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Longing for Haj and Preparing Early for it

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The preparation for Hajj is among the important issues linked to Ramadan. We should make an early start in order to get ready for it so that Allaah The Almighty may guide us to perform Hajj to His Sacred House. Just as one should get ready for Ramadan in order to attain the mercy and forgiveness of Allaah The Exalted and to be saved from Hell in this great season of forgiveness, one should start preparing for Hajj well in advance as well. If one does not start preparing early, then even if Allaah The Almighty decrees Hajj for him, his Hajj may not be Hajj Mabroor (an accepted Hajj) which is not equaled to anything upon which the sun rises as mentioned in a narration from the traditions of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ).
Early preparation for the season of Hajj, the season of forgiveness and great salvation
We should all acquire knowledge of the various aspects of the Hajj for several reasons:
The first is that if Allaah The Exalted guides man to perform Hajj, then he is ready for it, and he comes back from it with his sins and misdeeds obliterated. He returns as sinless as a new-born child that has just been delivered by his mother, as mentioned by the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) in the Saheeh of Al-Bukhaari and Muslim.
Otherwise, he would be like a person who lives through Ramadan without being forgiven. If man does not get ready for Ramadan in time, when Ramadan comes, he tries to adapt to fasting and performing Qiyaam till Ramadan is over. Just when he tries to taste the sweetness of obedience, the sweetness of Qiyaam, the sweetness of Thikr, the sweetness of the Quran, and when he begins to do the good deeds related to Ramadan, he finds that Ramadan is over. That is why people should get ready for these days and seasons early, so that these seasons arrive and they are ready to receive the mercy of Allaah The Almighty. Thus, they receive more of the mercy and forgiveness of Allaah The Almighty, and feel closer to Allaah The Exalted and good deeds. However, if death approaches him and he is not ready for the mercy, forgiveness and blessings of Allaah The Almighty, when will he ever attain them?
The second reason is that if one prepares for these days with righteousness and good deeds, perhaps Allaah may guide him and bestow upon him the blessing of Hajj. This is if He finds him keen on attaining the reward of this great obligation which is one of the obligations of Islam if He finds him keen, truthful and sincere in seeking this season which is one of the seasons of forgiveness. Perhaps Allaah The Almighty may, out of His generosity, grant him the blessing of going to His Sacred House.
However, if the season arrives and there are people who are not engaged in learning about Hajj, and it does not cross their minds even once, and who feel that they cannot perform Hajj and do not even think of performing it – this should not be the state of a believer. Rather, one of the most important factors by which Allaah The Almighty carries man to His Sacred House is longing for this House. That is to say that when a man has this feeling of longing, Allaah The Almighty carries him there regardless of the reasons, regardless of the impediments he was thinking of, regardless of the obstacles he meets and regardless of the preparations he reflects upon such as money, visa and so on. Allaah The Almighty drives all these cares away from him all of a sudden. That is why if someone asks: How can one prepare these days for the season of Hajj and great forgiveness whose days are approaching us; namely the months of Hajj which we are living now?
It is said that the first thing with which one gets ready is longing. If one does not have the feeling of longing and yearning for the House of Allaah The Almighty, this is evidence that he has no longing to meet Allaah The Exalted, nor for the Hereafter. Rather, his heart is tough, hard and distant and this deprives him of the good deeds and great acts that bring him closer to Allaah The Almighty which He grants to those who are longing, loving and feel sad when prevented and deprived for many years from reaching the House of Allaah The Almighty.
Hence, the first thing with which man gets ready is yearning and longing for the House of Allaah The Almighty. If he does not feel longing or yearning, where is his longing for Allaah The Exalted? He will remain in this state of deprivation, remoteness, and disinclination between himself and Allaah The Almighty.
Therefore, this is the first thing with which man prepares himself to be granted the blessings of Allaah The Almighty. If Allaah The Almighty wants a slave to visit His House and attain the honor of this visit and this great rank of the religion, He enables all the factors that bring this about.
Many times we hear about and watch the journeys of those who have the longing for Allaah The Exalted.

