A Ramadan visit to the two Holy Masjids

One of the great advantages of staying in Saudi Arabia is that you get to visit these blessed places often. Alhamdulillah, Sameer and I visited Madinah & Makkah in the Holy month of Ramadan and enjoyed the hospitality of Muslims who inhabit this lovely place.

Wednesday 2100 hours

We took a budget flight to Madinah after office hours and reached there just after Isha (night) prayer. After the Taraweeh¹ prayer, we decided to call it a day hit the sack.

The Dawn of Madinah – Thursday 0500 hours

There is something about Madinah which makes you fall in love with it instantly. The divine peace or sakeenah, which God Almighty has blessed this city with, enables people to reach a reach a level of contentment and selflessness which can rarely be experienced anywhere else. After the Fajr prayer, Sameer & I went to the Roza-e-Mubarak, the place where Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon Him) is buried along with his illustrious companions Abu Bakr and Umar (May Allah be pleased with them).

One of the corridors of the Prophet’s Masjid

Jannath-ul-baqee graveyard

After giving the greetings to our beloved Prophet (peace be upon Him), we decided to visit the neighboring graveyard of Jannath-ul-Baqee where hundreds of the companions of the Prophet and noble Muslims of later generations have been buried.

Jannath-ul-baqee graveyard after Fajr prayer

The simplicity of the graveyard struck me profoundly. These unmarked graves house some of the noblest souls that mankind has ever known, yet the graveyard is bereft of any symbols of worldly pride such as elaborate tombs etc. This asceticism and piety reflects the character of the first three generations of Islam who despite being world leaders were yet humble in their life and death. We Muslims who claim to be inheritors of the salaf (the best three generations of Islam starting from Prophet Mohammad peace be upon Him), would do well to emulate such examples of Zuhd (asceticism).

More often than not, we can find some self appointed custodians of the salaf who raise hell regarding the finer points of Aqeedah (Islamic belief), yet the society which they live in reeks of bad manners and unjust behavior. What good is faith if it does not soften a persons’ heart and lead him to deal justly with others? What good are mere words if they don’t affect our actions? Rhetoric may provide the basis of a state but it is only faith and deeds which ensure its survival.

Any Muslim society which does not make kindness and justice its cornerstone is bound to fail in the long run, despite all the rhetoric and scholarly hair splitting about authenticity. The Umayyad dynasty used to pride itself on being the most authentic but the example which they set for Muslims at large left a lot to be desired because they had become corrupt and extremely materialistic. The Abbasid revolution, (supported by disillusioned Arabs and Persians) took place and swept the Umayyads into the dustbin of history. In this is a great lesson for every Muslim society.

An open grave in Jannath-ul-baqee serves as a reminder

We spent the day in Ziarah by going to the well known Masjid’s of Madinah such as Quba and Qiblatain before retuning to Masjid-e-Nabwi.

Preparations for Iftar begin – 1700 hours

The time for breaking fast at sunset during Ramadan is a unique moment for Muslims across the world. For people to break their fasts in the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah is an even more blessed and surreal experience.

For many people, sharing a snack with fellow Muslims is an exhilarating experience. During iftar in the two holy cities, people often sit with strangers of different nationalities and languages, and with whom they only share one thing in common — that they are fasting in obedience to Allah. In fact, many say the experience helps them develop an ethos of brotherhood.

Muslims in Masjid-e-Nabwi making Iftar preperations

What makes these gatherings special, which for many is an once-in-a-lifetime experience, is the variety of people from different cultures and nationalities that gather in the holy cities. Most of the food that is on offer in the holy mosques is brought by local people, who also bring along local Saudi dishes. It is remarkable to see these people laying tablecloths, setting cups, distributing coffee, tea and dates and often delaying their own iftar to ensure visitors to the holy mosques are at ease and comfort.

As sunset approaches, silence descends on the two mosques as people begin turning toward God in supplication. Islamic theology says prayers are answered at the time of breaking fast. What better place to beseech the Almighty than the two holy mosques while one is in the state of fasting in the month of Ramadan. One cannot help notice the fervour with which people supplicate as their eyes swell with tears. Through the humming of people reciting prayers one can hear the odd pilgrim bursting out in tears pouring out his or her heart’s contents to the Almighty.

