Ramadan in Madinah: A Pilgrim's Ramadan in the Holy Land by British hajj travel

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A Pilgrim's Ramadan in the Holy Land by British hajj travel

Four years ago, my parents and I went on Umrah (minor pilgrimage) to the holy cities during the last 10 days of Ramadan. Challenges included the larger-than-usual crowd coupled with the scorching temperatures of the Middle East.

I was thoroughly excited to be in Saudi Arabia again. Having lived there 17 years ago, my childhood memories came flashing back. During those joyous years, I remember having mixed emotions each time we departed from Madinah.

I never really understood why I felt that way. Despite being more attached to Mecca, I had never felt the same sentiments when leaving that city. After being away from the holy cities for 13 years, I wasn’t sure what to expect on this trip.

Madinah

The air in Madinah had a certain kind of calmness, something I never remarked as a child. In Madinah, if you complain about the weather, you are told not to utter such words since you are in the city of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Such is the culture of the locals in Madinah – soft-spoken, kind, and constantly trying to maintain some of the characteristics of our beloved Prophet (pbuh) out of love and respect.

During iftar time, people arrange several lanes of plastic sheets outside Masjid an-Nabawi (Prophet’s Mosque) and scatter on these an abundance of dates, laban (a local yoghurt drink), bread, juice and other food items. Even as you walk toward the mosque, people are standing with various boxes of food, which they simply give away to anyone. I have only ever observed such generosity here.

The beauty about visiting the holy cities in Ramadan is that one is truly devoted to worship. One can walk to the mosque and back five times a day for the daily prayers, and also for additional qiyam ul-lail prayers late at night. Each time I walked to the mosque in the sizzling temperatures, with dry mouths and bodies drenched in sweat, I saw hundreds of other people doing the same thing purely for the sake of Allah. I found this atmosphere absolutely incredible. How often do we get to experience this kind of devotion?

But a few things have changed since the 90s when I was a child. In those days, we were able to go near the shrine of the Prophet (pbuh) as a family, and women had equal access to pay their respects. Now the scene has changed – women are only allowed in at restricted times during the day.

Though I was disappointed by this, I do like the fact that women are first briefed on the etiquette of visiting the Prophet’s (pbuh) shrine in a language they understand. Sadly, the entire process is rushed and I didn’t really get to indulge in this moment of being in such proximity in what I thought was the greatest gift to mankind.

The minute I finished my prayers by the Riaz ul-Janna (a site known as the ‘gateway to heaven’), I was asked to leave by the women in charge. Even though I wanted to pray more and let the moment sink in, there just wasn’t enough time to appreciate what I had just experienced.

This isn’t the only change that has occurred. I remember taking a tour of Madinah before we migrated to Canada in 1996. During this tour, we visited many mosques, but one stood out the most. It was an outdoor mosque and I remember praying on the grass on bamboo mats. It was such a beautiful experience.

Unfortunately, this monument has been closed down due to visitors who supposedly do acts of bid’ah (acts of worship that are not grounded in the Qur‘an or hadith). The Saudi government is strict about preventing this, and their reaction is to close down or destroy many historically significant sites.

Despite this, there are still plenty of things to see in Madinah. The mountainous site of the Battle of Uhud, Masjid Quba (the first mosque in the history of Islam), and all the significant mosques where the Prophet (pbuh) once prayed are still open to visitors.

Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque), Mecca

I had always enjoyed visiting Mecca. As a child, I was especially fascinated by the Kaaba,  the centre point of Masjid al–Haram, so it’s no wonder that I couldn’t contain my excitement to see this magnificent monument again.

I gathered my thoughts to make a du’a upon my first look at the Kaaba, as I’ve been told that such a du’a is always fulfilled. So I began to put my wishlist into one sentence as we entered the doors closest to the Kaaba. I was still trying to formulate my du’a when my mom nudged me to look up. As I set my eyes on it, my mind was wiped clean and I could no longer utter my wishes. I felt so grateful to Allah (swt) for bringing me there after many years of reminiscing.

Then, we began our tawaf (circumambulation around the Kaaba) seven times. While doing this, I noticed the diverse range of pilgrims coming from various parts of the world to this holy site. No matter our race, language or status, we all became equal as we truly are in the eyes of Allah. What a beautiful sight!

The mountains of Safa and Marwa also have a special place in my heart. When I was a child, a section of the mountain was open to the public. I used to climb up the top with other kids for a small break and sip zamzam, the natural spring water that runs between these two mountains. Like many other things, this has also changed to accommodate the increasing number of pilgrims.

In Ramadan, it’s almost impossible to find a place inside the Grand Mosque unless you stay there virtually the whole day. Going for prayers was like walking through a human sea. Like us, people would find a spot on the streets outside to break their fast and pray.

As hectic as this trip was, I had never enjoyed Ramadan more. Cutting myself off from the rest of the world and dedicating myself to worship was best experienced in these two sacred cities. The spirit of giving, the power of du’a and the magic of having your simple desires fulfilled during your stay can only be felt there.

I pray that we all get a chance to visit Mecca and Madinah at least once in our lives. Whether you go in Ramadan or not, you will feel peace from within and I believe your du’a there will certainly be answered. May Allah grant us all this opportunity soon.

Types of Packages

Prime travel agency of the UK, British Hajj Travel Ltd is famous for offering best Hajj and Umrah deals to British pilgrims.

VIP Umrah 7 Nights       Golden Umrah 7 Nights       Silver Umrah 7 Nights      Deluxe Umrah 7 Nights

Ramadan Umrah Package (14 Night)         Ramadan Offer 2017

source: aquila-style.com