December 28th, 2006
The trip to Mina was not one of things that I’d love to remember. I spent most of the time sleeping on the bus under quite difficult circumstance because there was not enough room between the seats for my short legs. We followed exactly the path of prophet Muhammad when he PBUH performed his final and the only Hajj. We stopped in Dzul Hulaifah, the meeqaat for people from Madinah. It was about midnight when we got there. We made the intention to perform the Hajj ritual after putting on the ihram outfit and performing two units of shalat to pay respect to this blessed place as the Prophet used to do.
The bus stopped at a Masjid just before the time for Subh prayer expired. But the masjid toilet ran out of water. Some locals came to sell 2 litre drinking water for 3 riyal with which we used to make wudhu’. Some people went to the other side of the rocky and sandy hills to answer the call of nature because the toilet was completely unusable. We managed to do Subh just in time before we returned to the bus.
The trip to Mina was longer than what I expected. Several times I thought we were there already and the bus driver did not seem to know exactly we were going either.
Then we were entering the restricted area. I saw people got off their car and carried their stuff on their back and head walking on foot. I told myself that it mustn’t be too far until we reach the camp from that point. But again I was wrong. It was not until 5 hours from that point we eventually reached the camp in Mina. I was thinking about those people who were walking on foot, how long would have taken them to get there? Wallahu ‘alam.
Today was the 8th of Dzulhijjah. We arrived in the Mina camp around 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Mina is a valley of tents, ten of thousands of them. Every where you looked around you find these white marquees with air condition units attached on top of their pyramid roofs. Our tent was among the pilgrims from Europe and America. It was quite big actually, around 10 by 10 meters. Each tent was occupied by around 50 people therefore it only gave you a space enough to spread your single mattress.
The toilet was not too bad. It had a squad toilet with a shower head above it if you need to have shower afterwards. But you have to queue in line despite there were about twenty toilets in each block.
We thought that we were the last group to arrive there, but there were buses which came later on the night because of traffic and engine breakdown. The latest group arrived was the more luxurious bus which I was moved from because there were not enough seats in there. My friends were outrageous because I was told to move to another bus despite I was one of the fist people to get on the bus. But they said that I was lucky because the bus broke down not far from Madinah, and they were stuck there for hours until they fixed the problems.
We had pizzas for dinner and were told to get as much rest as possible because the next day was Arafah day, the most important part of the Hajj rituals.
29th December 2006
It was Friday the 9th of Dzulhijjah, the Arafah day. We were heading to Arafah, an open large plain 10 kms to the south-east of Mekkah, to perform Wuqoof (standing in Arafah). Wuqoof is the most important ritual of the Hajj. Anyone who misses wuqoof in Arafah on this day has been unable to perform Hajj and will have to come back the year after to do Hajj.
We have to wait for our designated bus organised the Mu’asasah (Saudi’s government Ministrial for Hajj). The recitation of Talbiyyah and Takbeer coming out from the mouths of the pilgrims filled the air of Mina while we were waiting for our bus. I didn’t dare to think how the organiser move these over 3 million pilgrims from the tents in Mina to Arafah. Every body waited patiently and enjoyed the peace they made with their Lord, ‘labbaikallahumma labbaik, labbaika laa syarika laka labbaik…’.
Surprisingly, it was not more than half an hour before our bus arrived and it took us fifteen minutes before it dropped us in Arafah. The group leader took us to our designated shading tents for resting and waiting for the wukuf time which starts from midday.
There was a little incident took place while we were trying to find spot to rest our aching body. A young man argued with an old man in front of me because of some misunderstanding. I tried to remind the two parties about the importance of the occasion and not to spoil it with this trivial matter. They stopped arguing and the old man left with apparent anger. But ten minutes later he came back to see the young man to say sorry. The young man was apologetic as well. They shook hand and hug each other before the old man came back to his spot.
I was watching people passing in front of our tents. They were from every part of the world, black, white, coloured, young, old, healthy, and sick. Yes, even when you have to be carried by the ambulance, you are required to attend this gathering. There is no Hajj without Arafah.
