SUPPLICATIONS OF IBRAHIM (AS): 14: 35-41

KAAABA 1953: Courtesy http://www.flickr.com/photos/essam/2251613869/

( وَإِذ قَالَ إِبرَهِيمُ رَبِّ ٱجعَل هَـذَا ٱلبَلَدَ ءَامِنًا وَٱجنُبنِى وَبَنِىَّ أَن نَّعبُدَ ٱلأَصنَامَ (٣٥

رَبِّ إِنَّہُنَّ أَضلَلنَ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ‌ فَمَن تَبِعَنِى فَإِنَّهُ  مِنِّى‌ وَمَن عَصَانِى فَإِنَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ (٣٦

رَّبَّنَآ إِنِّىٓ أَسكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِى بِوَادٍ غَيرِ ذِى زَرعٍ عِندَ بَتِكَ ٱلمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوةَ فَٱجعَل أَفـِٔدَةًمِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ تَہوِىٓ إِلَيہِم وَٱرزُقهُم مِّنَ ٱلثَّمَرَتِ لَعَلَّهُم يَشكُرُونَ (٣٧)

رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ تَعلَمُ مَا نُخفِى وَمَا نُعلِنُ‌ وَمَا يَخفَى عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىءٍ فِى ٱلأَرضِ وَلَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ (٣٨

ٱلحَمدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى وَهَبَ لِى عَلَى ٱلكِبَرِ إِسمَـعِيلَ وَإِسحَـقَ‌ إِنَّ رَبِّى لَسَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ (٣٩

رَبِّ ٱجعَلنِى مُقِيمَ ٱلصَّلَوةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى‌ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّل دُعَآءِ (٤٠

رَبَّنَا ٱغفِر لِى وَلِوَلِدَىَّ وَلِلمُؤمِنِينَ يَومَ يَقُومُ ٱلحِسَابُ (٤١

	Transliteration 35: Waith qala ibraheemu rabbi ijAAal hatha albalada aminan waojnubnee   wabaniyya an naAAbuda alasnama
	Yusuf Ali 35: Remember Abraham said:   “O my Lord! make this city one of peace and security: and preserve me and my sons from worshipping idols.
	French 35: Et (rappelle-toi) quand Abraham dit:   ‹Ô mon Seigneur, fais de cette cité un lieu sûr, et préserve-moi ainsi que mes enfants de l’adoration des idoles.
	Spanish 35: Y cuando Abraham dijo: “¡Señor! ¡Que esté segura esta ciudad!   ¡Y evita que yo y mis hijos sirvamos a los ídolos!
	Indonesian 35: Dan (ingatlah), ketika Ibrahim berkata: “Ya Tuhanku, jadikanlah negeri ini (Mekah), negeri yang aman, dan jauhkanlah aku beserta anak cucuku daripada menyembah berhala-berhala.
	Melayu 35: Dan (ingatlah) ketika Nabi Ibrahim berdoa dengan berkata:   Wahai Tuhanku! jadikanlah negeri Mekah ini negeri yang aman dan jauhkanlah daku dan anak-anakku dari perbuatan menyembah berhala.
	German 35: “Und damals sagte Abraham:   “”Mein Herr, mache diese Stadt zu einer Stätte des Friedens und bewahre mich und meine Kinder davor, die Götzen anzubeten;
	Bosnian 35: A kada Ibrahim reče: “Gospodaru moj, učini ovaj grad sigurnim i sačuvaj   mene i sinove moje da se klanjamo kumirima,
	Urdu 35: اورجس وقت ابراھیم نے کہا اے میرے رب ! اس شہر کوامن والا کر دے اور مجھے اور میری اولاد کو بت پرستی سے بچا

And when Abraham said: My Lord! Make safe this territory, and preserve me and my sons from serving idols. (35)

My Lord! Lo! they have led many of mankind astray. But who so followeth me, he verily is of me. And whoso disobeyeth me – Still Thou art Forgiving, Merciful. (36)

