My First Umrah : ❤ MAKKAH & MADINAH! ❤

LIFE(Fullstop) THE END!? Or May be THE NEW BEGINNING!? 

♪ Lagta Hai Kya Suhana,Sarkar ﷺ  Ka Madinah ♪

       First of all,I had given it a thought and came to the conclusion that I wont be able to express myself .No words can describe the feeling of entering the blessed Haram of both Makkah & Madina. What will an ignorant sinner like me do justice in describing the light of Makkah & Madina? What will I be able to explain the breeze of Madinah? What will I be able to describe the fragrance of Makkah & Madina? Infact - none of us will be able to describe with true justice what it is to be sitting in Makkah & Madina. None of us have the capability of explaining the sweetness of that City, none can capture in words the overwhelming sense of dignity and honour in that City. But does that mean we shouldn't speak of it? Does that mean we shouldn't even try to remember  it?

Obviously NOT!

     It was a dream come true …  Definitely ,Beyond Words-Beyond Expectations …  And 2 Places are already missed.

♩ ♪ ♫ ♬  Meri baat ban gayi hai teri baat karte karte

Mein Madine jaa raha tha teri naat padhte padhte ♬ ♫ ♪ ♩   

     Since I am a big fan of Naats,The Whole Journey was Musical! I was Murmuring with the Likes of “Mein Madina Chala “,”Madine Ka Safar Hai”,”Aaya Hai Bulawa Mujhe Darbare Nabi Se”,” Nabi Nabi Kehte Madine Chale Jaayenge”  …  etc etc . After Travelling Miles and Miles,We finally Reached our First Destination – Al Madina!  There Lays a Mosque,Popularly Known as  “Masjid-e-Nabawi”.In that Mosque lays the grave of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) along side his two faithful companions and the first two caliphs in the Islamic rule, Abu-Bakr and Omar ibn Alkhattab.

♩ ♪ ♫ ♬ Jab Gumbad e khazra pe woh pehli nazar gayi,

♪ Meri Nazar Ke Saamne,Gumbad Ho woh Haraa Fakat! ♪

Aakhon ke raaste dil mein utar gayi  ♬ ♫ ♪ ♩

      I almost felt his presence… reflecting how on these places and spaces he must’ve walked once ..  and the essence and foundation of the Islamic Ummah was established there… the Mosque certainly has a strong impact on any soul entering with the consciousness of the importance of that mosque and who lays alive in memory underneath the green dome.

    Well,While Talking about Masjid-e-Nabawi one cannot complete without mentioning “Al-Riyad-ul-Jannah” , ”Ar-Rawdah” & “Jannat ul Baqi”

Al-Riyad-ul-Jannah :

Al-Riad-Ul-Jannah

     The heart of the mosque houses a very special but small area named al-Riad-ul-Jannah, which extends from Muhammad's tomb (Rawdah) to his pulpit (minbar). Pilgrims attempt to visit and pray in Riad-ul-Jannah, for there is a tradition that supplications and prayers uttered here are never rejected.Al-Riad-ul-Jannah is considered part of Jannah . It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that Muhammad said: "The area between my house and my minbar is one of the gardens (rawdah) of Paradise, and my minbar is on my cistern (hawd)"

    On my first day in Madinah, I didn’t get chance to visit “Al-Riyad-ul-Jannah” because that small place is too crowded.That small place can accommodate only a few hundred of people at one time where thousands of people trying to grab the opportunity to enter. If you have no fate, the chance for you to enter that place is almost impossible. Finally, on the third day in Madinah, I got chance to be there.

     Jannat ul Baqi  aka "The Garden of Heaven"  : It is a cemetery located to the southeast of the Masjid al-Nabawi. It contains many of Muhammad's relatives and companions.

Jannat-Ul-Baqi

♩ ♪ ♫ ♬ Dafan Tere Jannat Ul Baqi mein, Kitne Chaand Sitaare.

Woh Ahlal Kubur Duniya,Jinhe Karti Salaam.