Then it was time for Dzuhr. Our group prayed together combining and shortening Dzuhr and Ashr, two units each. After praying we listen to the speech from our imam, one of the most moving and touching speech I’d ever had. He reminded us about the mercy and compassion Allah has bestowed upon us and urging us to use this special moment to remember God as much as possible, to ask for His forgiveness and to make supplications.
This is the day on which no other day Allah frees more slaves from the Fire, this is the day when Allah boasts of the people of Arafah before the Angel in the heaven, “Look to my servants who have come to Me dishevelled and dusty.”
I spent all the time from midday to sunset remembering the sins I’ve committed in past and I asked Allah to grant me His pardon. I counted the as much as I could the things that Allah has bestowed me, and I realised that I could not thank Him enough, even with spending the rest of my life worshipping him. I praised Him and recited verses from His book and supplications taught by the prophet as much as I could.
It was a very strange day, neither hot nor cold. There was no wind and the sky was completely grey. I was standing on the reddish sandy soil of Arafah raising my two hands and look up to the sky. I’d made supplications to God before but this time it was so different. I supplicated to Allah as if I could see Him up there looking at me and listening to what I said. I supplicated with no doubt in my heart that Allah would answer. I could not remember how much tear I shed that day. When I finished I felt my quite swollen and my throat was sore. But I felt very peaceful and content.
After the dusk we made our way to catch the shuttle bus which would take us to Muzdalifah. I met some people from our masjid back in Melbourne while waiting for the bus. They were travelling with different travel agents. I was very happy to see them well and happy.
30th of December 2006
Muzdalifah is between Arafah and Mina. It’s an open space on the side of the roads. When we were dropped there, there was already sea of people lying on the ground under blankets trying to keep themselves warm. We finally found some space to put our stuff and tired bodies on the sandy ground. The toilet was not too far, we cleaned ourselves and prayed Maghrib and Isha joined, three and two units respectively. After praying I tried to collect some pebbles for throwing the jamarat.
I tried to have some sleep as the Prophet used to do. But it was too windy, too cold and too noisy. The first two conditions are my worst enemy. Cold and windy day was the main trigger of my acute migraine. I pleaded to God to keep my migraine away for the night, thinking how I would manage the pain and vomiting in under this circumstance. Somehow I had a quiet confident that Allah granted my plea and ‘Subhanallah’ I did not have until I woke up around 4am. I was amazed, never before under this condition I could get away without suffering from this disease. This was only one of the proofs that increased my eeman during this holy pilgrimage.
We prayed Subh in jamaah and packed up our stuff to go back to Mina. When we got on the bus we could see Musdalifah better in the early sunlight. It was not a very big space at all! It was beyond my comprehension there were over 3 000 000 (3 millions!) people slept there last night. Wallahu ‘alam.
Today was the tenth day of Dzulhijjah. While muslims in the rest of the world celebrating Ied Adha, for us here there were at least three agendas for the day. First we would have to throw one of the three jamarat (pillars) in a place just outside Mina towards Mekkah direction. When this was completed, we would be able to shave our head and take off our ihram outfits. We also had to make our animal sacrificed slaughtered on the day. There were some people who went to Mekkah straight away to perform tawaf Ifada on the same day as the Prophet used to do. But, unless you are capable to walk in foot to Mekkah (around two hours each way), it was nearly impossible to do this because there traffic to and from Mekkah was completely paralysed. We decided to perform this tawaf when we finished all the rituals in Mina.