Our Lord! Lo! I have settled some of my posterity in an uncultivable valley near unto Thy holy House, our Lord! that they may establish proper worship; so incline some hearts of men that they may yearn toward them, and provide Thou them with fruits in order that they may be thankful. (37)

Our Lord! Lo! Thou knowest that which we hide and that which we proclaim. Nothing in the earth or in the heaven is hidden from Allah. (38)

Praise be to Allah Who hath given me, in my old age, Ishmael and Isaac! Lo! my Lord is indeed the Hearer of Prayer. (39)

My Lord! Make me to establish proper worship, and some of my posterity (also); our Lord! and accept my prayer. (40)

Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents and believers on the day when the account is cast. (41)

SUMMARY OF THE TAFSEER, AND BACKGROUND OF THESE SUPPLICATIONS BY DR. FARHAT HASHMI

He leaves her and his infant son Ismail……………a son that had been born after long years of prayer and yearning. He leaves them in the arid desert with nothing but rocks and sand. He looks at the bag of dates and the water, and what he feels in his heart he does not bring to his lips.
She asks him, “why are you leaving me here?” she looks around the arid desert and the hard rocks spread all around her without any indication of human life.
His heart is full, he remains silent, and nothing must leave his lips that would seem like a complaint to the decree and command of Allah Subhanawataala.

“Is this a command from Allah?” She asks. He remains silent in assent. “Then He will take care of us,” she says in submission to her Lord.

After he leaves with a heavy heart he climbs to a nearby hill and duas flow out of his heart, admitting to his lord but not verbalizing the sadness, which he is hiding in his heart at the separation from his wife and his precious child.

He then sets an example for all generations to come by supplicating from his heart in all earnestness and humility, for the protection and benefit of his child, and family, for the place where he is leaving them to become a place of worship, and for it to flourish and always have the protection of Allah, and to give protection to him and his progeny from worshiping idols.

As the supplications leave his lips they disperse into the winds, and are forever available to the believer if he or she so wants to make his connection with their Lord. His prayer for his children, which he had in his old age, is prefaced with gratefulness to His Lord………….

This month the pilgrims will remember this remarkable sacrifice and struggle by walking and sometimes running in her footsteps as she had, looking for water for her infant son…….and will remember her struggle, her saee.

In this month of Hajj, five million Muslims will walk in the footsteps of one woman, a mother, a wife and a momin who even in the desolation of the desert did not give up hope and faith in Allah.She struggled to find water for her child.

She was resourceful, independent and brave and in complete obedience to Allah. A beacon of light for all women.

These were the beginnings of Mecca stemming from the obedience of Ibrahim AS and our mother Hajar (RA). It is his duas and her duas and struggle that today Mecca is what it is, a Center of worship for the Believers, and bustling with trade and commerce.

Some Practical Tips for Hajj ‘Mabroor’

GUEST ARTICLE

by Asma bint Shameem

Hajj is the ‘Ultimate’ journey. They say it is the journey of a lifetime. Yet I see so many people, brothers and sisters, confused, angry, frustrated or just simply ignorant. So here is a piece of sincere advice for all of my brothers and sisters going for Hajj this year.

1. Educate yourself before you go

This is the most important point. They say “Knowledge is Power.” And how true that is. I see people confused, not knowing what to do, looking left and right…bewildered. And in the end, they just follow what the rest of the crowd is doing without even knowing whether what they are doing is even from the Sharee’ah of Muhammad (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) or not!

Indeed, I know people who have gone and come back from Hajj, and yet they don’t know what kind of Hajj they performed, how many minimum days one is required to stay in Mina….in fact, they don’t even know that it takes seven rounds around the Kaa’bah to make one Tawaaf!

Going to Hajj without knowing the basics of how to perform Hajj and Umrah is like placing someone who doesn’t know how to offer Salah, in the middle of people praying in Jama’ah. He may follow their movements in ruku’ and sujood, but does he really know how to pray? Did such a prayer even count?

