Umrah: A Pilgrim's Personal Reflection
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful
Umrah: And the Call of ALLAH — We Obeyed
In life, the most important thing to me is stability.
What Umrah and Hajj does is that it is a means of worship of ALLAH which makes you sacrifice your stability and comfort.
It looks like delayed flight.
Applying for Visa.
Booking hotel.
It also looks like the cleaners of the Haram shouting “gumi gumi” on top of your head.
Dey say make you excuse them say dem wan clean up.
Speaking about the cleaning system of the Haramain, their cleaning efficiency is extremely commendable, ALLALHu Akbarrr.
From the Masjid Nabawi to the Masjid l Haram.
And I've never seen their exact system anywhere else on earth.
For example, the people walking with plastic bins between rows at all times.
In their teal uniform and white Hijab at the Masjid l Haram.
And inside the Masjid Nabawi you'll find them in brown coat.
All of their uniforms complete with Niqab among women and among men, you'll find them in brown uniform.
Those are the people who ensure the cleanliness of the house of ALLAH.
May Almighty ALLAH reward them and those who designed the cleaning system and those who hire them.
Then we have the men who drive cleaning carts on the area where people make tawaf as people are making tawaf.
The Zamzam squad too are not to be left out
The people who barricade and remove the barricades too.
It's a system truly unique to the place.
Of course, there isn't anywhere on earth like that.
A place where people of all tongues gather, doing exactly the same thing at the same time.
A place that is permanently busy.
A place where people never stop moving.
Except at the time of Salah. Whenever I hear Iqamah, everyone who's doing Tawaf stops moving. So therefore, Tawaf only stops for Salah.
It is so interesting for me to realise that the people praying on the mataf (the area of Tawaf) must be praying ahead of the Imaam. Because actually, the Imaam is usually somewhere inside the Masjid-l-Haram.
Now let's paint a picture. We have the Kaaba 🕋. Nobody prays inside the Kaaba on a normal day. We all pray towards the Kaaba. I.e, we turn our faces towards the direction Kaaba during every Salah.
So therefore, even if you're in front of the Kaaba, you won't pray inside the Kaaba, you'll pray inside the Masjid that is built around the Kaaba. The Masjid is circular from the inside. However, from the outside, it looks like a normal building. Its colour is ash from outside. However, inside, the colour is golden brown and some parts are white. This is the Masjid that is built around the Kaaba, this Masjid that you'll get 100,000 rewards if you pray inside of it. It is called the Masjid-l-Haram — that is, the Masjid build around the Kaaba.
Watch this 13 seconds video to get what I'm saying.
Now, here's the interesting part. The Imaam that leads the prayer is somewhere inside the Masjid-l-Haram (under the circular building). He's not on the Mataf (the area where people make Tawaf). It is just interesting to me that the Imaam would actually be standing behind the people who are on the Mataf (the area where people are making the tawaf) to lead the prayer.
Actually, sometimes, the Imam goes as close as possible to the Kaaba to lead the prayer. However, I think when the weather is severe, he stays under the building inside the Masjid-l-Haram.
This is the time when the congregation on the mataf will be praying ahead of him.
Actually, another fun fact is that, there are some areas inside the Mataf that are not used for Tawaf. Rather they are barricaded and made available for people who want to pray. The golden barricades are permanent. However, the plastic barricades are very elastic. I.e, they can move them around to make the area very big or very small. Inside the video, I stood on the Mataf and I'm not doing Tawaf at all. You can actually see that the Mataf isn't completely occupied by the people making Tawaf, this is because they made barricade to allow people who want to sit and pray to sit and pray.
The Masjid-l-Haram area is actually extremely huge. Even if your hotel is very far away from the Kaaba, you're still most likely inside the Haram. The only difference is that you may not be able to see the Kaaba from your hotel.
Talking about the structure of the Masjid-l-Haram, it has four levels. Where I'm standing on is the basement. Then what's above it is the ground floor. What's above it is the first floor, and What's above that is the roof.
Inside that 13 seconds video, they actually named several parts of all those golden/brown pillars that you're seeing. We have the Fath gate, the Umrah gate, etc.
So all praises belong to Almighty ALLAH who has chosen the designers, engineers, and policymakers who built the highest Masjid on earth.
We face the Kaaba. And it was built by the Prophet Ibrahim (May the peace of ALLAH be upon him).
However, the Masjid-l-Haram is around the Kaaba.
The Masjid-l-Haram is truly unique.
It is place where you'll see such a population of people gathered in one place at all times.
Even if you come from one of the most populous nation on earth,
You'll still see a population so huge in one place, you've never seen anything like that.
Certainly, the pictures and videos are not capable of doing justice to the enormity of the size of people present. You have to be there to actually get it.
The truth is, the many plastic barricades (and the few golden barricades) that they use to control population helps to paint a picture of few people in images and videos. However, when you're actually there, live, on ground, trying to find a spot, you'll come to know how enormous the flow of people truly is. People are everywhere like rain drops.
