Reflections

We are strapped to our seats; we are in the air,
To Makkah we are going, we can’t wait to get there
Our plane has touched down, we are in Jeddah, see the lights!
Our hearts beat faster, so many planes, so many flights!


It’s hard to believe many thousands of people come,
To worship Almighty Allah, each and everyone
“Labbaik. O Allah, Labbaik,” we call
Please hear us Allah, answer us all


We leave Jeddah Airport, every minute we’re counting
O Makkah. we come, the excitement is mounting
And then- the most beautiful sight,
The haram we see, to our delight


To the hotel, we check in, we freshen up, then go
We can’t wait to see the Kaaba, our hearts beat so
O Allah, we can’t believe You have invited us here,
To the best place on earth, we hold so dear


We take a few steps across the marble floor
Our hearts skip a beat, we can’t wait anymore
We walk softly across, our eyes to the ground
We barely breathe, we make no sound


At last, we raise our eyes to look
A sight more beautiful than any picture book
Lo and behold, it’s the House of Allah
“Labbaik,” we call, we come to the Kaaba


Seven circuits round the Kaaba we complete
Behind Maqam Ibrahim two rakaats we read
Then zam-zam we drink, the sweet waters flow
Hastily, to Mounts Safa and Marwa we go


Seven times we walk, then we shave our hair
Our ihram is out, what bliss to be there!
Thank You, my Allah, for answering my call
Bring every Muslim to Makkah, one and all

O Prophet of Islam
O Prophet of Allah, thank you, I say
Thank you for showing me the right way
My greetings to you, our Beloved Master of Islam
Without you, there would never be Hadith and Quran


O Prophet of Islam, what more can I say
You’ve given us a Deen, we cherish everyday
Insha-Allah, one day, we’ll see you face-to-face
Far, far away, in the most beautiful place
The Ummah of Islam will rejoice, for we’ll be,
In that Garden of Jannat with our Beloved Nabi


(Pathways to Light-Written and Illustrated by Fathima Mall)

Oh, what would Nabi Muhammad (peace be upon him) say?
If only he could see Madinah today
“I see huge buildings all over my land,
They’ve destroyed my footprints on this holy sand!”


Where are the gullies we knew so well?
What will future generations see, who’s to tell?
Hotels and motels, the bigger, the better,
We’ll be rid of the smaller ones, they don’t matter


The call of the Azaan, as clear as a bell
At Tahajjud, its beauty we remember so well
People walking silently from high and low
Where are those footpaths, where did they go?


Oh, lovely city of Madinah what will be the cost?
Will they design and destroy; will your splendour be lost?
Perhaps just a modern phase,
Maybe, just a passing craze


O Allah, let us remember this city of our Nabi
Forever let it be a peaceful sanctuary

While pilgrims are in Makkah and Madinah, they must be extra diligent in showing respect and dignity in their behaviour.


Makkah and Madinah are two holy sanctuaries of Islam. These cities are the most holy cities for all Muslims. Unfortunately, due to ignorance or just plain carelessness, many Muslims visiting the sacred cities do not observe proper manners.


A great number of books exist, in nearly all languages of the world about the rituals to be performed in Makkah and Madinah. Regrettably, our pilgrims have missed the teachings of our Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) as well. The Prophet has said very clearly, “Cleanliness (hygiene) is half of all Faith”. For prayers to be accepted by Allah, it is Islam’s requirement that the body, the dress and the place must be clean. Similarly, good behaviour is an essential requirement if our prayers are to be accepted. Prophet Muhammad forbade pushing or jumping over people in order to make room for another person to pray.


It is heartbreaking for me to call your attention to a very disrespectful act of Muslims when in the mosque of our beloved Prophet. Many ill-mannered people talk very loudly in front of the grave of Prophet Muhammad.


Spitting

Pilgrims should not spit on the streets and pathways of Makkah and Madinah. If anyone needs to spit, they should spit in sinks or garbage containers (available everywhere). If they are unable to find a washroom or a garbage container, then they must keep tissue papers in their pockets and use them and later dispose off them in the garbage containers. Spitting on the streets of Makkah and Madinah is clearly a disrespectful act and insulting for the holy cities.


Cleaning Up and Disposing Garbage

Some pilgrims after eating or drinking, leave bottles, boxes, containers and plastic bags behind in the places where they ate their meals. They do not dispose off their garbage properly. This makes the streets and the roads of Makkah and Madinah dirty. It creates environmental pollution in holy cities. It creates hazards for pedestrians and for vehicles. It causes inconvenience to the other pilgrims.


Kissing the Hajr-e-Aswad

Kissing the Hajr-e-Aswad is a very desirable and honourable action. However, pushing, bullying, fighting and quarrelling with people in order to jump the line represent the worst actions a pilgrim can do in the Haram. Sometimes people in Ihram fight with other pilgrims, which destroys the spirit of their Hajj. One does not have to physically touch the stone in order to gain its benefits. Therefore, if a person is unable to reach the Hajr-e-Aswad due to the large crowds, then this person can symbolically kiss the Hajr-e-Aswad from a distance and his kiss will still be as good as someone really kissing the Hajr-e-Aswad. Similarly, standing in Hateem is good, but it must not be sought at the cost of causing harm or inconvenience to others.


Sa’ee in Safa and Marwa

Most of the pilgrims prefer to make Sa’ee on the ground level which overcrowds the area. Now Safa and Marwa hills have three floors. The reward for doing Sa’ee on any of the three floors is the same. Therefore, if the ground level gets crowded, pilgrims should go on to the above floors. Let us assume that someone started Sa’ee on the ground level and he/she completed two or three rounds of Safa and Marwa. As more people join and the person realises that it is getting very crowded on the ground level then this person should move to the upper level for Sa’ee and complete the remaining rounds on the upper levels. (There are stairs and escalators on the Marwa side for upper levels).


Raml during Tawaf

During the first three rounds of Ka’bah, men perform what is known as Raml. Raml is to walk at a slightly increased pace with your chest “puffed up” as if you are flexing your chest muscles. Pilgrims follow it as a Sunnah of the Prophet. However, some pilgrims misunderstand the idea of Raml and they start running and pushing people. This hurts women, children and the elderly. In the largest gathering of humans with limited space, it is inappropriate to run or walk fast during Tawaf. Raml does not mean that pilgrims have to run or push people.


Elderly

One has to be very careful with the elderly people. The elderly people must be protected by others. The elderly walk slowly and must not be pushed. If by mistake someone causes any inconvenience to anyone then that person should seek immediate forgiveness of that person. Many people do not care when they have elbowed someone and just continue on, which is against Islamic teachings and moral values.