So study the rituals of Hajj before you go. Learn how to perform this magnificent journey closest to the Sunnah. Because the closer to the Sunnah it will be, the more acceptable it will be to Allaah, Subhaanahu wa Ta’ala. Know the various rulings about the Meeqaat, Ihraam, Tawaaf, staying in Mina, stoning the Jamaraat, visiting the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam)’s Masjid, etc. Educate yourself on the various common mistakes done by the pilgrim, so you can be aware of them and avoid them. And Insha Allaah, you will be able to perform your Hajj with confidence, according to the Sunnah, hoping for it to be accepted by Allaah.

2. Go with a prepared heart

Every year at Hajj, you see only two kinds of people. So for example, when stuck in traffic for 5 hours, you will see the first kind of people, sitting there calm and cool, with patience, wisely utilizing his time making dhikr of Allaah or reading Qur’aan….while the other kind of person will grumble and complain, fidget restlessly in his seat, cuss at the bus driver and waste his whole time fighting with whoever is sitting next to him.

Why is that? Because the first kind of person came with a prepared heart and the second one didn’t.

You see, Hajj is not only a journey of the body to the house of Allaah…it is also a journey of the heart and soul. And just as it is important to know the manners of performing Hajj, it is equally important to prepare yourself spiritually.

Remember, this is Hajj…. an act of Ibaadah….the fifth pillar of our Deen….something Allaah loves. So have khushoo’ in your Ibaadah….submit your heart and soul to Him, to the One Who has invited you to His Honorable House. Reflect on why you are here.

Have tawakkul in Him and complete faith. Be sure to know that He will take care of you. Be kind to His slaves, have patience and forbearance, take everything in stride and look for the positive in everything, even if it seems bleak.

So when the bus breaks down, its okay….it was the Will of Allaah that it happened. And when the guy next to you pushes you, or your shoes get stolen, forgive him.

And if your luggage gets lost for a day or two, be patient. And if you get stuck in traffic for 8 hours, remind yourself…whatever time Allaah has decreed for me to get there, I will get there, not a second before and not a second after.

3. Know Salatul Janazah

There is hardly any Fardh prayer in the Haram, that is not followed by the prayer for Janazah. And I see so many brothers and sisters who just sit there and not participate in this great act of worship, just because they don’t know how. The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said:

“Whoever attends the janaazah until he offers the prayer will have one qeeraat (of reward), and whoever attends until (the deceased) is buried will have two qeeraats.” It was said, “O Messenger of Allaah, what are the two qeeraats?” He said, “Like two great mountains,” meaning, of reward. (Saheeh – agreed upon).

And remember:

the reward of a prayer in al masjid al-Haraam is equal to 100,000 prayers anywhere else. [Tabarani]. So don’t miss out on this great opportunity to add to your good deeds.

4. Don’t get overwhelmed with the crowd

When you look at the large number of people there for Hajj, don’t get overwhelmed or bothered. Instead, raise your head up high, feel proud and thank Allaah. After all, all those people are none, but your own brothers and sisters in Islaam.

This is the Ummah of your beloved Prophet, Muhammad (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam). They are from you and you are from them. They are a part of you, just as much as you are a part of them. All of you are there for one and one purpose only….to worship One God, Allaah, Subhaanahu wa Ta’ala. So love them…and have mercy for them….and make dua for them.

5. Time is precious

Utilize your time to the MAX while in Makkah and Madeenah.

Do all your 5 prayers in the Masjid, no excuses allowed! When you pray in Masjid al-Haraam in Mecca, your salaah is multiplied by 100,000 times. Just imagine, if you’re there for about two weeks (14 days), and you pray all five prayers in the masjid, that’s equivalent in reward to praying more then 3800 years! Subhaan Allaah!

When you get to Mina, busy your self with making dua, dhikr, reading Qur’aan, etc. Your stay here is only a few precious days. You can’t waste it by talking, relaxing, doing nothing, as some people do.

And once in Arafah, this is THE day you were waiting for. This is what Hajj is all about.

