Originally posted on slip-sliding away…..:
Previous posts in this series: Parts 1 to 29 Tents line the valley of Mina   Ambassadors of Hajj Hajj consists of 5 days, but those wanting to exert themselves even more can stay an extra night – taking the total to almost 6 days. Some of our group opted…

Originally posted on slip-sliding away…..:
Previous posts in this series: Parts 1 to 28 Mina during Hajj 2011   An unfortunate pattern From Eid day onwards, the atmosphere in the camp on Mina was far more relaxed. We’d passed the climax of Hajj (i.e. Arafah), and now had just a few more days on Mina…

Originally posted on slip-sliding away…..:
Previous posts in this series: Parts 1 to 27 The main street in Aziziah Why did the Hajji cross the road? The morning after losing my phone, we were back in Aziziah for a few hours. Despite the fact that the main segments of Hajj were over, communication was still…

Originally posted on slip-sliding away…..:
Previous posts in this series: Parts 1 to 26 Just another face in the crowd After getting some much-needed rest on Eid morning, we returned to Mina that afternoon. While I thought that my experience of being lost was unique, speaking to others about their experiences on that walk helped…

Originally posted on slip-sliding away…..:
Previous posts in this series: Parts 1 to 25 One of the jamaraat walls Rounding off one crazy night The 10th of Dhul Hijjah is the day of Eid al-Adha. But for those on Hajj, it’s nothing like the Eid we experience back home. There’s no Eid salaah, no special…

Originally posted on slip-sliding away…..:
Previous posts in this series: Parts 1 to 24 Hujjaaj spend the night at Muzdalifah Marathon man For most of the walk from Arafah, I drank minimal water – since there were no toilets on the road (and my water was warm anyway). As I neared Muzdalifah, I started to…

Originally posted on slip-sliding away…..:
Previous posts in this series: Parts 1 to 23 The road leaving Arafah Catch us if you can After leaving Arafah alone, I had some hope because – via mobile phone – I was in constant contact with my wife and the sheikh, who were trying to figure out how…

Originally posted on slip-sliding away…..:
Previous posts in this series: Parts 1 to 22 Wuqoof on Arafah (Hajj 2011) Hajj is Arafah Zawaal time soon came, and minutes later, we made our Thuhr and Asr salaah combined – as is sunnah (though some disagree on that). Right after that, lunch was announced. For me, it…

Originally posted on slip-sliding away…..:
Previous posts in this series: Parts 1 to 21 Morning on the plain of Arafah The biggest appointment of my life On the first night of Hajj, we slept a few hours on Mina – getting some rest for the day of Arafah that would follow. We had no idea…

Originally posted on slip-sliding away…..:
Previous posts in this series: Parts 1 to 20 The tunnel leading to Mina Friday, 4th November, 2011. The day that my wife and I embarked on our Hajj. We’d made all our preparations, entered into ihraam, and we were about to make our way up to our camp on…