. With this tawfeeq from Allah (SWT), one cannot help but perform such deeds, just as that sickly boy could not but help to surge forward in his Sai’, for the n’imah given to him and us automatically propels us in that direction. And for those of our brothers and sisters who appear weak to us in their external actions, weak in their belief, they have not yet been given the grace and tawfeeq from Allah (SWT) to recognize the n’imah, as it remains veiled from them. Yet if the tawfeeq comes, their hearts and position with Allah (SWT) may be so much greater than ours, and they may surge ahead of us on the Day of Judgement as the young boy surged ahead of his parents during Sai’. O Allah protect the Muslims from self-righteousness and the judging of others, for you Allah are the only Judge and know the hearts of people and their ultimate position with You. Give us tawfeeq to recognize the n’imah (gift) of Islam that you have given us! You are the Most Gracious, Most Merciful!

An Open Grave

After the Dhuhr prayer was completed, it was as if no time had elapsed before the time of Asr came upon us. We moved to a different place in the masjid yet again.

Almost after every salah in the Haram a Janaza prayer is performed. Imagine how blessed a person is to be prayed on by so many people in the greatest of places! It proves to be a tremendous opportunity to consistently remember death. And even when there is no Janazah, there are so many opportunities to serve as reminders.

In Madinah, for example, there was no Janazah after Fajr prayer one day. Me and my father decided to visit al-Baqi, the graveyard close to the Masjid Al Nabawi, where many of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)’s household and other blessed Companions of the Prophet are buried.

The sky remained quite dark though sunrise was close to approaching. As we walked the passageways, I looked down to my right and to my astonishment saw an open grave. It had been dug recently, as if waiting to hear of news of its guest or prisoner, depending on the merit of the person. The initial thought upon seeing this open grave was surprise and shock, but almost immediately there was this desire within to actually enter the grave. As Abu Bakr (RA) has said, death is as close to a man as his shoelaces. Indeed, this life, this world, is but an open grave at our feet. Yet as I inched closer to it, fear entered the heart and there was hesitation. It was the duniya tugging on the heart, making it hesitate to go towards the Aakhirah. Upon recognizing this state, I could only shake my head in disappointment, for all those souls buried around where I was standing, all those Muslim men and women who lived and died here, would have raced to enter this open grave as we hesitate. How great their generation was in comparison to our own! May Allah have mercy and shower His blessings upon them!

In Madinah, of course, our first yearning was to visit the Prophet Muhammad ‘s tomb, and to pay respect to the greatest teacher that humanity has ever known. The same day, We queued to visit the Rawdah, to go and make salaam with our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW). I was overwhelmed, stuttering my greeting, feeling humbled at the grave of the Best of Mankind (SAW). We would enter the Rawdah and perform two rakahs Tahiyyat al-Masjid near the tomb of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and then proceed to present our salaams to him and to his two blessed companions who are resting next to him, Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar bin al-Khattab (RA). The visit was a unique and overwhelming experience, as one could feel the tremendous dignity and nobleness of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in one’s heart. All this, and the feeling and realization that he is aware of our presence, of our standing there and our visit, and that he is receiving our greetings and benediction. May Allah (SWT)’s blessing be upon Muhammad  and his family and his Companions. Ameen.

A Cup of Dates

THIS is an experience that will never leave our memory. In many parts of the world, people fight for their food but in the Holy Month of Ramadan, in the Prophet Mosque or Masjid Al Nabawi in Madinah, people jostle to give you food and drink, for you to break your fast with. The promised reward for those who serve people in breaking their fast is paradise. The feeling is like having a home with 500,000 family members to embrace you and take care of all your needs. Smiles are everywhere. Peaceful greetings and warm handshakes abound. And focus on pure intention to worship the One God is also constantly present.

