The Hajj: the greatest trip

Pieces of advice that are offered to would-be pilgrims before their departure toward the holy sites to perform Hajj or Umrah are of great importance. However, pieces of advice differ and stories and experiences told by those who had already performed Islam’s fifth pillar are ranked first in utility. They lived the experience and performed the rites and surely their stories are paramount to would-be pilgrims. From this standpoint, we decided to make regular interviews with persons who had the opportunity to perform Hajj to share their emotions and feelings during the Hajj period.

Our guest today is Mr. Al-Hassani, one of the residents of the county of Bouzelfa. He originally comes from Sidi Alwan from Mahdia (a city in Tunisia), and he has offered us some photos of his personal experience of his Hajj trip. Al-Hassani says that what pushed him to perform the Hajj is that Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam and it is important as the other pillars. He said that each Muslim who has got the financial means and health by which he/she can go to the Hajj should go even if he/she still younger. No one can guarantee tomorrow and the whole world belongs to Allah, the Almighty.

As far as his preparations for the Hajj are concerned, Al-Hassani said that he felt a strong desire pushing him to visit the holy sites and perform Hajj. He said that his feelings cannot be described especially when he realized that he was chosen among millions of Muslims to perform the Hajj. He said that learning the rites is the product of the culture which he gained when studying and when watching television and in mosques too. He said that he has done his best to be restricted to the Sunnah and that he has tried to perform the Hajj as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah) did.

Describing his feelings when he first entered the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the moment of seeing the holy Ka’abah, he said that the situation was similar to the Day of  Judgment and that one feels unprecedented respect and reverence for the sanctity of the place. He added that words sometimes cannot convey meanings and describe such situations. Hajj Al-Hassani said that the greatest treaty between men and his creator is the divine promise to wash out one’s previous sins and from here on it is necessary for one to respect his commitment and this treaty. Hajji Al-Hassani concludes by saying that entering the Grand Mosque and seeing the holy Ka’abah will always remain as the best moments he ever lived.

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Source: go-makkah.com

Plan in place to deal with last 10 days of Ramadan

Plan in place to deal with last 10 days of Ramadan

MAKKAH: Leaders and officials inside the Grand Mosque and its surrounding areas are working around the clock in preparation for the last 10 days of Ramadan, which are considered among the busiest in a year and test the capabilities of service agencies.

Government bodies are preparing the Grand Mosque, its yards and roofs, while the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques has supplied the mosque with huge amounts of carpets, copies of the Qur’an, water coolers and waste containers to prepare all available spaces for worshippers whose numbers are expected to increase dramatically during the last 10 days.

The northern yards of the expanded Grand Mosque is at maximum alert to provide services and prepare locations. The lower toilets have been opened and the safety of the escalators has been checked. Security forces concerned with managing the crowds are preparing their plans for the last 10 days of the holy month, too. These plans aim to use empty spaces in the expansion to prevent stampedes and regulate entry and exit flows, in addition to preventing people from performing prayers in thoroughfares and sitting in hallways.

The service agencies are supported by a large voluntary group and charitable teams who work in the areas of food distribution, rescue, first aid, guidance, free transportation and pushing wheelchairs.

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Source: arabnews.com

Worshippers relish iftar experience in Prophet’s Mosque

Worshippers relish iftar experience in Prophet’s Mosque

MADINAH — Iftar or breaking fast at the Prophet’s Mosque during Ramadan provides a unique spiritual experience not only for the people of Madinah but also for the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and visitors who come to the holy city from the different corners of the Islamic world.

One cannot witness such an atmosphere of social cohesion and harmony with tens of thousands of people joining a community meal anywhere else in the world barring the Grand Mosque in Makkah. People of different walks of life and different nationalities sit together inside the Prophet’s Mosque and its courtyards to break their fast.