The empty area that you see inside the video is the area where people aren't allowed yet.
Do not let that video confuse you. The population is actually huge.
And such is the promise of ALLAH to the Prophet Ibrahim, Alayhi salaam.
For a more thorough look at the Masjid-l-Haram, watch this video by Sh. Abu Esa.
So let's so a quick recap. There are two Mosques involved. The Kaaba and the Masjid-l-Haram. So far I've been speaking about the Masjid-l-Haram, now let's talk about the Kaaba.
The Black Coat with golden stripes 🕋
Another striking factor that videos and pictures are incapable of fully capturing is the greatness and the beauty of the black coat that the Kaaba is covered in.
SubhanaLLAH, at a close range, that coat is absolutely striking, outstandingly beautiful, and intricately detailed. The beauty is simply surprising. So all praises belong to ALLAH who has perfected the beauty of all that HE has created. To the artists that Almighty ALLAH chose to weave the coat of the Kaaba, saluuuuteeee!!!!! To everyone in the Saudi budgeting and policy department that made the project possible, I give an even greater salute. May Almighty ALLAH continue to guide you into making the best decisions at every level of government. And may peace be upon all believing policy makers, those who are dead and alive.
Definitely, the Masjid-l-Haram is truly magnificent. With the choice of its black colour, Almighty ALLAH has made it outstanding.
So may Almighty ALLAH invite you to HIS Highest house on earth soon so that you can truly witness the population of worshippers at a close range.
And that's when you'll testify that Masjid L Haram is a truly spiritual place.
The place where there was no human until Almighty ALLAH sent Hajar to dwell.
she and her son, from the family of Prophet Ibrahim (Alayhi salaam) are the first dwellers of this chosen land.
, Almighty ALLAH accepted the prayers of the Prophet Ibrahim (may ALLAH increase him in peace) and this land, HE (The Most High) strengthened with wealth
And every part of the developed Haram, they cut into different sections/pockets with its own gates.
And inside each gate, they form tiny sections with a chain of golden shelves where they keep the Qur'an of different sizes. And each section comes with its own cleaning staff and security management.
You'll find truly efficient systems at the Haram. From the dispensers that are dispensing disposable plastics for you to keep your shoes in so that you can carry it with you. To the barricades and multi floor toilets that are many.
A place so efficient that if you left your bag inside a section of the Masjid and they closed the tiny gates of golden shelves before you return from ablution or tawaf, they won't allow you to return to that gate (until the prayer is done) even if your international passport is inside that bag.
So my advice: carry your bag everywhere.
If you lose your international passport you'll go through a fitnah so great, you'll know that the weight of your bag is nothing.
If you lose anything, the staff are so focused such that it is impossible for them to be nice to you. They simply can't afford to be nice to you.
Not the security.
Not the cleaners.
Not the people at the lost and found office.
Niceness isn't possible with the amount of population that's moving all over the place at all times.
You might have crossed two oceans — nobody cares, truly.
It isn't wickedness. They just can't afford to be nice. They have to be firm. If you have their job, you'll also be firm. There's no other option so turn to ALLAH and pray if you lose anything.
You're in HIS house, HIS highest house on earth and you'll find HIM directing your path divinely until you find your property exactly where you kept it.
And you'll understand the ruling of “do not pick anything up that you found lost in the Haram”
You've crossed the oceans and you've left your comfort, not for anyone, not because you enjoy travelling, not because you appreciate being among huge population of people.
Not because you enjoy the security people of the airport running their hands all over your body.
But simply because you're here to answer HIS call which no one who has been called can refuse.
So all praises belong to ALLAH, the One who perfects the timing of HIS call.
The One who sends nice people to you.
And the one who covers you and takes care of you in this journey of worship.
Verily, journey in itself is a fitnah and such did the Prophet ﷺ teach.
And if you don't speak Arabic and you lose anything, stop where you are, make Nafilah and you'll find The Almighty ALLAH helping.
The staff here only speak Arabic. If you speak three languages and Arabic isn't one of them. Go and learn, even if it's a little.
Otherwise, you'll truly be impressed with the reality that they only truly speak Arabic.
Again, they can't afford to be nice.
It's just not possible.
Not possible.
And truly, the level of not-nice is something shocking but this is part of worship and all praises belong to ALLAH for the privilege of being called.
There are too many people moving at all time.
So all praises belong to ALLAH who has made from pilgrims those who make space for others in a place where everyone is competing for space.
And may Almighty ALLAH make way for pilgrims who abandon their routes and tiredness and change their paths to show you the way.
May Almighty ALLAH accept it from the pilgrims who distribute food and drink among fellow pilgrims in the place where everyone is seated for worship.
And may Almighty ALLAH bless those rare workers in the Haramain who respond with mercy and kindness despite how overwhelming it is to be in charge of such a population.
To the kind ones,
May Almighty ALLAH make a way for you where there seems to be no way.
May HE opens doors that you had no one can close.
Despite the language barrier, those of you who show kindness, may Almighty ALLAH show kindness to you on a day where there will be no kindness except HIS.
