I want to apologise for the earlier post I wrote about preparing for Hajj. I haven’t deleted or edited the post, mainly as a reminder to myself, but the tone of the post was totally wrong. Worrying about the state of the toilets or getting conned is not what Hajj is about. Honestly such issues are so insignificant. I can only feel a deep shame for even making it a part of my thoughts. True, there are many hardships and tests when you embark for Hajj, but all faithful servants of Allah, Most Merciful, will only rejoice in praise and thanks at accepting the most privileged of invitations. You are coming as a guest of Allah, Most High, so what type of guest are you if you are one that complains?

Medina

The way the tour operator I used organised the trip was to go directly by flight to Medina. Spend 5 days there, then head to Makkah 5 days before the actual Hajj began.

Visiting Medina, isn’t a part of Hajj, but it is a great sunnah to visit Medina after completing Hajj.

Click on each picture to see the description and full size (10.1mp ~4mb)

Masjid an-Nabawi

Masjid an-Nabawi

The original part of Masjid an-Nabawi

Uhud

Jabal al-Rumah

Makkah

I have no pictures from inside the Masjid. After I completed my ‘Umrah (I was doing Hajj Tammattu’), I thought if I should take some pictures. I was a little unsure though. I could see many visitors inside with their cameraphones, but I didn’t want to spoil my intentions in thinking that I was a tourist, so I made a du’a to Allah to send a sign. As soon as I had finished the du’a, my camera just overheated and went dead. That was sign enough!

Masjid al-Haram

New levels for sa'ee

Masjid al-Haram

Al Umrah gate - Safa/Marwah

Mina

Muzdalifah

Big Shaytan - Jamaraat

O Allah, make him obedient and God fearing, and give him an excellent upbringing in Islam

Contributor to this blog, Brother Ande ka phanda’s (obviously not his real name) wife today at 1 AM has given birth to a healthy baby boy!

What wonderful news and in such an auspicious month!

I request all brothers and sisters to please make dua for the baby and mother Insha’Allah.

I dearly love the brother. We first met, so many years ago, as 1st year students at university. Him the medic and me as a budding physics student. Mash’Allah he is now an endearing and well respected doctor (now a father too), and still has time to write for this blog. Me, well, I’m just a layabout who has forgotten all his physics knowledge, then laid waste his time in the City. Jeez, man, I need to get married. I will get by in the mean time being a surrogate uncle to all these cute babies.

Akhi, please do update us more!