Allaah The Almighty arranges for them what they themselves did not expect, such as money, traveling and visa and such other issues which may act as impediments or obstacles. Such obstacles and impediments do not exist for Allaah The Almighty, who only has to say to anything: “Be” and it is. In the story of Zakariyya may Allaah exalt his mention he recited this amazing supplication (which means): {and my wife has been barren, so give me from Yourself an heir.}[Quran 19:5] The verse means, my wife cannot give birth and I want to have a child! My wife is barren but Your mercy, power, and might are not compared to anything and this power and might are in charge of everything and capable of making everything possible. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):{His command is only when He intends a thing that He says to it, “Be,” and it is.} [Quran 36:82] This meaning also applies to Hajj and other things as well.

Those who long for Allaah The Exalted, for His House and for being honored with visiting these places, the places of the endeavor of the righteous, gatherings of the sincere slaves of Allaah The Almighty, and the places of mercy where tears are shed and obstacles are removed, should offer something to prove their longing. This longing appears in the good deeds with which they wish Allaah The Almighty would carry them and take them to His House, and that Allaah the Generous and the highest grants them this visit, from which one returns with his sins forgiven and himself as sinless as a newborn baby.

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My love for knowledge led me to Islam

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My love for knowledge led me to Islam

My love for knowledge led me to Islam

Al-Haj Ibrahim Khalil Ahmad, formerly Ibrahim Khalil Philobus, was an Egyptian Coptic priest who studied theology and obtained a high degree from Princeton University. He studied Islam to find gaps to attack it; instead he embraced Islam with his four children, one of whom is now a brilliant professor in Sorbonne University, Paris, France. In an interesting way, he reveals himself the following narrative:
I WAS born in Alexandria on the 13th of January 1919 and was sent to the American Mission schools until I got my secondary education certificate there. In 1942, I got my diploma from Asiut University and then I specialized in religious studies as a prelude to join the Faculty of Theology. It was no easy task to join the faculty, as no candidate could join it unless he got a special recommendation from the church, and also, after he should pass a number of difficult exams. I got a recommendation from Al-Attareen Church in Alexandria and another from the Church Assembly of Lower Egypt after passing many tests to know my qualifications to become a man of religion. Then I got a third recommendation from Snodus Church Assembly, which included priests from Sudan and Egypt.
The Snodus sanctioned my entrance into the Faculty of Theology in 1944 as a boarding student. There I studied at the hands of American and Egyptian teachers until my graduation in 1948.
I was supposed, he continued, to be appointed in Jerusalem, had it not been for the war that broke out in Palestine that same year, so I was sent to Asna in Upper Egypt. That same year I registered for a thesis at the American University in Cairo. It was about the missionary activities among Muslims. My acquaintance with Islam started in the Faculty of Theology where I studied Islam and all the methods through which we could shake the faith of Muslims and raise misconceptions in their understanding of their own religion.
In 1952, I got my M.A. from Princeton University in US and was appointed as a teacher in the Faculty of Theology in Asiut. I used to teach Islam in the faculty as well as the faulty misconceptions spread by its enemies and the missionaries against it. During that period, I decided to enlarge my study of Islam so that I should not read the missionaries books on it only. I had so much faith in myself that I was confirmed to read the other point of view. Thus I began to read books written by Muslim authors. I also decided to read the Qur’an and understand its meanings. This was implied by my love of knowledge and moved by my desire to add more proofs against Islam. The result was, however, exactly the reverse. My position began to shake and I started to feel an internal strong struggle, and I discovered the falsehood of everything I had studied and preached to the people. But I could not face myself bravely and tried instead to overcome this internal crisis and continue my work.
In 1954, I was sent to Aswan as secretary general of the German Swiss Mission. That was only my apparent position, for my real mission was to preach against Islam in Upper Egypt especially among Muslims. A missionary conference was held at that time at Cataract Hotel in Aswan, and I was given the floor to speak. That day I spoke too much, reiterating all the repeated misconceptions against Islam; and at the end of my speech, the internal crisis came to me again and I started to revise my position.
I began to ask myself: Why should I say and do all these things, which I know for sure I am a liar, as this is not the truth? I took my leave before the end of the conference and went out alone to my house. I was completely shaken. As I walked through Firyal public garden, I heard a verse of the Qur’an on the radio. It said: “Say: It has been revealed to me that a company of Jinns listened (to the Qur’an). They said: ‘We have really heard a wonderful recital! It gives guidance to the Right, and we have believed therein: We shall not join (in worship) any gods with our Lord’.” (Qur’an, 72:1-2)
“And as for us, since we have listened to the Guidance, we have accepted it; and any one who believes in His Lord, has no fear of either a short (account) or of any injustice.” (Qur’an, 72:13)
I felt a deep comfort that night, and when I returned home I spent the whole night all by myself in my library reading the Qur’an. My wife inquired from me about the reason of my sitting up all night and I pleaded from her to leave me alone. I stopped for a long time thinking and meditating on the verse: “Had We sent down this Qur’an on a mountain, verily thou wouldst have seen it humble itself and cleave asunder for fear of God… .” (Qur’an, 59:21)
And the verse: “Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and the Pagans, and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, ‘We are Christians’: Because among these are men devoted to learning. And men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant. And when they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger, thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognize the truth: They pray: ‘Our Lord! We believe, write us down among the witnesses. What cause can we have not to believe in God and the truth which has come to us, seeing that we long for our Lord to admit us to the company of the righteous’?” (Qur’an, 5:82-84)

