I wrote this exactly one year ago – in Mina on the first day of Hajj 2011. May it be a reminder to myself and others of how the journey of Hajj is this life’s preparation for a more important journey we’ll all take. “Friday 4th November 2011 Death’s dress rehearsal Day 1 of Hajj, … More Reflections from Day 1 of Hajj
A few weeks back, I’d planned to publish a series of ‘Hajj tips’ posts – with this one being the first. I ended up not having the time to do the full series as hoped, but due to a recent request – and the stats showing quite a few downloads of the first tipsheet recently … More The biggest 5 days of your life
Hajj is coming up very soon, and to help get you in the spirit, I’m giving away copies of a DVD we put together after last year’s Hajj. The DVD features more than 200 pictures and videos from Madinah, Makkah, Hajj itself, and Palestine. It also includes audios from Hajj 2011, information about the places … More Hajj competition: Your chance to win
With Hajj being only weeks away, I thought I’d share some historical pictures from Hajj and the Kabah – so that we can get a sense of what it was like before the modernisation and convenience of the 21st century. 1885 1938 1953 1941 -when there Masjid Al-Haram was flooded Unknown time … More Hajj in times of old
Hajj is on the horizon, and a common attitude among our communities is that it’s something you only do when you’re old. While you’re young, you want to live your life (i.e. “have fun”), and when you get older and settle down, you’ll make this journey, change to be a better Muslim, and live the … More “When I get older, insha-Allah”
If you’re going to spend the money to get customised number plates, what’s the point of choosing a message that’s redundant? Previous mysteries are available here.
One of the most important objectives of this blog is to share beneficial knowledge and advice – whether that comes from experts or just my own (or other people’s) experience. And with Ramadan completed, the months of Hajj have now begun. That means that for the many prospective hujjaaj who are going this year, things … More Leaving for Hajj soon?
Here in South Africa, it’s the 27th night of Ramadan – popularly referred to as ‘Laylatul Qadr’; even though there is absolutely NO certainty that the 27th night is indeed this auspicious occasion. ANY of the odd nights of the last 10 may be Laylatul Qadr – so it’s wiser to treat each odd night … More 27th Night Syndrome
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
Many times in life, we build expectations about how certain future events should be. We make our plans and get excited…and then things turn out totally differently. And when things don’t go the way we wanted, it’s easy to become disillusioned and feel like all is lost. Recently, it almost happened to me. You see: … More (D)ramadan
slip-sliding away..... 