re-awakened muslimah

BISMILLAHIR RAHMANIRAHEEM! I am very emotional today... unable to speak really! I cannot believe that inshAllah tomorrow I wil leave for Hajj... I remember all those times that Mom watched the Hajj transmission live on national tv... The sounds of Labbaik echoed throughtout our home... Maybe its walls still resonate  these sacred words! Mom performed Hajj twice in her lifetime mashAllah! When she was very young... Very innocent... Spiritually mature! She recognized the depth and essence of the pilgrimage and all it's rites... She found herself performing those rites in her daily life as well! Today, when I am leaving for Hajj, I wonder what is going through my children's minds... I do not have to wonder much however, they are mashAllah vocal with their thoughts and feelings! They know they will miss me... They worry about their breakfast, lunch and dinner:) What they remain unaware of is that one day we all have to live without our loved ones! They depart without prior wa...

The next entry in my Hajj journal is somewhat as follows: BISMIHI HAJJ CLASS II 26.10.10 MOLVI ABDUR RAUF SAKHARVI *follow the books provided: It is very important to read the literature provided. Do not consult any other books which are commonly available yet not always authentic. *apply Sunnah (teachings of the holy Prophet Pbuh): Make sure to observe Sunnah as much as possible. Even the holy Quran instructs us to follow the ways and teachings of the Holy Prophet Pbuh. *apply “mushaahida” (common sense): While facing confusion during performing any rites we can look around to observe what other pilgrims are doing and do the same. Yet, we should not follow them blindly, rather we should apply common sense to figure out whether those acts seem correct or not, and whether they are like those that have been explained to us during our Hajj classes. *listen carefully: Listen attentively and make mental/written notes of all that is being...