Hajj Journal 2005 – Part 2: Madinah

23 December 2005 - Alhamdulillah, settling into lovely Madinah. The weather is beautiful and sunny (21-23 C) with a lovely breeze. The people are kind and the ladies in my group/room are lovely. Keep trying to get to the Rawzah Mubarak to do salaam but have been unable to despite much waiting and trying. Will see if I can get in tomorrow after fajr (dawn prayer). Will leave it to Allah (SWT). Have been reading lots of darood sharif and paying salaam from outside. Prayed al-Fatihah outside Jannat-al-Baki yesterday too.

Have never seen so many different people in one place, from so many countries. The plane I came in yesterday had groups from Senegal, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Mauritius which gives you a taster of the diversity. People of every race and tribe, all beautiful. So many beautiful children and young people and so many elderly and frail people, struggling to complete their worship but so happy and so keen.

For many people this will be the only time they leave their country, their currency only gets a few Riyal and so they struggle. I feel such a powerful sense of sisterhood and love for them all. If (when!) the whole world was Muslim, this is how it would be – chaotic, beautiful and colour-blind. I hope this love of my Ummah is something I take back with me and stays with me forever.

I enjoy just sitting in the mosque and watching the women, their clothes, gestures, languages. It’s so amazing to be in the city of the Ansar (RA), walking where Rasullallah (PBUH), the Sahabah (RA) and the Khalifah’s (RA) all walked, live, fought and passed over to Allah (SWT). This is the city where our beloved deen gained strength.

25 December 2005 – Tried again to pay my salaam at the Roza Mubarak and yesterday, but couldn’t get in. Said my salaam outside in front of the original (green) dome below which our Prophet (PBUH) lies.

Also went for ziarah today (tour of special places). Saw all the main masjids in Madinah. Went to Masjid Quba (first ever mosque) and prayed two nafl of Tahaiyatal Masjid. Then went to Uhud and saw the battlefield and mountain. Also saw the graveyard of the Shuhuda of that battle. Paid salaams, very very sad. Returned two stones to Uhud on the request of a girl who said she had taken them two years ago. Supposed to be bad luck.


Went to Masjid Qiblatain where wahy (revelation) came to the Prophet (PBUH) half way through salah and the Muslims turned their face from Al-Aqsa to the Kaaba subhan’Allah. The women’s area was tiny so squeezed in and squeezed out again when I saw the rush. Culdn’t read two nafl so made dua (supplication) and istighfar (repentance) and came out. Saw some of the wells of Madinah including the one bought by Uthman bin Affan (RA) and the Well of Ghais which is supposed to be a part of paradise. Could only see them from a difference, could not get near.

Saw the site where Rasulallah (PBUH) camped during the Battle of the Trench. Passed Masjid Ghamamah where the Prophet (PBUH) used to pray Eid salah. Finally went to a date factory (!?) at one of the travellers requests. Decided to stay on the bus whilst better half and everyone else went to buy (and eat) dates. Bus driver locked me in and left, so when everyone got back I couldn’t get the door open and everyone stood in the midday sun until he got back.

26 December 2005 – Subhan’Allah!!! Allah (SWT) always listens and always hears. I finally got nearc the Roza Mubarak on the dayb we are to leave for Makkah Mukarramah. Paid salaam, read to nafl, made much dua to Allah (SWT) and requested the Prophet’s (PBUH) intervention on a day when I will need it.



Have packed to leave for Makkah tonight. Very sad. What if I never come back here? Madinah Tayibbah purifies you from the soul out; it moves you in so many ways. To think that you are walking where the Beloved Prophet (PBUH), his wives (the Ummul-Mumineen), daughters, the Sahabah (RA) and shaheed walked. This is the city where Islam took hold and spread back out into the world on a base of great sacrifice. The graves at Uhud and Jannat-al-Baqi testify to this. Prayed and prayed that I would come back to lovely Madinah soon.