Perseverance — Page 191
PART III – My Return to the United States 191 This is considered the best form of the H ajj and the one the Holy Prophet saw urged his followers to perform. From Chicago we flew to Istanbul, Turkey, and spent the night there and then on to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. From Jeddah we took a bus to Mecca with everyone wearing the full ihram and reciting the talbiyyah before God. When we arrived in Mecca we found a place to stay. It was very small for eight men but we made due. It is almost indescribable to express the feeling one gets when viewing the Ka‘bah for the first time. I initially experienced disbelief that I was standing on the actual ground that was tread by my master, the Holy Prophet Muhammad saw. It was an overwhelming feeling as if I was being united with a dear friend, for whom I had journeyed my whole life to meet. I felt as if I breathed a new life. The H ajj comes with some unique challenges as each pilgrim quickly realizes s/he is only one amongst millions. There are several instances where there is chaos and confusion, and plenty of shoving and pushing. We received a report that 300 women from Indonesia were trampled during one of the morning rituals. Nowadays, with the H ajj so congested, pilgrims must mentally prepare themselves for the unexpected. Millions of Muslims gather from every part of the world, bringing their various cultural customs, which may sometimes appear disrespectful to others. As more Ahmadi Muslims perform the H ajj in years to come, I am confident it will be more orderly and organized.