In Makkah Mukarramah!
Tuesday, December 11th, 2007
(((listen))) Tuesday Morning:
(((listen))) Tuesday Evening:
TUESDAY: Our initial plan was to first go to Medina Munawwarah. However, since we had arrived in Jeddah on the 1st of Dhul Hijjah, (The Saudi Authorities do not allow pilgrims to go to Medina Munawwarah as from the 1st Dhul Hijjah) the authorities had advised that we go to Makkah Mukarramah along with the other Sudanese Pilgrims.
At the port we also met with a brother from Jeddah, Ismail Mohammed (a stranger to us as we did not meet before. Br Ismail was following our trip on the Radio Islam blog, and he wanted to meet with us.) He offered to host us and spent some time with us entertaining us with food and refreshments etc.
After Esha, about forty buses had come to Madinatul Hujjaaj to fetch the Sudanese Pilgrims. We had to go along with them to Makkah Mukarramah.
Upon arrival in Makkah Mukarramah, we were taken first to ‘Office No 1’ (this is the South African Muassasah Office in Makkah Mukarramah). Here we handed over our passports and then proceeded to the Haram. One may have thought that after travelling for almost Twenty-Two days, we were exhausted and needed some rest, but it was not so. We were enthusiastic to see the Holy Kabah. One can imagine the feeling of the three of our brothers who had come to Makkah for the first time in their lives.
When we got to Makkah Mukarramah we also met with our Ustaadh and colleague, Qari Sauleh Peck; and our colleague, Moulana Abdul Fattaah Carr of
We proceeded to the Haram at about 01:30 and did Umrah.
We must stress the ecstasy and overwhelming enjoyment and feeling we had experienced when our first sight fell onto the Holy Kabah. Especially, after re-calling the long journey that we had undertook by land. We just could not believe that we were there, right in front of the House of Allah SWT.
The crowd was huge, as it was the 1st ten days of Dhul Hijjah and it was increasing all the time. We had seen many buses with many Hujjaaj coming in from Medina Munawwarah as well.
It took us about 45 minutes to do the Tawaaf and about an hour to do the Sa’ee. At about 04:15, we had completed with our Umrah, Alhamdulillah.
We waited until Fajr Salaah in the Haram, and thereafter had some tea and rested. Our accommodation is quite comfortable, Alhamdulillah.
The crowds are huge in Makkah Mukarramah. If one wants to read in the Haram one must stay there from after the previous Salaah. e.g.; about Two hours before Fajr Salaah, the Haram is already full and there is no chance to get to the front.