The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said:

“Hajj IS Arafah.” (Abu Dawud)

Put in all you got during the day of Arafah. Take advantage of each hour, minute and second. Do not waste even a single moment. Make a dua list and do lots and lots of dua, for this is the day to make dua.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“The best of du’a is du’a on the day of ‘Arafah, and the best thing that I and the Prophets before me said is Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah (There is no god but Allaah alone with no partner or associate). (al-Tirmidhi, hasan by Albaani)

6. Hajj is not your annual vacation trip. It’s an act of Ibaadah

Some people forget that they are going for Hajj….they expect Mina to be a five star hotel and the whole journey about relaxation and luxury. So they complain about the food, they complain about the weather, they complain about the crowds, the bus, the beds, the bathrooms, the tents, the A/C in Mina, you name it. They complain about everything under the sun.

Remember this is Hajj…not a cruise or a vacation. Remember when not so long ago people traveled for months through dangerous terrain and rough weather to get to Hajj, not to mention the heat, diseases, thugs and other hardships of travel. They had to draw water from a well and walk to the bushes to relieve themselves. Look around you, what is there to complain?

Alhamdulillaah, you have flowing water from a tap and running bathrooms. And even if they are not as clean as they should be, at least they are there!  And you have hot food and air conditioned tents, a place to sleep and transportation from one place to another. So be patient and thank Allaah.

7. Don’t just say it…. mean it

When you recite the Talbiyah, don’t just say it like a parrot, without knowing what it means and what it implies. Think about the greatness of these words and an even greater Greatness of the One you are saying these words to. You are saying Labbaik, Allaahumma Labbaik….

What do these words imply?

Oh Allaah I am here….here to serve You, here to obey You, here to submit my life, my wants, my desires only to You. I am ready for change. Oh Allaah, I love you and I worship no one but you. So forgive me and guide me.

This is the implication behind these words. So say these words from the heart….mean what you say…and let a tear roll from your eyes when you say it.

And that goes for all the duas that you will recite.

8. Be nice

Obviously, everybody wants their Hajj To be ‘Mabroor’ (accepted)…because the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said:

“…There is no reward for Hajj mabroor except Paradise.” (Al-Bukhaari)

They said: “What makes Hajj mabroor, Messenger of Allah?” He said, “Providing food to people and spreading (the greeting of) salaam.” (Fath al-Bari, 4/446)

Thus we see that being kind to the people, being generous and considerate, serving and helping them is the KEY to having your Hajj accepted.

*       So go ahead and help that old lady with her luggage,

*       and the older brother across the street.

*       Move over to make room in the ’saff’ for your fellow Muslim so that they too can find a place to pray.

*       Distribute candy among the children,

*       pass out glasses of Zam Zam,

*       smile at everyone and say salaam to those you know and those you don’t.

In other words, just keep you eyes and ears open for every opportunity to do good and jump at any chance you get to spread khair, all this for the sake of pleasing Allaah Alone and Insha Allaah your Hajj will be mabroor.

May Allah accept all the Hajj of all the brothers and sisters, and teach the coming Hujjaj how to best prepare and earn a Hajj Mabroor. Ameen.

MY NOTE: Please give sadaqa before and after each prayer. You can give this to the workers at the Haram or the hotel cleaning crew or street cleaning crew ( They do not make much money and some just work in the Haram for the honor of washing the haram)  or you can give to people on the street who are needy. But Do Give!

EVALUATING YOUR PREPARATION FOR HAJJ

courtesy amazon islam pictures

1. EVALUATE WHERE YOU ARE NOW:

• WHAT IS THE STATE OF YOUR IMAAN?
• WHAT IS THE QUALITY OF YOUR SALAH?
• WHAT IS THE ACCURACY OF YOUR WUDU AND SALAH?
• WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS FOR GOING TO HAJJ?
• WHAT IS THE DEGREE OF YOUR DESIRE FOR HAJJ E MABROOR?