“You can see this marvelous scene by sunset every day of Ramadan,” said Abdul Raheem Al-Haddadi, the reporter working for Al-Madina Arabic daily. “I have noticed that people of different races, colors, and cultures sit shoulder to shoulder to break their fast, helping and caring for each other.”

He added: “The most striking feature of this huge iftar gathering is that everyone gives priority to those who sit beside them while taking food and drinks.”

Adnan Dabour, a Madinah resident, said in the past most people of the city went to the Prophet’s Mosque before Asr prayer to perform the prayer in congregation. They try to find a place in Rowdah Sharief, the holiest section of the mosque between the Prophet’s tomb and his pulpit. Only a small number of them went to mosques in their neighborhoods.

“This was a custom we had followed may be until 50 years ago,” Dabour said.
“Only a few foreign pilgrims visited the mosque during Ramadan in those times. We used to carry water and various types of dates and bread and special Madinah dishes to break fast with other worshippers at the Prophet’s Mosque.

“We still do this every year to feel and enjoy the greatness of Ramadan sitting in the vicinity of the Prophet’s Mosque where we pray Maghreb, Isha, and Taraweeh with Muslims from different parts of the world. It’s amazing that hundreds of thousands break their fasts in the mosque without facing any difficulty.”

Fayez Al-Ahmadi said for the last 20 years he has been breaking his Ramadan fast with some old friends at the Prophet’s Mosque, enjoying its spiritual ambiance. “I have made it a point that I should not miss this opportunity throughout Ramadan,” he said.

“This is a tradition we have inherited from our forefathers as we used to accompany them when we were children,” Al-Ahmadi said. “I am extremely happy to see the competition between the faithful to do good and engage in philanthropic activities seeking the reward of Allah.”

Dates, bread, yogurt, and water bottles are supplied in abundance to meet the requirements of the increasing number of worshippers who break their fast at the mosque. “You can see the massive arrangements for iftar inside and outside the mosque with worshippers filling all its corners.”

Abdulwahab Al-Baluchi said he has been witnessing these marvelous iftar gatherings at the Prophet’s Mosque for several years.

“Ever since we were children we used to go to the Prophet’s Mosque for breaking the Ramadan fast and our fathers and relatives used to carry with them yoghurt, dates, bread, tea, and Arabic coffee, and we prayed Asr, Maghreb, Isha and Taraweeh at the mosque,” he added.

Article by: saudigazette.com.sa

210 doors in Haram for entry and exit of pilgrims

210 doors in Haram for entry and exit of pilgrims

210 doors in Haram for entry and exit of pilgrims

MAKKAH — Some 210 doors have been opened in the Grand Mosque in Makkah for the entry and exit of pilgrims, visitors and worshippers during Ramadan, according to director of the department of doors in the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques Muhammad Bati.

He told Makkah Arabic daily on Tuesday that about 600 employees, wearing official uniforms and carrying IDs, will be guarding the doors.

Bati urged all pilgrims and visitors to cooperate with the guards to ensure smooth entry and exit.

He said the guards have been directed to treat pilgrims with hospitality and deal with them politely.

He also asked the employees of the Grand Mosque to prevent people from praying close to the doors and along the passages.

Bati urged visitors and pilgrims not to enter the Haram immediately after prayers.

He said Al-Salam door will be dedicated for the entry of the dead bodies for funeral prayer.

Bati said the special needs people can enter the Haram through a number of doors including Al-Salam, Al-Marwa, Quraish, Al-Abbas, King Fahd and Abdullah gates in addition to the doors No. 64, 68, 69, 74, 84, 89, 90, 93 and 94. He said there are lifts and escalators for special needs people.