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Muslims Unity and the hajj

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Muslims Unity and the hajj

Muslims Unity and the hajj

Muslim Unity and agreement lead to strength and victory, while disunity and disagreement lead to weakness and defeat. Powerful nations only succeeded because of unity among its members and integration of its efforts. History is the best witness to this rule. Hence, we find several texts in the Quran and the Sunnah stressing this great principle and warning against disagreement and dispute. Allah The Almighty Says (what means):

{And obey Allaah and His Messenger, and do not dispute and [thus] lose courage and [then] your strength would depart; and be patient. Indeed, Allaah Is with the patient.} [Quran 8:46]

Abu Mas‘ood, May Allaah Be Pleased with him, said: “The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) used to place his hand upon our shoulders at prayer time (when we would form rows for the prayer) and say, ‘Stand in straight rows and do not differ among yourselves, or else your hearts will differ (due to disaccord).’”[Muslim]

Hajj is a great occasion where the Muslims’ unity appears in its most beautiful forms. All differences disappear, all barriers melt and Muslims gather in this imposing scene, which delights the souls and hearts.

Muslims from all over the world gather around this Ancient House, towards which they turn to perform the prayers five times a day, the House towards which they turn their souls and hearts during prayers in their faraway lands. Now, they gather around it to see, consult, love, and shake hands with each ‎other. They took off those different and distinguishing clothes to wear a white uniform indicating the whiteness of their hearts, as well as the purity of their appearance and souls.

Indeed, these are magnificent moments when all pilgrims move from Mina to stand this great standing in ‘Arafah confirming the unity of place, time, clothes and destination.

There are unanimous manifestations of unity in Hajj, including:
–   Unity of place and time: Hajj is performed in a specific time and place and it is impermissible to be performed at any other time or in any other place. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Hajj is [during] well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein [by entering the state of Ihraam], there is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing duringHajj.} [Quran 2:197]
The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Hajj is the standing at ‘Arafah.”[At-Tirmithi]

–   Unity of rituals: All pilgrims are required to perform the rituals of Hajj including Ihraam, Tawaaf, Sa‘y between the Safa and Marwah, standing at ‘Arafah, spending the night at Mina, stoning the Jamraat and so on.

All pilgrims perform the same rituals, the thing that embodies and deepens brotherhood and love among them.
–   Unity of aim and feeling: All pilgrims come from every distant pass hoping for the Mercy of Allaah The Almighty, fearing His punishment and raising their hands to implore Him and ask for His forgiveness, bounty and satisfaction.
They have one Qiblah, one Lord, similar feelings and similar clothes. These manifestations of unity that take place in this blessed occasion maintain the feeling of unity and reinforce the feeling of brotherhood among Muslims. They also strengthen mutual sympathy and sharing in joy in addition to religious and worldly cooperation among Muslims.
This was a brief overview of this important issue that occupy the minds of all Muslims, who aspire to a time when the Muslim nation will reunite to achieve superiority over the other nations and restore its leadership that the Muslims lost because of disunity and disagreement. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Allaah Has Promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He Will surely Grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He Granted it to those before them and that He Will surely Establish for them [therein] their religion which He Has Preferred for them and that He Will surely Substitute for them, after their fear, security, [for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that – then those are the defiantly disobedient.} [Quran 24:55]

