MY HAJJ JOURNEY
Preparation: Before I went on to the plane I put my ihram on, which I bought from an old market. I got on to the plane so excited to fly to Mecca for the first time in my life and I talked to person next to me. He told me he had been before and he said it was a very spiritual journey.
Arrival: I have finally arrived after a 6 hour journey. I stood up and got off the plane and breathed in the fresh air of Mecca. I was taken to a place called miquat (just outside Mecca). There I bathed and put on my Ihram and I recited the Talbiya Du'a.
How to put on an Ihram
Day 1/Tawaf: Then I went to the Ka'ba and circled around it 7 times. The first time I circled it I was fine but then after the third time I got so thirsty but I had to continue to show my devotion to Allah. Then I got a chance to drink zam zam water from the sacred zam zam well. It tasted a bit like milk which was actually quite delicious.
Day 2/Sa'y: The next day we walked in between the two hills;Safa and Marwa to help us remember when Allah told the Prophet Ibrahim to leave them on their own, and he did so, with some supplies of food and water. However the supplies quickly ran out and within a few days Hajira and Is'mail were suffering from hunger and dehydration.In her desperation Hajira ran up and down two hills called Safa and Marwa trying to see if she could spot any help in the distance. Finally she collapsed beside Is'mail and prayed to Allah for deliverance.
Day 3: The following day, we put the Ihram garment on. On the 8th of the Dhull Hijjah, which is the a date in the Islamic calender, we travelled to Mina and we stayed there till dawn the next morning. Our next trip was to the Valley of Arafat. This is where we stand in the open praising Allah. The heat at midday of the desert gave us an indication of what the day of judgement will be like. We had to travel to Muzdalifa where we stayed the night. We had to collect between 40 and 70 small stones for the next day.
Day 4: In the morning we returned to Mina to throw our stones at the pillars called Jamraat. These pillars represent the devil. Afterwards, we had to make a sacrifice called a Qurbani. This is when a lamb or sheep is slaughtered and the meat is divided among the poor. Then us men, shave our heads and the women cut a lock of their hair.
Day 5: Then we returned to Mecca to make a Tawaf (this is the ritual of walking around the Ka'aba seven times). Afterwards, we returned to Mina for 3 to 4 days, stoning the pillars each day.
Final day: on the last day of hajj we do a farewell Tawaf in Masjid-Al Haram on the 12th day of the month to ask for Allah's forgiveness and then make Du'a.