The walk to the jamarat site was about 45 minutes one way. We were advised to do it in the afternoon to avoid the peak hour. In the past this ritual has killed thousands of people because of the stampede. When we got in the main road, we saw huge crowd on their way back, but the traffic to the site was not too bad. There were five of us, and we joined the crowd reciting the talbiyyah. The walk was not too bad but I became very nervous when we came close to the pillars. Every one was heading to the last pillar. The place to throw was made two levels and the pillar was made big and long with a bowl base to collect the pebbles thrown. There were too many people at the front part of the pillar. We patiently waited for the best chance to throw. All of sudden all people in front of us moved away and left us a huge hole in the middle of the crowd to take a good aim at the pillar. ‘Allahu akbar!’ we threw the pebbles one by one. When I finished all the seven pebbles, I realised that there were only two of us left. I’d lost all my other friends. From now on, we ceased reciting the talbiyah. We then slowly made our move to get back to our tent in Mina.
We have to walk slowly because my friend was not very well. On the way to the tent we saw people helping each other shaving their heads. I tried to look around if there were any professional barbers, I could not find any. When I reached our tent, we saw a long queue of people waiting for their turns to have a head shave. I joined the end of the line. The man in front of me turned around and said salaam. I replied but that face looked familiar to me. He turned around again and said, “You are Muhammed, aren’t you?” Subhanallah, that was Bilaal, my friend from Shepparton. I met him around 7 years ago after he became a Muslim. He moved to Queensland and we lost contact since then.
After a long chat with Bilaal I soon realised that I could be waiting for another 3 hours before I get my head shaved. I decided to go back to my tent. When I got there I met my Canadian tent-mate who was holding a cordless hair clipper. I asked him whether he could help me. He was not sure if the battery will last long enough but was happy to give it a go. Alhamdulillah the battery was not flat until all hair on my head gone.
I felt funny rubbing my hairless head. This was the first time in my life I became bald. I wouldn’t do this under normal condition. I used to be very proud of my black curly hair. But today I took that pride off my head. This was not the place to feel proud of yourselves, you were meant to be humble in front of your lord. By shaving off your head, you humiliated yourself in front of Allah.
I took shower and changed my Ihram outfit with shirt and pants. I felt so relieved that I could change to my usual clothes after wearing two pieces unsown ihram garment for five days. But at the same time I felt sad because I did not know when I would have the chance to wear it again.
The trip to Mina was not one of things that I’d love to remember. I spent most of the time sleeping on the bus under quite difficult circumstance because there was not enough room between the seats for my short legs. We followed exactly the path of prophet Muhammad when he PBUH performed his final and the only Hajj. We stopped in Dzul Hulaifah, the meeqaat for people from Madinah. It was about midnight when we got there. We made the intention to perform the Hajj ritual after putting on the ihram outfit and performing two units of shalat to pay respect to this blessed place as the Prophet used to do.
The bus stopped at a Masjid just before the time for Subh prayer expired. But the masjid toilet ran out of water. Some locals came to sell 2 litre drinking water for 3 riyal with which we used to make wudhu’. Some people went to the other side of the rocky and sandy hills to answer the call of nature because the toilet was completely unusable. We managed to do Subh just in time before we returned to the bus.
The trip to Mina was longer than what I expected. Several times I thought we were there already and the bus driver did not seem to know exactly we were going either.
Then we were entering the restricted area. I saw people got off their car and carried their stuff on their back and head walking on foot. I told myself that it mustn’t be too far until we reach the camp from that point. But again I was wrong. It was not until 5 hours from that point we eventually reached the camp in Mina. I was thinking about those people who were walking on foot, how long would have taken them to get there? Wallahu ‘alam.
Today was the 8th of Dzulhijjah. We arrived in the Mina camp around 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Mina is a valley of tents, ten of thousands of them. Every where you looked around you find these white marquees with air condition units attached on top of their pyramid roofs. Our tent was among the pilgrims from Europe and America. It was quite big actually, around 10 by 10 meters. Each tent was occupied by around 50 people therefore it only gave you a space enough to spread your single mattress.
The toilet was not too bad. It had a squad toilet with a shower head above it if you need to have shower afterwards. But you have to queue in line despite there were about twenty toilets in each block.
