Previous posts in this series: Parts 1 to 11 Round and round After our first sight of the Kabah, it was time for our very first umrah. We followed our group leader and approached the Kabah – starting the first of the seven rounds we’d need to make walking around the building. These rounds – … More Hajj Chronicles Part 12: Umrah

Previous posts in this series: Parts 1 to 10 Not quite “three wishes” After arriving in Makkah, we settled into our hotel and had less than an hour to prepare for umrah – at 9.30PM on that Thursday night. Not only would it be our first umrah, but also our first ever sighting of the … More Hajj Chronicles Part 11: The big moment

Previous posts in this series: Parts 1 to 7 The certainty The Prophet s.a.w. reportedly* advised us to “Remember frequently the destroyer of pleasures” – referring to death. It’s the only certainty we have in life – the fact that we will die; and it’s a fact that everyone accepts – even the atheists. Personally, … More Hajj Chronicles Part 8: Every soul shall taste it

Continuing from last time, we now look at a few other attractions in the city of Madinah. The Cave of Uhud Related to the Battle of Uhud is the Cave of Uhud, which is quite far from the battle site. The cave – which sits on the side of Mount Uhud – is where the … More Hajj Chronicles Part 7: Madinah attractions (Part 2 of 2)

Previously in this series: Introduction and parts 1 to 5 While Masjid an-Nabawi is the main attraction in Madinah, for now, I’d like to cover some of the other attractions in the city. There seems to be a standard ‘tour circuit’ in Madinah – places of historical and religious significance (called ‘ziyarahs’). Many of these … More Hajj Chronicles Part 6: Madinah attractions (Part 1 of 2)

Previous parts: Introduction | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3| Part 4   The first 24 hours in Madinah made a huge impression on me and helped me realise why people love the place so much: it felt like the Prophet s.a.w.’s masjid was a piece of Jannah. Of course, quite literally, there … More Hajj Chronicles Part 5: A little piece of Heaven

Previous parts: Introduction | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 First impressions Mention the name ‘Madinah’, and the first descriptions many Muslims will use involve words like ‘peaceful’, ‘calm’, ‘tranquil’, etc. Our arrival there was anything but that – but such is to be expected when we had to deal with the chaos … More Hajj Chronicles Part 4: Welcome to Madinah

Previous parts: Introduction | Part 1 | Part 2 The Arabic term sabr is often translated as ‘patience’, ‘perseverance’, or ‘steadfastness’, and we all know its tremendous importance in Islam. When it comes to Hajj, many people tell you that you’ll need a lot of it –  because you’ll inevitably face difficulties and trials, such … More Hajj Chronicles: Part3: Twelve bags of sabr