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Article by: saudigazette.com.sa

Makkah ready with comprehensive plan for Ramadan

Makkah ready with comprehensive plan for Ramadan

The Makkah Secretariat has prepared a comprehensive plan to intensify municipal services in view of the large number of visitors and Umrah pilgrims thronging the holy city during Ramadan.
“The secretariat has defined the tasks and responsibilities of each department, along with continuous work of all the other central departments and sub-municipalities,” Makkah Mayor Osama Al-Bar told local media.
He said that officials have been told to personally supervise the work and ensure top quality services.
“The plan was based on intensifying the work, especially in crowded areas such as the central area, shops and commercial centers and neighborhoods surrounding the Grand Mosque,” said Al-Bar.
“All this is aimed at achieving quality control and the safety of food products and water. At the same time, due attention will be paid to continuously clear garbage in areas where Umrah pilgrims stay or frequent,” he said.
The mayor said the municipality will control vendors in the area surrounding the Grand Mosque and monitor the slaughterhouses besides maintaining streetlights and other municipal utilities.
“A total of 11,825 workers, equipped with more than 850 cleaning equipment, will work around the clock to keep the city clean. In addition to this, a number of transitional stations to collect waste within the sub-municipalities will operate along with special teams to eliminate insects and mosquitoes to prevent dengue or other diseases. More than 900 technicians and specialists in the field, equipped with more than 1,000 devices and spraying machines, will be working in this area,” said the mayor.
“All these teams will work in two shifts — morning and evening — and work around the clock.”
In the area of environmental health, Al-Bar said, a number of field committees have been formed to monitor commercial centers and stores that sell food and ensure that they meet the health standards.

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Article by: arabnews.com

Sun to help determine accurate Kaaba direction today

Sun to help determine accurate Kaaba direction today

MAKKAH: The holy city will witness on Friday a rare astronomical phenomenon where the sun will be exactly perpendicular above the Kaaba, i.e. the sun will rise by 90 degrees vertically above the House of God.

The shadows will disappear for a slight period. This event will allow people to define the exact direction of the prayer’s direction meticulously, reported Al Arabiya website.

Moulhem bin Mohammed Hindi, astronomy researcher in the Astronomy and Space Sciences department at the King Abdulaziz University, said that the sun passes over the Kaaba twice a year; this year it will perpendicular above it on May 27 and July 15. Tomorrow, this event will coincide with the Friday prayer at the Grand Mosque.

Hindi said “this cosmic phenomenon enables people watching the sun at that exact moment, to determine the precise direction of the Kaaba through the simplest and easiest way. People should look at the sun and thus, they shall be 100 percent heading to the direction of the Qibla.”Sun to help determine accurate Kaaba direction today

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Article by: http://www.arabnews.com

Haram to be clear of mataf bridge by May 27

JEDDAH: The temporary bridge around the Kaaba will be removed by May 27, according to the committee overseeing the expansion of the Grand Mosque. Bakri bin Matouk Asas, director of Umm Al-Qura University and chairman of the committee, said Tuesday that the mataf, the circumambulation area around the Kaaba, only allowed 48,000 pilgrims an hour during the expansion. With the bridge removed, it would accommodate 107,000 pilgrims, he said.

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Article by: www.arabnews.com