May HE answer your prayers better than you'll be ever able to articulate.
Your kindness is highly celebrated and even later your faces and mercy are remembered and prayers are still sent your way.
Thank you!
To the kind pilgrims, those who make way for others. May Almighty ALLAH make ways for you in this life and especially in the hereafter. May you dwell in the highest part of paradise.
Again, to the kind workers, JazakumuLLAHU Khayran.
So pilgrims, don't lose your purse.
Don't lose your bags.
And most especially, don't ask from anyone immediately.
Because the pain of being treated in the way you're treated can be deeper than the pain of whatever is lost.
Ask from ALLAH and YOU will find HIM sufficient.
Again, don't drop your bags, not to go to the toilet, not to make tawaf. Carry it wherever you are going.
Please do not copy what anyone is doing.
If you see people leave their bags and returning to it safely.
Don't do it. Don't copy people.
You might not truly grasp how truly huge the honoured place is until you lose something.
And may Almighty ALLAH forgive us and accept our struggles in HIS path.
Certainly, the struggle is worship.
If you expect deep moments of connection whilst you're there, may Almighty ALLAH bestow it on you.
However, know that struggling in the path of ALLAH is the primary assignment and trying to move among a sea of people is the real struggle.
So in the great hustle and bustle and the intense sun, try to find a moment of connection and if your tired body and overwhelmed mind can't make the duaa that you intend to make as deeply as you intend to then know that Al-Wahab, The One who bestows even before HE is asked.
Don't worry too much about the quality of your Duaa.
Because the truth is you might not be able to make high quality duaa even if you're prepared.
Trust The One who bestowed the miracle of being brought to the land that HE established through Um Ismail (May ALLAH increase her in peace) and the Zamzam water that HE brought into being from the feet of The Prophet Ismail (Alayhi salaam).
Trust The Lord who gave her what she can't even aspire to ask for. Trust HIM to answer all of your duaas in ways more miraculous than you can ever put them.
Trust The One who raised the walls of the Kaaba from the hands of the Prophet Ibrahim (Alayhi salaam) and His son, the great ancestor of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
About the people who sent you to make duaa for them, you might not be able to ask as deeply as you planned because you will be tired and that tiredness is the worship. So trust Almighty ALLAH to accept your tired duaa even if you feel that they're not high-quality.
Also, don't forget to buy gifts for the people you left at home before you travel back home.
**This **isn't a journey of relaxation.
This is a journey of worship.
So glorify the praises of ALLAH if HE hasn't equipped you to travel yet.
It's not only about the journey. It's about the fact that after the journey, there's a ritual so demanding that your menstrual cycle might start before its due date.
You might have heard about walking between the Safa and Marwa all of your life.
This is the place where you'll actually feel it and you'll come to know that theory is far different from practical.
So may peace be upon the ancestral Mother of the Prophet ﷺ, Hajar.
Therefore if Almighty ALLAH hasn't equipped you to make this journey then glorify HIS praises.
For the lack of capacity you have is a form of mercy. And trust the perfection of HIS timing. Because this isn't an easy one.
And trust Almighty ALLAH to make your exhaustion bearable.
As you're heading home, trust Him to meet your home better than you left it.
And if you're the one who make rules where you come from, this is the place where you'll follow rules.
You might even have to suffer and change hotel rooms because, for some reasons, some hotels will give you a room where something isn't working or where the entire room smells. So may ALLAH have mercy on those who have mercy on the tired body of pilgrims. May Almighty ALLAH ease the affairs of those who ease the affairs of pilgrims who have swollen feet from the stress of travelling.
May Almighty ALLAH provide familiar food abundantly for those who provide generously for pilgrims who have to consume strange food in a strange land in a very very very intense weather.
The weather. The travel. The strangeness. It is all part of worship
This is where everyone comes to humble themselves before The Owner of the World. The Lord of all that exists.
So if you're refusing to make the journey while you're capable of doing it then know that this is a journey of obligation and whether you like it or not, Hajj is a pillar from the pillars of Islams and regardless of how scary sacrificing your comfort is, the hell-fire is more scary. Just like we're obligated to come out to worship Almighty ALLAH on the day of Eid. It is also obligatory to make the journey of Hajj for ALLAH.
This is a journey of obligation for whoever is capable. This is an outing you do for ALLAH. So why do you refuse the call of your Maker? Most of you have no problems to travel and find a spouse. You can undergo any travel to search for more money. However, when Almighty ALLAH says travel for ME. You suddenly have 13 pages of excuses ready. What exactly is your problem?!
Verily, there's no other place on earth where you can worship Almighty ALLAH by making tawaf except the Masjid L Haram.
Certainly, the Kaaba is the highest house of ALLAH on earth. And above it, we have the throne of ALLAH on the shoulders of angels above the seventh heavens. And at every period, there are angels making the tawaf of the throne of ALLAH. 70,000 after 70,000 and no angel makes the tawaf of the throne of ALLAH twice. A new set of 70,000 after a new set of 70,000.
