17th Dhul Hijjah 1432 (Sunday 13th November 2011)

At Asr we managed to meet Heera and his wife. We went to the Zamzam towers, to the 3rd floor where the food court was situated. Akluma and I got our favourite mango slushes from the ground floor and met the other couple near the Burger King. We talked about out Hajj experience to date and Heera being his normal self was cracking as many jokes as he was gasping Oxygen, though this almost backfired where his wife did not take some of the jokes heart. After Maghrib on the roof of the harem we stayed on the roof, and I recited more of the Glorious Qur’an (which I started on day 1 of Hajj).

In the evening after Esha salaat on the roof, we looked to performing nafl tawwaf. This was so beautiful especially as we had more time to take in the surrounding of this magnificent masjid and could supplicate and read the Qur’an in a more tranquil setting than the ground floor.

After ordering our Al Muntada Zamzam 10litre drums @ 18riyals from Brother Sherif, we made our way to the hotel. On the way to our hotel we looked into some of the shopping complexes, and little did we know until then they were full of womens abayyyas! This was like kryptonite for me, from the memories of 1430 (2009). Though I must add it was not too bad, as I must say I had much more sabr (patience) this time round. After looking at much black abbayyas, thought my scenery could do with a change and we took a well deserved break and went back to our hotel.

16th Dhul Hijjah 1432 (Saturday 12th November 2011)

This is the day we intended to perform Umrah:
We got up for Fajr and then we stayed up after breakfast at the hotel. I did the preparation for Umrah like any other Umrah.

So at 8am in my umrah attire (2 white cotton towels) Akluma and I went to fetch a taxi to the nearest Meeqat point, Ayesha Masjid. The taxi cost us 80riyals and the driver waited whilst we prayed our Nafl Salaawat and made intention once again. This umrah was for my beloved Father who has suffered much in recent months with him being really ill and then being admitted to hospital which resulted in him being on Dialysis. May Allah accept my umrah. Ameen. Akluma also performed umrah for her Father. May Allah accept this umrah from her. Ameen

We performed the Tawwaf and Saee on the ground floor, the busiest parts of the Harem, MashaAllah we managed to complete this in good time. We just finished the saee 15 minutes before the start of Dhuhr adhaan, so it was very good timing on our part. So all in all took us 4 hours to get the Meeqat and complete umrah. Akluma and I were thinking we could do an umrah every day if it only takes 4 hours! However, we did not look to getting another look into umrah as we both became poorly.

15th Dhul Hijjah 1432 (Friday 11th November 2011)

Today was Jummah in Makkah. It was very packed and we were informed we should leave our hotel rooms by 10.30am, so as us well times individuals we left at 11am.
We met my Mother In Law, Brother In Law and my new friend, my brother in laws younger brother, who resides and works in Jeddah. The younger brother was a right character and he lead us to where Aklumas maternal aunt was staying in Makkah. This proved to be quiet a long way away from where we met near the bridge of the Harem.
It was min Sylhet there, signs in Bangla, and looking at the people, you would be difficult to believe it was anything but Sylhet town! You could not even hear the Adhaan from where they were residing at, that’s how much noise there was and how many tall buildings the apartment was surrounded by.

After much deliberation, we ended up leaving around 9pm from Aklis aunts place, and so we prayed Esha and Witr at the Harem, with me leading. I thought may get a ticking off for having another Jammat after the main harem one, as some guards may think this was not allowed. It was okay and we safely escorted my mother in law to her Retaj apartement, room 740, which was on the doorstep of the Harem, MashAllah. We went to Misfala and

14th Dhul Hijjah 1432 (Thursday 10th November 2011)

In the morning, I was completely knocked out after taking some antibiotics and performed Dhuhr and Asr at the nearby Masjid and Akluma and I went around the nearby shops. There was very little to find here. The coaches from Azziziyah apartments to Makkah came after Asr and later we arrived at the 5 start As Shohada Hotel at 6pm.

