One of our members continues to describe her experience of the recent ^umrah trip led by Haj Hadi Fayed:
Sometimes, despite how tired I was, I would be sitting in my room thinking that I could be making du^a or praying in front of the ka^bah at this very moment. So with a strengthened heart I would go out into the night, finding others like me, unable to sleep, pursuing the need for food or worship or both.
On the last night in Makkah our upcoming visit to the Prophet was discussed amidst a room full of people. I felt as if my tears could no longer be contained; I had been waiting such a long time to visit him, the one who is the best of all men. I thought of madih/nashid lyrics which mention him sweetly and longingly, poems, events, stories about his life, the salam sent to him in prayer and in dhikr; I would soon be with the best of the creation. I would have the opportunity to talk to him, make du^a in his presence, and self-reflect in one of the best places on earth – was I sure this really wasn’t a dream?? The floods of tears came whilst I was with an audience, but it couldn’t be helped, and wherever I turned my head to hide, there was no getting away. But no matter, because in any case, I unashamedly love my Prophet.
We performed the farewell tawaf on the last day in Makkah, and afterwards I found somewhere to sit to just look at the ka^bah, make du^a and think. The tears came once more.
As I tried to leave the haram I found myself stopping, looking at the ka^bah, taking in its awe, making du^a, and walking off again; I did this many times. I didn’t feel that I was quite ready to leave just yet, but at the same time I longed to see the masjid of the Prophet and the green dome.
On the trip to al-Madinah I waited enthusiastically to hear some madih/nashids from some members of the group, and eventually when we took rest at a service station, a few of our brothers started singing. It was quite beautiful and an audience slowly gathered around us.
We continued on our journey. The scenery we passed was captivating, and the desert and mountainous terrain we’d seen so far looked quite tough. It made me wonder how the Prophet, peace be upon him, his family and Companions made their way, for days if not weeks, through this land as they migrated from Makkah to al-Madinah, and the effort they must have put forward in order to continue, despite tiredness and the heat. I know that it is by their efforts that the religion spread so widely in such a short space of time and it is through them that we have managed to learn and be in a position to teach others. My love for those who made this religion reach us by Allah’s Will grows with these thoughts, as well as my love for the Prophet, for after all he is the one who came to teach Islam after a period of ignorance.
As we approached al-Madinah Haj Hadi told us to say as-salat ^alan Nabiyy, and everyone followed him by saying these words repeatedly in chorus:
Assalatu wassalamu ^alayka ya sayyidi ya Rasulallah الصلاة و السلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله
Assalatu wassalam ^alayka ya sayyidi ya habiballah الصلاة و السلام عليك يا سيدي يا حبيب الله
Daqat hilatuna wa ‘anta wasilatuna ضاقت حيلتنا و أنت وسيلتنا
Daqat hilatuna wa ‘anta wasilatuna ضاقت حيلتنا و أنت وسيلتنا
‘Adrikna ya rasulallah أدركنا يا رسول الله
‘Adrikna ya habiballah أدركنا يا حبيب الله
My heart was full of love at this point and both excitement and nervousness spread across my whole body as we searched through the window expectantly to see the masjid of our Prophet. Haj Hadi eventually announced the appearance of the masjid in the distance and it was such a beautiful sight, the lights illuminating the evening sky, and I felt a kind of warmth radiating from this beautiful vision.
We carried on chanting passionately until we reached the hotel. Whilst in the hotel I felt anxious, as I wanted to visit the long awaited honourable grave of the best of the creation, our Master Muhammad, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, and I did not want to spend another second delaying my footsteps to greet our honourable Prophet.
Whilst waiting, we were reminded about how a person should behave, for how is it when one visits a king? How would such a person dress, talk, act – there are certain manners and etiquette that a person should observe after all. The status of our Prophet is higher than any other human, than any other creation in fact, and I kept reminding myself of this to appreciate the blessing we were about to experience and to thank Allah for this great endowment.
Once we left the hotel, we came to the outside of the complex, the lights shone through the green metal railings and gate. As we entered and turned, we walked in and the green dome filled our view and a calmness struck my heart. I was in awe of the masjid, and seeing the green dome in particular was delightful; it was similar to how awestruck I had been of the Ka^bah a few days before. It is not fully captured by seeing photos or videos, or in the reading of poetry or even in the hearing of madih/nashids; the green dome is just so captivating and beautiful.
Without placing you there in front of it or perhaps experiencing it in a dream, all I can say to someone who has never been, is to do whatever it takes to get there and to experience it without delay, for it feels like coming home.