Makkah pulsates. The pace is fast and you are on the go all the time. The atmosphere at Iftar is completely different to any other time of the year. The Saudi government and nation are exemplary hosts, and food for iftar is abundant and generously offered. Most of the food that is on offer in the holy mosques is donated by local people, who also bring along local Saudi dishes. It is remarkable to see these people busily laying tablecloths, setting cups, distributing coffee, tea and dates and often delaying their own iftar to ensure visitors to the holy mosques are at ease and comfort. Food is laid out, with laban, qahwah, dates and Zamzam, and people pulled us to share their Iftar. Hearts like these I had never seen.

For many people, sharing a snack with fellow Muslims is an exhilarating experience. During iftar in the two holy cities, people often sit with strangers of different nationalities and languages, and with whom they only share one thing in common — that they are fasting in obedience to Allah (SWT). In fact, many say the experience helps them develop an ethos of brotherhood.

What makes these gatherings more special, which for many is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, is the variety of people from different cultures and nationalities that gather in the holy cities.

As the sun continued to descend before us as we waited for the Azaan of Maghrib, preparations were made around us for the breaking of the fast. It is an amazing sight to see thousands upon thousands of people be all accommodated with dates and water (and even more) for the breaking of the fast. Once the iftar cloths are laid, there is no hierarchy in where people sit. Everyone is the same. In a remarkable expression of brotherly love, the rich and the poor, and the black and the white, can be seen sitting together and sharing the same food. People greet each other with smiles. Friendship quickly develops and pilgrims are known to keep in contact with people they meet in the holy mosques. And as the Azaan is called one cannot escape the sheer generosity of your fellow Muslims, offering their very food and water for you. It is said that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was the most generous of people and he was most generous during the month of Ramadan. In his city of Madinah, one will be greeted by a Madinahn even before one enters the masjid. He places his arm around you affectionately and invites and guides you towards his serving area where dates, water and other food will be given to you. Iftars are very very well orgainsed in the two Mosque. As soon as the call for prayer starts, people immediately start collecting the ‘sufras’ and place them in garbage bags to be thrown away. Within 30 seconds the place is clean. Food is removed and people are ready to pray.

Iftar at Prophet Muhammad (SAW) ‘s Mosque

The Maghrib prayer was performed under the leadership of the popular Imaam and our most favourite, Imaam Abdur-Rahman Sudais, most popular for the Qunoot that he performs in this very month of Ramadan. He recited short surahs, and the prayer was completed rather quickly. This allows people to leave the masjid and eat if they choose to do so. Others choose to stay and prepare for Isha and the Taraweeh.

“And if they ask you concerning Me, know that I am near” (Al-Baqarah 2:186)

The closeness one feels to Allah (SWT) at certain times, when in dhikr, or salah or in recitation of the Quran can be an indescribable thing. We feel so close to Allah (SWT), we have such an intimate conversation with Him. When you looks around at others however, you realize they are in fact in that same state, they feel that same closeness as you do, that same intimacy. It is an amazing fact to reflect upon. Truly Allah is the Most High, the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing who hears every single one of His servants as all of creation glorifies him, closer to each one of His servants than their own jugular vein!

In the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, Mahdi Othman, a Sudanese national, was busy praying on his prayer beads. He had arrived in the Kingdom on Umrah “Breaking fast inside the Prophet’s Mosque is something that I will never miss as long as I am here. During this month we never worry about breaking fast. Everyone around you is friendly and everyone wants to help,” he said.

“What makes this special is the feeling of brotherhood. You get to meet a lot of people and make friends with people who you’ve never known and who you’re unlikely to meet ever again. Why would I want to miss all this and break my fast inside my hotel?” he added.

Abbas Sabri is from Cairo. This is his sixth Umrah visit to the Kingdom. He arrived one week before Ramadan. Having performed Umrah, he said he wanted to spend most of his time in Madinah.

“One of the things that made me want to come for Umrah during Ramadan is the feeling of brotherhood when I come here. If you look around you, this is the true picture of Islam that we want to see, unlike the negative image that exists outside. I wish the whole year was Ramadan so we wouldn’t lose the beautiful feelings for each other.”