Again do not refuse to worship ALLAH. When you refuse to do Hajj, you've refused to worship ALLAH by sacrificing your comfort. It doesn't matter how difficult the journey is for you it can never be as difficult as it was of Um Ismail (salamuLLAHi alayha), the one whom Almighty ALLAH used to establish this city along with her baby, the great Prophet Ismail (Alayhi salaam). And it was through the hands of her husband and son that Almighty ALLAH raised the walls of the Kaaba. When the Arabs saw the Zamzam water that Almighty ALLAH has caused to come from the feet of the Prophet Ismail (May the peace of ALLAH be upon Him), they sought permission from Hajar (May the peace of ALLAH be upon Her) to dwell with her. And this is from the excellence of their character and in Madinah, you can still feel their excellence. She gave them permission but with self-preservation. And thus, through the family of the Prophet Ibrahim (Alayhi salaam), Almighty ALLAH established the highest city on earth. So glad tidings to everyone who remained on the path of the friend of ALLAH, our father, The Prophet, Ibrahim (Alayhi salaam).
By the way, a little Tawaf tip
The Yemeni corner and the black stone corner both have golden stripes. It is only the Iraqi corner and the Shami corner that are black and left alone. We all know that you're to start Tawaf by kissing the black stone and saying “BismiLLAH ALLAHu Akbar” but we all know that most people aren't going to be able to kiss the black stone at all due to the huge population . So at the end of the day, most of us start Tawaf by raising our hands towards the black stone and saying BismiLLAH ALLAHu Akbar only. Then after the initial BismiLLAH ALLAHu Akbar, every time we come across the black stone again, we're going to say: ALLAHu Akbar. So here's my tip.
I noticed that a lot of people are raising their hands at the Yemeni corner and mistaken the Yemeni corner for the Black stone corner.
Listen, the golden stripe of the Yemeni corner is in a straight line. The Sunnah is to touch the Yemeni corner and the Black stone corner. However, most of us aren't going to be able to reach the Yemeni corner. What most people do is that they raise their hands and point to the Yemeni corner. This isn't allowed. If you can't reach the Yemeni corner, don't raise your hands. Simply say: “Rabbana atina fi duniya hasanatan wa fil akhirati Hasanatan wa qina hadha ba Nar” between the Yemeni corner and the black stone corner (that is what the Prophet ﷺ taught us).
Of course, there's the green light that indicates the beginning of the Tawaf, but you have to turn away from the Tawaf area to look at the walls of the mosque of that they built around the Kaaba to see the green light (and given the amount of people shoving one another at the mataf (the area of tawaf), most people aren't going to see the green light, so here's my tip: if you don't want to confuse the Yemeni corner with the black stone corner: Simply observe the stripes, the stripes and golden texts written on the Yemeni corner is in a straight line. However, the texts written on the black stone corner are round. All the way from the beginning till the end and the only thing they wrote in each round is “ALLAHu Akbar”. Of course, it is written in Arabic.
So when you see a straight line of text, that is the Yemeni corner, simply start saying what the Prophet ﷺ used to say: “Rabana atina fi duniya hasanatan wa fil akhirati Hasanatan wa qina hadha ba bar” “Our Lord, grant us the goodness of this life and the next and protect us from the calamity of hell-fire” until you reach the black stone where you can say: ALLAHu Akbar.
And also you can wear a little counter on your finger to track the numbers of rounds you've made because as you can make mistakes in the numbers of rakah you've observed during Salah, you can also make mistakes in the numbers of rounds you've completed during Tawaf.
If I were to advice the government of Saudi Arabia, I'll tell them to put a green light on the Kaaba itself (on the black stone corner), so that it'll stand out from the Yemeni corner
Verily the people who came before us suffered a journey more difficult than we can ever comprehend
However, there were no huge amount of people at their time. That's why they uncover their faces during tawaf. They only lift their niqab and lower it to cover their faces whenever men pass by them.
Normally, I have a strong desire and urge to uncover my face for ALLAH during tawaf. However, the only reason why I have my face covered at all times (with the Niqab) is because there are now men and cameras everywhere.
It has been said that you should cover your face with something other than the Niqab. Well, what was actually practiced at the time of the Prophet ﷺ is that the face is completely open during tawaf. It was only covered when men are about to pass by. We can no longer do this. So what's the point of this ruling of “wear an inconvenient Niqab instead”.
To me, this ruling of “find something inconvenient to cover your face when you're about to worship ALLAH alongside a sea of people during an act of worship that involves a lot of movement” is completely pointless.
In Salah, it is required to open your face and hands before you stand before ALLAH. At home, we always open our face for ALLAH. However when we are praying outside in open places (e.g during Eid), we pray Salah covering our faces. Not because of rebellion to ALLAH but because of the circumstances involved.
The practice at the time of the Prophet ﷺ is to open the faces and cover it only when men are about to pass by.
That isn't possible anymore. So why are we supposed to be punished by going through another learning curve to learn the complexities of covering our faces in a way that the clothes won't touch our faces. What is this?
