My First trip to the Holy City of Mecca

P. Sameer Mohammed

We set out on our journey on the 10th of January 1999 after Asr prayers. Our group consisted of 36 members including 3 families, all of us full of vigor and looking forward to the big journey ahead us, and moreover, the image of the Holy Ka’aba in our minds, which soon shall turn to a reality.

Even though it is permissible to abstain from fasting whilst journey, we wanted to reach the Holy City following the strict rules of the holy month of Ramadan. Due to which we had our iftar, dinner and imsak packed on bus. Since most of us had come directly from work, we were a bit tired and for the very reason, most of them had a small nap immediately once aboard the vehicle. When we woke up, we had already covered 200 Km in 1¼ hours. But we had not reached the Kuwait-Saudi border. I looked on both sides of the road, all I could see was sand dunes here and there, and the long electric cables running along the roadside. Even the street lamps seem to have disappeared. We were nearing the Kuwaiti border.

We could see the sun setting with the reddish color splashed all over the horizon. Our Amir informed us that soon we would stop as the time for iftar was nearing. Since I was one of volunteers on the trip, I had to get ready to serve the passengers on board.

It was not late when the bus stopped amidst the desert and we were busy unpacking food. In 5 minutes we were soon rolling down the road towards the border. We decided to pray Magrib with Isha and take have our food at the border where we would have to spend a minimum of 3-4 hours due to the rush of the season and custom.

We had our food, prayed Magrib and Isha together. The weather was freezing. We spend around 6 hours at the Saudi Border after which we set out our journey to Mecca. On our way we stopped at a nearby mosque to have our Imsak and perform the Fajr prayer. And again the journey continued. All of us had a good sleep.

Around Asr, we reached Meeqat. All of us went and took a shower, wore the Ihram dress after spraying Attar on our bodies as it was Sunnah. While in the state of Ihram, one should be very particular that he may not talk unnecessarily, argue, cut hair, trim nails, avoid sexual relation, kill a plant or an animal or insect etc.

We gathered in the mosque and prayer Asr and Duhr together. Came back to our carrier and sitting in our vehicles, we took the Niyyah of performing Umrah by reciting “Labbaikka bil Umrah” and we headed our journey towards the holy city of Mecca with the immense curiosity to stand face to face in front of the Holy Ka’aba at the same time reciting thalbiayath “Labbaikkallahumma Labbaikk… la shareekalah”

On our way to the Holy Ka'aba I could see mountains on both sides of the road, and it was later I realized that Allah has guarded the Ka‘aba with the gift of nature. We reached Mecca around Magreb. Due to the traffic rush, we had our iftar from the vehicle itself. We arrived at our lodging place where we put our luggage to safety and all of us headed towards Haram reciting the Thalbiath loud, to perform Umrah.

Tharaweeh prayer was in progress at the Haram when we entered it. We entered through Bab Al Salaam into the mosque while reciting the Thalbiath. Our hearts trembling with excitement and curiosity as to have a glance at the Holy Ka’aba. And all of a sudden there it stood in front of us, The beautiful Ka’aba covered in black cloth with the Holy Quran inscribed with golden thread. Our hearts lifted, Recital of the Thalbiath has seized; memories of the prophet in our mind, the history of our beloved prophet splashing in front of our very eyes. Our eyes were full. Yes our eyes were full – was it due to our joy, or happiness because Allah bas blessed us and we have emerged among the fortunate ones to have a glance at the Holy Ka’aba; or was the tears in remembrance of our Sahabis who fought for the cause of our blessed religion Islam that today we are born into this Muslim world to which I thank the Almighty even to this day. Al Hamdullillah. Ya Rab Al Almeen.

Wiping our tears of joy we marched towards the Holy Ka’aba which was enveloped with the memories of our prophets engulfing the atmosphere around it. We headed towards the Ruknul Yemeni, after respecting it we headed towards the Hajarul Aswath to commence our Tawaf around the Ka’aba seven times each time kissing the Black stone only because of the single reason that our Prophet had kissed it. The weather was cold but we never felt it. We were deeply in full consecration to the Almighty immersed in prayers and trying hard to wash the spots of sin from our hearts, to emerge as a new born baby like the Prophet described of people who has performed Hajj and Umrah. We included all our loved one’s in our prayers, faces of people who had asked us to pray for them in the Holy Land enlightened my memory. May Allah shower upon those brothers and sisters in Islam the thoufeeq to perform Hajj and Umrah. I gave more importance to my parents in my prayers. Praying for my parents was a common aspect during my Tawaf. I also made it a point to include in my prayer the Muslim brothers and sisters all over the world who fell in sujood before the Almighty. The prayer to shower the world with peace and to bless Islam was not an unimportant matter. And ofcourse, I could not miss myself.

After our Tawaf round the Ka’aba, we headed towards Maqamu Ibrahim to perform two Rakah Sunnah. We saw the foot print of our beloved prophet Ibrahim who with the help of his son Ismail built the Ka’aba.

After praying two rakahs, we headed towards the Zam-Zam well to drink the pure water that tells us the story of Hajarah and Ismail. Took wudooh, rubbed our body with Zam-Zam and headed towards Safa and Marwah mountains to perform Sayee, i.e. walking 7 seven times between the two mountains to commemorate Hajarah when she ran in search of water. As we perform all these acts of Umrah, it is a wonderful experiences that we feel the Islamic history during the times of our prophet that is eminent only when one performs the act himself, which cannot be described.

After Sayee, we headed to shave of our head, after which we are excused from the state of Ihram.

And thus we headed off to our lodging after performing the first Umrah of my life thanking the Almighty from the bottom of my heart.

P. Sameer Mohammed (Posted to YahooGroups on May 4, 2000)

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