Umrah

After "traveling to the future" the group and I are very disoriented. Yesterday someone had to convince my roommate and I that it was in fact Wednesday...not Tuesday. This is surreal and although I'm exhausted, I can't seem to sleep! We've completed our Umrah, saw the Ka'ba, and avoided a very close call with a potential trampling incident. Even at midnight there were hundreds of pilgrims completing Umrah rites. Totally awe inspiring.

To top it all off, afterward my roommate and I found a Burger King and ordered our first Steakhouse Bacon burger without having to say "no bacon please". Awesome! Can't put into words how amazing this whole experience is. There are people from all over the world coming in contact with one another for the same purpose. While this is a public health frightfest, the intense spiritual affect is all but a blinder to those potential issues. We cover our faces and use hand sanitizer as we step over pilgrims sleeping throughout the Haram. In every space there is a resting body. Seeing this makes me even more grateful for our accomodations in the Clocktower. And with some basic precautions and tons of prayer, I'm sure we'll be just fine, God willing.

The Final Count Down

After making my intentions to perform Hajj last year, the time is so close! It is just hours before I embark on the greatest journey of my life. Not only is this the first international trip I will take, but it is also the fifth pillar of Islam* that I will fulfill as a Muslim. My family and community are excited and I'm still digesting it all.

Earlier today, as we approached our connector flight from O'Hare, two ladies from Atlanta and I reflected on our Hajj blessings. As many other spiritual people believe, when you begin working towards something good God will put things in place to assist you. My own pre-Hajj blessings include a great school interview, the blessing of even obtaining a visa for this trip, and the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

While all of these wonderful blessings and more are on the horizon, I feel concerned for what and who I'm leaving behind. I'm praying my family and other loved ones stay safe and that my car and apartment are safe too! I'm honestly not looking forward to this 12hr fight I'm waiting to board, but I'm grateful and excited. I trust God will keep us safe during our journey and that we will return to find our loved ones and property safe and sound.

For now I await cramped legs and the legends of yummy international flight airline food. Hear-say, don't fail me now...

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On the Five Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars are the basic tenants of religious practice one fulfills as a Muslim and follower of Islam. These pillars consist of:

1) Shahadah: proclamation of faith that there is only one God and Muhammad (sal) is His messenger
2) Salat (or prayer): Praying toward the direction of the Ka'ba five times a day
3) Zakat (Alms giving or charity): giving of charity to those in need
4) Fasting: Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan from sunrise to sunset for 30 days
5) Hajj: The pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia at least once in a life time if you can afford to go and are physically able to go

"What's Haaajj anyway?"

A few weeks ago I sat in the dentist chair waiting on my new dentist to enter the room. This new office was cozy. Nice soft tones. Calm lighting. Not sterile at all. The doc entered the room and he was energetic and wide-eyed. "Hey! How are youu?" His "you" was drawn out like a short song. I liked him. This would be my new dental home.

We started to get to know one another and he was asking questions about my treatment schedule. 

"I may need to get this done when I get back in town in October."

"Ooo, where ya goin'?"

"Oh. I'm going to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage."

His forehead wrinkled and he squinted his eyes a little then said "What's Haaajj?"

"Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca? Millions of people...every year?" I was completely thrown off and honestly a little ashamed that I was shocked someone wasn't aware of my religious practices.

It was at this point that I realized those huge pictures I grew up seeing with little white specks, representing devoted believers and beggars for God's mercy, circling a huge "black box" may not be significant or familiar to everyone. I began to think about what a big deal this trip is for so many Muslims.  I could almost hear the audio clips of the Adhan (call to prayer) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. I saw flashes of various documentaries through my mind and wondered "How could someone NOT know about this?" My second thought was "Aren't you Jewish?" I kind of laughed to myself at the second thought. Since Muslim and Jewish spiritual roots are so close, I kind of thought he may have heard of it because of that also. I realized that although I have grown a lot since my high school and other adolescent experiences, I still held onto some assumptions. I assumed everyone at least knew something about this huge faith tradition comprising millions of people every year. I began to question what other assumptions I held. It was a nice reminder and wake up call. 

In any case, after a few more of these experiences, and suggestions to start a Hajj blog, I decided to go ahead and get typing. Check out the links below for more Hajj info. You can see the history of this monumental spiritual practice, where Muslims strive to become closer to God through emulating practices of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and his wife Hagar. I'll make an additional post with what Hajj means to me after this one.

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About Hajj:

Quick National Geographic Video:

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/places/culture-places/beliefs-and-traditions/saudiarabia_mecca/

Article from Islamicity.com:

http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/jlthajj/LifeTimeJourney.shtml