Even the normal niqab that we wear and tie in our day-to-day life has a learning curve. So you're telling me that I have to learn how to wear something way more complex than the Niqab. Something less secure than the Niqab. Something less convenient than the Niqab during an act of worship that is extremely physical.
How did they even come with this ruling? I need answers. Imagine if someone said you have to cover your face with a strange, inconvenient, and less secure clothing during Eid. Just imagine that. But Tawaf is way more complex than Salah during Eid. Tawaf is far more populated. And there's a greater level of movement involved. So what's the point of wearing something so inconvenient, less-secure with a far more complex learning curve during an act of movement that involves almost an impossible population at all times.
What is the point of this covering of suffering that's recommended instead of the Niqab?????
Well, that's another topic for another day.
If it is possible for me to tawaf without the Niqab then I'll. And Almighty ALLAH knows that this is the truth. However, in this day and age, I'll simply wear my Niqab and Tawaf just like I wear my Niqab and observe Salah on Eid.
So to my sisters-in-Islam who have refused to do Hajj simply because you can't even imagine uncovering your faces in front of such amount of strange men and you can't also bring yourself to wear that face cover of suffering that is difficult and different from the Niqab, what I'll tell you is to Tawaf with the Niqab just like you pray the Salah of Eid with the Niqab.
When I find the evidence of this covering of suffering that they recommend from the Qur'an and Sunnah, I'll let you know.
Almighty ALLAH knows that I desire to uncover my face in HIS presence and in HIS worship during tawaf more than I can describe but it has become impossible to do because of the cameras and the men.
If our Mother, Aisha (SalamuLLAHi Alayha) is alive today, with all the cameras and men, do you think she will open her face during tawaf at all? Of course not! Her face will definitely be covered at all times. So what do you think she'll cover her face with? Is it a normal and convenient face covering or will she use the most inconvenient, less-secure option possible?
I don't understand how they came up with that ruling yet. When I understand I'll let you know, In Sha ALLAH.
Verily, the religion is easy.
If I realise that I'm wrong, I'll let you know.
However, for now, I wear my Niqab and I Tawaf. Not because I don't want to uncover my face for ALLAH but because I can't.
Standing to do the Tawaf is the standard. However, people who can't use the wheelchair and ALLAH is The Most Merciful, The Most Forgiving.
What the earliest generations dealt with was an extreme journey. What we only have to deal with now is the huge population of people. It doesn't matter how much you hate being around a tremendous amount of people, you have to. That is the sacrifice that we have to make in our time. Without a doubt, it is all for ALLAH — The Most High.
In a way, when we are making the tawaf of the Kaaba, perhaps we're making the tawaf of the throne of ALLAH — indirectly.
And it is only humans that can make Tawaf over and over again.
Certainly, the angels are not allowed to repeat tawaf.
And all praises belong to ALLAH who has honoured humans.
So journey to the highest House of ALLAH on earth and may Almighty ALLAH accept your journey.
And on the road, you'll see so many cigarette smokers, you might never have experienced anything like that even if you come from an unIslamic land.
I heard about pilgrims who took the practice of smoking from this land.
Brothers and sisters in Islam, please do not follow anybody on any land irrespective of the status of the land.
The status of the land doesn't equal to the status on the people.
Without any doubt, many people of hell-fire have dwelled on this land.
Abu Lahab is from this land and he is a man of hell.
It doesn't matter what anybody says, follow the Qur'an and Sunnah only. Even if it's difficult and especially, if it's difficult.
Accept the truth that you recognise even it's extremely difficult. Abandon every wrong opinion that appeals more to your lowest desires.
And to the pilgrims who pollute the lungs of fellow-pilgrims with the dangerous fumes of cigarettes, especially, those who smoke in public areas and those who make smoking areas close to ablution centres, you'll find with ALLAH what is due to you.
All of you.
Even from among those who manufacture cigarettes, there are those who don't smoke.
I don't care the opinions you follow and what it says but medically the fumes is dangerous so have some regard and do not let ALLAH turn against you.
Stop blowing your dangerous fumes into the lungs of fellow-pilgrims!
Medically, the smokes of cigarettes is dangerous.
If you believe that it is halal, that is your belief but don't damage other pilgrims medically if you don't want Almighty ALLAH to damage you with what is due to you. Verily, pilgrims are the guests of ALLAH.
And those of you (pilgrims) who have managed to get away from cigarettes all of your life despite the strong desires you have for it, don't get into it simply because you see that it's acceptable in the highest lands.
Stick with the truth you recognise.
Follow Almighty ALLAH and His Prophet ﷺ and keep it that way!
Do not copy from this land. Except that which pleases ALLAH.
Copy from the barbers who refuse to cut people's beards whilst saying “haram” whenever they're asked to cut the beards.
Copy from unmatched kindness of their people who go out of their ways to make you feel at ease.
May Almighty ALLAH honour every citizen who has honoured the guests of ALLAH.
Respect them, for they are your hosts. And may Almighty ALLAH honey them.
