Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim
~*Aishah's Journey
Continues…Hajj 2005*~
Assalamu
Alaikum wa Rahmatuallahi wa Barakatuhu!
Please forgive the delay in my getting back to everyone after returning
from my Hajj journey! Initially the delay was due to extended holiday schedules
here in KSA, which translates to the telecom office and the banks being closed
for two weeks straight! Can you imagine if banks and major businesses closed
for two weeks worth of holiday in the U.S.?! Americans would think the world
had come to an end! LOL!!!
Anyway, about 4 days ago I
got reconnected to the internet *whew* but somehow I was feeling a sense of
reluctance to report on my Hajj journey.
Don't get me wrong...subhan'Allah! Our Hajj could not have been
more facilitated by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala than if I had hired the best of
planners demanding million dollar salaries for their services! That's just
it... You see...well...my sense of reluctance came from feeling sort of
guilty...I mean...Al-hamdulillah...I can't say enough about how perfect our
journey was...and even when I typed that sentence, my heart began to swell and
tears brimmed the edges of my eyelids...and yet, at the same time...I know that
others had experiences that fell far shorter of their expectations...some
people even lost their lives in the flood that I am sure everyone heard
about...
But the truth is...if I had
the opportunity to make Hajj again...I would be torn as to whether or not I
would do it...because I just can't imagine a second experience coming any
closer to perfect than my first Hajj...I will never forget it...or the
numerous, wonderful sisters I met from our camp, and those that formed a line
for me to pass by as I departed on the last day...arms outstretched, embracing
me...tears falling from every eye... Subhan'Allah...
In reflecting over Hajj
upon returning if I could have done anything different it would have been to
venture outside of the tent on arriving in Arafat. I really wanted to see the
mountain and climb to the top of Mt. Rahmah; but circumstances being what they
were, with the severe overcrowding and chaos outside our small camp, we all
elected to remain inside and make our duas and remembrances from there.
Al-hamdulillah.
No sooner had those
thoughts crossed my mind and passed by my lips, Allah subhanaha wa ta'ala, unbeknownst
to me...had a plan to fulfill my last request. Subhan'Allah.
The very next day I rode
with two of the sisters I met at our camp, Oum Mustafa and her daughter, Nour
(they're from Syria), to Mecca. Oum Mustafa's son, Ibrahim, was our escort for
an absolutely wonderful day!
On arriving in Mecca, Oum
Mustafa and Nour set out to make a final Umrah. Being filled with a sense of
having pretty much accomplished what I needed to from my experiences here in
KSA over the past 11 months (1 three-day trop to Madinah, 14 trips to Mecca, 7
Umrah's, a few visits to Jeddah, a three-day visit to Riyadh - OH! and 1 Hajj!!
*LOL*), what I had in mind for this trip to Mecca was SHOPPING! *winks*
Brother Ibrahim was most
accommodating in guiding me through the masses of shops and haggling with the
proprietors regarding the pricing of their wares...he was truly a pro!
*smile*
After completing their
Umrah, Oum Mustafa and Nour joined us and after a little more shopping, we
headed out in search of an evening meal. With full tummies we set back out on
the road for Taif...or so I thought! *smile*
What I did not know was
that we were going to take a detour...subhan'Allah. Next thing I knew, we were
viewing in awe, once again, the miles of tent domes stretching out across Mina.
Masha'Allah...we sat in revered silence as our minds flooded with the memories
of a time we shared together that seemed to have passed so quickly...
What happened next was the
fulfillment of my last wish...subhan'Allah...as Ibrahim navigated the car
towards Arafat. It was incredible to drive through the vacated streets of the
surrounding area...equally amazing to see how much of the trash had already
been cleared out! Then, suddenly Ibrahim pulled the car to a stop and there we
were...sitting at the base of Mt. Rahmah...masha'Allah. Looking up we spotted a
few lone pilgrims standing at the top in prayer, surrounded by the cool
darkness of the evening, illuminated by the flood-lights positioned sporadically
throughout the area.
It was such a beautiful
sight...and best of all...no waiting in line!!! *smile*
We piled out of the car and
before we had a chance to realize what his intention was, Ibrahim began
climbing the rocks and motioning for us to follow him! I thought to myself..."What?!?!?!"