II            EVALUATE YOUR DESIRES:

• WHAT DO YOU WORRY ABOUT LEAVING BEHIND?
• WHAT BODILY DISCOMFORTS DO YOUR WORRY ABOUT?
• WHAT OTHER THINGS DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR PLAN WITH HAJJ?
• HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO CHANGE?

III            EVALUATE YOUR SPIRITUAL PREPARATION

• HOW OFTEN ARE YOU RECITING THE QURAN?
• ARE YOU READING THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET?
• HAVE YOU READ YOUR HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF MECCA AND MEDINA AND WHAT HAPPENED WHERE?
• HAVE YOU SUBMITTED YOUR SPIRIT TO ALLAH AND ENTREATED HIM TO INVITE YOU FOR HAJJ?
• HAVE YOU READ THE DESCRIPTION OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S HAJJ AND LAST SPEECH AT ARAFAH?

IV            EVALUATE YOUR PHYSICAL PREPARATION

• ARE YOU EXERCISING YOUR BODY TO BUILD STAMINA FOR IBADAH?
• ARE YOU EXERCISING YOUR MUJAHIDA TO CONTROL YOUR NAFS (LESS EATING, LESS SLEEPING, LESS TALKING, LESS SOCIALIZING)
• ARE YOU DOING ANY NAFIL FASTS ON MONDAY AND/OR THURSDAYS TO BUILD YOUR INNER SPIRITUALITY AND CONTROL YOUR NAFS
• HAVE YOU PRACTICED TO FOCUS ON PRAYER AND RECITATION WHILE IN A NOISY ATMOSPHERE?

V            EVALUATE YOUR EDUCATIONAL PREPARATION

*            HAVE YOU STUDIED AND IMPROVED ON YOUR NAMAAZ E NABVI?

*            HAVE YOU LEARNED TO PRAY NAMAZ E JANAZAH?

*            DO YOU KNOW HOW TO PRAY NAMAZ E TASBEEH (OPTIONAL)

*            HAVE YOU MEMORIZED EXTRA SURAHS TO RECITE IN PRAYER IN THE HARAMAIN?

*            DO YOU KNOW HOW TO PRAY QAZA E UMARI?

*         HAVE YOU FAMILIARIZED YOURSELF WITH THE MANASAK OF THE HAJJ?

*            DO YOU KNOW WHAT INVALIDATES THE HAJJ?

*            DO YOU KNOW WHAT MANASAK CAN BE MADE UP AND WHICH CANNOT?

*            HAVE YOU MADE A LIST OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ASKED YOU TO PRAY FOR THEM

*            HAVE YOU MADE A LIST OF WHAT YOU WANT TO PRAY FOR?

*      DO YOU KNOW THE THIRD KALIMA, RABBANA ATAIYNA FID DUNYA AND THE DUA FOR SAFA AND MARWAH?

*            ARE YOU MEMORIZING A NEW DUA EACH DAY THAT YOU WANT TO ASK ALLAH FOR (MASNOON OR FROM THE QURAN?)

• ARE YOU PRACTICING PATIENCE NOW?
• ARE YOU PRACTICING WEARING HIJAB AND PROPER CLOTHES FOR PRAYER?
• ARE YOU PRACTICING PRAYING EACH PRAYER ON TIME?
• ARE YOU PRACTICING SPENDING TIME IN RECITATION OF THE QURAN AND/OR HADITH?