MADINA TUJHE SALAAM! ♬ ♫ ♪ ♩

     For the First time in my Life,The Period 8 Days seemed so short. I loved the tranquility of Madinah, wish we could have stayed longer! ... Leaving Madinah was THE MOST PAINFUL Feeling I have ever Experienced.

OFF TO MAKKAH! :

♪ Kaabe Ki Raunaq,Kaabe ka Manzar ( Allahu Akbar ) ♪

   With the Intention to perform Umrah,We wore Ihrams and were off to Makkah. The State of the Heart was Inexpressable ,as we were Heading to Allah’s Home. After around 5 hours of journey we reached the city of Makkah.Dumped our luggages in the Hotel and were Heading to Masjid Al Haram.While Walking towards Kaaba Shareef,I was Drowned with a Plenty of Thoughts. I just Cant Wait to watch the Kaaba Shareef. I see a lot of Ka’bah still pictures back home, and now I finally would see it myself. I was walking slowly, and I can see Ka’bah appear. Formed as a simple but attractive black cube, it’s the center of moslem’s prayer around the world. I stopped for a moment. My tears just fell down. Mixed of unexplainable feelings. I’ve been seeing this moment in my dreams. The moment when I saw Ka’bah for the first time ,It was a dream come true.

  
   I’ve been trying to understand the philosophy of Tawaf .Tawaf means to go round something, orbiting. When I love someone, I’d orbiting around him as an expression of love, and a prove that I’m ready to sacrifice everything for my beloved. I’d be ready if he needs me. And that’s how I understand Tawaf. Symbolic way to Show that I love and detached everything just to be around Allah.

♪ Dekha Safa aur Marwa bhi dekha,Rab ke Karam ka Jalwa bhi Dekha ♪

    
 After Tawaf, you go walking back and forth betwn 2 hills named Safa and Marwa where the wife of Ibrahim and the Mother of Ismail was walking searching for water for her infant… again the idea of walking 7 times between two hills remembering Allah… praying for Him… asking for whatever you want or need… it is just amazing… you hear people with many different tongues each praying in their own languages each with their own worries and troubles .. all walking ..  in the same direction and praying for The One! The Great!

After that to finalize the rituals you go and cut your hair.And Then,UMRAH is Done.

     Looking at the Kaaba in itself is considered an act of worship… you cannot possibly understand that unless you go there and you start looking at it… and reflecting upon your whole existence… in every possible way… it is just amazing… the presence of the place and the divine connection that you are aware of… since you are not worshipping the black box… but the God who commanded you to go there and do what He asked you to do… that same God who commanded Ibrahim to take his wife and his new son to that empty land and leave them there in His protection… the God who commanded Ibrahim later on to build this house with his son… the God who accepted the prayer of Ibrahim when he wished that this land will be holy and safe and that people will come worshipping God there… the God that many years later brought Mohammed to life there… and then commanded him to leave… the God that asked all Muslims to turn to the Kaa’ba in their prayers wherever they are… the God that hears all… and accepts all who worship Him and only Him with no other partners.

          Ask me to Select 15 Days from my Entire Life AND within a blink of an eye i will say  "8 Days in Madinah and 7 Days in Makkah"

     I would highly recommend every person to go and visit these places… being aware of the importance of both places in the living spirit of Islam…

May Allah accept the worships and prayers of every pure heart that seeks His Light and His Peace…AMEN!

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PostScript  1 :  
             I would like to take this opportunity to express my love and                        would like to Mention/Thanks some people.
a)  Team SDI for Promoting the love & sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) and for encouraging and motivating so many Indian souls INCLUDING me.
b)  Ala Hazrat was once asked "How does one INCREASE the Love they have for Muhammad(SAW)?" ---> The Great Imam Replied,"Listen to the Naats recited by Naat Khwaans with Beautiful voices."  
        AND , OWAIS QADRI  is definitely among the one with Beautiful voice.He takes my love for Madinah to the whole NEW LEVEL!

PostScript  2 : 
                      Madina's people are the kindest most friendly people I've EVER dealt with. Makkah, well, can words ever describe that?
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Left my Heart in Madinah