A piece about Hajj experience

A piece about Hajj experience

This is a piece about my Hajj experience for 2006. I am not trying to write about how to do Hajj and I will explain this as I write.
Firstly I would like to express my personal and sincerest gratitude to some of the people who made my Hajj possible and a success.
To my wife who stood beside me in every decision that I made from the time we made our commitment to Allaah in 2002 to make our Hajj in 2006. Through the good times and the bad times of ill health and financial problems. Even when I decided to sell our home so she could stay home to recuperate from illness while I started a business. A debt to her that I could never repay except by both of us completing our Hajj.
To the Saudi government and the thousands of officials and unseen workers right down to the street sweepers who organized everything so we could complete our Hajj. When moving over three million people at any given time delays are inevitable and we had our share. This is a time for patience and to never loose sight of the final goal and that is Hajj. I will mention this massive logistical nightmare more as I write for now it is enough to say that Hajj would not be possible but for a very few without the work that these people do.
My first experience of the reality of Hajj.
It is 4:00am and we arrived in Madeenah at 2:00am, some 30 hours since leaving Brisbane. It was a good flight with a couple of lengthy transit stops. I have had a shower and it is time to walk to The Prophet’s Mosque for Fajr Salaat. A bit early but if I sleep now I will have a hard time waking for Thuhr. A five-minute walk from our hotel and there in front of me is the splendor of this magnificent building. We all have the photos and wall hangings but nothing prepared me for the real size of the Mosque. The photos actually make the place look smaller.
A little further and we walk through the gates into the Mosque courtyard. It is at this stage that I realized that the building is just a pile of rock and, as beautiful as it is, it will fall into decay one day. I suddenly had this feeling of walking into a presence. Like walking into a soul. I felt the goose-bumps across my skin and the tears began to well in my eyes as an overwhelming feeling of peace came over me. That feeling of being in the presence of a living being is something that no picture can ever portray and the only way you will experience or even understand what I felt is to stand in front of this Mosque for the first time.
The following evening after Maghrib we decided to visit the grave of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ). This is not an easy undertaking at the best of times during Hajj as there are millions of people with the same idea. I think it really is the will of Allaah if you are one of those chosen to go. After a very difficult time maneuvering my way through the massive crowd I suddenly found my self directly in front of the grave with only the partitioned wall separating me from the grave. The feeling generated by standing right in front of the Prophet’s sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) grave is something else that I could never explain to you in words. I was brought up in a Christian society (and a fairly tough one at that) where grown men do not cry. It was the first time since I was a child that I had those tears of emotion running down my face. My expectations of Hajj have only been with me since I reverted to Islam in 2000 and I know the depth of my feelings. Those feelings touched my very soul at these times and throughout the rest of hajj. I can only imagine how much more intense the feelings are for someone who has been waiting for this time all of their lives. I could certainly see some of that feeling in my wife and others around me.
If you go to Hajj then you will feel and understand what I mean. If you never go then I am sorry to say that you will miss the most beautiful experiences that you can ever have on this earth.
Since I have been back from Hajj I have been asked about Hajj in physical terms, is it nice, is it hard, is it good, what is it like? All I can say is that it is none of these things as these are all experiences of our physical senses. Our touch, taste, sight and feeling. Hajj has nothing to do with these feelings as it is something spiritual. It is a feeling of the soul.
While I was away I used my video camera and took hours of film along with a large number of photos.  As I moved further through my Hajj, I realized that all this material would really mean nothing to anyone else other than another look at the outside of a few buildings, a bit of landscape and a couple of mountains. The only person who could get the true feeling of what this film meant was me.
If I am not blessed to be able to go again then I will be able to look at this film in later years and hopefully it will revive some of the emotion that I felt at Hajj. For anyone else it would be meaningless. For this reason (right or wrong) the film that I have taken and the photos will remain my property for my wife and myself to view.
Throughout Hajj and a couple of the extra tours we did the feelings and the emotions keep flooding in day after day. Just when you think it can’t get any better it does. To climb Mount Uhud. The grave site of the martyred companions. To see where the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) hid from his pursuers. To stand at the base of Mount Hiraa’ and know that in the cave at the top of this mountain is where the original revelation of the Quran started. To climb Mount ‘Arafah and stand at the place where Adam and Eve where reunited. The tent city of Mina and the stoning of the Jamaraat. It is a never ending trip through the greatest moments of Islam.
Of course, no Hajj is complete without ‘Umrah at Al-Masjid Al Haraam and the Ka’bah. When we entered the Masjid for the first time, our guide, Barakat Ali, took us through the door that was the entrance that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) used. From this entrance the house where he was born and spent his early life is visible. From this point Brother Barakat asked us to look at the floor as we entered and not to look up until he advised. At this time I looked up and there before me was the Ka’bah. Again I will not try to explain the feelings that I had except to say that it was a totally overwhelming experience. On your first visit to the Ka’bah you will know if you do the same thing.
Another statement that I hear is how lucky I was to go. And also I am asked how does one go about getting to Hajj or that they are planning to go in the future.
There is no luck involved in going to Hajj. It is not a lottery. Planning to go in the future will not get you there. The only way to get to Hajj is to make the commitment to Allaah that you are going to Hajj for Him. Make the commitment and set a date and, if Allaah accepts you for Hajj, then you will go. Nothing or no one on this earth will stand in your way from that point.
A couple of the most important things to take to Hajj are faith and patience. From the time you commit to Hajj work hard on your faith. If you are prone to being easily annoyed or quick to temper then it is time to also start changing these failings. You will need patience, patience and more patience. Never loose sight of why you are there. You are there to do Hajj for Allaah. Nothing else matters but the successful completion of your Hajj. Everywhere you go remember that you are walking in the footsteps of our Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ). Anger, yelling, fighting, etc will not see you complete your Hajj successfully.
I do not have much more to say. If what I have written encourages just one person to commit to Hajj then I will be a very happy man.