The Plains of Arafah, the Qiyam of Ramadan

The time for Isha came, and with it came the Azaan. It is a call that has had a particular effect on me. There is a saying that:

“Before you visit Makkah it beckons to you, and when you leave it behind it calls to you forever”.

For my parents, this calling often comes in the form of this particular Azaan, whether hearing it for real or hearing it simply in the mind, it has been a reminder and calling towards this blessed place for years, and now, praise to Allah, they got to hear it again, live. Its echoes throughout the great expanse of the masjid and the night sky over Masjid Al Haram is rivaled only by its echoes in the hearts of those hearing it. Many people began to make du’a after the Azaan was completed, for one of the greatest times for du’a is between the Azaan and the Iqaama; it is a time where the sincere supplication is not rejected.

There is a story related by Imaam Ghazali of a man who while during Hajj was visited by two angels in a dream on the night of Arafah who told him that of the six hundred thousand pilgrims making Hajj, only six of those were accepted. He woke that morning anxious and in grief, rightly worried about his own standing given that only six people had their Hajj accepted. The next night, in Muzdalifah, the two angels visited him again in his dream and told him for each of those six people, due to their merit and own prayers, a hundred thousand were given to each, so all six hundred thousand people had an accepted Hajj.

All of us, one hopes, can recall of supplications that we have made to Allah that have been answered. We can fall into a trap of thinking that my du’a was answered by Allah. But were those supplications really answered, or was it just the supplication of someone more righteous than we being answered? Could it be that whatever good fortunes have befallen us, whatever we have wished for in the past that has come true, was in fact because of an accepted du’a of someone else rather than our own du’a? Perhaps it was the du’a of our parents, or our family members, or our friends. Perhaps it was the du’a of a stranger who we have never seen or never met, who saw us in the corner of his eye one day and made du’a for us. Perhaps it was the du’a of one of our ancestors hundreds of years ago praying that good would befall his offspring. Like those nearly six hundred thousand people making Hajj that year in that story, we may never really know. All we can do is work and struggle to find sincerity and humility in our du’a and pray to Allah (SWT) that we may be included amongst the righteous.

The recitation of the Isha prayer was brief, and consisted of the last three verses of Surah Baqara. In this group of verses, just before the sublime invocation at the end, we are told not to distinguish between the Prophets. And it leads one to reflect on the Prophets, being in the place where several Prophets have walked years ago.

There was sheer excitement within myself, and the others no doubt, as we awaited the Taraweeh prayer. My father spoke of his Hajj and the day of Arafah and about being on the bus anxiously awaiting to arrive on the plain of Arafah. The excitement he and mom had now was similar to then. Hajj is based on both physical action and spiritual introspection; its physical rites can be so taxing and numerous, however, that room for spiritual introspection can be at times forgotten. Yet if one talks to any Hajji, they will universally speak of the standing on the plain of Arafah as the greatest part of Hajj. For it is on the plain of Arafah that the physical rites stop, and where one can delve into deep spiritual introspection.

Ramadan is based heavily on spiritual introspection without many rites to be performed specifically, other than the recitation of the Quran and the performance of salah, in particular the Taraweeh which is unique to it. In this month, some of the secrets of salah can be unlocked.

While the many rites of Hajj are a celebration and commemoration of the Messengers of Allah, the unique rites during Ramadan are a celebration and commemoration of the Books of Allah. Both of them are commemorating and celebrating that conduit between the divine and humanity, the conduit of revelation consisting of the Messengers and the Books of Allah.

If Ramadan is a celebration of the Quran, it is magnified in the Taraweeh in the Haram. For it was here that many of these verses were sent down. It was here that history was made and revelations were sent down juxtaposed to these historical events. To here Shaykh Shuraim or Shaikh Sudais recite the du’a of Ibrahim in the surah named after him asking Allah that Makkah be a place of peace and security was an awesome experience for all of us. For we were standing there in serenity, with the brisk night breeze causing our clothes to billow in the wind, all witnesses to Allah’s answering of Ibrahim’s du’a for it had come to fruition. The evidence was before our very eyes.

