Day 3 – Entering the Masjid
I jumped out of bed, excited to perform my first salah in Masjid Nabawi. A day of not being able to pray there has left me restless and jittery. The masjid was less than a minute away, but the elevator and my footsteps couldn’t get them there fast enough.
The sun was already bright, almost providing a blinding whiteness to the decorative masjid. The huge gates loomed before Sahar and I as we rushed past the hijabs, athar and thobes being sold on the street. The last were the men selling the Qurans. “Qaf!” “Qaf!” I’m sure there’s a Quranic reference, but I’m not clear on what it is and I don’t have much time to think about. We’ve run past them to the gates of the masjid courtyard.
I take my first step inside and in all the anticipating, I forget the dua for entering the masjid. A squeal escapes my lips and all I can think is “Subhan Allah.” I can’t do what I saw before me justice by putting it into words…I feel like I’m going to be saying that a lot throughout this trip.
When I started this blog, I thought I would be able to capture the moments and essence of my experience here. But it is so much more than a few moments. It is so much more than a few experiences. I thought I would be able to explain things as they happen, so that when I go back insha Allah, I would be able to remember things when people ask.
In the past, when others have returned from hajj, I’ve asked them about their journey, but no one has ever really been able to explain it. I thought it was because there was just too much to explain. But what I realize, it not that it’s too much to explain, it is actually inexplicable.
Instead, I’ll leave you with some pictures. Unfortunately, a picture cannot explain the atmosphere. Words cannot describe the emotions. And this blog cannot do what I thought it would.
You’ll just have to come here and see for yourself insha Allah.
I jumped out of bed, excited to perform my first salah in Masjid Nabawi. A day of not being able to pray there has left me restless and jittery. The masjid was less than a minute away, but the elevator and my footsteps couldn’t get them there fast enough.
The sun was already bright, almost providing a blinding whiteness to the decorative masjid. The huge gates loomed before Sahar and I as we rushed past the hijabs, athar and thobes being sold on the street. The last were the men selling the Qurans. “Qaf!” “Qaf!” I’m sure there’s a Quranic reference, but I’m not clear on what it is and I don’t have much time to think about. We’ve run past them to the gates of the masjid courtyard.
I take my first step inside and in all the anticipating, I forget the dua for entering the masjid. A squeal escapes my lips and all I can think is “Subhan Allah.” I can’t do what I saw before me justice by putting it into words…I feel like I’m going to be saying that a lot throughout this trip.
When I started this blog, I thought I would be able to capture the moments and essence of my experience here. But it is so much more than a few moments. It is so much more than a few experiences. I thought I would be able to explain things as they happen, so that when I go back insha Allah, I would be able to remember things when people ask.
In the past, when others have returned from hajj, I’ve asked them about their journey, but no one has ever really been able to explain it. I thought it was because there was just too much to explain. But what I realize, it not that it’s too much to explain, it is actually inexplicable.
Instead, I’ll leave you with some pictures. Unfortunately, a picture cannot explain the atmosphere. Words cannot describe the emotions. And this blog cannot do what I thought it would.
You’ll just have to come here and see for yourself insha Allah.
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