~Hajj Pix~

Labbaik Allah humma labbaik

Labbaika la sharika laka labbaik

Innal hamda

Wan-ni’mata

Laka walmulk

Laa sharika laka labbaik

And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka’bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allaah, those who can afford the expense (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieved [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allaah], then Allaah stands not in need of any of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists).”  Qur’an 3:97

Enjoy the blessed places pix:

Waiting For The Call

(One of Irfan Makki’s song) 

Miles away, oceans apart
Never in my sight always in my heart
The love is always there it will never die
Only growing stronger a tears rose down my eye

I am thinking all the time
When the day will come
Standing there before you
Accept this Hajj of mine

Standing in ihram, making my tawaf
Drinking blessings from your well
The challenges that I have suffered
And might were rekindles my imaan

O Allah! I am waiting for the call
Praying for the day when I can be near the Kabah wall
O Allah! I am waiting for the call
Praying for the day when I can be near the Kabah wall

I feel alive and I feel strong
I can feel Islam running through my Veins
To see my muslim brothers, their purpose all the same
Greeting one another, exalting one True Name
I truly hope one day that everyone’s a Muslim.
That they remember you in everything they say

Standing in ihram making my tawaf, making my tawaf
Drinking blessings from your well
The challenges that I have suffered
And might were rekindles my imaan

O Allah! I am waiting for the call
Praying for the day when I can be near the Kabah wall
O Allah! I am waiting for the call
Praying for the day when I can be near the Kabah wall

Oh, Allah, I am waiting for the call

The Hajj Route

1910 Mecca Saudi Arabia » Al-Masjid Al-Haraam

Means of travelling for Hajj in olden days

Hajj pilgrims on the road to Mecca, 1953

 Ottoman travelers pray in a ship while going to Jeddah for Hajj. 

Many of Ottoman sultans and saints would first ask the Beloved Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) via prayer for permission to enter Mecca and Medina and only after a spiritual sign of affirmation would they proceed with their journey. This is the level of respect they had for the Beloved Prophet (peace be upon him)- that even after his death, they would seek permission.

The recent pix of Makkah Mukarramah

Small boys in Ehraam - Mashallah

Medina Saudi Arabia The Prophets Mosque

Pictures are from Arafat and Mina. Noor of all hearts

All praying side by side

The circumambuletion of the Kaaba 7 times is

One Tawaaf

I’m sleepy mommy it’s okay son, we’re on the last round. -

sa’i between safa & marwah.

Mecca now

~ Minaret from Abyar Ali Mosque, is a miqat mosque in Dhul Hulayfa, Saudi. It is one of the mosques where pilgrims coming from Medina wishing to perform Umrah or Hajj enter into Ihram before they set off for Makkah ~

I had come to the Centre of the Universe, where the physical and metaphysical worlds meet, I was floating in that wonderful sea of humanity, turning like stars in a galaxy, around the house of God..

I had at last found that dimension where human existence ceases to be held by the gravitation of sensual and worldly desires, where the soul is freed in an atmosphere of obedience and peaceful submission to the

Divine Presence.

Aerial View ~ Mashallah

Pilgrimage to Makkah is the fifth pillar of Islam and it collects the attributes of all other pillars within itself.

  It is the only pillar of Islam that has a surah named after it.  The purpose behind hajj is great and its wisdom is immense. 

Salaah is the first level of purification and elevation, to remind us of our slavery and our eventual standing in front of Allah SWT.  Fasting is the second level of purification for those who might get rusty through the year and need an intensive routine of devotion and self sacrifice in order to renew their spiritual drive. 

 Zakah is an even higher level of purification by cutting off the love of material wealth from the heart by giving a portion of it to the needy of humanity.  Hajj is the culmination of all these.

The main purpose of hajj is to go back to Allah SWT,
to detach one’s heart from everything
and devote oneself completely to Allah!

The magnitude of this journey can only be understood when one realizes who he is going to visit:  The house of Allah SWT himself, on this earth. 

As seen from space

~Madinah Al Munawara~

Hajj is not complete without going to Madina by Praying and giving your Salaams to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) resting Abode and his progeny and family. 

With the Hijra – the migration of the Prophet Mohammed from Mecca to Medina in 622.

This date marks the beginning of Islam and the Muslim era.

Medina – “city of the Prophet”

After Muhammad’s (SAW) revelations he began to preach with great zeal. This was still in the area of his home town, Mecca. Some 100 or so followers joined Muhammad, however, there was also great opposition to him. Unable to make any progress in Mecca, Muhammad (SAW) decided to move to Yathrib, a city some 450 kilometers or 280 miles north of Mecca. The city was later named Medina meaning,

“city of the Prophet”.

*Badami Shahi Tukray*

With the name so Royal sounding, I will not try and make it healthy, it must be eaten with all this rich creaminess.

Ingredients:
Bread slices 10
Milk 2 cups
Sugar 150 grams or 3/4 cup - taste and make it little sweet as it will become less after cooked.
Cream 1 cup for richness
Saffron (zafraan) 1/2 tsp

Pinch of Cardamon powder

½ Tin Idle Milk – Evaporated

1 egg - I use this but it is optional

Almonds and pistachio as required (cut in slices)for decoration

Method:
- Make four pieces of each bread slice, then fry it in little ghee or oil in frying pan light brown - you can even bake them by brushing ghee/oil or butter till crisp.

- Take one serving dish and place these bread slices like forming a layer of it.

- Cook 1 cup milk with sugar to dissolve.  Once sugar dissolves blend this warm milk with idle milk, cream, cardamon, egg and saffron in a juicer.

- Then pour this mixture over the bread slices, sprinkle almonds and pistachio, and bake for about 20 minutes in preheated oven at 180  0C.

-  Serve cold or warm