Okay, so this is more than two months late. But better late than never
There are many excellent books out there for Hajj. For starters check out Al-Rashad press, and make sure you buy the invaluable Performing Hajj DVD by Imam Tahir Anwar.
Regardless of how much I prepared for Hajj, when I was actually in Hajj, there were many times I found myself thinking ‘Whoa, wait a minute, I didn’t read about this!’ or ‘Hmmm, that seems a little dodgy’. So this post, is really about relating the experiences, that I didn’t or couldn’t prepare for. If that makes sense…
Know your Fiqh – and I don’t mean start preparing for it on the plane journey to Saudi. Not only will you potentially be making mistakes in Hajj, you’ll also be missing out on the abundance of blessing that performing Hajj carries. It will force to you be over reliant on your mu’allim, and that’s when some of the big problems arise.
Many of the UK tour operators will have Saudi guides with them in Makkah and Medinah. The majority of UK hujjaj though tend to be Hanafi in fiqh, and there definitely is a disparity in some of the wajib actions of Hajj that a Saudi based guide will try to enforce, and those who are Hanafi need to follow. An example being the order of pelting, animal sacrifice and the shaving of the head.
My operator had both a Saudi and a separate Hanafi scholar. Who respectively led two different groups in Hajj, but under the umbrella of our tour operator. For those who were unprepared the very idea of having two different groups caused confusion. Just remember that you are accountable for your own actions. Don’t blame your tour guide for your own shortcomings.
Watch your Health – Yeah so I can do 40 press ups, no sweat. But after the after first ‘Umrah performed, I found myself envying those being pushed around in wheelchairs. Sad fact, but we’re just not used to walking around for long periods, especially when you’re barefeet. Get used to long walks before you head out for Hajj, and buy some decent sandals (meeting the requirements of Ihram).
Antibiotics. Obviously check with your doctor beforehand. I had the worst cough of my life, that peaked in Muzdalifah. It was soo bad, that each time I coughed I thought sandpaper was being ripped against my throat. I started a course of antibiotics, that alhamdulillah, helped me recover within a few days.
For brothers, whilst in Ihram, walking around for an extended period of time will cause chafe burns on the inside of your thighs. I finally realised the purpose of boxer shorts, but you can’t wear undergarments in Ihram. So make sure you have some good ointment.
Cut your Nails – this is just standard hygiene and sunnah, but also an emphasised sunnah before entering the state of Ihram. This especially applies to your toe nails. The worst offenders will find themselves scratching the feet of their fellow hajji’s. How? On the days of Hajj, the Haram will be packed by people. In the crowds and in Tawaf, close contact and shuffling, leads to a lot of feet being stepped on.
Pollution will Sting – combine the intense heat and several thousand coaches (that apparently lack particulate filters), you have Mexico City on a bad day. It sucks. Asthma sufferers be aware. Face masks can help, but don’t don them whilst in Ihram (know your fiqh).
No Traveller Checks – This is like soo 80′s. But my dear father still prefers the 80′s. Nowhere in Medinah or Makkah, could he cash in his traveller checks. So don’t bother. There are cash machines and easily enough Exchanges around to help out with money.
Advantage of Bengali – you don’t speak Arabic? Bengali will do just fine. I don’t have a typical Bengali appearance, so at first I was getting by, with my simple Arabic. Soon after I realised that more than 80% of the shopkeepers, merchants, taxi drivers and Haramayn maintenance staff were Bengali (mainly from Chittagong, home run for me), my life had become supinely simple. Urdu will do just as well to.
Make time for the Jam’aah – depending how far your hotel is away from the masjid. For me it was 35 minutes for Masjid an-Nabawi (5 minute walk from hotel) and 50 minutes for Masjid al-Haram (12 minute from hotel). The added time is to find sufficient space in the masjids.
Much of the time you’ll find yourself staying for the whole day anyway. But an example of how packed it could get would be the Jum’aah that I attended in the Haram the day before the Hajj actually began. We left our hotel at 10:30 AM. By 10:40 AM, we were about 100 m from the masjid, but told to sit down on the road in (early) preparation for the salah!
Buy a Gym Bag – You’ll need this to carry your prayer mat and to store you sandals in. You might find yourself with a free bag given at the airport, but my one had a torn strap by the next day.
Buy a Saudi Sim Card – they cost bout 75 riyals, easily sufficient to cover more than 3 weeks of intermittant calls. Also leave your BlackBerry’s at home and buy one of those super cheap Nokia’s (you’ll have to get it unlocked in the UK) – you know, the ones that even schoolchildren balk at. The battery can go uncharged for a nearly a week, this is essential as the camps don’t really have plug points.
Laundry Service – hotel charge rates are exorbitant. Look around the hidden alleyways and you’ll find the laundry shops. Given that you should have packed light and the heat of KSA means daily clothe changes, finding a nearby shop is essential (advantage of Bengali).
Careful of the Crushes- and have sabrun jameelun. I really wasn’t prepared for this. My first week in Saudi, was spent in Medinah. Entering the Haram of Medinah, I naturally wanted to follow the sunnah, by stepping through the Jibril gate, then praying 2 rak’at in the Riyadul Jannah. The gate was closed, and then nearly had a heart attack when coming into the Rowdah area. The crowd was incredible. Makkah is even more intense.
The biggest choke points in Masjid al-Haram are probably at the escalators. The majority of the hujjaj show unparalleled patience. Do the same, be alert and offer a hand to the elderly.
Segregation in the Haram- meaning in Makkah. Outside of the months of Hajj and Ramadhan, the masjid is usually segregated. Segregation is self-enforced though, but when it gets real busy, this can fall apart. Men should not pray behind women, nor pray side by side with each other.
Be polite to your sisters, and have some understandable sign language (not everyone speaks English or Arabic). There are often easy resolutions (such as a sisters group within a circle of mahrem men), but often elderly sisters will cling tightly to their husbands. Don’t be an idiot and expect the sister to move, instead use your youthful health and go the roof.
Alas, if you really are stuck. Then use your gym bag to create a gap between each other. But be careful, gaps are highly coveted, and someone will inevitably try to fill it.
Prep for the Loo - and relieving yourself will be a doddle insha’Allah. I don’t mean you prepare by doing a tour of inner city public toilets. Nor do I mean, start a training regime of squats. Or worse, practice squatting on a English commode (you’ll fall off).
What I mean, by preparation, is to be immensely grateful to Allah ta’ala for accepting His most honoured of invitations. That’s it. I mean how can hole-in-the-floor be an obstacle to Hajj?
Compare an analogy with reality TV shows. You have contestants who would bare humiliation, risk life and limb….or do a pooh in a jungle somewhere – all for some prize money. So what would you risk for your share of the Afterlife?
Anyway, look you’re not going to be swallowed up the loo, so don’t worry. At first it’s shock of unfamiliarity. Then it’s the yuck factor. Then its the realisation that there is no flush.
Mina has the best facilities, then ‘Arafah, leaving Muzdalifah in last position. My advice is to finish up in ‘Arafah. Waiting times for the ques in Muzdalifah can extend for hours.
Here is my killer tip – Adidas and Simple. My Adidas shower sandals, had excellent grip on wet floors (thus avoiding the fear of being swallowed up). Whilst Simple is a brand name for non-scented and non-alcoholic cosmetic products, such as wipes. Do not buy scented wipes, buy Simple! No, I don’t work for them either…
