idris patel
Rising Member
- Messages
- 24
- Reaction score
- 4
I wrote the following poem on Hajj.
Hajj – A Journey of Life
By road, by sea and by air the pilgrims arrive each year
With a searing passion to fulfil their life-long desire
The young and old of all colour, creed and nationality
The king and the vagrant before God in human equality
Devotees from every corner of the globe in religious unity
At the birthplace of Islam to perform the spiritual journey
In unadorned white cloth they journey to the valley of Mina
The streets of Mecca echoing with the chants of Talbiyyah
In this arid plain they remain amid prayers and meditation
Their night in ‘tent city’ is spent in hope and aspiration
Towards the zenith of this journey after dawn prayer
A sea of white flows towards the empty plain of Arafah
From noon to sunset, they stand in earnest devotion
Tears flowing with hands raised aloft in deep supplication
The loving pilgrims gather at the Mount of Mercy
Each heart devoted to humble supplication and entreaty
Immersed in recital of the Quran, salawaat and repentance
The Almighty’s mercy descends in infinite abundance
Spiritually cleansed and forgiven by the Merciful Allah
Feeling reborn, at sundown they leave for Muzdalifa
Under the desert sky they camp overnight feeling spiritual
Here they collect the pebbles for the stone throwing ritual
After dawn prayer –the pilgrims leave for Jamarat in Mina
To cast 7 pebbles at largest of pillars the Jamra Al- Aqabah
After this symbolic rejection of the Satan and temptation.
In complete obedience they prepare to offer an oblation
As a symbol of their deep love they sacrifice an animal
In total submission to Allah, a sheep, cow or camel
Then the symbolic shaving of the head or clipping the hair
After which they journey to be greeted by the Meccan air
With respect and humility they circumambulate the Kaaba,
7 times they cover the ground between Safah and Marwah
Now completely free from the state of sacred consecration
The next few nights are spent in Mina to stone the Satan
On leaving, the farewell circuit of the Kaaba is performed
Each heart weeping in sincere yearning for it to return