The ques to getting our sets of keys was very long and most of the peeps were getting very tired. Ironically all the allocated rooms were okay except the room of Akluma and her co habitués. They had still been occupied by the previous residence and thus required time before the hotel can get the room ready to vacate. I later checked in to room #362 and Akluma to room #359 which was very convenient. The Swansea crew were in room #361 and Faisal from Commercial Street and his 2 other friends were in room #361. It was amazing that I knew most people on our corridor, that was the beauty of the Al Muntada group, and shows how close knit we became on this beautiful journey.

We went to the Harem to perform our Tawwaf al Ifaada around 9.30pm. We managed to do this on ground floor, managing to get to the Yemeni corner and touched the blessed Kabbah. We were there for some time, making our duas. Alhamdulillah once you are there, it feels very peaceful, and getting to touch it is the difficult part. We did try to get close to the black stone and with the crowds proving to be a very big obstacle we later dismissed this idea. We finished the Tawwaf and Saee around 12am and celebrated back at the hotel.

13th Dhul Hijjah 1432 (Wednesday 9th November 2011)

Tashreek – Day Three
I got up for Fajr and as always was the norm, we had a breakfast box delivered to our beds, this was a blessing. And with many croissants on the menu, I opted for a chocolate one, as the cheese variety we all the mina camp agreed was one that had to be consumed in dire need.

This was the quietest day of all the three previous days. Akluma and I went on our own to the Jamarat after Dhuhr, as now after 3 days we thought we have enough gravitas to do this and know the way back to our Mina camp. We also were feeling much better than the other days in Mina. We arrived back to Mina at 2.30pm in time for Asr Salaat. We had some rice and chicken (once again) which subsequently followed the packing and later departure from our camp at 4pm. It was rather emotional to leave what had been out home for the last 6 days, and dare I say it there was much love in the camp, even for the lavatories, I had already got used to these cubicles.

The diesel almost run out on the bus that I was on, and many u-turns later to find gas we were back on the road and on the way to Azziziyyah. There was long traffic for most of the journey as roads were blocked (which is typical during the Hajj season as I found). I met brother Zia from Croydon on the bus who works in Aldgate east.

We arrived at Azziziyya apartments at 7pm for one night stay. I took a nap whilst others went for a stroll. We had the Qurbani meat for dinner, it was scrumptious, Alhamdulillah. The Swansea crew were looking to head out to the Harem for 11pm, and Akluma and I were set for this until sleep got to the better of us. We got up at 5 to 11 and thought we should leave it and wait the next day when we are closer to the Harem from our hotel.

12th Dhul Hijjah 1432 (Tuesday 8th November 2011)

Tashreek – Day Two
Today was less busy at the Jamaraat than the previous days. We went after Asr and came back in good time for Maghrib around 6pm. On the return leg I got talking to Brother Imran and we spoke about how blessed it was for us to be invited to Hajj.
After esha prayer, we had another Shaykh from Amaana Tours come into our camp to provide us with another dars.

The main message was:
1. Patience of 3 types – In following the commands of Allah, in staying away from the prohibitions and lastly patience in times of calamity (lower and higher levels – having contentment with the calamity i.e. it is blessed).
2. Obedience
3. Reminder of Death
4. Brotherhood and Love
5. Other Benefits of Hajj
Leaving with the message, Hajj - if it is a turning point in one’s life than that is a sign that one’s Hajj is Mabrour, an accepted Hajj from Allah.

The hujjaj are a snapshot of the state of the ummah as you will encounter all types of people during your experience on Hajj.

11th Dhul Hijjah 1432 (Monday 7th November 2011)

Tashreek – Day One
Our group was blessed with many great professionals from all industries, and from all over the UK too. We had a few Doctors, Lawyers, Pharmacists, IT technicians, not to mention the transport industry was fully represented, with professionals from TFL tube and buses, black can and mini cab drivers, it was a great mix. Our own Mayor Boris would definitely had given the thumbs up for a future consortium with this group! (Perhaps to create the new Hajji Mobile in London?...)

