jumuah mubarak

Asalaamu alaimkum,

 

 i trust all is well?

 

 

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN

YOU GROW UP????

 

SO THE OTHER DAY  i was overlistening a couple of young children talking to each other... and the one asks the other... " what do you want to be when you grow up?

 

a F1 driver!!! " exclaims the other child.

 

im am sure many of us had this conversation when we were younger... and our answers are our own....  a docter... fireman ... lawyer ... etc.

 

Personally i wanted to be aprofessional footballer ... needless to say i am what i am and i am a product of my own endevour... and effort... nutured and shaped by my immdiate enviroment and moulded by the many experiences of life... and guided by advices from the major players

... no doubt My parents and family and friends have all contributed to the person i am... the values i adhere to ( or hopefully do)... and the choices i made... All forming part of Allah swt's decree.

 

Non theless...

 

That conversation got me thinking ... as we fast approach the period of Hajj... many persons are in the process of leaving for the Journey of a life time... HAJJ...

 

for those first time Hujjaj... in spite of all the hype and preparation... they do not really know what to expect... for some it will be a mixture of tense excitement with a dose of anxiety... 

whilst for others a feast of determined focus and spiritual upliftment awaits them...

 

but the commonality of this journey is the proximity one gets to ALLAH swt ... and the immpression it leaves in your heart... 

 

 

 

for those who do not know... HAJJ IS ESSENTIALLY about relationships.

1. the relationship between Nabi Ebrahim ( Abraham, Peace be upon him ) and his son isma-eel ( Isaac, PBUH)

2. realatioship between mother and child

3. between father and son

4. the relationsship netween us and Allah swt., etc

 

in essence what point 1 -4 tells us is that HAJJ is about everyday life... 

 

and giving the due recognition to Allah swt through our everyday interactions.

 

So how do we prepare for this Journey?

it simple...

 

EVERYDAY.  

Yes thats an answer. Everyday to the naked eye may not be a doing word/ action word as to how to prepare. but it is a method to concentise our thoughts... and re- evaluate our mind set in regards tohow we worship Allah swt...

 

For Allah swt says in surah Al Asr ... "  By Time (Al-`Asr.) (2. Verily, man is in loss.) (3. Except those who believe and do righteous deeds, and recommend one another to the truth, and recommend one another to patience.)"

 

The aforementioned surah is just an example of how we should be living our life ...

- with belief ( with a well informed belief, educating ourselves) to realise that the rituals of HAJJ are not just rituals but are lessons for how to live.

- doing righteous deeds and abstaining from sins ( do more whilst you can)  

- telling othersof this dean ( Dawah)

- being patient when calamity or hardship befalls us ... ( and remembring Allah through good and bad times)

 

The above is not tafsir ( interpretation) and should not be considred to be so...

this is the realsation i came to during my PILGRIMAGE... and one i wanted to share with you.

 

And why do people go on HAJJ?

 

their are different reasons for differant people.

 

As the Imaam reminded me during Jumuah ... the prophet SAW was reported to have said : "that the reward of an accepted HAJJ is nothing but JANNAH." [ i dont have the reference or the authenticity so please forgive] but WOW ... imagine the gardens and rivers under which rivers flow... and the in habitants of jannah recling with their spouses and eating fruits of all kind and doing blissful things...

 

 

ALLAH HU AKBAR!!!  

 

 

and what if by making an increased effort to conscentise ourselves in the remembrance of Allah swt each and EVERYDAY... 

who knows, perhaps one day our children will out of their own volition confidently answer:

 

 " when i grow up i want to a...  hajji"

 

and not becuase they want the TITLE ... but becuase they want to be the guest of Allah swt in this World and the next, Ameen.

 

And Allah swt knows Best.

 

 

PS: one day GAMATJIE AND ABDULJIE were walking and Gamatjie asks Abdultjie... "why do you always carry your jacket in your brown leather case come rain or shine?"

 

Abdultjie says to him: " my mummy did tell me that i must take my jacket with  JUST IN CASE!!!! "

 

lol.. :-)

 

PS2: All the best to the Hujjaj ... travel safely and TAWAF.TAWAF. and TAWAF.

 

PSP: if i have said anything incorrect i ask for forgiveness and ask that you make dua for my guidence.

 

PEAce. Love. and juicy ... tender ... scrumptious spur steak fillet... mm:- p