Lost in Makkah, part I

The hujjaaj are now returning to their homes, their loved ones, their jobs. Getting back into the grind of real life (because lets face it, Hajj is the one journey of the heart and soul that it is difficult to return from), and recounting for us all their funny, strange, uplifting, harrowing, and life-changing experiences. The friend who got told his tales of getting lost resurrected our memories of how our first day in Makkah went…

We went to Makkah by bus, from Madinah, leaving slightly before noon, and arriving at about 8 pm. We settled into our apartment, grabbed a bite to eat, and since we were in Ihram, decided to head over to the Haram Shareef for our Tawwaaf and Sa’iee. All we knew about our apartment was what the man who sub-let it to us said: that it is in Jabal Kaaba. No street name, no street number. Just Jabal Kaaba.

Off we went, on the 1 km walk to the Haram, which was really quite easier than we thought it would be. Walking the quiet winding, hilly streets of Makkah at 11pm was utterly divine–it literally felt like we were walking in the footsteps of the Ashaab Kareem, not to mention our Nabi. How magical and fantastic, wallahi. MashaAllah walhamdulillah. We entered the Haram from one of the many, many doors, neglecting to note the door number. Walked and walked in this brightly lit masjid that felt like we were on another plane. Muslims, men, women, children, most in Ihram, everywhere. Some on their way out of the Haram after completing their Tawaaf, with faces shining with joy and noor. SubhanAllah. We arrived finally at the heart of the Haram: in front of the Ka’aba. All I can say is that I was stunned absolutely senseless. There it was…sitting there…waiting for us. ME! A hopeless sinner! Who surely doesn’t deserve this miracle! With that gleaming halo circling it. SubhanAllah. We proceeded to make duaa, and then do our Tawaaf.

Then to Mount Safa, located inside the magnificently enormous Baitullah, to do our Sai’ee. By the time we finished tracing the footsteps of Hajra Alayhis Salaam, it was almost time for Fajr, about 5 am. So of course we stayed at the Haram, in that state of exhilirated exhaustion for Fajr. Our first Fajr in Makkah. Sheikh Humaid led the prayer, and I can almost hear his voice ringing in my brain. MashaAllah! After salaah, we waited a bit for the crowd to diminish so that we could make our way back to our apartment with ease.

So little did we know.

(I did not intend to write this part…but it just happened, and its too late for me to write the part I meant to tell you all. Besides, its kind of too long already. Tomorrow inshaAllah.)