I went to our resident Pharmacist, Brother Hasan from Swansea, and he was Alhamdulillah a top bro. He came with his 2 elder sisters, and he was great to have around the camp. He mentioned there was a Hospital not too far away from our camp where a Doctor would see you and subsequently would prescribe you medicine for your ailments. I intended to do just that after Fajr prayer. I got talking to an Uncle from our group, who was very emotional to be at Hajj, who over the course of the next hour told me all about his 3 near death experiences, Alhamdullillah Allah has blessed him with this chance now to complete his Hajj.

I got to the hospital at 8am, and after seeing much entertainment in the ques for a good hour or so, was swiftly seen by a Doctor who diagnosed me with a throat infection. A few minutes later I was provided with a bag full of medicine which included antibiotics, cough medicine, paracetamol and wait for it, skin healing cream for burns!

After Dhuhr , there was a mass collection of stones in our part of the tent. Brothers from all over the tent came to ourside as if it was the “chosen” place for stones, and lifted the carpet to hunt for their Jamarat stones.

There was a great Nasiha by our resident Shaykh Abu Hanifah about:
1. The obligations /commands of Allah swt
2. Staying away from what is unlawful / ones desires that can be harmful
3. Where one does not have any control – one must have Sabr

Then the heart renching story about Imam Ahmed who was unknown by physical appearance hen he entered the Mosque in Damascus in the night and was dragged by his feet by a man in the Mosque as he did not allow him to pray. Another man came to Imam Ahmeds rescue (not knowing who he was) and wished to take him in to his home. Imam Ahmed asked the man if there was one thing he could wish for before he died what would it be. The man replied it would be to meet Imam Ahmed.

The morale of this story – nothing in this life is ever by chance, it may not make sense to us mere human mortals at the time, due to our own limited intelligence, what is fully known is only attributed to Allah, who had created us. There is an overall plan, and one must be thankful and be patient.

This day was very busy at the Jamarat, in fact even after we thought as a group we timed our journey well (after Asr), we were not, as the crowds were very large.
After Esha, we were blessed to have Shaykh Haitham Al Haddad who was on Hajj with Amaana Tours next to our own camp.

He was so full of energy and every time I see the Shaykh there is something that is always very memorable I take back with me.
The main message from him on this dars was:
• The main purpose of Islam – To Glorify Allah swt - this is manifested in Hajj. Through the glorification of Allah through submission, doing the acts of ebadat such as the Tawaaf, reciting the tarbiyyah (the real aqeedah as he called it).
• Increasing the size of the Ummah – more people saying the Shahadat, glorifying Allah swt. The story about Umar Ibn Al Khattab and what his intention of having sexual relations, was not for pleasure but to increase the Ummah.
• Allahs rights- we talk much about Human Rights, what about Allahs rights?
• Rationalisation – man cannot rationalise everything
• Have we “westernised” our ebaadat – there should be no shortcuts
• Tawwaf, Stoning and Sa’ee are all forms of dhikr of Allah, even if you do not recite at all
• Understand this principle of Glorifying Allah swt and make this a turning point in your life.

May Allah swt grant the Shaykh with all good in this World and the hereafter, Ameen.

10th Dhul Hijjah 1432 (Sunday 6th November 2011)

We prayed Fajr as a group in Muzdalifah each of us using our cloth mattresses as musallahs. After a quick munch of breakfast, which was the infamous cheese croissant and various other condiments most of the group made their walk back to our Mina Camp. The walk took approximately 45 minutes and we finally came to our home from home, our tents at 7am. Brother Altaf was first to greet us there and did he have a warm hug to give us all, it was as if he was lost and found.

