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Inside Mecca: An Extraordinary Insight on the Hajj
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The program depicts with
great insight why 2 million Muslims from all over the world gather in
Mecca
during this month
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Inside
Mecca is a nice production depicting the journey of three Muslims from three
continents: one from Malaysia, one from the United States and one from South
Africa, describing their experiences both before and during the Hajj.
One
of the five pillars of Islam, the Hajj is required of all who can manage it at
least once in a lifetime. Each year, Muslims from all over the world travel to
Mecca to praise and give thanks to Allah, to ask pardon for their sins and renew
their spiritual commitment through an elaborate series of rites and rituals.
National
Geographic gained privileged access to the holy city of Mecca, which allowed it
to film three Muslims from different backgrounds as they embarked on an epic
five-day reaffirmation of faith and quest for salvation, wrote the National
Geographic website in its preview to the show.
The
program depicts with great insight what goes on in Mecca during the Hajj, and
why 2 million Muslims from all over the world gather in the holiest city in
Islam during this month. However, the production by the National Geographic
Magazine TV and broadcast on Astro Television in Malaysia on October 27th,
failed to respect an important issue in the Islamic world. The one-hour telecast
showed paintings of what is supposed to be images of Prophet Ibrahim (peace and
blessings be upon him) and his family.
While
some people may overlook the portraits of Prophet Ibrahim (peace and blessings
be upon him) and simply enjoy the journey through the holy cities, many Muslims
around the world will definitely launch an outcry against this production. Apart
from this, it is a brilliant demonstration of the emotions and sacrifices of
Muslims performing the Hajj in the name of Allah in the sacrosanct holy cities
of Mecca and Medina.
Inside
Mecca starts with shots of the three individuals: Malaysian Ismail Mahbob, a
successful executive; a religious radio commentator from rural South Africa,
Khalil Mandhlazi; and an Irish-born college professor from the United States,
Fidelma O’Leary. Beginning with their preparations at home, it lead up to the
climactic events of the Hajj; where all had to leave their material comforts and
family, as well job or business behind for this spiritual journey to Mecca, and
from where they would return to their normal lives, but not as the same persons.
Inside
Mecca is a rich documentary, describing in great detail the reasons why
Muslims embark on such a mission to turn to their Creator, the Almighty Allah,
by following the footsteps of the wife of Prophet Ibrahim (peace and blessings
be upon him) in performing the Sa`i. The documentary is also rich with vivid
images on how Muslims circumambulate the House of Allah, the Ka`bah; in the
Tawaf which has been performed by so many since Adam (Peace and blessings be
upon him) built the Ka`bah itself. It also describes the powerful meaning of
throwing stones at the symbols of Satan, which Fidelma said was a strong moment
of expiating one’s own sins, and that she had no problems with the concept of
throwing the stones.
The
National Geographic commentator said at the beginning of the program that Hajj
as we know it was first performed by Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him),
whom he referred to as one of the greatest Prophets the world has ever known.
The commentator went on to inform the audience that Ibrahim (peace and blessings
be upon him), whom they addressed as Abraham, was the one who instituted the
Hajj pilgrimage, whilst it was Adam (peace and blessings be upon him) who built
the Ka`bah from a cosmic stone that fell from space.
The
program portrays the Ka`bah in some admirable black and white shots and added
graphics showing the area before Adam (peace and blessings be upon him) built
the Ka`bah and the subsequent rebuilding by Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon
him), as well as the recent progress made in enhancing the facilities at Mecca.
Obviously
the idea of filming the three Muslims performing the Hajj and of putting one
Asian, one African and one tall fair “white” lady, who embraced Islam from
Christianity, was to show the non-Muslim world another facet of Islam. The
program never failed to depict the mental and physical trials the three pilgrims
had to go through from day one of their arrival at the airport in Saudi Arabia.
It also explained how patient and courageous the three were in facing the
constraints and limitations in the city of Mecca, due to the flow of people and
for other reasons as well.
