Labbaikallah humma labbaik..... Mekah Part 1

Masjidil Haram - majestic, imposing and spectacular...a sanctuary for the sinned and tired souls

 After we checked into the hotel, Noor took me to Masjidil Haram. It was a 10 minute walk. I could just stand outside the imposing and gigantic mosque. It was Allah's home for His guests. I was hesitant and afraid. Was I welcome? Would I be a grateful and appreciative guest? Did I deserve this? Never in my whole 44 years of my life did I expect to be right in front of this symbolic building. Noor urged me into the mosque. The first thing that struck me was how cooling, spacious and welcoming it felt. All I could do was to go down on  my knees and sujud syukur. Tears ran down freely without wanting to. You just felt. You did not see or touch. It was just a heartfelt feeling of surrendering to the warmth, enfolding and encompassing love. It's 6 years ago but I could still feel it. I don't expect to go again in this life time. Unless He wills it.  We performed the tawaf and solat in the mosque.

We had already been forewarned that the generals and all the top officers of the satan brigade would be on duty : =D so to be very careful, patient and accepting. They were there to sway us from our faith and belief. Thus, before Noor and I started to argue since we were of so different personalities, I asked Noor's permisssion to go to the mosque on my own. I liked to go there early and just beriktikaf in it. So, we went our own way. He knew me. I only lived and breathed the mosque and the hotel. I did not go shopping neither did I merambu here and there. My life for the 36 days there was the mosque-hotel-mosque. It enveloped and shrouded my whole stay there. I went there to cleanse my self and my soul from the zillions of sins. I was always afraid Allah would not notice me since there were millions of us. I did not go there to have fun or shopping and Allah, the Most Compassionate and Beneficial, closed my heart to all the worldly offerings.

What struck me about Mekah? Madinah was clean, serene and organised. Mekah was organised chaos, dirty and busy all day and night. The mosque did not separate male and female. The only mosque on earth allowed to do so. The shopping complexes had a siesta between Zohor and Asar. Shopping came alive after Isyak. I only went around Mekah with Noor twice to look for Eton and his friend. We did not meet either. I prayed that we wouldn't as I didn't want any distractions, I got to keep my peace with myself and my mouth/tongue. Otherwise, Noor went around by himself. I guessed he'd prefer that. Where Noor went shopping, I was happy by myself either at the mosque or my room. I had nothing to buy. I didn't want to buy anything. I was happy. Alone but never lonely. The mosque never slept. The doors were never closed. There were always pilgrims around. Round the clock maintenance crew. Night and day mosque's officials. Staff from the various countries including Tabung Haji Malaysia. There's just no description. I slept because it was necessary to sleep so that I could be at the mosque on time.  I had no fear here. Allah is always near.  :=)