My trip to Makkah and Medina

[Buuxo]

Salam qaali ah abaayo cambaro, thanks for the du'aa that you made for all of us. glad u enjoyed your trip,and return safe and hope you didnt get distracted n pissed at those people who spit inside the haram, lol i hear its common, among other distastful habits people have.

[Valenteenah.]

It sounds wonderful, DD. Thank you for writing about it for us and welcome back! :cool:

[Jacpher]

Masha'alaah Cambaro. Glad to hear you enjoyed your stay in Bakkah. Life time experience in the most purifying place on earth.

 

You would have loved more in Ramadan. Don't we all love to go there for vacation every Ramadan? Kuwaas yaa ogoleysiihaaya hee? Sidee sharciga kuugu dhibaayaanaa wadankaba karheysaa. Erayga 'Sahal' ayeenba kaseen micnihiisa.

[Fabregas]

No wonder there was a lack of Saudi Articles on the general section lol....

[Ms DD]

Norf & Ngonge

 

What say you about the KSA in general?

I havent had chance to observe the society. As you know, most of the residence in Makkah are expats and pilgrims. But i saw how the women dont feature much of the public life. And if she is out, she is accompanied by men who will call for the taxis, lifts etc. Even during tawaaf, she is protected. But the hypocricy of the Saudis, they have pop idol and trash on TV with improperly clad women whilst on the streets, you are forcifully encouraged ro wear the burka. Even the Somali community encourage you forcifully to wear it. Somali men were the worst. The sexim in that country was outrages. Even I had strong words with one Somali student (of Makkah university) who said that women caqli ma leh. I asked whether that was what he was taught!

 

But all in all..I was trying to increase my ibaadah time than pick all their faults.

[NGONGE]

Saudis are really like any other society. They have their faults and strengths. They have their extremes on both sides and they have a middle ground (some people like to call those moderates but apparently this word is a myth nowadays).

 

I may be wrong and things have changed dramatically since I last paid any attention to Saudi affairs but I don’t think those TV shows are Saudi made. Most are made in Lebanon, Egypt and Dubai! But thanks to all the great technological advances (like satellite TV and the internet) the Saudis too get to watch them like everyone else. Sometimes (some would say most of the time) Saudi male participants take part in those shows.

 

Saudi Arabia has some of the best singers in the Arab world (with Bu Nora – that’s Mohamed Abdu to you and me - being the undisputed king of khaleegi music). On the other hand and as you already know they also have some of the best scholars in the Muslim world!

 

Many argue that exposure to the rest of the world (through the mediums I mentioned earlier) has opened up Saudi eyes and made them want to move with times. This is why (they argue) women want to drive, young men want extra freedoms and there are deafening calls for equality!

 

I personally don’t believe that’s the reason. I suspect it has more to do with the increasing number of educated people in the Kingdom (and Gulf at large). They’re finally catching up with their other Arab brethren.

 

Now that they have started and though it’s taking place slowly I really can’t see anything standing in the way of change.

[N.O.R.F]

NG:

 

They’re finally catching up with their other Arab brethren.

What is many by 'catching up' saxib? Women being able to drive granted. But when it comes to societal 'problems', I don’t think any Arab state is better than the other.

[NGONGE]

^^ Read the sentence before it warya :mad:

[N.O.R.F]

^^keep your hair on mate

 

I suspect it has more to do with the increasing number of educated people in the Kingdom (and Gulf at large).

True. One thing you notice about Emaratis and Omanis is how educated they are. Well done to them but will these solve society's problems or will people continue to keep quiet about things (in KSA)?

[NGONGE]

^^ In the longer term it WILL help acknowledge and address some of these problems. In fact, ten years ago, you would have struggled to see one Arab (Khaleegi) journalist talking about the plight of Asian workers in the Gulf. Now, it’s an issue that is discussed in most ‘intellectual’ circles. Of course, one is never sure about government promises and if they’ll ever materialise. After all, the employment laws were always there but offenders were hardly ever tried or punished. There is a possibility now that things might change (in Dubai in particular).

 

Women’s rights are also being addressed and they’re not accepting any lip service anymore.

[Ms DD]

Can I say..that I agree the refusal of ladies driving in Saudi. It is for their own safety.

 

We had an asian taxi driver who spoke no English but laughed manically whenever he braked and when he wants to chat, turns AWAY from the road as the car veered violently off the road and on to the verge buildings and at one point a cliff!

[Khalaf]

Ahhhhhhh yo how i miss this thread? Mashallah Cambarro sharaaf may Allah accept your prayers and grant you your wishes. Amiin. There is nothing like Mecca mos def may Allah unite the Muslims. Amiin

 

salaamun

[Ms DD]

Salaam Khalaf

 

Can I suggest that you save up money and go and dont wait for another second. It was most enjoyable trip and spritually uplifting. I got eman rush (as they say at al maghrib institute). If i had mahram to come with me twice a year, I would be most happy. It was awesome experience.

 

My trip to Medina

 

We had opportunities to visit historical sites which were awesome. One such trip was a tour of the prophet’s mosque, which I found not one of the believers that was there that was not moved to tears by just being able to be there. We prayed at al-Rawda.

 

( At the heart of the mosque is a very special but small area named ar-Rawdah an-Nabawiyah (Arabic: الروضة النبوية), which extends from the tomb of the prophet (saw) to his pulpit. It is so named because the Prophet said "Between my house and my pulpit is a garden of the gardens of paradise. All pilgrims attempt to visit and pray in ar-Rawdah, for there is a tradition that supplications and prayers uttered here are never rejected. Entrance into ar-Rawdah is not always possible (especially during the Hajj season), as the tiny area can accommodate only a few hundred people.) From WIKI

 

There were many other places, too many to name, that were breath taking as well. This whole experience inspired me to come back and to begin to work on myself. To study more learn more quran and hadith, to change my character, and most important to spread what I learn to the people. It was like I was transported back to the prophet's (saw) time , and see where the martyrs died, to see mount uhud and more, was the most wonderful gift from Allah (swt), that even as I write this it brings tears to my eyes. Visiting the location of Uhud Invasion, one of the very first battles in the history of Islam, and to be more specific, to visit the tomb of Hamza bin Abdul-Muttalib, the Prophet’s (saw) uncle, and one of the important men in the early days of Islam. Because of his bravery and heroism, he has been called Asadu-Allah (the Lion of God), and Asadu-al-Islam (the Lion of Islam).

Before we left Medina and returned to Makkah, we prayed Masjid Quba which is one of the famous mosques besides the Mosque of the Prophet. It's the first mosque built in the Islamic history.

 

The Uhud Invasion took place near Uhud Mountain in the outskirts of Medina. The location was great, but we did not have enough time to enjoy the place.

 

We did all of the above in one day. All of Saudi have beautiful masjids, amazing smell and so clean. The food in Medina was much better than Makkah or medina.

 

Inshallah I pray that we all go soon.

[chubacka]

Marshallah sis, I am so glad you had the opportunity to go while you could really appreciate everyting. Sooo many ppl leave it sooo late wen jst getting around is a struggle.

 

May Allah hlp you maintain your "emaan rush!"and increase your knowledge of His beautiful deen.

 

Ameen.