We thought that we were the last group to arrive there, but there were buses which came later on the night because of traffic and engine breakdown. The latest group arrived was the more luxurious bus which I was moved from because there were not enough seats in there. My friends were outrageous because I was told to move to another bus despite I was one of the fist people to get on the bus. But they said that I was lucky because the bus broke down not far from Madinah, and they were stuck there for hours until they fixed the problems.
We had pizzas for dinner and were told to get as much rest as possible because the next day was Arafah day, the most important part of the Hajj rituals.
29th December 2006
It was Friday the 9th of Dzulhijjah, the Arafah day. We were heading to Arafah, an open large plain 10 kms to the south-east of Mekkah, to perform Wuqoof (standing in Arafah). Wuqoof is the most important ritual of the Hajj. Anyone who misses wuqoof in Arafah on this day has been unable to perform Hajj and will have to come back the year after to do Hajj.
We have to wait for our designated bus organised the Mu’asasah (Saudi’s government Ministrial for Hajj). The recitation of Talbiyyah and Takbeer coming out from the mouths of the pilgrims filled the air of Mina while we were waiting for our bus. I didn’t dare to think how the organiser move these over 3 million pilgrims from the tents in Mina to Arafah. Every body waited patiently and enjoyed the peace they made with their Lord, ‘labbaikallahumma labbaik, labbaika laa syarika laka labbaik…’.
Surprisingly, it was not more than half an hour before our bus arrived and it took us fifteen minutes before it dropped us in Arafah. The group leader took us to our designated shading tents for resting and waiting for the wukuf time which starts from midday.
There was a little incident took place while we were trying to find spot to rest our aching body. A young man argued with an old man in front of me because of some misunderstanding. I tried to remind the two parties about the importance of the occasion and not to spoil it with this trivial matter. They stopped arguing and the old man left with apparent anger. But ten minutes later he came back to see the young man to say sorry. The young man was apologetic as well. They shook hand and hug each other before the old man came back to his spot.
I was watching people passing in front of our tents. They were from every part of the world, black, white, coloured, young, old, healthy, and sick. Yes, even when you have to be carried by the ambulance, you are required to attend this gathering. There is no Hajj without Arafah.
Then it was time for Dzuhr. Our group prayed together combining and shortening Dzuhr and Ashr, two units each. After praying we listen to the speech from our imam, one of the most moving and touching speech I’d ever had. He reminded us about the mercy and compassion Allah has bestowed upon us and urging us to use this special moment to remember God as much as possible, to ask for His forgiveness and to make supplications.
This is the day on which no other day Allah frees more slaves from the Fire, this is the day when Allah boasts of the people of Arafah before the Angel in the heaven, “Look to my servants who have come to Me dishevelled and dusty.”
I spent all the time from midday to sunset remembering the sins I’ve committed in past and I asked Allah to grant me His pardon. I counted the as much as I could the things that Allah has bestowed me, and I realised that I could not thank Him enough, even with spending the rest of my life worshipping him. I praised Him and recited verses from His book and supplications taught by the prophet as much as I could.
It was a very strange day, neither hot nor cold. There was no wind and the sky was completely grey. I was standing on the reddish sandy soil of Arafah raising my two hands and look up to the sky. I’d made supplications to God before but this time it was so different. I supplicated to Allah as if I could see Him up there looking at me and listening to what I said. I supplicated with no doubt in my heart that Allah would answer. I could not remember how much tear I shed that day. When I finished I felt my quite swollen and my throat was sore. But I felt very peaceful and content.
After the dusk we made our way to catch the shuttle bus which would take us to Muzdalifah. I met some people from our masjid back in Melbourne while waiting for the bus. They were travelling with different travel agents. I was very happy to see them well and happy.
30th of December 2006
Muzdalifah is between Arafah and Mina. It’s an open space on the side of the roads. When we were dropped there, there was already sea of people lying on the ground under blankets trying to keep themselves warm. We finally found some space to put our stuff and tired bodies on the sandy ground. The toilet was not too far, we cleaned ourselves and prayed Maghrib and Isha joined, three and two units respectively. After praying I tried to collect some pebbles for throwing the jamarat.
