Hajj Journal 2005 – Part 5: Yawm-e-Arafah

08 January 2006 – In Mina!! After a sleepless night, prayed Fajr in the haram and nafl for ihram and proceeded to walk out of Makkah through various tunnels and onto Mina reciting “labbaik” on the way. Reached our tent approx three hours later feeling great only to sit down and feel completely drained. Slept until 12pm then made wudhu and prayed qasr Zoher. Still tired but Lucozade tablets a big help. Only been here three hours and already look like the great unwashed. Praying that Allah (SWT) makes this easy for us.

08 January 2006 – Alhamdulillah – got through the first day of Hajj. Had to make wudhu a few times – not nice, so being very careful about what I eat. A fire broke out in the Europe camp, doesn’t seem like anyone has been hurt thankfully. To Arafat in the morning, then to Muzdalifah.
09 January 2006 – 9th Dhul-Hajj, the Day of Arafah and oh my Lord what a day. Woke up in a tent in Mina; a great big valley neatly split into camps for different countries with each camp joined by tunnels. Felt like death warmed up (snots, sore throat, sore joints, powerful nausea, bloated stomach). Stayed like that on and off most of the day. Packed up for Arafah and didn’t manage to get on a bus till nearly 11am. If you don’t get to Arafah by Zoher (noon) then your hajj become void – so we were cutting it a bit close.

Got to Arafat and decamped into two large rickety tents, a shut one for the women and open one for the men (felt like a Bedouin). Was very hot, but loos and wudhu facilities were better than in Mina so again spent all day making wudhu.

Prayed Zoher and Asr here and engaged in dhikr, tilawat and much dua (both individual and communal). Recited Talbiyah at intervals. Started the day exhausted, unwell, scared of what was to come, wary. Ending it exhilarated, energised and just amazed. The whole group went and stood on Mount Rahmah and cried and prayed. We came doen before Maghriband all kissed and hugged and congratulated each other on completing the biggest milestone of hajj.

It was this day last year that my parents were in Arafat and I was listening to the khutbah (without understanding a word) and crying my eyes out and asking Allah (SWT) to let mejoin such a blessed gathering.

At about 8pm we took a bus to Muzdalifah, a big valley circled on three sides by mountains with one side being open. I cannot make head nor tale of this place. When we got here we set up our baggage and sleeping bag in the open air, then read our combined Maghrib and Esha as is the requirement here. Then proceeded to pick stones to pelt the shaitaan tomorrow. This led to lots of messing about, throwing stones, laughter and a good mood. But it began to sink in that this is a special place and a special night. Some ulema say that it is as blessed if not more than Lailat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Power) and dua’s are accepted here too, so making dua.

Looking around there is a pylon with the wires running over us and at intervals there are balls threaded through, so when you look up and see them against the night sky you feel like you are in planetarium. The whole place is surreal. There are ambulance sirens going off, a tractor sitting unmanned in the field with people camped around it. People climbing up the mountain, talking, snoring. Group leaders yelling down loudspeakers looking for people who have gotten separated from their groups. Mobile phones going off (now I am convinced they have become part of our anatomy), busses STILL arriving (its 2am). People praying, watchig the sky, just looking around. Will try to get some sleep (imagine if it rained. I wonder if that has ever happened).