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Article by: islamweb.net

Quran majeed answered many unresolved queries

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Quran majeed answered

Quran majeed answered many unresolved queries

I found in Quran the answers to those queries which I had failed to find in Christianity. Particularly, it was only Islam that provided satisfactory answer to the question relating to the birth of Christ
It was way back in 1989 when I, along with my sister, conducted a tour to some of the countries of the Middle East. During our stay in Bahrain, we were accorded a warm welcome. There I happened to meet some children and had a light chitchat with them. I put certain questions to them and they flung at me their innocent queries.
During the course of this interaction, they inquired about my religion. I told them, “I am a Christian.” I asked them, as to what was their religion. A wave of serenity took over them. They replied in one voice: Islam. Their enthusiastic answer really shook me from within. Then they started telling me about Islam. They were giving me information, much in piece with their age. The pitch of their voice would reveal that they were highly proud of Islam. This is how I paced toward Islam.
A very short interaction with a group of children ultimately led me to have long discourses about Islam with Muslim scholars. A great ripple had taken place in my thought. I made failing attempt to console myself that nothing had happened but I could not conceal this fact any longer from myself that at heart I had converted to Islam.
This I disclosed first to my family friend, Qunber Ali. The same Qunber Ali managed to take me to Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia. Till that time, I did not know much about Islam. From there, in the company of a Saudi family, I proceeded for Makkah for the performance of Umrah (sort of mini Haj).
There I made public for the first time that I had become Muslim.
Having embraced Islam, I felt as if I were born again. I found in Islam the answers to those queries which I had failed to find in Christianity. Particularly, it was only Islam that provided satisfactory answer to the question relating to the birth of Christ. For the first time I was convinced about the religion itself. I pray my family members might appreciate these facts. My family is the follower of that cult of Christianity, which is known as Jehovah’s Witness.
According to its creeds, only 144,000 men would finally qualify to enter into paradise. How come? It remained always a perplexing creed for me. I was surprised to know that the Bible was compiled by so many men, particularly about a volume scripted by King James. I wondered if a man compiles a directory and then ascribes it to God, but he does not fully comply with these directions.
During my stay in Saudi Arabia, I have had the opportunity to buy a cassette released by the erstwhile British pop-singer and the present Muslim preacher, Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens). I learned a lot from this as well.
When I returned to US, American media orchestrated heinous propaganda against Islam and the Muslims. Gossips were let loose on me, which really disturbed my peace of mind. Hollywood was hell-bent upon maligning the Muslims. They were being projected as terrorists. There are many things where there is consensus between Christianity and Islam, and the Qur’an presents Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) as a virtuous prophet. Then, I wondered, why Christian America levels baseless allegations against Muslims?
This made me gloomy. I made up my mind that I would do my best to dispel the wrong image of Muslims, portrayed by the American media. I had not the slightest idea that American media would not digest the news of my accepting Islam and raise such a great hue and cry.
It was virtually acting against all its tall and much-publicized claims about the freedom of expression and the freedom of conscience. So the hypocrisy of American society came to surface and lay uncovered before me. Islam unknotted many complications for me.
As a matter of fact, I came to think of myself as a complete human being, in the literal sense of the word. After becoming Muslim, I felt a tremendous change in me. I discarded all thing prohibited in Islam. This made things difficult for my family too. In short, the Jackson family tumbled altogether. Threatening letters poured in, which further intensified the worries of my family.
They would tell me that I had nurtured the animosity of American society and culture, by entering into the laps of Islam, you have deprived yourself of the right to live with others. We would make life unbearable for you in America so on, so forth.
But I confess that my family is broadminded. We have held all religions in esteem. Our parents have trained and groomed us in that way. Therefore, I may say that the Jackson family enjoys friendly relation with people belonging to almost all religions. This is the result of that training that I am being tolerated by them so far.
My brother Michael Jackson
On my way back to America, I brought a number of books from Saudi Arabia. Michael Jackson asked me himself for some of these books for study. Before this, his opinion was influenced by the propaganda of American media against Islam and the Muslims. He was not inimical toward Islam, but he was not favorably disposed toward Muslims either. But after reading these books, he would keep mum and not say anything against Muslims. I think perhaps this is the impact of the study of Islam that he diverted his business interests toward Muslim traders.
Courtesy: islamreligion.com

Sincerity means being deeply devoted to Allah by heart

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As for those who believe and do right actions and humble themselves before their Lord, they are the Companions of the Heaven, remaining in it timelessly, forever. (Surah Hud, 23)

Belief In ALLAH:

Sincerity means being deeply devoted to Allah by heart. A sincere person has a deep fear for Allah, profoundly believes in Him, sees and advocates the righteousness in the best way. A sincere person is the one who believes in Allah with certainty, the Hereafter, prophets, the Heaven and the Hell and angels.

