The Hajj- A Personal Journey

By Mujtaba Datoo

The hajj is as much an individual journey, as it is a mass congregation of Muslims from all parts of the world.
Hajj is an obligatory pilgrimage once in a lifetime of a Muslim to the holy city of Makkah. Traditionally this journey also includes a visit to Madinah, where Prophet Muhammed (SAW) is buried.

Each pilgrim’s experience is unique.

In this book, the author charts out the journey he undertook in the Spring of 1999, and records his observations and activities.

He traces his journey from his arrival in Saudi Arabia to his return to London, England. He captures the daily activities, the rhythm of a pilgrim’s life and the rituals undertaken. He has also noted the places he visited and some of the people he met.

This book will give the reader an insight into the 'once in a lifetime journey' performed from the eyes of one who has experienced this journey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The World Federation of KSIMC
• Release date: Nov 14, 2012
• ISBN: 9781909285057

Book preview

The Hajj: A Personal Journey

Observations of a Pilgrim to Makkah

By Mujtaba Datoo

Copyright 2012 Mujtaba Datoo

Smashwords Edition

Published by The World Federation of KSIMC

First edition – January 2001 – Zilkad 1421

For Islamic propagation (Tableegh) purposes, any or whole part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author.

First Published by:

European Hajj Misssion

22 Estreham Road

London

SW16 5PQ

Telephone: [phone]

E-mail:[e-mail]

Website:www.coej.org.uk

A Note from the Publisher

The European Hajj Mission, under the auspices of The Council of European Jamaats, has the twin mission of serving the pilgrims on their journey to Makkah and promoting hajj.

As part of the promotional objective, we have published the journal of Mujtaba Datoo from California, USA, who performed the hajj in 1999. It is our hope that this work will inspire many to undertake this unique journey and enlighten future pilgrims.

Each person’s journey is unique. The Mission hopes to collect an anthology of varied experiences so that the readers may share in the rich mosaic that is hajj.

Ahmed M Dungersi

Chairman

European Hajj Mission

The Council of European Jamaats

Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Arrival

Madinah: The City of The Prophet

All roads lead to Makkah

The Muhrim

The Rites of Hajj

The Divine Summons

Days in Makkah

Onto the Plains of Arafat

Muzdalifa

Mina

The Qurbani (Sacrifice)

The Halaq (Complete Shaving)

Stay At Mina

The Farewell Tawaf

Departure

Acknowledgements

The completion of this journal has the inspiring hand of my brother Murtaza who has shepherded this project, and nudged me gently when other interests dominated my time. He has devoted himself to see this publication to fruition.

Along the way I have been fortunate to have the benefit of scholarly review by Dr. Liyakatali Takim, Dr. Mohammedraza Dungersi, Shaikh Mahmood Abdullah and Dr. Muhsin Alidina. To them I express my great respect and deep gratitude.

I also want to thank my friends Raji Chadarevian and Nazneen Nathani who generously gave of their time to edit and add valuable suggestions that made this journal more readable. Dr Saeed Shehabi has graciously and wholeheartedly provided production guidance and coordinated the publishing. Mahmood Khaku and Kamruddin Khaki have kindly permitted the use of their photographs.

My particular thanks to Dr. Mahmood Datoo, who shared his best and counseled as a brother, and my uncle Mohammedhussein Lakha for a historical perspective.

I am indebted to my dear friend Becca Christel for reading the audio book version of this journal.

Any shortcoming is mine to bear and learn from.

Introduction

The hajj is an obligatory pilgrimage once in a lifetime of a Muslim to the holy city of Makkah. Traditionally this journey also includes a visit to Madinah, where Prophet Muhammed (SAW) is buried. I undertook this journey in the Spring of 1999, and this journal records my observations and activities.

I trace my journey from my arrival in Saudi Arabia to my return to London, England. I try to capture the daily activities, the rhythm of a pilgrim’s life and the rituals undertaken. I note places I visited and some of the people I met. The hajj is as much an individual journey, as it is a mass congregation of Muslims from all parts of the world.

