Allah (Subhanahu Ta’ala) says in the Quran: “O mankind! Fear your Lord and be dutiful to Him! Verily, the earthquake of the Hour (of Judgement) is a terrible thing. The Day you shall see it, every nursing mother will forget her nursling, and every pregnant one will drop her load, …
Read More »At Arafat, Tears Speak Louder Than Words
A white sea of faithful surged from Mina to Arafat as dawn broke on the second day of the five-day event. Waves of men in seamless white robes and veiled women in long dresses joined voices in a crescendo chanting Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik (O God, here I am answering your …
Read More »Malcolm X’s Letter from Makkah
The following is Malcolm X’s (al-Hajj, Malik al-Shabazz) letter to his assistants in Harlem during his pilgrimage to Makkah in April of 1964: Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and overwhelming spirit of true brotherhood as is practiced by people of all colors and races here in this ancient …
Read More »Talking of Madinah
Talking of Madinah – By Shaykh Abu ‘l-Hasan ‘Ali al-Nadwi Friends have invited me to give a talk on Madinah, describing what I saw there, and I have readily agreed. As a Persian poet has said: “To talk of the beloved is no less pleasant than to meet him.” I …
Read More »Picture Perfect : Hajj – The Journey of a Lifetime
Moving images, striking panoramas, majestic mosques and minarets, special aerial images, intimate scenes of rapturous pilgrims – these are just a few rare close up moments of one of the Most important cities in the world, Makkah and Madinah. These pictures are recent (most from 1431 Hijri [2010]) and I believe …
Read More »Returning Hajis find Makkah a city transformed
The first thing that strikes you upon entering the holy city from Jeddah is the number of mighty yellow-and red-colored cranes on the skyline from all the ongoing construction projects in Makkah. Where once stood old buildings, multistory hotels and even hills, there is now leveled land fenced off by …
Read More »Picture Perfect : The Pilgrims In Madinah
“Among Muslim, the Hajj embodies a vital experiences for millions of new pilgrims each year. In spite of the modern content of their lives, it remains an act of obedience, a possession of belief, and the visible expression of a spiritual community. For majority of Muslims, the Hajj is an …
Read More »Makkah Metro : The Journey of Hajj goes green
Makkah Metro : The Journey of Hajj goes green A high speed train to Makkah in Saudi Arabia will cut down on carbon emissions during hajj this year, but its reach is limited for now. Every year, around three million Muslims from across the world prepare for the spiritual journey …
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