Belief in Allah’s Prophets:

Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and mercy be upon him) and all other prophets including Prophet Jesus, Prophet Moses, Prophet Abraham, Prophet Solomon, Prophet Joseph, Prophet Jonah, Prophet Job (peace be upon them all) are the sincere servants of Allah. We are aware of the prophets’ sincerity because Allah sees them sincere and declares them to be so. All of the prophets were blessed people who were devoted to our All-Mighty Lord with great love and experienced sincerity in its most profound state. Likewise, due to their sincerity, all the prophets were blessed people who absolutely engaged in the most accurate act, whose deeds resulted in good and beauty and who truly turned to Allah in all their deeds.


Due to his fear for Allah and profound love of Allah, a sincere person is someone who readily discriminates between the right and the wrong, who absolutely implements what is right according to the Qur’an and, without seeing any limits in closeness to Allah and love for him, who discharges all the requirements of the religion in the most accurate and absolute manner. Consequently, sincerity is the kind of attitude which appears with fear of Allah, and closeness and love of Him and is experienced in the form as depicted in the Qur’an.


When one examines the Qur’an with a sincere heart one can immediately see that the Qur’an is the true Divine book. But if someone has never had access to the Qur’an, then he is Ahl Al-Fatrat, but if he believes in the one Allah, loves and fears Allah, does good works for His approval and prays, fasts and performs his religious duties as required by the religion, then that person may hope for Paradise.


However, nobody can ever be certain that either he or anyone else will go to Heaven or Hell. So long as a morally virtuous person lives for the approval of Allah he may hope for Paradise from Him, and one may hope that this person will be one of the saved, though one can never be certain of this. As Allah reveals in the Qur’an, all believers live “between hope and fear:”
Their sides eschew their beds as they call on their Lord in fear and ardent hope. And they give of what We have provided for them. (Surat As-Sajda, 16)


Since sincerity can only be experienced with unconditional belief in Allah, hoping for the Heaven merely saying, “I am sincere,” without fulfilling the decrees of the religion is an insincere view that only deceives the person himself. It is a great collapse of reason to appear with reasoning commanding that “Satanists can go to the Heaven if they are sincere” and try to show a criminal person who overtly murders a human being and who evidently denies Allah as a sincere person deserving the Heaven.
A person who denies Allah commits crimes and engages in immoral acts commits all these misdeeds due to his insincerity and his disbelieving and rebellious mind. Such a person is not even remotely close to sincerity. He is dishonest and a liar. What is essential is not one’s seeing himself sincere but the recognition of his sincerity by Allah. As long as a satanist does not regret, repent and turn to Allah with sincerity, he is an unbeliever who is doomed to Hell. (Allah knows the truth)


Almighty Allah gives as an example in the Qur’an of a man who owns a garden and who considers himself sincere and thinks that he deserves the Heaven even though he is in complete denial of the Hereafter:
He entered his garden and wronged himself by saying, “I do not think that this will ever end. I do not think the Hour will ever come. But if I should be sent back to my Lord, I will definitely get something better in return.” (Surat Al-Kahf, 35-36)


Our Lord informs us of the condition of the person whose garden was destroyed as a calamity that came over him due to his denial.
There was no group to come to his aid, besides Allah, and he was not given any help. In that situation, the only protection is from Allah, the Almighty. He gives the best reward and the best outcome.