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Article by: www.islamweb.net

Reasons why pilgrims get lost in Makkah

Reasons why pilgrims get lost in Makkah

MAKKAH – Old age, language problem, getting separated from the group are some of the reasons why pilgrims get lost in the Grand Mosque and the central area around it.

Makkah Arabic daily has put together a list of the top ten reasons. Usually, pilgrims try to find those who speak their language or police officers to ask for direction to their hotel. This becomes a real problem when a pilgrim is unable to communicate with authorities or when he or she is unaware of the name or location of his or her hotel.

“You also need to take into account the age of pilgrims and their social and cultural backgrounds,” said supervisor of Turkish pilgrims Ahmad Halabi, who stressed that the Saudi Ministry of Haj pays special attention to lost pilgrims and make sure that they reach their destination.

He cited a number of reasons and factors why pilgrims get lost, which include old age. Elderly pilgrims find it difficult to remember the doors through which they entered the Grand Mosque. “The Grand Mosque is big and the streets and roads around it are confusing. Some insist on leaving their hotels alone and refuse to stay with the group. That’s when most of the accidents happen,” Halabi said.

“Some pilgrims refuse to carry wrist bands, which contain their names and location,” he said.
The Makkah Municipality is working to develop an indicative map of Makkah and major important sites in the city, he said.

Article by: saudigazette.com.sa

‘Hajj Journey Through the Ages’ Explores the history of Hajj

A series of 43 original oil paintings by Saudi artist Reem Nazir entitled ‘Hajj Journey Through the Ages’ explores the history of the Haj, a pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah, which is one of the five pillars of Islam and including a visit to the holy city of Madinah.
hajj-p