Each pilgrim’s experience is unique. I have conveyed my personal experience. There are authoritative works available to guide a pilgrim through exacting hajj rituals and requirements. I hope that every reader shall have an opportunity to experience such a spiritual, enriching and personally rewarding journey.

Arrival

We landed at Jeddah international airport late in the afternoon on a full flight from Zurich. Most of the passengers appeared to be Muslims quietly reading the Quran or books on hajj. I slept through most of the flight. When I woke up four hours later, some of the passengers near me had changed from their suits or jeans into the ihram, an unstitched piece of white cloth, wrapped around the waist and a similar piece draped on the shoulders. The silent reading of the Quran was now softly audible. These passengers were getting ready to proceed to Makkah upon arrival.

Upon landing, the pilgrim passengers were transported to the hajj terminal, a mile away from the international terminal. This terminal was used only during the hajj season. Alighting from the bus, I saw a Saudi soldier standing by the entrance. The soldier, dressed in dark green marine issue type pants and shirt with a black beret stood idly by. Holding a machine gun in one hand, he cleaned his teeth with the other using a miswak, an aromatic branch from a special tree found in the Middle East used traditionally to brush teeth and freshen the breath. The immigration control was laid out in a series of adjoining halls, darkly lit with a few wooden benches and no decorations. An official from the Saudi ministry provided each of us with a number of booklets upon entry. These booklets provided contact numbers of the Saudi authorities, local hospitals and other services. The remaining booklets outlined the hajj rituals as set out by the judicial authorities of Saudi Arabia.

The immigration officers dressed in khakis walked around the room collecting passports in no particular order. An hour later, another officer carrying the passports called our names, and we collected our passports. I entered another adjoining room only to repeat the process. Each time an officer emerged from a nearby office, passengers would swarm around him, anticipating their names. Waiting rooms, divided by a transparent glass partition, separated men and women.

The immigration clearance took two hours. I gathered my luggage and cleared customs. By then the passport had been through ten hands. The customs officer searched every piece of luggage. I opened my suitcase and the officer methodically lifted my few clothes emptied the toiletry kit and went through the books. He paid particular attention to an Arabic book containing the supplications narrated by the shi’ite Imams (saints) and tossed it into the rubbish tin. I had photocopies of the sections I wanted to read and kept them with the books. The customs officer looked at the copies and placed them back in the suitcase. I watched him in amused astonishment. As he handed my passport back, I thanked him and wished him well in Arabic. He was taken aback upon hearing Arabic, then quickly warmed to me, extended a handshake and greeted me with "insha’ Allah hajj mabruk" (may your pilgrimage be blessed, God willing).

Exiting customs, I found myself yet in another queue. This time it was with the United Agent’s office. A staff member collected the bank draft of about two hundred dollars, needed to secure a visa. The United Agency organised transport and tents for later in the pilgrimage.

Three hours after landing, the entry formalities were concluded. After exchanging stories with other pilgrims, I learnt that this was a rapid clearance. As I emerged from completing all the paperwork a volunteer from the European Hajj Mission (EHM) beckoned me to a spot a few yards away where Raza Virji, another volunteer, stood with the EHM flag. The flag bore the European Council of Jamaats logo of green crescents around the Ka’bah, the cubical structure in the middle of the grand mosque in Makkah. On top of the mast, hoisting the flag were three small lights flickering in red. These were battery operated and resembled those found at the back of a bicycle. This EHM flag became the guiding light for the group in a mass of people. The novelty of this flag arrangement captured the curiosity of many passers-by.

The hajj terminal is the only seasonal entry point in the world. It is an open area spanning a vast desert land with a concrete surface. Twenty-five foot columns, equally spaced apart at about fifty feet supported a tan coloured trampoline. The visual effect was that of huge undulating tents housing countless circuses. The tents formed a vortex from four pillars that led to an opening, giving the illusion of a skylight. Aeroplanes stood on one side of the terminal. This side was lined with immigration halls and United Agent’s open stalls. On the opposite side, far away, were numerous bus stands,