Imaam Shuraim and Imaam Sudais’s recitation was as magnificent as it always has been. The qirat of Taraweeh flows into your soul. Though I do not understand Arabic, I do read the english translation of some of the surahs. Infact, I was caught up in the beautiful recitation, which is so therapeutic. Here I was standing, in the very city were many of those verses were revealed! I have been listening to his tapes, which are recorded during the Taraweeh. And now to finally hear him and stand behind him in the Taraweeh in the Haram!

Appropriately so, as Surah Ra’d (The Thunder) was recited, to hear the beautiful recitation of the words of Allah (SWT) was like lightning under the skin, as if the heart undergoes a brief moment where it becomes in phase with the rest of the physical body which is constantly glorifying Allah (SWT). It is as if the heart begins to receive input and sensation from this perpetual state of constant glorification of Allah (SWT) that every single cell of the body’s limbs and organs is in. Its effect is as sharp as lightning and as profound as thunder, for those brief moments can begin to shatter the shell of sins and forgetfulness that mask the heart.

“In the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.” (Ra’d 13:28)

There is a sweetness to salah that when one experiences it, one understands why Prophet Muhammad (SAW) stated that salah was the most beloved thing in the world to him that brought coolness to his eye. One of the shaykhs in our religious tradition stated that if the kings and rulers knew what we the Muslims had, i.e that sweetness, they would fight us for it.

One finds that sweetness in Arafah in the midst of millions of people, and one sees the magnificence in these millions. So it also is in the Taraweeh of the Haram. As one stands before the Kaaba in the Tarweeh and looks towards it and at all the people facing it in turn, one finds magnificence. And as one lowers their eyes towards the place of prostration, and then into their own heart, one finds sweetness.

My parents said that after days of physical actions and deeds, the Hajj reaches its high point, and its most crucial point, on the plains of Arafah. But here during Ramadan, physical deeds and actions are minimized, and the Muslim simply stands and raises his or her hands, calling on Allah for forgiveness and mercy. The petitioning for mercy is all we can do, for no one, not even Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as he has stated, will enter paradise on account of their deeds but only because of Allah’s Mercy.

The culmination of the Taraweeh prayer in the Haram is the Witr prayer. And like on the plains of Arafah, it ends in the same way, with us standing, facing the Qibla, hands raised and asking Allah (SWT) for forgiveness and His Mercy on the Day of Judgment. Like everyone else in the crowd, you find your arms stretched out, pleading and begging Allah (SWT), while you sob and weep. And His Mercy prevails over His Wrath.

“O Son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.” (Hadith Qudsi in At-Tirmidhi)

As the Witr was completed, and as the most memorable of days came to a close as we left the Masjid, no doubt all of us were praying that the Qunoot was accepted. We would be back soon, God willing, back for another chance to converse with our Lord, to fast for His sake, and to visit His House.

On the 29th night, the recitation of the Quran is completed. You wish for another recital to begin, another chance to make Taraweeh. Where else in the world will you hear the Imam pray: “Oh Allah, on this blessed night, in this blessed month, in this blessed city…” and you realise just how blessed you have been.

29 days were all we had in Ramadan on this year. The moon was sighted and it was Eid-ul-Fitr the next day. We were among the blessed ones who got a chance to offer and observe Eid-ul-Fitr in Masjid Al Haram. The atmosphere, the ambience, the spirituality… it all struck us in an awe. The Masjid echoed with the Takbeer of Eid. I was astounded at the magnitude of it all. Our hearts were filled with a multiple emotions… This was some gift for the Ramadan. I was overwhelmed. Offering the Eid Salah at the Masjid, We feel so close to Allah (SWT), so intimate.