We had a nice kip once we got back to the camp. And after lunch, we prayed Dhuhr and then Asr. And with that we as a group went with Military precision our Amir (The Algerian Brother whose name I did not catch who had broken shades I recall) to the Jamarat.



The jamarat was like the way I left it two year ago, there has been little change here and there but nothing striking. It was again easier than I thought. And more so than what Akluma thought it to be. After hearing much stories about the crowds and the dangers of the Jamarat, this was put to bed as Alhamdulillah with 3 floors and a widening shaytaan wall, and with a one way system all put in over the last 5-10 years or so it has made a significant difference.

Akluma and I were not feeling too well and this did not help with the amount of traffic on the return leg. We got back to our mina camp at around 7.30pm. With the animal sacrifice given to the agent, and both of us agreeing not to perform the Tawwaf al Ifdaa until we were both well, the only thing left for us to do, was to do the shaving (for the males of the pack that is).

Brother Waqeel was generous enough to provide me with one of his bic disposables and with this in my hand I went to find a barber. And Alhamdullilah Brother Rafiq accepted the task to shave my head. After a long grinding hour on my head, May Allah swt bless brother Rafiq with good in this world and the hereafter, I was a new born baby! With no mirrors around the camp, I did not know how I looked like. I could however imagine given that we were all mirrors to one another, one baldy to another.

Later on in the day we received confirmation that all those who arrange their sacrifice with Al Muntada, they were all complete. Alhamdulillah.

After Esha prayer and food, Akluma and I went to visit her Mother and Dulabhai at their mina camp #29. We bought some fruit for them on our way there. I met the infamous Dulabhai brother, aka “Moyna” who was with them for the course of Hajj. Moyna resides in Jeddah and with his knowledge of Hajj having been there many a time, and his fluency in Arabic he was a great asset to have along. He was very sweet and a gentle man, and had a great wit about him, rather different to his elder brother.

It was a long day and we headed back close to midnight to our camp where we rested until the adhaan of Fajr. This was the beauty of being in an Islamic country, to hear the morning adhaan, it really remunerates inside you, and causes you to think about your eminent meeting with your Lord, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. No matter how many times you hear the call to prayer, it is a most striking example of Tawheed.

Allahu Akbar. Allahu Akbar.
Allahu Akbar. Allahu Akbar.
Ash-hadu an la ilaha ill-Allah.
Ash-hadu an la ilaha ill-Allah.
Ash-hadu anna Muhammad-ar-Rasoolullah.
Ash-hadu anna Muhammad-ar-Rasoolullah.
Hayya 'alas-Salah. Hayya 'alas-Salah.
Hayya 'alal-falah. Hayya 'alal-falah.
Assalatu Khayrum Minan-nawm
Assalatu Khayrum Minan-nawm
Allahu Akbar. Allahu Akbar.
La ilaha ill-Allah.

English Translation:
Allah is Most Great. Allah is Most Great.
Allah is Most Great. Allah is Most Great.
I bear witness that there is none worthy of being worshipped except Allah.
I bear witness that there is none worthy of being worshipped except Allah.
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah.
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah.
Come to prayer. Come to prayer.
Come to Success. Come to Success
Prayer is better than Sleep
Prayer is better than Sleep
Allah is Most Great. Allah is Most Great.
There is none worthy of being worshipped except Allah.

9th Dhul Hijjah 1432 (Saturday 5th November 2011)

The day of Arafat had arrived; this is the day all Hajjis are looking so much forward to. After Fajr, Shaykh Abu Hanifah provided us with a Dars on the significance of this day, the day of Arafat. This was followed by a beautiful dars by Shaykh Abu Saeed about the significance of reciting the Tarbiyaah during the days of Hajj.

The government coaches came by at 9.30am as our group had been on standby since Fajr at 5am. The journey from Makkah to the nearby hillside and plain called Mount Arafat and the Plain of Arafat took us 20 minutes to get to. It was from this site that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave his famous farewell sermon in his final year of life.

