Our life soon settled into a regular pattern. The most important
thing to do in this blessed city is to visit the Haram as frequently
as possible. This meant that our day was punctuated by the times when
we went to the Haram to offer our obligatory prayers. We soon
discovered that it was important to go to the Haram shortly before
the call to prayer was due. That gave us at least 20 minutes before
the congregational prayer was held, which was enough to find a place
which was not overcrowded. When prayers were over, we generally left
either for rest at home or to do some shopping or to have a look
around the city. The thought of doing more tawaf was highly appealing.
Tawaf is an act of worship which can be offered voluntarily. Our next
attempt at tawaf proved to be more difficult. We seem to have chosen
the wrong time for it. We started immediately after Maghrib prayer
feeling that it was the most natural thing to do in between Maghrib
and Isha. Little did we realize that many thousand of pilgrims have
had the same idea.
Moreover, Makkah was receiving several thousand more pilgrims every
day, and they all want to do their pilgrimage duty and have as much
time as possible in the Haram. For the next tawaf, I thought that the
middle of the night was the right time. Sure enough, it was easier to
do the tawaf at that time. But the difference was only marginal. At
any time of day or night you arrived in the Haram, you were bound to
see many thousands of people doing this great act of worship which is
unique to the Kaaba, namely, the tawaf. It is only at the time when
obligatory prayers are offered in congregation that the tawaf stops.
Otherwise, the movement around the Kaaba was continuous. It never
stops, even at noon in the hottest days of the year and in the depth
of the coolest nights. I then hit on the idea that it was better for
me, having completed my obligatory tawaf, to do my voluntary ones on
the first floor. That would certainly enlarge my walking area several
times. Perhaps every round is equal to, or even longer than, the
seven rounds in the main area. That, however, did not worry me, I
would be engaged in an act of worship and I would not be in the way
of those who are doing their obligatory duty of tawaf. So, whenever I
found time I went to do the tawaf on the first floor.
When we go to the Haram or to the shops or walk around, we meet many
people in their ihraam garments. For men, these are two pieces of
cloth, one wrapped round the waist and stretching down midway between
knees and ankles, while the other is thrown over the shoulders. Some
have just arrived and will be proceeding with their Umrah like we did
on arrival. Others have opted for one of the two other methods of
ihraam, which are: Ifraad and Qiran. The ifraad method is to do the
tawaf of arrival at first, and possibly the sa'ie without releasing
oneself from ihraam afterward. One waits until the day of pilgrimage
when all pilgrims attend at Arafat and release oneself from ihraam on
the day of sacrifice, after doing the stoning and shaving one's head
or shortening one's hair. Such a person does not offer an Umrah prior
to or in combination with his pilgrimage. He is not required to
sacrifice a sheep and he may fulfill the duty of Umrah later. A
person who opts for the qiran method makes his declaration clear that
he wants to do the pilgrimage and Umrah together at the same time.
When he arrives in Makkah, he does the duties of Umrah, in the same
way as we have done, without shortening his hair and releasing
himself from ihraam.
He also waits until the day of sacrifice and when he has done the
stoning, shaving and sacrificed a sheep, he release himself from
ihraam. In other words, he does exactly the same as the one doing the
ifraad method, but his actions count for both Umrah and pilgrimage
concurrently. He must sacrifice a sheep. For either pilgrim, all
ihraam regulations must be observed from the time when he crosses the
point of meeqat to the day of sacrifice.
Ihraam is a state of consecration. Certain rules must be observed as
long as one is in that state. A woman enters that state in her
ordinary clothes, with a top dress which covers all her body and a
scarf or head-dress which covers her head and goes down over her
shoulders, covering her neck and bosom. She, however, leaves her face
and forearms uncovered. If she covers her face, she violates the
rules of ihraam. A man wears only the two pieces of cloth which I
have already mentioned. He does not cover his head by anything. Nor
is one allowed to wear perfume or cut one's hair. Contrary to what
many people believe, a person in the state of consecration is allowed
to have a bath, either to keep himself cool or for cleanliness. Most
importantly, however, a person in he state of consecration refrains
totally from conjugal relationship and its preliminaries. This
restriction continues in force until one has offered the tawaf of
ifaadah, or ziarah, which falls due on the day of sacrifice.
Observing all these restrictions for several days is not easy at all.
One's garments are bound to get dirty and although changing them is
permissible, it is not easy for most pilgrims to have them washed.
Moreover, one keeps them on at all times. It is a state which
requires a conscious effort of observing every rule. It may be easy
if one arrives shortly before the 8th of Dhul Hajjah, when pilgrims
start on their journey to Mina in ihraam garments, even those who
have opted for the Tamattu' method like ourselves. If one arrives a
few days or a week before that day, to continue all that time in the
state of consecration is by no means easy. When one chooses the
tamattu' method, one recognizes the great advantage which the Prophet
had given us by strongly recommending this method of ihraam to us. On
his own pilgrimage, he ordered his companions to change the method of
ihraam they adopted to the Tamattu' method, except for those who had
brought their sacrifice with them from their starting points.
As every day passes it brings the great day of pilgrimage nearer. Our
expectation is heightened although we are absolutely content to stay
in this blessed city and offer prayers in the Haram, doing the tawaf
as often as we can manage.
When three days were left to starting our journey to Mina and Arafat,
I came home to find my wife in tears. I could not easily get out of
her the reason for her sorrow. My mother, however, indicated that it
was only because my wife has started her period. I tried to console
her as much as I can. At first, she had it in her mind that her
pilgrimage was spoiled. I explained to her that her period does not
affect her pilgrimage in any way. She can still go and do all her
duties and rituals with the exception of visiting the Haram and doing
the tawaf. All there was to it was that she would have to delay her
tawaf of ifaadah until her period was over. I reminded her that she
would have been even worse off, had she been in her period on
arrival. She would have had to delay her tawaf of arrival or Umrah
until he had finished her period. She was still unhappy about missing
prayers in the Haram. That, however, could not be helped. I explained
to her, however, that Allah knew her intention and what she came her
for. He was certain to reward her according to her intention. Her
pilgrimage will earn her the same reward as mine or anybody else's.
She was in no way negligent of any of her duties. Hence, her reward
was bound to be as good as any.
She was not satisfied until I told her that Aisha, the Prophet's
wife, also had her period during pilgrimage. She was very unhappy
about it, but the Prophet told her that her period did not affect her
pilgrimage in any way, although she could not do her Umrah on
arrival, like the Prophet's companions. My wife then said that she
accepted the situation, although still feeling sorry for being unable
to go to the Haram. I do not blame her. Being in the Haram at any
time brings a feeling of happiness which we have not experienced
before we came to this blessed city.
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