*LOL* But there we found ourselves, abaya's and all...rock climbing up to
the pillar at the top of Mt. Rahmah! Subhan'Allah!
We (the women,
anyway...*lol*) felt so silly, but it was exhilaratingly fun at the same
time, and we laughed at one another all the way up! HA!
But the laugh was on us as
we reached the top and stood beside Ibrahim!
He could hardly contain
himself as Oum Mustafa, Nour and I found ourselves staring down the flight of
stairs from the other side of the mountain that we could have walked up!!!
*LOL* Oh, my gosh! It was too hysterical up there, the four of us
uncontrollably laughing! I'll never forget it! *LOL*
As we drove out of the Mt.
Arafat area and found our way back onto the road leading to Taif, we all fell
silent once again...and in the darkness, with tearful eyes, I couldn't stop
thanking Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala for granting me my last Hajj wish...
Well...almost my last
wish...
What I really wish is for
each of you who haven't already made Hajj, to someday be granted the opportunity
to do so. It is truly the experience of a lifetime...and as I think
about my approaching third-year anniversary since embracing Islam...I am
completely in awe of the blessings bestowed upon me by Allah subhanahu wa
ta'ala...and I just pray that each of you reading this, no matter where you
are, knows that Islam is, indeed, the true religion...and that Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala, is indeed, the Greatest! Allah Akbar! 
Oh! I almost forgot! Well,
it is a part of the bigger story...but for now, let me assure all of those who
provided me with dua requests that they were, indeed, delivered in Arafat! Subhan'Allah!
It was such a blessing to have your dua requests with me...you couldn't
imagine...and let me tell you!!! There were so many it took me three hours
to recite all of them!!! And you might imagine the curiosity of the sisters
observing me! *LOL* There I sat outside the tent along the bordering wall of
the pathway, enjoying the afternoon sun on a rug provided by Oum Mustafa, the
printed pages of the duas resting on the makeshift desktop of my pocketbook in
front of me. As I made each of the duas to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, I placed
the completed pages, one after another, face down to the right of where I was
sitting. Al-hamdulillah, as it turned out, in-between a break for lunch and
salat, I had just enough time to finish before we began to re-group and head
out for Muzdalifah!
There is so much more to
tell...and, of course, I will be writing more about my Hajj experience, but
that release will be a little while longer in coming. *winks*
In the meantime, my internet
access will once again become sporadic as my husband and I will be traveling
for a few weeks. Please remember us in your duas.
For now though...never turn
your back on your faith...never abandon your salat...and always believe in your
heart that your duas are heard...they might not always be answered in the time
and/or way in which we might design in our own minds...but Allah subhanahu wa
ta'ala knows best...that's for sure.
With love for the sake of
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
Fi Aman'Allah,
--------------------
~Aishah
If I am right, it is from Allah; if wrong, it is
from me. I ask Allah Almighty to protect you and me from errors and from all
that displeases Him. "Al-Hamdu-lillahi rabbil-alameen"
Primary
Concepts: Ummah
In the Quran, Muslims
are urged to think of themselves as members of a global community transcending
ethnic, racial and national boundaries. This is the ummah, a concept that
ideally forges lasting bonds between diverse groups of Muslims worldwide.
The concept
originates in the Quran:
“Thus, have We
made of you an Ummah justly balanced, that ye might be witnesses over the
nations, and the Messenger a witness over yourselves. …” (Surah 2:143).
The testimony of faith is saying with
conviction,
"Ash hadu an la ilaha illa Allah wa ash hadu anna Muhammadar Rasul Allah."
("I declare there is no god but Allah and I
declare that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.")
The first
part, “There is no true god but God,” means that none has
the right to
be worshipped but God alone, and that God has neither partner nor son.
This testimony
of faith is called the Shahada, a simple formula that should be said
with
conviction in order to convert to Islam.
The testimony
of faith is the most important pillar of Islam.
If
I am right, it is from Allah; if wrong, it is from me.
I
ask Allah Almighty to protect you and me from errors
and
from all that displease Him.
"Al-Hamdu-lillahi
rabbil-alameen"
SISTER AISHAH'S ISLAMIC JOURNEY