I tried to have some sleep as the Prophet used to do. But it was too windy, too cold and too noisy. The first two conditions are my worst enemy. Cold and windy day was the main trigger of my acute migraine. I pleaded to God to keep my migraine away for the night, thinking how I would manage the pain and vomiting in under this circumstance. Somehow I had a quiet confident that Allah granted my plea and ‘Subhanallah’ I did not have until I woke up around 4am. I was amazed, never before under this condition I could get away without suffering from this disease. This was only one of the proofs that increased my eeman during this holy pilgrimage.
We prayed Subh in jamaah and packed up our stuff to go back to Mina. When we got on the bus we could see Musdalifah better in the early sunlight. It was not a very big space at all! It was beyond my comprehension there were over 3 000 000 (3 millions!) people slept there last night. Wallahu ‘alam.
Today was the tenth day of Dzulhijjah. While muslims in the rest of the world celebrating Ied Adha, for us here there were at least three agendas for the day. First we would have to throw one of the three jamarat (pillars) in a place just outside Mina towards Mekkah direction. When this was completed, we would be able to shave our head and take off our ihram outfits. We also had to make our animal sacrificed slaughtered on the day. There were some people who went to Mekkah straight away to perform tawaf Ifada on the same day as the Prophet used to do. But, unless you are capable to walk in foot to Mekkah (around two hours each way), it was nearly impossible to do this because there traffic to and from Mekkah was completely paralysed. We decided to perform this tawaf when we finished all the rituals in Mina.
The walk to the jamarat site was about 45 minutes one way. We were advised to do it in the afternoon to avoid the peak hour. In the past this ritual has killed thousands of people because of the stampede. When we got in the main road, we saw huge crowd on their way back, but the traffic to the site was not too bad. There were five of us, and we joined the crowd reciting the talbiyyah. The walk was not too bad but I became very nervous when we came close to the pillars. Every one was heading to the last pillar. The place to throw was made two levels and the pillar was made big and long with a bowl base to collect the pebbles thrown. There were too many people at the front part of the pillar. We patiently waited for the best chance to throw. All of sudden all people in front of us moved away and left us a huge hole in the middle of the crowd to take a good aim at the pillar. ‘Allahu akbar!’ we threw the pebbles one by one. When I finished all the seven pebbles, I realised that there were only two of us left. I’d lost all my other friends. From now on, we ceased reciting the talbiyah. We then slowly made our move to get back to our tent in Mina.
We have to walk slowly because my friend was not very well. On the way to the tent we saw people helping each other shaving their heads. I tried to look around if there were any professional barbers, I could not find any. When I reached our tent, we saw a long queue of people waiting for their turns to have a head shave. I joined the end of the line. The man in front of me turned around and said salaam. I replied but that face looked familiar to me. He turned around again and said, “You are Muhammed, aren’t you?” Subhanallah, that was Bilaal, my friend from Shepparton. I met him around 7 years ago after he became a Muslim. He moved to Queensland and we lost contact since then.
After a long chat with Bilaal I soon realised that I could be waiting for another 3 hours before I get my head shaved. I decided to go back to my tent. When I got there I met my Canadian tent-mate who was holding a cordless hair clipper. I asked him whether he could help me. He was not sure if the battery will last long enough but was happy to give it a go. Alhamdulillah the battery was not flat until all hair on my head gone.
I felt funny rubbing my hairless head. This was the first time in my life I became bald. I wouldn’t do this under normal condition. I used to be very proud of my black curly hair. But today I took that pride off my head. This was not the place to feel proud of yourselves, you were meant to be humble in front of your lord. By shaving off your head, you humiliated yourself in front of Allah.
I took shower and changed my Ihram outfit with shirt and pants. I felt so relieved that I could change to my usual clothes after wearing two pieces unsown ihram garment for five days. But at the same time I felt sad because I did not know when I would have the chance to wear it again.
