Hajj: - A Pilgrim's Diary Part 1/9

Assalamu Alaikum warahmathullahi wabarakatuh
 
The following article "Kaa'ba -  The First House of Worship, A
Pilgrim's Diary" was published by Saudi Gazette, a Saudi Arabian
Daily, wayback in mid 1990s. Though the article is long, it
elaborates about the journey of a Hajj pilgrim in a simple and
interesting manner. Like a guide, it is worth reading and preserving.
 
Due to its length it has been split into 9 parts for easy reading. If
you find something missing, please let me know so that I 'll Insha
Allah check it with the original compilation for any corrections.
 
Jazakkallah Khaire
BarakkAllahu Feekum
 
zubair 
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Kaaba - the first house of worship
- A Pilgrim's Diary

...............   Hajj : A Pilgrim's Diary (Part 1/9)  ::  Name of
Author unknown  .............

Our coach has just left Jeddah on its way to the sacred city of
Makkah. Jeddah is a modern city with wide roads, high buildings, and
plenty of traffic. That is all the impression that one can form as
one makes the journey from the airport toward Makkah, using the
Jeddah bypass and the motorway. Everyone in the coach is a pilgrim
and as soon as they have settled themselves and the journey began
they resumed their chanting of "talbiyah." They all seem very happy.
Old men with all the marks of checkered life experience painted on
their faces. Men in their prime, strong, confident with a feeling of
satisfaction radiating through their faces. They all join in a chorus
repeating the same phrases which make it clear that they embarked on
this journey in response to Allah's invitation and for the sole
purpose of earning forgiveness.

"Labbaik allahumma labbaik. Labbaika la shareeka laka labbaik. Innal
hamda wanni' mata laka walmulk. La shareeka lak." We come from
different countries. Our features clearly indicate that. Moreover,
our pronunciation of the same phrases clearly indicates that although
we all know these words very well that they come naturally to us,
certain sounds are not easy to pronounce for some of us.
Nevertheless, we all repeat the same phrases, declare submission to
Allah, aim at achieving the same goal and aspire to win the same
prize. What we have come here for is a jewel with which to crown our
lives. We are determined that we shall not go back home without it.
This is not a materialistic view of what should be a spiritual
endeavour. It is only a practical expression of hopes that we have
been entertaining for several years.

For my part, this coach trip seems to be the doorway which ushers me
thorough to the achievement of a goal upon which my thoughts have
been concentrated for several years. It has not been so easy to save
all the money that is required to offer the pilgrimage with my
parents and my wife and to allow for any contingency. Now that we are
here, however, it all seems behind us. We are just about to begin the
greatest event in our lives. My preparations have included a great
deal of reading and clearing my doubts with scholars. I wanted to
know every aspect of pilgrimage and that is right to do and what
should be avoided.

I must admit that it has not made very easy reading. It takes time to
understand what every duty involves and in what order duties should
be performed. I was fortunate that I met a few weeks ago a scholar
who had been to pilgrimage several times and has developed a charming
way of explaining pilgrimage to lay people like myself. I feel
confident that I can go through with this experience, knowing how to
do every duty in relative comfort. I feel that I have already
benefited by what I have learned. The first thing was, of course, to
enter into the state of ihram at the right time and place. I have
done exactly as that teacher told me and it was a great help.

Just before leaving home, I put on my ihram garments. I did not make
the verbal declaration of embarking on doing the Umrah, as I have
opted for the tamattu' method of ihram. That would have been far too
early and would have make it absolutely necessary for me to observe
the restrictions of ihram, with regard to clothes and to all other
aspects, until I have finished my Umrah. To do that at home would
have happened to delay or prevent my departure. What I did was simply
to put on the garments in preparation for entering into the state of
consecration, or ihram, at the right place and the right moment. Had
my departure been delayed I would have been able to put on my
ordinary clothes without violating any rules.

Other pilgrims on the same plane did not do the same. About an hour
before we were due to land, pilgrims started queuing outside the
toilets in order to change into ihram garments. Some of them changed
in the plane itself. That seemed quite unsightly. Moreover, it was
very inconvenient for both pilgrims and other passengers. Some of
them had great difficulty in wrapping them selves with the bottom
towel. None of us seemed to be used to wearing such a towel or a mere
piece of cloth round his waist. To try to do it in between the seats
on the plane or in the very narrow and compact toilets, presented
considerable difficulty. I have not had to contend with any of that.
When the pilot announced that the plane reached the point of meeqat,
i.e. when ihram was necessary, I made my verbal intention of doing
the Umrah, and that was easy enough. I must say that making that
verbal declaration filled me with a feeling the like of which I have
never experienced before. It was a declaration of a response to an
invitation by Allah, I felt that the Lord, the Almighty, the Creator
of the universe has extended a personal invitation to me, an
insignificant man from a place the great majority of mankind have
never heard of. Yet here is little humble me accepting this
invitation and embarking on this great journey. What a unique
feelings - a feeling of direct contact, a close relationship with
Allah, the Almighty, the Lord of the universe !