The Khutbah from Shaykh Abdul Azeez at the Namera Masjid in Arafat just before the combined Dhuhr and Asr salaat. I just about caught the start of this after waiting in the mens for almost an hour. I met Brother Hanif from football whilst waiting there, this was rather weird. He was on Hajj with his wife with Amaana Tours, MashAllah.

The full khutbah (in English translation) can be viewed on the link below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCDfEbE8v-I
The main message from the khutbah as I understood it was:
• Tawheed and for all believers to have belief in the sacred books, messengers, angels, and the hereafter.
• Clarification of the responsibilities of husband and wife, and bringing up children in an Islamic footing.
• Muslim Brotherhood and Community – how to deal with each others in commercial transactions, keeping away from what is unlawful (e.g. liquor, intoxicants, fornication, backbiting). Allah guided us to the best of manners, being kind to each other.
• Violating Allahs laws, eg homicide, accusing women of fornication without any proof
• Settling dispute amongs people via the Qur’an and Sunnah, so not based on nationalism and race, but on the fear of Allah.
• Muslims should not rebel against the rulers. Rulers should be fair to its people, to be united, solidify their status. Do not dispute as this would be the cause of your weakness. The Muslim governance should be based on the laws of Allah. The perfect method of life is for the moderation of life, soul and body and there is a balance between this world and the hereafter. The society that is established by Islam, the characteristics, the prevalence of safety and security, the blood and property must be honoured and respected.
• Elders to look after the younger and the younger to have respect for their elders. Islamic mannerism, will lead to having a beautiful life and not favouring any other law other than Allahs laws.

One message which struck me was when the Shaykh spoke about the importance given the current climate about the need of having a strong leadership in the current Ummah.

During the entire day, from dawn until sunset, all the Hujjaj look to stand in earnest supplication and devotion, praying for Allah’s abundant forgiveness. Many tears are shed readily as those who gather make repentance and seek Allahs’s mercy, recite words of prayer and remembrance, and gather together as equals before their Lord. Muslims around the world who are not participating in the pilgrimage often spend this day in fasting and devotion.

It was getting very hot by mid-day and after the combined Salaat of Dhuhr and Asr, Akluma and I with our umbrellas, sunnys, and dua books in our hands, ventured out of our Arafat camp to find a spot for our private devotions and supplications to Allah swt. It was not an easy find, and we looked to the Mountains and after 15 minutes of walking found a nice spot on the mountain to make our most needy duas of Allahs rahmah.



It was very emotional; my heart was feeling so needy to cry to Allahs swt. The duas took me back to looking back at my life, and having a dialogue with Allah like no other dialogue before it and asking Allah for his Mercy.

On leaving the plains of Arafat, there was frenzy at the collection point. We were originally getting ready to board the government buses, with the priority of women from Al Muntada to board first and their Mahrams on the same buses. This ideas was just an idea and ended up being, whoever can get on. We did eventually board separate buses, and my bus driver was an inexperienced to say the least on the wheel, and we did almost get lost looking for our Makhtab, though taking a few U-turns on a bus on narrow roads, we did have our hearts in our mouths and we eventually got to our #38 Muzdaliffah camp.

As I entered the camp, I managed to find the brothers that I recognised, brothers Enam and Rafique and we prayed Maghrib and Esha combined as was the Sunnah in Muzdalifah. As I looked for a space to settle down, there appeared to be a lack of ground to park myself on. I did eventually find a place, with my new neighbours for the night being Brs Enam and Rafique.



It was 10.30pm when I received a call from Brother Altaf, with the information that he was lost in Muzdalifah. This was a shock as I did think everyone of our group members were here. Later did the story manifest itself, with a small contingent lead by Shaykh Abu Hanifah (all brothers mind) who thought they would walk it from Arafat to Muzdalifah. And this group had many a experience, each member with a unique twist to their story. All had said it was a story of Tawwakul, SubhanAllah.