VI            EVALUATE YOUR LOGISTICAL PREPARATION

• DO YOU HAVE COMFORTABLE, WASHABLE CLOTHES THAT DO NOT REQUIRE EXTRA CARE AND WHICH COVER THE AWRAH?
• DO YOU HAVE TOILETRIES WITH NO FRAGRANCE?
• DO YOU HAVE A SLEEPING BAG FOR ARAFAH AND MUZDALIFA?
• DO YOU HAVE A SMALL SEPARATE BAG FOR MINA?
• DO YOU HAVE A SMALL BACK BAG FOR SHOES, OR READING MATERIAL AND A WATER BOTTLE, WHILE IN TAWAF OR SAAII?
• HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THE MAP OF THE LAYOUT OF THE KAABA AND KNOW THE NAMES OF THE DOORS?
• DO YOU HAVE A LIST (FOR YOURSELF AND GIFTS) OF WHAT YOU WANT TO BUY AT HAJJ?
• DO YOU HAVE A COPY OF YOUR PASSPORT AND DOCUMENTS IN A PLASTIC BAG OR COVER TO TAKE WITH YOU?
• DO YOU KNOW THE CONVERSION RATE FROM DOLLARS TO SAUDI RIYAL?
• HAVE YOU DISCUSSED WITH YOUR MAHRAM, YOUR EXPECTATIONS AND HIS?
• HAVE YOU SHARED YOUR PREPARATIONS WITH HIM?
• HAVE YOU MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PEOPLE YOU ARE LEAVING BEHIND?
• DO YOU HAVE A WILL?
• DO YOUR CHILDREN HAVE GUARDIANS IN EVENT OF AN UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCE
• HAVE YOU MADE A LIST OF PEOPLE YOU NEED TO APPROACH TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS OR GIVE FORGIVENESS?
• HAVE YOU PAID YOUR DEBTS THAT ARE DUE?
• WHO IS YOUR BUDDY WHILE IN THE HARAM (IT IS NOT POSSIBLE MOST OF THE TIME FOR YOUR MAHRAM TO BE YOUR BUDDY AS THE MEN AND WOMEN ARE SEPARATED AFTER TAWAF AND SOMETIMES IN TAWAF.

Inshallah you will do well, even if you are not perfectly prepared, but try and be as prepared as possible, then Hajj becomes the true spiritual journey you have imagined it to be!

Manic Screaming…………..

We should make all spiritual talk simple today
God is trying to sell you something but you don’t want to buy

That is what your suffering is:
your fantastic haggling
your manic screaming
over
price.

–Hafiz

The Direction……….

H

He has afflicted you from every direction

in order to pull you back to the Directionless.

Rumi

has afflicted you from every direction in order to pull you back to the DirecHe has afflicted you from every direction in order to pull you back to the Directionless. tionless.

ITEMS FOR HAJJ

Suggested list of items for Hajj, compiled from several folks experience:

ITEMS FOR HAJJ

•    Umbrellas (small enough to fit into the carrying bag during Hajj days)
•    Sleeping bag / person  (small to fit in carrying bag for Mina, especially to be used at Muzdallifah)
•    Towel / person
•    Fragrance Free = Shampoo, Conditioner, Soap, Lotion, Deodorant, Sun block, TOOTHPASTE, Baby Wipes (Shampoo & Conditioner can be ordered from Publix Pharmacy, Soap/Lotion/Deodorant – Dove makes them, Sun block – Neutrogena)
•    Sunglasses
•    Slipper socks to be worn in Haram (men can wear them as well except during Ihram)
•    Granola bars or some dry health bars for fast meals and during long bus rides
•    Safety Pins
•    Flashlights
•    Small carrying bag / person (for Mina)
•    Comfortable shoes/sandals
•    Comfortable clothes
•    Abayas/Long sleeve outfits for ladies
•    Ihrams for men
•    A unique looking shoe bag to be used to store sandals in Haram (unique looking so others don’t confuse it w/ theirs easily)
•    Special Ihram Belt for men (Also has pockets for money, special documents)  A money belt from the US serves the same purpose (personal preference)
•    Carry a water bottle w/ you at all times (Drinking water bottles available everywhere in Saudi)
•    Warm clothes for Medina mornings
•    A washcloth to soak with water to use on face and neck while doing tawaf in the heat
•    Shaving head for men = Remember to ask for a clean blade
•    Laundry can be done at local Laundromats

janaza in the Haram

•    Should know how to pray Salat-ul-Janaza
•    Street vendor foods should be avoided (for safety)
•    Extra luggage can be bought very easily from there
•    Medications = Tylenol, Pepto Bismol, Antibiotics (ZPak, easy since fewer pills, Bandages, Neosporin
•    You can make a dua list (since everyone will have a special request and you will forget some of them – I even carried that during the Hajj days to make sure to remember all of them)
•    Meningitis shot, Malaria Pills, Tetanus booster– MAKE SURE TO TAKE THE MENINGITIS SHOT EARLY TO GET A CERTIFICATE.
•    LOTS OF PATIENCE

I CAN’T BELIEVE IT I AM GOING BACK……..

