My Most Beautiful Memory During My Umrah 23.5 -3.6.2011

Assallamualaikum w.r.t. and Greetings ..

All my memories on my Umrah are beautiful BUT one memory top the lists.

TAWAF

You feel Allah looking at you and i mean feel it physically, on your face, on your skin, on your whole person.

( i don't know how to explain it. the closest i can think of on how to explain it is, when you go out in the sun, you can feel the sun rays on your skin)

the feeling is soo BEAUTIFUL and everything else including heaven and hell seems small and of no importance.

So forgive me BUT i have to say this :

fellow moslems , i urge you to perform the umrah and for non-moslems, i urge you to convert to ISLAM and perform the umrah.

Note :

(1) The reasons only moslems are allowed to performed the pilgrimage to Makkah is mentioned in the Quran as follows:

"Oh you who believe! Truly the idolaters are unclean; so let them not, after this year, approach the Sacred Mosque...." (9:28).

This verse specifically refers to the Grand Mosque in Mecca and privileges during the opening of Makkah by prophet Muhammad S.A.W. The idolaters are unclean since they associate Allah (God) with others.

(2) Allah has no association as mentioned in Surah Al Ikhlas (Quran ch : 112)

1. Say (O Muhammad (SAW)): "He is Allâh, (the) One.
2. "Allâh-us-Samad (السيد الذي يصمد إليه في الحاجات) [Allâh the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks)].
3. "He begets not, nor was He begotten;
4. "And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him."

(3) I have not performed the Hajj just yet BUT my friend who had performed the Hajj informed me that the Hajj is a much more incredible experience compared to the Umrah. She told me, Allah opened the Hijab on wukuf day and another person told me you feel so small in front of Allah (God). One thing i believe, the Hajj is much more grander experience than the Umrah.

(4) For your information (both my moslem and non-moslem reader), you do not get to experience all this just by visiting the Sacred Mosque. You have to performed the Umrah/ Hajj, then you will learn. After all Allah invite us to perform the Umrah/Hajj so that we could learn (learning is one of the many benefits of umrah/hajj).

(5) Surah Al -Hajj (22:26-30)

And [mention, O Muhammad], when We designated for Abraham the site of the House, [saying], "Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House for those who perform Tawaf and those who stand [in prayer] and those who bow and prostrate. (22:26)

And proclaim to the people the Hajj [pilgrimage]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass -(22:27)

That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known days over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor.(22:28)

Then let them end their untidiness and fulfill their vows and perform Tawaf around the ancient House."(22:29)

That [has been commanded], and whoever honors the sacred ordinances of Allah - it is best for him in the sight of his Lord. And permitted to you are the grazing livestock, except what is recited to you. So avoid the uncleanliness of idols and avoid false statement,(22:30)

(6) talbiyah of the Prophet:

(i) labbaikallahumma labbaika labbaika laa shareeka laka labbaika-innal hamda wan na'mata laka wal mulka-la shareeka laka
(Here I am O Allah, here I am, there is no partner for You, here I am, Verily all praise for You, and every bounty is from You, and all dominion is Yours - You have no partner.)

(ii) labbaika ilahal haqq
(Here I am O God of Truth.)

Wallahu Aklam - Please note that this is my account of my spiritual journey and i may make mistake.