Image by: Saudi Gazette

An exhibition of the paintings is to be held at the Jeddah Municipality’s Grand Exhibition Hall on Oct. 22 to Nov. 14.
This series depicts a bygone era, when the long and arduous travel to the Hijaz was mostly undertaken by camel caravan and traditional sailing dhows, before the advent of steamships, trains and air travel.
The series is streamlined in a catalog, which is introduced by the President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) Prince Sultan Bin Salman. The catalog carries a preface by Mayor of Jeddah Dr. Hani Ibn Mohamed Abu Ras.
Prince Sultan in his introduction says, “God says in His Holy Book ‘And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) and (his son) Ismail (Ishmael) were raising the foundations of the House (the Kaaba at Makkah), (saying), ‘Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily! You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.’” “With this sacred command, the history of Haj originated and with it began the influx of pilgrims arriving from all corners of the earth, to visit His house in Makkah, in compliance with His summons to His Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) ‘And proclaim to mankind the Haj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant mountain highway (to perform Haj).’”
“After Allah hailed our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as his messenger, Haj became the fifth pillar of Islam: ‘And Haj to the House is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves (i.e. denies Haj, then he is a disbeliever of Allah), then Allah stands not in need of any of the ‘Alamin (mankind and jinns).’”
Since the rise of Islam and throughout all periods of Islamic history, people have been coming to perform Haj on foot, riding on the backs of animals, or braving the seas in traditional boats. Those pilgrims endured numerous hardships and perils. In modern times during the reign of Al Saud and since the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a revolution in transportation and communications has enabled unprecedented numbers of Muslims from around the world to travel to Makkah to perform Haj and ‘Umrah’ (the lesser Haj), a feat which the early historians and visitors of yonder years would not have been able to fathom.
This was only possible due to the efforts of King Abdulaziz (may God bless his soul) who put in place a well-founded policy giving utmost priority to the custodianship of the Two Holy Mosques and other holy places. The Kings, his sons, who came after him, followed in his footsteps, until the current reign of Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques King Abdallah, who dedicated all the resources of the state for developing the infrastructures to be utilized in the service of the pilgrims and the visitors performing the ‘Umrah’.
In addition to development projects in Makkah and the areas surrounding the Grand Mosque, Madinah is undergoing a pioneering developmental process at the helm of which is the great expansion of the Prophet’s Mosque and the development of the central area, as well as connecting Madinah with Makkah by the ‘Two Holy Mosques Railway Project’.
‘Hajj Journey Through the Ages’, an exhibition of paintings by the distinguished Saudi artist Reem Nazir takes us back in memory to bygone times, recorded and described through the eyes of historians and in the journals of travelers, who made the journey to Haj in those days, allowing the artist’s imagination to depict images of instances in the past in the exact locations that hosted the pilgrims.
The exhibition permits us to get a glimpse of some of the hardships and difficulties that the pilgrims had to undergo in order to perform their religious obligations. At the same time, it reminds us of the ecstasy experienced by the worshiper, who shuns worldly garbs and dons the pilgrim’s ‘ihram’ (the seamless cloth worn by pilgrims during Haj rituals), ready to be received by his/her Creator with constant supplication and prayer along with all Muslims performing their Haj rituals and hoping to receive God’s blessings.
It is a scene that truly captures the heart and this creative space allows us to witness this journey of pilgrims traveling from all four corners of the earth.
The mayor writes in the preface, from the inception of Islam and the enlightened message from God, a message emanating from this land that holds in its fold the two holiest spots on the planet, a Muslim can observe how the Haj journey commenced.
Through history, Hajis have endured great hardships and difficulties in undertaking this journey. By the grace of God, and by the efforts of the government, through its massive projects in the holy mosques, this journey became a truly rewarding one.
‘Hajj Journey Through the Ages’ is an exhibition of 43 oil paintings by the artist Reem Nazir, that encapsulates the difficulties this journey entailed. It is fitting that this exhibition opens in Jeddah, the gateway to the two holy mosques. This exhibit will move to other venues within Saudi Arabia and then to other parts of the world to bear witness to the Muslim’s faith and proof of the development of the Haj journey over the Millennia.
It has been an enormous documentary effort that entailed diligent historical research and will be an important reference to both students and academics in the future.
Alongside the paintings in the catalog are historic reference photographs, mostly taken from the archives of the Barakat Trust and Royal Geographical Society that relate to the scenes depicted in the paintings. In addition, descriptions of each scene are provided by a variety of historical ‘voices.’
Evocative quotations of first-hand witnesses, from the earliest Islamic historians and travelers, through to later Eastern and Western travelers, are used in addition to verses from the Holy Qur’an and traditional sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
A 56-page catalog featuring all paintings is available during the exhibition. A forthcoming publication, available in both Arabic and English languages, will reproduce all works from the exhibition alongside a more expansive set of photographs and text of direct quotations giving first hand accounts of the Hajj rituals, as well as the various customs, perils and adventures experienced on this journey to and from the holy cities.
The scenes depicted and their historical references will appeal to millions of pilgrims past, present, and future, in addition to others with an interest in the history, geography, archaeology and traditional architecture of the Islamic World.

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Article source: Saudi Gazette