Love for Allah... Ibadah...

Chapter 1- The Journey Begins

1

The wind was blowing softly around the holy Kaabah. It was caressing the Hajar al aswad reverently. It smiled at the pilgrims assembled in the courtyard of the Haram and then flew away.

It was the cool month of December and the best season for Umrah. The heat of the sun lowers during these cool months and the pilgrims do not feel the harshness of the desert sun scorching them up. But the guests of Allah usually do not care even if there is a scorching sun above their heads. The fact that they are present in the Maula's home is usually a cool balm to their souls.

The Pilgrims were in the various stages of the Umrah. Some were doing tawaf, some praying in the sehen (courtyard), some were near the taps of zam zam, some were doing sa'ee (walking between the hills of Safa and Marwa) and some were in the line for touching the Hajar al aswad (the black stone at the corner of the Kaabah).

Umar was standing near the corner of Hajar al aswad, managing the lines of the female and male pilgrims waiting for their turns to touch the black stone and kiss it once. This was not his job. His officer was on leave and so he took his officer's place near the stone. Now he was allowing the pilgrims near the stone one at a time, alternatively from the female and male lines. He looked at the never ending line and smiled slightly. This was a queue which tended to remain long. The people kept on joining the line to reach Hajar al aswad.

He surveyed the sehen of the Kaabah once more, his eagle eyes taking every detail in. He had been working here since a couple of years now and the beauty of the Haram never failed to capture his heart. The tall minarets and the beautiful Adhan, echoing through the whole Haram and beyond. The way it attracted each and every muslim of the world, the way it seems to be bathed in lights at every single second and the way it was the centre of attraction and of deen in every muslim's heart was amazing.

This was the place that was just a desert some millenia ago. There wasn't even a single person staying here. And then a slave of Allah arrived with his wife and his baby and left them there in the scorching sun on the command of Allah. Picture it in your heads... A slave of Allah bringing his innocent family and just leaving them there with no food and water except bare minimum and no shelter. He left them under the scorching sun, with no roof over their head. As far as the eye could see, it could see only the desert. But he left one thing with them... He left with them the trust in Allah. The woman didn't stop him after she guessed that it was an order from Allah. She had faith in her Rabb, after all she was a mumina through and through. After all she was supposed to become a mother to the Syed al Ambiya, Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. The place that stands there right now is the result of Ibrahim Alaihi Salam's sacrifice. It is the result of Hajira Alaihi Salam's trust in Allah. It is the result of Ismail Alaihi Salam's tears. And when these things are combined is when you get the beautiful result that is Makkah.

There was no creed, no colour nor any other factor dividing the muslims here. They were all one. In this place they were all simple and beautiful while they fulfilled the arkaan (rites) of Umrah. They walked side by side, shoulders touching shoulders, people of each colour, size and creed, while they eyed each other with love. They smiled and said salaam.

It warmed Umar's heart and his soul that Allah had chosen him to bear witness to this phenomenon of deen. His heart and eyes both bowed in reverence to his Rabb (english equivalent word is Lord). He said Alhamdulillahi rabbilaalameen with tears in his eyes.

The line continued to move forward and Umar kept on praying and talking to Allah. He kept on surveying the people with his sharp eyes. Suddenly his eyes rested on a girl. She seemed normal enough. And there was nothing quite extraordinary about her except the glow that was lighting her face up. She seemed to be in her early twenties. She had lifted her niqaab for praying Salah and his eyes had stayed transfixed to her face which shone with such imaan, such noor that he felt as if she lit up the space around her just by being present. For the first time in his life he forgot to lower his gaze for a few seconds.

The girl finished praying salah and lifted her hands for Du'a. Her lips were moving peacefully and her hands were trembling. She had a slight smile and peace on her face. Then the first tear fell from her eyes and his eyes began to water just by looking at her. He felt a wave of imaan flowing in his heart and refreshing him when she prayed. Her eyes were constantly watering now. Then she fell in Sujood (prostration) and his heart prostrated along with her to Allah. She was trembling in sujood and his heart trembled. She was making him feel more connected to his deen. He was reminded of the Aakhirah (the hereafter), when he witnessed her communication with the Rabb.

Suddenly he remembered the order to lower his gaze and he turned away with a quick astaghfaar (Du'a for repentance). How did he forget the order? Shaytaan surely was stealthy. Indeed he got attracted to the girl. No... not to her beauty, he didn't notice it that much. But it was her way of worshipping Al Rahmaan that attracted his eyes to her. And now he regretted his intrusion upon something so pure as a muminah's love and devotion for her Lord. It was private after all...