An Odyssey That Opened My Eyes

Hello everyone (especially my Muslim friends)! Today, I will take you all on a journey with me to "the Land of the Two Holy Mosques", Saudi Arabia, the journey that changed me mentally and spiritually.

Jeddah:

It was 7 o'clock in the morning of February 15, 2024. Our family of four was all prepared for the holy pilgrimage of Umrah, all wearing the state of Ihram which is mandatory for our pilgrimage to be accepted (to know more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ihram)

The 7-hour flight from Dhaka to Jeddah was a smooth one. Upon landing at the King Abdulaziz International Airport, we booked a cab to Makkah, the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

The taxi drove us for nearly two hours before finally reaching the Clock Tower, where our hotel was situated.

Makkah:

We arrived at the Pullman ZamZam hotel late at night, where weariness and hunger took over us. Finishing the dinner brought by my dad from a pizza place nearby, we headed straight to Masjid al-Haram for Tawaf, which is the circumambulation seven times around the Holy Kaaba, each starting from the Black Stone, moving counter-clockwise.

Tawaf:

The pulchritudinous view from our hotel room perfectly captured the beauty of the people of faith performing Tawaf. 

With the first few steps we took on the holy ground, came a light drizzle from the skies which made me feel a cool sensation in my chest, a kind of elation. I had worried beforehand if this was going to prove to be difficult for me as I did not have much of a habit of walking, but the further we walked, the lighter my feet felt. 

I had nothing to worry about anymore. 

I was really here. Brimming with gratitude, I could not believe the blessings that were bestowed upon me. 

(For further information on Tawaf: https://en.wikishia.net/view/Tawaf)

Sa'i: 

Towards the end of Tawaf, my elder brother and I realised that we had finished the circling much earlier than our parents and decided to set out for Sa'i without them. After performing two rak'ahs of sunnah prayer behind Maqam Ibrahim, we were now on a different path for Sa'i, struggling a little at first without our parents' guidance but soon understanding the pattern of the pilgrimage by observing others.

Sa'i, which comes after Tawaf, is the ritual of walking back and forth, sporadically at the determined stations run, between the Safa and Marwah hills a total of seven times. Starting the walk from Safa, one way distance between the hills being considered one stretch, we completed Sa'i at Marwah.

Despite of starting to feel some discomfort in my feet at that point, the spiritual satisfaction transcended any pain.

We advanced towards our hotel, post performing the Fajr prayer at the mosque. Once we were all present in the room, my mum and I cut an inch of each other's hair, and the men shaved their heads, bringing an end to our Ihram state, wrapping up Umrah. 

The sunrise that morning was unlike any other. I was thankful to be resting this near the Holy Kaaba as the dark sky was coloured by the warmth of the sun. I continuously reminded myself how I was down there just now, amongst the other believers performing Umrah. All I could say in my head was "Alhamdulillah", all praise is due to Allah.

The next couple of days consisted of performing Tawaf a few more times, eating out at local as well as Bengali restaurants, and ziyarat.

Ziyarat:

The Arabic term Ziyarah refers to visits to sites associated with Muhammed (SWS), his family members, descendants and companions, important events in Islamic history, and other venerated figures in Islam.

Our destinations included Jabal-e-Rehmat, Jabal Al-Nour, as well as Muzdalifah. We travelled by a hired car and made necessary stops to learn more about the history of each location, bringing us further closure and satisfaction as pilgrims.

(Side note: The ice cream from the vans was a highlight of the Makkah ziyarat for me.)

On February 19, we set off to the beautiful city of Taif (the image between the ice creams) which is a Miqat (boundary at which Muslim pilgrims intending to perform the Ḥajj or Umrah must enter the state of Ihram). 

After attaining the Ihram state once again at the Qarn al-Manazil mosque, we went back to Makkah and performed Umrah for the second time.

Later on February 21, we performed Tawaf Al-Wada (the Farewell Tawaf) which was not a struggle at all this time around, and embarked for Madinah the following morning.

Madinah:

Madinah was simply fascinating. It brought much peace to my sight as its landscapes were just as beautiful as the grand mosque 'Masjid an Nabawi'. I was in complete awe for having the privilege of being able to pray there.

On the day we visited Riaz ul-Jannah, which is known as the "Garden of Paradise", I saw the umbrellas open right in front of me as an overwhelm of emotions came over me.

(More about Riaz ul Jannah: https://about-riaz-ul-jannah/)

The Madinah ziyarat made me reluctant to return home, as I felt an even deeper connection to the holy land after gaining a greater understanding of the Islamic history.

The sites we visited in Madinah included the Uhud Mountain, Masjid Quba, and the supposedly gravity-defying, Wadi E Jin! 

I have attached a few pictures of the Madinah ziyarat below!!

The journey came to an end as we headed to the Makkah airport, where our flight was delayed by an entirety of 6 hours! As the plane landed in Bangladesh, I was hit with the realization that all of this was real. I had actually just lived one of my biggest dreams in life. 

All that I could do now is encourage all of you out there to go on this journey at least once in your life if possible, to feel what I felt, to experience the odyssey that will open your eyes.