Almighty Allah “knows what their hearts keep hidden and what they divulge” (Surat An-Naml, 74). Those who are insincere to Allah are people who cannot appreciate Allah properly and who cannot comprehend this great fact. Almighty Allah, Who knows all that is concealed, is certainly the One, Who knows best the sincerity in a person’s heart. Our Lord states in one verse of the Qur’an as thus:
Your Lord knows best what is in your selves. If you are righteous, He is Ever-Forgiving to the remorseful. (Surat Al-Isra, 25)

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Hajj, a life-changing event for Muslims

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Millions of devout Muslims from around the world have just completed the Islamic pilgrimage called Hajj. The Hajj is an annual pilgrimage to Mecca, and it is compulsory for Muslims to do it at least once in their lifetime, once they are physically able and financially capable.
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Many Muslims say the Hajj is a life-changing experience, like the civil-rights leader Malcolm X, who said doing the Hajj in March 1964 made him change his views on whites and racism.
In T&T, former chairman of the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation, Nafeesa Mohammed believes doing the Hajj has had a major impact on her life. Mohammed performed Hajj, not once but twice—in 2010 and 2012.
Mohammed said when she was growing up, she heard stories about the Hajj from her aunt and other members of the family.
“I really became more aware of the rites of the Hajj when my mother was performing her own Hajj in 1994. Just as she had completed the most sacred rites of the Hajj, my father got a heart attack here in Trinidad and died. We had to bury my father while my mother was in Makkah in Saudi Arabia.”
Another couple, Hajji Shazad and Hajjin Fariza Khan also feel the Hajj has been a transformative life event.
The Khans of Orange Field Road, Carapichaima, performed Hajj in 2010.
Shazad Khan explained that having the intention of performing Hajj is the main factor for Muslims: “Each Muslim is supposed to practice the correct teachings of Islam and with that comes humility and genuine forgiveness in your heart. You must make that intention to perform the Hajj and proceed on the journey by submitting to the will of Allah and constantly declaring that you are there at the service of the Lord.
In terms of special requirements before performing the Hajj, Mohammed explained that there are certain matters that prospective pilgrims would try to fulfill.
“Hajj is compulsory only if you have the means to do it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience and you are not supposed to borrow money to go to perform Hajj,” Shazad said.
“Your personal, family and financial affairs should be organized before leaving for Hajj. Provisions must be made for your dependents prior to departing from your home.”
Mohammed described her first Hajj experience as the most beautiful as she was able to perform the Hajj along with her husband, Reza Abasali.
“I was also able to retrace the movements of my mother at the time of my father’s death as he succumbed during the most intense time of the Hajj rituals. This brought great comfort and peace to me because being near the Kaaba makes me understand much more about life and death and our purpose in this life.”
“Spending more than a week in the City of Madinah was also the most beautiful part of my Hajj experience because I was so close to the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This is such a sweet smelling and beautiful place. My heart was at peace being so near to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),” Mohammed said.
“My whole life has centered around a struggle here in T&T for the preservation of certain aspects of our religious and cultural heritage. I am a traditional moderate Muslim and I was able to witness that the majority of Muslims from around the world are just like us who have no hesitation in showing such abundant love and respect for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).”
Mohammed said since her first Hajj experience her life has changed dramatically, “I actually started wearing hijab full-time when I made my first downpayment for the Hajj. By that time, my Islamic consciousness was growing by leaps and bounds. I am still the same person but I view life differently.
“We attach ourselves to things that are ephemeral and I am more aware of our real purpose in this life. When we leave this world, it is only our deeds that follow us. So striving to do as much good in this life is my mission. I was brought up by my parents who instilled in us that service to the community is service to God. So this has been an easy path for me.
“I live a normal life but there is much more God consciousness. I am not fanatical or dogmatic at all! My heart and soul have been touched in a profound way since Hajj and I am able to express feelings of love with great ease and comfort.”
While there, Khan said he was able to perform Umrah Hajj on behalf of his children —Fadil, who passed away suddenly earlier this year, daughter Suranah and mother, Imam Baksh-Khan, who is also deceased. This, Khan said is a lesser pilgrimage.
The best part of his experience was on the day of Arafat, “this is where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is his last sermon. I prayed all day there, making dua and asking for forgiveness. Being there was like a sea of white, representing purity. The millions of people were all dressed in white. It was a breathtaking scene.”
Shazad Khan’s wife Fariza said her cherished moment was finally viewing the Holy Ka’aba. The Ka’aba is an ancient stone structure that was built and re-built by prophets as a house of worship. The Ka’aba is considered the center of the Muslim world and is a unifying focal point for Islamic worship.
Fariza said, “It was just an awesome and fulfilling experience all around. It really humbles you and makes you closer to God.”

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Article source www.guardian.co.tt