I am going back…………..I can’t believe I am going back. I don’t even want to analyze why there is a spring in my heart. I am going back to innocence, unsullied by the crowds, in the bazaar, untouched by time.

I am going back, to lay my head down on the cool marble, walk till the tiles narrow telling me that I have completed my circle. My heart facing His house, I walk, slow, I walk fast, the timelessness in the circle only interrupted by the adhaan, calling the tawafees to prayer…………..

This is a package deal, thus I am going back to the storyteller, who comes each evening after the maghrib prayer and weaves a web of unreality and you find yourself drawn into it, bit by bit sipping the sweet mint tea, knowing from some remote part of your brain that this will soon be lost, some first world country will bomb it and blow all history to smithereens…………and with another sip of the mint tea you lay down your fears and submit………….

Submit to Him around whose House I am circambulating, has he admitted me in? Not yet I know, there is a lot to be cleansed around my heart, and with every circle a little more crud falls off my heart.

I am walking the uneven cobbled streets………….I am back, the history of the street pulls at me, the innocence of it roots me there, I am free, I am safe, I am protected and I am loved, how strange………..a foreign city where I only know few souls, and yet I feel I have been here and I want to belong here.

I am going back and entering the coolness of the Roza, there is no peace here. Women are wrestling to pray on the carpet that signifies the Riaz al Jannah………how we women sometimes take things literally: RasoolAllah pbuh has said, and I paraphrase: the space between my home and my minbar is a piece of jannah………..what did he mean? I and a million other women take it literally, we find ourselves feverishly wrestling for our little spot in Riaz al Jannah………

I rationalize to my self that he pbuh meant that He or she who prays behind me or where I prayed will get a piece of the action in Jannah.

No matter what rationalization I put on these words of RasoolAllah pbuh, they flee my mind as my steps hurry towards the Roza, seeking the piece of earth between his house and His minbar to pray.

I dive into the sea of women, some 7 ft tall from Somalia some 4 feet tall from India and then women of all manner and sizes in between are like an ocean of bodies wrestling for a small rectangle.

I often think in retrospect that it truly represents us in the Akirah where we will be struggling to get our book of deeds in our right hand………..and no one will care about another……….I am pulled to the spot like a magnet, and despite all the rationalization and that I should be acting with Rasool Allah’s Ikhlaaq, it draws me with a gnawing desire to in some way find a shortcut to jannah and propels me into this crowd of bodies.

Swimming feverishly trying to make my two rakats of succor for my ticket to jannah.  I find myself moving forward with a determination unparrelleled to anything I have ever done before, towards the rectangle between his house and his minbar with the sole purpose of making two rakat on it………and nothing can stop me at that time.

I am walking the streets, of the souk and one turn and I enter the domed building where Saladin lies buried and I pause, how often and with what anguish Muslims have called upon Allah Subhanawataala to send us a Saladin, a Saladin that will wrest Jerusalem from the killing fields and with his generous spirit of Ehsaan seed the olive trees that have been wrenched out of the ground by caterpillar tractors and rejuvenate the spirit of justice, mercy and ehsaan.

………And yet as I see his grave covered with a green cloth with the verse of the throne written on it, I wonder, even he with all his glory and magnificence lies in the same amount of space that I would take to lie in. He an amazing person and a brave warrior, and I just Jane Doe.

I am going back………….. What will I do there I do not know yet…………but it really does not matter for I feel the music start in my soul and my spirit is on its journey upwards and towards His House………..

I am on the caravan from Shaam to Mecca, like all the pilgrims in history.