Pilgrims from across the world can be seen busily praying in their own languages asking for Allah to cure their loved ones, grant them lives that are lived in His servitude, forgiveness of sins and for the needs of both this world and the hereafter.
Once the iftar sheets are laid, there is no hierarchy in where people sit. Everyone is the same. In a remarkable expression of brotherly love, the rich and the poor, and the black and the white, can be seen sitting together and sharing the same food.

A Yemeni kid waiting to break the fast

One of the things that made me want to come for Umrah during Ramadan is the feeling of brotherhood which is present. If you look around you, this is the true picture of Islam, unlike the negative image that exists outside. I wish the whole year was Ramadan so we wouldn’t lose the beautiful feelings for each other.

As soon as the call for prayer starts, people immediately start collecting the ‘sufras’ (dining sheets) and place them in garbage bags to be thrown away. Within 20 seconds the place is clean. Food is removed and people are ready to pray.

A Saudi teenager arranging the food and serving pilgrims. 

To Makkah – Friday 2200 hours

We left for Makkah in a SAPTCO (state transport) bus and Alhamdulillah the journey was comfortable and uneventful.

The Kaaba

The hustle and bustle of Makkah is quite a contrast to the peaceful and serene Madinah. Yet Makkah has its own charm because one prayer in the Haram Sharif is equivalent to a hundred thousand prayers else where.

The first thing we noticed were the enormous three 70 storied towers of the King Abdul Aziz Waqf project which are being constructed just in front of Haram Sharif. I really appreciate the necessity of creating more housing space for the pilgrims but the location of such a prestigious project could have been a bit more apt.

King Abdul Aziz Waqf Project (This picture was taken few months before Ramadan)

Well, it’s easy to be an arm chair analyst, but after seeing the space problem around Haram Sharif, I realised that maybe the Saudi authorities did not have any alternative. Allah o Alam!

Malls in Makkah

The booming trade and expansion in Makkah is causing some Muslims to object to the commercialization of a Holy city. Such Muslims fail to realise that Makkah has been commercial centre for all of Arabia since time immemorial. Islam is not against lawful and honest trade as long as it does not cause the society to become overtly materialistic and lax. Some Muslims also object to the ‘Mall culture’ and to the presence of foreign brands in cities holy to Muslims, but such objections are not quite justified. I would be happy to see Muslim companies develop products which can compete in the world market but to shut ourselves to the world is not quite right.

Jabal Omar project (This picture was taken few months before Ramadan)

Some people also object to the destruction of some historical monuments which are close to Haram Sharif but such objections are unfounded and are reminiscent of her Majesty’s (Britain) propaganda against the Muslims of Saudi Arabia. The ill effects of the virulent lies spread by the British Empire have decreased by quite an extent but successor of the Anglo Saxon empire is trying to repackage the lies so as to whip up hatred and misunderstanding between Muslims.

The Grand Mosque in Makkah (This picture was taken few months before Ramadan)

Iftar in Makkah – Saturday 1800 hours

In Makkah, the Iftar situation is similar. Many pilgrims inside the Grand Mosque and in the courtyards outside do not miss the opportunity to join their fellow Muslims on this very unique and annual occasion. A young Saudi was busy laying iftar food.

“This is a family tradition that we carry out each year. There is no better feeling than helping fellow Muslims and visitors to the House of God to break their fasts,‿ he said.

“We are seeking reward from Allah so with every halala spent on preparing and buying the food we hope to be rewarded in the life after. My three brothers and I take four locations and we serve people food. We do not have much on the table except for dates, yogurt, water and some juice. Other people join in the table and bring their food with them,‿ he said.

The Return from Jeddah Airport – 2300 hours

Our return budget flight was delayed by more than an hour and we reached home early next morning yet these few days had been worth their weight in gold. These moments will remain etched in our memory untill we meet our Creator, InshAllah.

- Abdul Mateen

References
1.) Taraweeh prayer – Special Ramadan prayer performed in the night after Isha prayers.
2.) Arab News – Breaking Fast in the Two Holy Mosques (Badea Abu Al-Naja & Hashem Ahmad).