Whilst all this was happening, where we were settled in camp #39, where it was very narrow, and had two main roads not too far away from us. In fact the women were against the main gates to the road border were the buses pass by or stop so as you can imagine it was very noisy and pretty cramped. We did have unexpected visitors at camp #39 from no other than the United Stated of America. And oh did they cause some commotion. A group of women from the USA group settled near a small gap left by the women of Al Muntada as a means of divided the men from the women. Many exchanges later between Al Muntada and USA settlers, who were in fact Bengalis from NY, the camp rested and our visitors did not budge and settled together.

In the mist of all this I did manage to get some sleep, probable an hour or so. And once I got up, I knew it was not good. I had to go to the mens in Muzdalifah. So I ventured and lost 90 minutes of my life to the que, listened to a lot of tales and observed much in the ques to tell a different type of story.

8th Dhul Hijjah 1432 (Friday 4th November 2011)

I was sitting next to Uncle Mohammed Asim Khan, a beautiful brother with great stories to tell MashAllah. Uncle first went to Hajj in 1964 he recalls at the tender age of 22, and this was his second time 47 years later, SubhanAllah. He was telling me how Makkah was so different, less people and people used to sleep outside, with their washing and all things for all to see. It was very very different to now, where there are millions of Hajjis, with all types of accommodation right on the doorstep of the harem. Even though I went in 1995, this was in itself a big change to what Makkah was like now; I could only but imagine what it was like in 1964.

We got to the Mina camp at 2.30am and with the Azziziyyah apartment roommates we managed to find a good spot for ourselves, away from the majority of the camp but still in close proximity.
See the my-mini-mina-mattress-map below:

There was an Algerian contingent too where we had camped out. And this brought much fun to the next 6 days of proceeding in Mina. There were 12 sofa beds in our quarter and all 12 of us became pretty close over the course of the next 6 days in Mina.
Over the next 6 days we had:
- Algerian visitors from all over the Mina Camp visiting Zim Zim and Company.
- Our quarters became known as “Internet City” as it had the single main mobile charge outlet for the Al Muntada group – this was being orchestrated by Zim Zim (who I am sure had a mobile exchange outside his bed post - ;-))
- Stone collection site – this was hilarious, as I pulled back the rug we had our sofa beds on, I found much stones and pebbles, and little did I know but the word spread and Al Muntada Brothers came wide a field to come and gather their stonage from our quarters.

It was beautiful praying Salaat with the brothers in Mina. This was the true essence of brother hood. We would encourage each other to wake up for Fajr. Some required more pulling then pushing I must add, no names!


After Dhuhr salaat, we had a Dars given by Shaykh Abu Hanifah on the Day of Arafat.
We went to visit my Mother in Law who was at a nearby Mina camp site. My mother in law came with the eldest brother in Law with a Bangladeshi UK based group, called Hasan Travels. It was a little weird her being in another group, though she was adamant that she wanted a Bangladeshi group so in order to be comfortable with her Hajj, which is the most important thing. My mother in law was in Makhtab #29 and we were at #38 so ideally should not be too far.We managed to go after Dhuhr and saw her and my dulabhai, it was good seeing them, they both looked well, Alhamdulillah. After a short visit we made our way back to our camp and prayed Asr.

There was a good Dars given by Shaykh Abu Hanifah on the Miracles of the Sahaba and pious predecessors such as Abdul Qadir Gillani and Abdul Mubarak.

In Mina, breakfast, lunch and dinner had been provided by Al Muntada, and MashAllah unlimited tea and coffee from the nearby breakout area, which was really nice. The breakout area was decorated with plastic plants and leaves all across it. This was pleasant entrance coming into our Makhtab 38 after looking at the condition of the streets and decor on the streets of Mina.

Breakfast usually consisted of bread roll, cereal, milk, cheese, biscuits and the infamous cheese croissant (there was plenty of this going around).