But do not copy what displeases ALLAH
Certainly, there's no land that is perfect.
Our land comes with mighty and great imperfections that we reject completely.
Despite the huge imperfections of our land, at least our airports have regard for the Niqab
In Nigeria, the non-Muslim airport staff will call a woman to take you into a secluded area to confirm your identity at every point.
However, in Saudi Arabia, the Niqab wearing Muslim woman will demand that you lift your Niqab in the open place in the presence of strange men. What an ina li LLAHI wa ina ilayhi rajiun situation!
A Niqabi without any regard for a fellow Niqabi!
A Niqabi who demands that you lift your Niqab in an open area.
A Niqabi who is working at immigration without any regard for Niqab.
Do you think I will enter your land if not for the house of ALLAH?!
I am here in obedience to ALLAH!!!!!
How is that not clear to you?!
How dare you disrespect The Lord that I wear the Niqab for by asking me to lift my Niqab in such an open area?!
Did anyone inform you that I have any desires for travelling to a land of very hot weather?
I am here in worship of ALLAH!!!
How is that not clear?!
Do you think the Niqab is a fun little project of mine?!
This is a clothing that I wear for ALLAH!
Some of us actually obey ALLAH whether we like or not. We go against our desires and comfort for ALLAH. We strive to obey to the best of our ability even if the obedience is painful. Some of us actually motivate ourselves intensely so that we can please ALLAH.
So do not respect us but respect the LORD that we strive for!
How dare you disrespect my Niqab by asking me to open it in an open place?
Even if you have no regard for the Almighty ALLAH that I wear the Niqab for, can't you pretend that you have regard for the Owner of the Kaaba?
Can't you pretend that you have regard for the LORD who established this land through the family of the Prophet Ibrahim (alayhi salaam)?
Even if you don't have any regard for the owner of the tongue that you're using to tell me to lift my Niqab in an open place.
Can't you pretend?
Why do I (a Niqabi) have to ask another Niqabi to confirm my identity with privacy?!!!
What an ina li LLAHI wa ina ilayhi rajiun situation.
What a definitely Ina li LLAHI wa ina ilayhi rajiun situation!
Why are the non-Muslim officers of Nigeria more respectful of my Niqabi than you people?!. What a shocking reality. What a shocking disappointment. What a shocking disrespect! I understand that you're busy but are you more busy than the Nigerian airport authority? Do you understand what it takes to have 300 million people and in addition to that we have a huge amount of foreigners. The legals. The illegals. The Arabs the non-Arabs. The amount of people entering Nigeria and leaving at all times is far greater. Yet the Nigerian immigration officer will never ask a Niqabi to lift her Niqab in an open place. They would rather hire more officers instead. So imagine my shock when the Niqabi immigration of Saudi and Hijabi immigration of Egypt are demanding for identity confirmations in an open place. What a shameful disrespect!!!!!!!
So make no mistakes. Do not copy from this land what the Prophet ﷺ wouldn't have approved.
Do not make mistakes and copy blindly because this is the land that Almighty ALLAH has chosen the Masjid L Haram from.
Do not copy everything you see.
Do not copy the truly tiny niqabs that beautifies and attracts instead of covering.
Leave their tiny Niqabs for them.
Leave their cigarettes for them.
Leave behind what Almighty ALLAH would want you to leave behind.
Have some regard for your hosts. Verily, if Almighty ALLAH likes HE can put HIS enemies in charge of the land. Certainly, the enemies of ALLAH chased the Prophet ﷺ away from this land. Again, do not take from anybody except what Almighty ALLAH has sent with the Prophet ﷺ.
You are here for Almighty ALLAH in response to His call.
To worship in His way.
And that should be all.
Verily, the ancestors of the Prophet ﷺ are the first dwellers of this land. From His ancestor Hajar, to Ismail, to the Prophet Ibrahim (the father of all Believers). Verily, the peace of ALLAH is on the family of Prophet Ibrahim. So follow the true owners of this land, The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and His great father, Ismail and Ibrahim.
And do not abuse the land
Do not come here for Umrah then refuse to leave.
You have disrespected the hosts and you have made it impossible for the people from your country to answer the call of ALLAH
Do not litter their streets and become fugitive that police chase up and down.
Do not block the way for genuine pilgrims from your land.
Do not make the visa application process difficult for the people from your land.
Do not carry that which you're not allowed to carry to anywhere.
Especially to the highest lands.
And if you do, then all praises belong to ALLAH for the death penalty.
You who make your fellow citizens get suspected and ill-treated at the airports.
You who are desperate to block the way for your country people to make tawaf of the house of ALLAH.
You who are ready to fight ALLAH, continue or repent and to repent is better for you.
Stop using social media if the excessive display of wealth is making you desperate to transgress against the boundaries of ALLAH
Verily, this life is only but an examination centre.
It is not the real life
Do not destroy endless billions of years in the hereafter just because you want to enjoy a hundred years here.
