Monday 24 October 2011

Labbaikallah humma labbaik..... Mekah Part 4

I felt left out. Unnoticed. Sad and afraid that Allah didn't actually notice I was here as His guest among the millions invited. Everybody in my group had lost their shoes. I didn't even though I put them in a shoe bag on the shoe rack outside the mosque. Even Noor had lost his. Everybody was as usual upset but accepted it. The thought came into my mind that Allah had forgotten about me. I persevered and went to the mosque early and put my shoes at its usual place. That day, I was the  happiest and contented devotee. I lost my shoes. Only my shoe bag was there. Whoever took them was kind enough to leave the bag for me. I was skipping, walking happily back to the hotel. Noor was waiting for me at the lobby and asked why I looked so happy. I showed him my stockinged feet. He just shook his head and bought me a pair of slippers. How Compassionate Allah is. He didn't want me to feel sad, unwelcome and left out. It was His gentle way to tell me that I was in His fold. Alhamdulillah. Now, I know He was always with me.

"Help! Help!" I awoke with a start. It was past midnite. Kak Ina was in the toilet. I looked around my room of 5 and noticed that Kak Maisah, whose bed was opposite me, was restless on her bed. I heard again loud and clear "Help!" I went to her bed and noticed her eyelids were moving yet they were tightly closed. I stood by her bed and looked at her. Again the call for help. I shook her hand gently. The minute I touched her hand I could feel the hair on my back raised as though I was touched by an evil spirit. She awoke with a start. She said she was being chased by 2 men and she was calling for her son to help her. I told her to recite the Quran and ayat Kursi. She just nodded and went back to sleep. I went to my bed and was suddenly shivering like one who had a fever. When kak Ina came out of the toilet, I asked her if she heard anything. She said no. It was only for about 5 minutes. She asked me why was I pulling my blanket till my neck. I told her I was so cold. Later, I called Noor to tell him I could not go to the mosque for Subuh. We were leaving for Arafah after breakfast for wukuf. I told him I had high fever suddenly. I went to the clinic to take some medication. I was already worried because we were leaving for wukuf and I hoped I would be able to do it without being a trouble to anybody especially Noor. I could only pray and give myself to Allah. He made everything easy for me. In my coldness, there's the warmth of my fellow pilgrims. In my weakness, I found the strength to just get up and did my prayers. In my  sickness, I found the cure in Allah's words-the Quran. I could still walk, eat and get up which by itself was already a blessing. By the time I reached Mina, I was much better  to perform the throwing of stone at the 3 jamrah. Alhamdulillah.

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