The Clouds of Mercy or Punishment?

On one of the days, we observed rain, more of a drizzle. Somewhat dense black clouds began to appear in the sky. The wind gradually began to increase. Traditionally rain has been understood to be a sign of mercy of Allah.

I thought of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and how his wife Aisha’ had described how concern would drape his face when he would see the black clouds, for he would immediately think of the people of ‘Aad who saw such clouds and assumed rain would come but were then met with the severe disaster and punishment from Allah.

A drizzle did soon follow thankfully, but as the wind became fierce, and the sand began to enter our eyes, and as lightning illuminated the sky above the Haram, I couldn’t but wonder if this was not just a sign of Mercy but also a warning and a portent for things to come.

When one sees the Muslims on Hajj, or on Umrah, or fasting in the month of Ramadan, one begins to see the potential of the Ummah and strength of this deen. The difficulty however, is that we have been unable to translate the generosity of serving dates to our brothers and sisters at Iftar time to generosity outside the month of Ramadan and to our fellow Muslims and the greater human community. We have been unable to translate the donning of the Ihram of the heart of the fast into the deeper fast in which we reach the highest of moral behavior that is a sign to the rest of humanity of the truth of this deen. We have been unable to translate the physical and spiritual discipline of the salah and actualize its lessons into good character between each prayer. We have been unable to translate our prayers of peace on the Prophet into a desire to bring glad tidings to our fellow human beings and we have been unable to increase our love for the Prophet enough to follow his sunnah regarding dealing with people. And while rites of Hajj, symbols of faith externalized into action and good deeds, are performed, we have been unable to translate them into motivations for good actions that enjoin justice in this world.

I wondered, reflecting on my own self and the Ummah as a whole. The next time the black clouds loom above the Muslims, in Makkah or anywhere else, will that rainfall of Mercy again come, or will it be the thunder and awful cry of Punishment?

May Allah (SWT) to bless and Invite us Again… inshaAllah!

On the 3rd of Shawwal, as we offered our last Tawaaf and exited the gates of Masjid Al Haram, our hearts were overtaken with sadness as we now came to full realization that it was time to part from the holy city. But do as we must, we boarded our bus, catching a final glimpse of the beauty and grace of the Masjid Al Haram, and headed off to Jeddah Airport and back to the India.

For those who visit Makkah and than leave it, it remains within their heart forever. Wherever in the world they may be, the image of it is permanently engraved within them. The only things that prevent us from revisiting it and seeing its magnificence and majesty in our hearts are the veils of disobedience to Allah (SWT) that cloud our vision.

The Hajj continues long after one has completed the physical rites during that span of several days in Dhul Hijjah. It continues in the heart for the remainder of one’s lifetime. And during that lifetime the month of Ramadan comes as the rediscoverer, reopening the roads towards Makkah within the heart, increasing the wayfarer’s provisions for the journey and easing the way towards the hoped destination.

May Allah (SWT) accept the Hajj and Umrah of the Muslims. May He accept our fasting during the month of Ramadan and keep us firm on the deen both in the month of Ramadan and outside the month of Ramadan. May He have Mercy on all the Muslims and may He guide us to the path which most pleases Him.

And Allah (SWT) knows best.

Taqabbal Allahu minnaa wa minkum. (May Allah accept [the fast and worship] from us and from you)

- By Naved Zia.

This Article is dedicated to my parents, and would not have been possible without their Incomparable Love. Also thanks to brother Mohammad Saleem and two Sisters from Michigan, whose article gave me inspiration and some valuable words to help pen down my thoughts and heart-felt moments of my Umrah.

Also Read:

Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) : The Most Noble Character
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) : The Last Sermon
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) : The Farewell Pilgrimage
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) : Eternal Rest
2nd Holiest Place : Masjid Al Nabawi in Madinah
Hajj, the journey of hearts
The Feast, Our Feast (Video on Takbeer Eid-Ul-Fitr, Masjid Al Haram)

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