Calm down and know that the Prophet 's ﷺ room was so tiny that our mother Aisha (may the peace of ALAH be upon her) would have to fold her legs before He ﷺ could make sujood. His room was so humble, Umar bn Khattab bursted into tears when he saw Him sleeping one day.
The Prophet ﷺ didn't have money for a huge part of His life but He was the greatest human of all times.
Make no mistakes.
Obedience to ALLAH is the highest wealth and everything else is an illusion.
Stop carrying that which you're carrying into the highest land!
And if you continue, you'll find with Almighty ALLAH what is due to you
I don't know the amount of profit you're making from disrespecting The Almighty Owner of the worlds but I know that if you don't repent you'll find with ALLAH, a punishment far greater than the death penalty.
Make no mistakes.
The land is the highest that the Almighty ALLAH established using the family of the Prophet Ibrahim (may the peace of ALLAH be upon all of them).
Again, to those of you overstay your visa. By refusing to leave when you should, certainly, you've blocked the way to those who want to truly make the tawaf of the house of ALLAH.
And for this, you'll never escape what is due to you from ALLAH.
You have blocked the paths of multitudes from worshiping ALLAH through tawaf. When you are called to answer for that in the court of ALLAH, you'll find no escape for blocking people from tawaf. Repent. Stop the evil deeds and do good deeds instead. Certainly, that is better for you in the eternal life.
Verily, preventing people from the highest house of ALLAH is a greater fitnah than whatever “poverty” you're running from.
The people you want to impress with your ill-gotten wealth won't enter hell-fire with you. Because they didn't ask you to impress them.
Let whatever Almighty ALLAH has given you suffice you.
I dont think you're actually poor. I believe that you're simply greedy.
Nobody says anything but we hear everything. Continue or repent.
Repent for repentance is better for you.
To repent is to regret, determine not to do evil again, and do good deeds (leave their land and/or re-enter legally). And that is better for you. Leave their land so that true pilgrims can enter and you'll find with ALLAH a vast provision on any of HIS land. Overstaying there has led to blocking people from Tawaf. I'm sure the “profits” you're making isn't worth the punishment you'll receive from ALLAH for blocking multitudes from Tawaf. Fear ALLAH. Fear The Lord of the world who has a court way higher than the court of death penalty.
And do not pollute the highest lands with dangerous substances.
Instead of carrying dangerous substances into the highest lands, make desperate Duaa for money instead
And do not rely so much on how strong you made your Duaa
Rather, trust Almighty ALLAH who accepted the Duaa of the great ancestor of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Verily, she was given beyond she could seek.
In her back and forth from Safa to Marwa
In her hope
In her fear
In her tiredness
In her struggles
Almighty ALLAH established a ritual of worship through her
And that is the trust we should have in ALLAH
— A trust that assures us that Almighty ALLAH will reward our tiredness with answers more blessed than we can seek.
May Almighty ALLAH grant us accepted Hajj and Umrah and may HE forgive us and accept our struggles in HIS path.
Verily, HE is The Lord of the world, The Absolute, The Best of Planners.
And most especially, celebrate the praises of ALLAH and seek for HIS forgiveness.
“Our LORD, perfect for us our light and forgive us. Verily, YOU are over all things competent.” - Qur'an 66:8
And the Call of ALLAH —
We obeyed.
Wa liLLĀhi al-ḥamd.
So may peace be on all pilgrims
Those who watch YouTube videos to understand how the shower systems of their hotel room work in Madinah, only to get into Makkah to learn a new one.
May peace be on all pilgrims. Those who have to enter into a state of Ihram in yet another strange location.
Verily, this is from struggling in the way of ALLAH
And may the peace of ALLAH be upon the Prophet ﷺ, his companions, and those who have preceded us in struggle.
Those whose struggles, we can never come close to.
Those whose steps, we follow.
Again may peace be on all pilgrims
Those who study how to do Umrah and Hajj nervously without being sure whether they've actually learnt it or not.
And may peace be on all pilgrims, those who trust the mercy of ALLAH above their fears of human errors and efforts.
In Romodhon, we worship ALLAH by sacrificing our food.
During Hajj and Umrah, we worship ALLAH by sacrificing our comforts and enduring the physical and mental discomfort of traveling and carrying out the very physical rituals involved.
Indeed, pilgrimage dismantles comfort to rebuild devotion.
So may peace be upon all pilgrims, those who were disrespectfully asked to lift their Niqab in open places in the airport by Niqabi immigration officials and Hijabi immigration officials. Verily, the only reward of an accepted Hajj is Jannah.
And please if you aren't beyond tired and you still have strength then speak. Demand that they have some regard for you. Because the scale of disrespect is just unbelievable. Imagine being asked to lift your Niqab in an open place. That's borderline insane to me. Insane.
Again, may peace be upon on all pilgrims, from the hour they start packing at home to the hours they start their journey to the hours they start boarding planes. To the hours where they buy new SIM and/or connect to different WiFi. To the hours they arrive back at home. To the moment they start hearing their own language which they're familiar with — and the peace that comes with that. To the hours they claim their luggage at the airport. To the days they spend recovering from motion sickness. To the hours they start distributing the gifts they bought for family to the hours they start unpacking and doing dirty laundry then going back to their daily routine.