WHAT IS THE PRE REQUISITE FOR ENTERING MECCA AND THE KAABA……9:28

يَـأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِنَّمَا ٱلمُشرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ فَلَا يَقرَبُواْ ٱلمَسجِدَ ٱلحَرَامَ بَعدَ عَامِهِم هَـذَا وَإِن خِفتُم عَيلَةً فَسَوفَ يُغنِيكُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضلِهِ إِن شَآءَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ حَيمٌ (٢٨

English translation (Quran Explorer):  O ye who believe! The idolaters only are unclean. So let them not come near the Inviolable Place of Worship after this their year. If ye fear poverty (from the loss of their merchandise) Allah shall preserve you of His bounty if He will. Lo! Allah is Knower, Wise.

9:28 translation by YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! Truly the Pagans are unclean; so let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque. And if ye fear poverty, soon will Allah enrich you, if He wills, out of His bounty, for Allah is All-knowing, All-wise.

Tafseer by FH:Tawbah 9:28:

In these ayahs as was also noted in the declaration of “Al Barah” in the beginning of Surah Tawbah, Allah Subhanawataala states that after this Hajj and Ummrah of the 9th Hijri mushriks (those who worship other deities than God) are Najas i.e. impure, inside and outside.

Thus they were forbidden from the Kaaba, and Mecca and both these places were designated a place of worship for people who declared the Unity of God and declared Prophet Muhammad to be the Rasool and servant of Allah.

Thus people purified in mind and body were given permission to live and worship in Mecca, all Mushriqs whose who deny Tawheed and that Muhammad PBUH is God s Rassool could no longer enter the precincts of Mecca and the Kaaba.

Badshahi Mosque, Lahore Pakistan

Does this order extend to all mosques? And the answer is no.

what is the proof of this?:

The proof that non-Muslims are allowed in general mosques is evident by the Sunnah, i.e. the actions of Prophet Muhammad PBUH. He allowed non-Muslims including mushriqeen in the mosques for a purpose.

The most famous episode is about the famous chieftain of the Arabs, who had killed many sahabas and was captured and kept in the mosque for three days. He was treated well by Prophet Muhammad and each day was given the invitation to Islam and he declined, he was then released, he went to a nearby oasis, bathed, cleansed himself and came back and declared shahada and embraced Islam publicly to the chagrin of the non-believers.

Often Non Muslims would come to Rasool Allah to ask questions about the Deen and these meetings were held in the mosque.

DO YOU DO DAWAH WITH NON MUSLIMS IN THE MASJID?

PILGRIMAGE AND THE STATION OF IBRAHIM 3:96-97

Surah Al Imran 003.096
YUSUFALI: The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakka: Full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings:

003.097
YUSUFALI: In it are Signs Manifest; (for example), the Station of Abraham; whoever enters it attains security; Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah,- those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of His creatures.

Commentary: A formal pilgrimage to His (Subhanawataa’la’s) House is both a personal and social step towards realizing Allah’s presence both in this world and beyond. All worship is acts of yearning and dedication to the One Lord.

Excerpted from The Quranic Prescription for Life

AFTER TARAWEH………….

After Taraweh………I would flow out of the Haram with all the other worshippers in search of food and shower, or just food. Going up the escalator to find food, I look down at the crowd milling in the “sehen” of the Haram.

I am hundreds of miles away this Ramadan but even now as I close my eyes I feel the empowering energy in my veins that I felt after Taraweh in the Haram, with Sheikh Jouhanis, resonant but soulful voice calling……..”ya ayohan naas……..” resounding in my memory again and again and again……….calling me!

Ya Allah invite me again……soon!

His soulful voice warning us with Surah Haqq and yet the hope in his voice has undertones that Allah Subhanawataala will forgive all those who stand in front of Him today as they will not dare to disobey Him after standing in His house and repeating His words, such that they resound off the remote hills and come back to embed into our hearts and souls forever…………….

And then comes your private moment with the Dua Qunut………the words and tears flow from Sheikh Sudais, but the words rise from you to Him………….