Though
the journey seemed less troublesome for the Malaysian, Ismail Mahbob, it was a
challenge for both Fidelma and Khalil. The latter was refused a place with the
South African contingency at Mecca, and struggled to find a group with whom he
could associate himself during the Hajj. He finally joined a group of black
African Muslims from Malawi who had no problem with him being a black man from
South Africa. Khalil insisted that he would not lose his calm and patience as he
was in a state of Ihram, and moved on with the Malawi contingency. “God is
looking into your heart,” says Khalil, who was visiting Mecca for the first
time in his life.
Fidelma
had to face the queries of many others who wanted to know whether she was a
Muslim or not. Her tall figure, covered, as any other Muslim women at the Hajj,
did not convince them that she was indeed a Muslim and that stressed her. “I
had some women in my group try to tell me what it’s like to be a Muslim and
ask me, ‘Are you really Muslim?” said O’Leary. “I think they forgot for
a moment that you can only be here if you’re Muslim. It gets a little bit
tiresome day after day. It can be upsetting.” decried the newly converted
Muslim lady, who also prayed for a good husband, caring and loving and who would
abide to the Islamic principles.
“If
Jesus (peace and blessings be upon him) was God, how could he worship God?”
asked Fidelma before she embraced Islam. She told the producer that this crucial
moment in her life had brought her, for the first time, in front of the Ka`bah;
a center point which, like all Muslims, she turns to five times a day for her
prayers.
For
Ismail, it was a great emotional moment when he sat at Arafat for prayers and
asked Allah to let him play a better role with his life. “It all depends how
sincere one is when asking Allah for forgiveness,” said an emotional Ismail
who cried when interviewed by the producer. “Only Allah knows what is in my
heart. At times I am alone.” he added.
Arafat,
where Adam and Hawa (may Allah bless them both) met after being sent to earth,
was buzzing with souls coming to expiate their sins and find rewards for their
good deeds. “Its judgment day at Arafat,” Fidelma commented, showing her
deep emotions when she visited the place where Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him) made his last sermon. “All reminds you of judgment day,
no difference in races, no discrimination,” added Khalil.
Inside
Mecca remains an extraordinary insight of what happens inside the walls of
the strictly guarded holiest city of Islam, where only Muslims are allowed to
go. The one-hour film shows to the external world a city full of life that tells
the tale of wisdom like no other city could ever tell.
Perhaps
the most striking story in “Inside Mecca” is that of O’Leary. A
blonde, green-eyed woman with a faint Irish lilt, she hardly looks the part of
the stereotypical Muslim. Born in Ireland to a devout Catholic family, O’Leary
converted to Islam whilst in college. Dr O'Leary, a divorced mother of two, had
to get a certificate from her mosque to say she was a legitimate Muslim, and her
son had to write her a letter giving his permission for her to get a visa for
the Hajj. "I don't know why anyone would want to go and spend a week with
three million sweaty people in the heat of the desert unless they were really
doing this for the love of God." She said. Moreover, the love of Allah and
of His Prophet was clearly intoned in the production, which also showed the
powerful image that Islam is submission to Allah.
Anisa
Mehdi, who for over 20 years has reported, written and produced television news
and documentary programs, produced “Inside Mecca”. As an American
Muslim of Arab descent, Mehdi has a vested interest in the area of Middle East
conflict resolution and accurate reporting on that part of the world. She is the
first American woman to report on the hajj on location in Mecca for U.S.
television and was one of the first reporters to cover the blossoming American
Muslim political movement.
Perhaps,
Mehdi, who is an award-winning reporter and filmmaker, specializing in religion
and the arts, could drop the images of Prophet Ibrahim (peace and blessings be
upon him) to make the movie acceptable to a larger Muslim audience.
Kazi
Mahmood is a former BBC radio Africa stringer covering the Indian Ocean
Islands. He worked as a journalist for the past 20 years and contributed to
several London based political and economic magazines. You can reach him at kazi_mahmood@yahoo.com
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