Bard'l Hajj - Poetic Hajj Reflections - 1444/2023 (ePub)

Let me play open cards: I am the grown up version of the child who always asks- 'but why??' I don't like being told what to do unless the directive comes from the Almighty Allah and even then I would like to understand the rationale.

This desire for becoming one of the 'Ulul Albab' (people of understanding) overtook me in my Hajj journey last year. I didn't want to just go through rituals and say the right thing at the right time - I wanted to perform Hajj with body, mind and soul.

During my first week in Madinah I contemplated and pondered much while breathing in the very same atmosphere that our esteemed leader and guide were the Prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him) breathed. In retrospect this adds an extra nuance to my profession where I assist patients to 'breathe right' (breathe-right.co.za).

I was inspired to write a poem about my Madinah experience and this ended up being a stepping stone to a series of daily poems as every day in Makkah seemed to open new doors of understanding. This is exactly what I had prayed for and I felt truly blessed and inspired in those moments.

I shared these musings on the Hajj chat group and was encouraged by my wife Faheema and other Hujjaaj to collate and publish the series of poems. I pray that these will help the reader understand the Hajj journey even better than I felt I did.

The Hajj journey is truly unique to each person. Start by praying for understanding and end by praying for its acceptance as a mandatory ibadah for those who are by the means. Many Muslims will not have the opportunity to go on Hajj unfortunately, so I encourage the writer and storyteller in everyone to use their God-given talents to share their experiences with others.