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The
Road to `Arafah: A South African Pilgrim Remembers
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"And
complete the Hajj or `Umrah in the service of Allah…"
(Al-Baqarah: 196)
Once in a lifetime, if able, Muslim men and women perform the
pilgrimage or the Hajj. On a clear morning, 9 Dhul-Hijjah 1421 (
4 March 2001
), I was one of thousands who set out towards `Arafah. On `Arafah,
the pinnacle of this sacred journey, I stood with others and
marveled at the glory and grandeur of the Most Merciful. Amid the
white stream of pilgrims flowing in the direction of `Arafah, my
footsteps followed a path so straight and true.
I can still smell the air after the morning Prayer…
A South African group, hoisting our flag aloft, passes us by. An
atmosphere of expectancy fills the air as we walk reverently amid
the mountains. These majestic mountains, stark in the early
daylight, saw the mission of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon
him) completed. This noble person had walked this road.
These mountains of Makkah bore testimony to the revelations. They
witnessed the Farewell Pilgrimage. Accompanying the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) were his illustrious companions, brave
men and women who forfeited their homes, families, status, and
wealth to join this noble Messenger of Allah in submitting
themselves to the One God.
They all walked this road. Their words are our words.
Oh Allah! Here I am present at Your Service
Oh
Allah! Here I am present at Your Service
You
have no partner
Verily
All Praise, All Blessing and Grace and All Sovereignty are Yours
You
have no partner
Today
I walked on this road. I felt as if this road had beckoned me all
my life. Never had I felt so alive. What lay beyond this road was `Arafah
and knowledge so profound that my words today fail to capture it.
The ancient words that filled the air, the mountains, and the very
earth we walked upon, carried us all towards `Arafah.
I beheld the mosque on `Arafah—Masjid Namirah—through the early
morning mist. Thousands on foot, in buses and cars heading in the
same direction. With purposeful movements men and machine moved
towards `Arafah.
And
proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: they will come to thee on foot
and (mounted) on every kind of camel lean on account of journeys
through deep and distant mountain highways. (Al-Hajj: 27)
Settled on the plain of `Arafah, every soul awaits the sacred time
of wuquf (standing on Mount `Arafah). It is a day on which you have
no doubts about your place in the world. You had to be here on this
day. All is as it should be.
Wuquf
Stripped of our wealth and status, we are clad in simple garments.
Our true worth remains hidden, except to the One Who knows us. We
place our Creator at the center of our lives, submitting our will
to His. We affirm His Oneness, commit our lives to Him. We turn to
Him, pouring out our heart’s desires. Why ask elsewhere when He
is All-Encompassing, All-Hearing? Subhan Allah!
On `Arafah we experience the healing mercy of the Creator. It is a
comfort and solace so great that the love of a mother for her
new-born babe pales in comparison. The rain that falls on the soil
of `Arafah soaks into our tired and weary souls, watering the seeds
of faith. Al-hamdu lillah.
Smiling faces, glowing hearts, and shining souls stand next to one
another—all turned towards the One. For the pilgrim, the journey
does not end on `Arafah, it only begins.
My thoughts rest on the past, present, and future. Time stretches
and we beseech the Most Merciful, the Hearer of Prayers, for good
in this world and the world to come. We ask for ourselves, our
families, neighbors, relatives, communities, countries, and Ummah.
We ask and beg and plead and cry and crumble and He answers. Allahu
Akbar!
The sun starts to sink and the rays of sunlight touch the faces of
the submitters.
Oh
Allah, now to return...
We dwell in a world trapped in a haze of confusion. The lines
between right and wrong are a blur. We are coaxed and wooed to
pursue our desires—unchecked, unbridled, and unguided.
We renew our pledge to Our Lord on `Arafah. As the sun sets, we
promise to strive to the best of our ability in His path and to
emulate the life of His noble Messenger. We implore Him for His
grace and assistance, and we open our hearts and minds to His
guidance and mercy.
Without a doubt, there will be difficult times.
`Arafah is a reminder to prepare for another day of standing. The
day we look to with hope and fear. So until that Day of Standing,
beyond `Arafah, all we have to do is to take a stand.
I stood on `Arafah. I cannot believe that any soul harbored a doubt
about the might of the Creator. We felt the love and mercy that
rained upon us as we humbled ourselves before our Lord.
`Arafah is a day of revelation. The message it reveals is simple:
Turn to Allah. Repent to Allah. Submit to Allah. Yet this message
is the key to the lock that entraps us all. It is a key to finding
ourselves. `Arafah is true knowledge. Submit.
Whoever submits his whole self to Allah and is a doer of good has
grasped indeed the most trustworthy hand-hold; and with Allah rests
the End and Decision of (all) affairs. (Luqman: 22)
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