So may peace be on all pilgrims
And all praises of ALLAH who planned the weather of the Haramain into a weather that most people can't cope with long-term.
Verily, through the weather, The Lord of the World has built crowd control into the land and HE has saved the land from overpopulation and from people who will aspire to stay permanently.
Because if the weather were to be conducive and if everyone were to stay without leaving after their pilgrimage, verily the land would have become completely congested and unmanageable. And the strong weather is from the beauties in of the plans of ALLAH.
“And we plan and ALLAH plans and ALLAH is the best of Planners.” - Qur'an 3:54
Sincerely,
Hamidah Sẹ̀gílọlá Abbas ( HSA•👑) | Author, Polygamy Ijma'a
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Afterthought: The Haramain have thick green rug that are well maintained. However, I'll still advise that you bring your own praying mat —
Throughout the Haramain, you'll also find foldable chairs where you can sit.
And before I forgot, the fans that are attached to the pillars of the Prophet ﷺ mosque and the umbrella's that folds and spreads are possibly from the most outstanding architectural success on earth. (Tip: go in the middle of the night (when the weather is cool) and rest your back against the rugs and look at the grey-blue skies between the umbrellas that are spread. The feeling is just next level, SubhanaLLAH!)
Another tip: Try your best to travel between Makkah and Madinah by train. You can also travel by road. However, once again, travel with train if you can afford it.
Now, let's talk about the iconic black and gold coat of the Kaaba, you'll find nowhere else on earth. I just want to glorify the praises of ALLAH who has made the Kaaba with such a merciful size. You know, there's a mighty Mercy in the fact that Kaaba is so “tawaf-able”. Moderatly Tall. So majestic. Yet accessible. With a super Merciful size. Imagine if the Kaaba is so so huge and wide, how will we do the Tawaf?
Ha.... I love ALLAH. In the details of everything, you'll find the mercy of my LORD. And all praises belong to ALLAH, The Most High.
And all praises belong to ALLAH.
Again before I go,
Fellow Nigerians, please do not completely ruin the reputation of Nigeria.
Nigeria has gifted Saudi Arabia a private jet in the past.
Nigeria has treated a king of Saudi Arabia at University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan. Yes, that legendary teaching hospital in my city.
A king of Saudi Arabia visited Nigeria when the central mosque of Oja-oba was built and he was driven around by the late Aare Musulumi of Yorùbá land, Aare Arisekola.
This is what a noble voice from Saudi Arabia has to say about Nigeria just a few years ago:
Fellow Nigerians, I don't know what you guys are watching on social media that's making you desperate to ruin what money can't buy.
Nigeria has single-handedly removed entire nations from poverty.
Nigeria has stopped several wars completely and concurrently without asking for any praise or respect or even recognition.
I am young too, however, if you can't remember any of these mighty things that Nigeria has contributed to the world then remember in 2014 when Nigeria sent out hundreds of doctors and nurses to stop the Ebola virus throughout Africa. Ebola was real. Ebola kills almost immediately. COVID-19 was nothing compared to Ebola. Yet Nigeria stopped it completely without quarantine. We invented new solutions.
Nigeria stopped — in months — what so many nations haven't been able to control in years.
Nigeria will never talk about the good it has done.
However, I think it is time to remind you — fellow Nigerians — of why others call Nigeria, “The Giant”.
It is absolutely embarrassing for giants to be getting their Visa applications denied en masse.
We've helped so many lands and we have raised so many economies so please do not destroy what money cannot buy. Protect our name! Do not let fellow Nigerians get disrespected because of your desperation for money. The money will still come to you if you stay calm! You'll never miss your provisions, stay calm! Trust ALLAH and busy yourself with something. Anything halal. Give yourself a goal or a target. Apply to 1000 jobs in 6 months. Start a new business in 300 days. Post on social media everyday for 100 days. Do something. Anything halal. Idleness is the worst. shyatan exploit idleness. An idle hand is a devil's workshop. Or so the saying goes. There's a reason why we seek refuge with ALLAH from laziness and idleness every morning and evening in our daily adhkar. Don't be idle. Put shyatan to shame.
Focus on Almighty ALLAH. Memorise the Qur'an. Or give yourself a goal of memorising one page per week. Fast every other day. Or pray Tahajjud for one year. Start doing something and know that before that thing is completed, Almighty ALLAH will guide you to what's for you.
Give yourself a target while trusting Almighty ALLAH to open a Divine door of miracle for you. Remind yourself of the palaces of the hereafter. Stop rushing!
In certain parts of Nigeria, we have the best weather in the world. There are some terribly hot places in the USA. Even when it's hot here, cool wind still blows. We've got the natural resources. We've got the numbers. We've the weather. Do not destroy us, our pipu, do not destroy us! Do not let the greed win.
With 🫀,
Hamidah Sẹ̀gílọlá Abbas | HSA
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