PILGRIMAGE/2010/FRIDAY.PRAYER.ON.BUSY.STREET

 

The call for prayer in Islam is called azan, and this is said by a muezzin @ caller from the minaret to remind and call the believers to perform daily prayers.The muezzin is also known as bilal. The man, Bilal RA, was one of the companions and the most renowned caller during the time of the Prophet SAW.
الله أكبرالله أكبر
الله أكبرالله أكبر
God is greater than any description
أشهد أن لا اله إلا الله
أشهد أن لا اله إلا الله
I testify that there is no deity except for God
أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله
أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله
I testify that Muhammad is a Messenger of God
حي على الصلاة
حي على الصلاة
The time for prayer has come
حي على الفلاح
حي على الفلاح
The time for worship has come

God is greater than any description
لا إله إلا الله
There is no deity except for God

The faithfuls will try to establish the prayers as soon as possible and the best rewards will be given to those who make salat at the mosque in a congregational prayer. The fadhilat @ rewards attract people towards the prayers.
الله أكبرالله أكبر
You can't witness these spectacular scenes in any other parts of the Muslim world, either Asia or Africa, but only in Makkah Al-Mukarramah. The businesses come to a halt, shutters are brought down, the roads neighbouring Haram are dead, and people scurry away to establish salat with the imam of the Grand Mosque. The ladies, whom I thought very shy, reserved, covered fully or with the exceptions of the faces and palms too suddenly become bold to answer the call for prayers.

People, during haj seasons, will throng the Haram to fill up every nook and corner of the giant complex. Those late comers, who cannot inch into the restricted area will have to find a place for namaz @ salat. Hours before the real time for prayer, the faithful could be seen occupying the ground floor of Haram, or the upper levels, and some vomitted out. The police or security personnel made their rounds but many will be waiting before all the doors.

I wandered around and threaded myself among the crowds to collect all the bizarre moments so that I could tell what I really observed, heard and done to those following me on fb closely. As, a new generation of Muslims, I could not stomach anything dogmatic, but until examined under the microscope, electron microscope. Firmly, I believe Islam is based on sound reasoning, not hearsays, superstitions, or fallacies. I befriended as many people as possible, from all corners of the planet, talked to them about religions, cultures, history, etc. Then, when the iqamah was said, I spread my prayer rug and together learned a new experience.


In Makkah, at the height of the pilgrimage, sometimes you'll be praying beside the women, in their row. It was for all prayers, including Friday prayers, because women are permitted to attend Jumaat prayers, not like back at home.

The faithfuls will pray on pieces of cardboards, papers, plastic sheets, or even bare ground or roads. All the streets, like Tariq Ibrahim Al-Khalil, one of the busiest in Makkah will be changed suddenly into part or extension of the Grand Mosque. Later, just after prayers, then only cars, buses, lorries, etc can pass through it again.

Many things did I learN, praying with the masses in the street of Haram. Firstly, the obligation to establish prayers regularly at the appropriate time, and also to understand the different people worldwide.

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