Assalaam Alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuh
It is the sacred Hajj season once more, Alhamdulillah, and as always, my heart yearns for a journey to the holy house of Allah. May Allah bestow upon us this opportunity again soon. Recently, I have completed a workshop on the pilgrimage with a group of wonderful sisters who will, in sha Allah, be undertaking the journey this year. I supplicate that Allah grants them ease and accepts their pilgrimage. Aameen.
The news of friends and loved ones embarking on Hajj fills me with immense excitement and joy. I view the opportunity to participate in Hajj as a precious and blessed experience that everyone should partake in at least once in their lifetime. For those who have already undergone this journey, I am confident that you can attest to the wealth of lessons and stories that emerge from the pilgrimage, offering insights for others to learn from or vicariously experience. With that said, I would like to recount two distinct experiences I have had during the Holy pilgrimage, in the hopes that you may find them beneficial. The most recent experience, which unfortunately ended in an unsuccessful Hajj attempt, will be discussed first, followed by my initial and only Hajj journey to date, which I will save for last.
PART 1
Hajj 1443 marked the inaugural International Hajj Post Covid, and my husband and I were eager to embark on this journey. We completed all the requisite registration procedures (even receiving the vaccination that I strongly disliked). Considering that my spouse was employed in Kano state at the time, the agency we had chosen for the trip was also situated in Kano. Consequently, I had to depart from our primary residence in Lagos to reach Kano, where our departure was scheduled. Despite being the final group to submit our passports, causing me some anxiety, we meticulously arranged for our children’s care under their grandmother’s supervision before setting off for Kano state.
At the time of our departure from Lagos to Kano, our visas had not yet been processed. However, we proceeded with optimism as advised. Upon our arrival in Kano, we promptly visited the agent’s office to Inquire about the status of our visas. The staff member inquired with their Abuja office in our presence and relayed the response to us, instructing us to “remain patient and hopeful, as, God willing, your visas will be issued. ” This exchange took place on a Saturday, around the 3rd of Dhul-Hijjah, with instructions to follow up the next day
On this very Monday, Saudi Arabia disclosed a 24-hour prolongation for all flights transporting pilgrims to arrive at their airfields. While confined to my sickbed, my spouse relayed to me that 3 individuals on the reservation list alongside us had obtained their visas. This gave us hope, as did the announcement of the extension; but then there were concerns about my illness. In the current global climate, the initial concern for any form of sickness was suspicion of Covid, rendering it challenging to traverse international boundaries while in such a state.
We finally learned on Tuesday that more people were granted their visas, but only a few, including my husband and I, were denied. The consultant stated that preference was given to Individuals who had not previously particIpated in the pilgrimage.
We had gotten the verdict, no Hajj this year so naturally our next step was to re-organize our luggage and return to Lagos. We had previously scheduled a return flight to Lagos that would coincide with a day or two after our return from Hajj, but given the situation we now needed to reschedule It and find an open flight back to our home. Upon reaching home, I was still not In good health, but my youngest child was naturally thrilled that we were back home, not caring why we were back in a few days instead of two weeks, mum and dad were back and that’s all that mattered to him. whereas the older ones were more understanding and sympathetic towards our situation as they knew how much we had planned for and looked forward to the trip.
Necessary to mention that throughout this period of waiting, I earnestly prayed to Allah (SWT) for the journey to become possible for us and while the Hajj trip did not happen as planned, I do not doubt that my prayers were answered. I trust that Allah has reserved a better opportunity for me soon.
I found solace In the account of the Messenger (SAW) when he sought to enter Makkah for Umrah in the 6th year after the Hijrah but faced opposition from the Quraysh. This event eventually led to the signing of the treaty of Hudaybiyah. Despite initial reservations from both the Quraysh and the Muslims (due to seemingly unfavorable terms), this treaty proved instrumental in the eventual conquest of Makkah by the Muslims.
At times In life, despite our diligent efforts and fervent prayers, we may not receive our desires according to our timelines. This is attributed to the profound knowledge and wisdom of Allah, which encompasses all aspects of existence. Nevertheless, we can find comfort in the assurance that our endeavors and supplications will not be futile, but rather materialize at the right moment, because as stated in the Quran:
“Your Lord does not wrong anyone. ” (Quran, Al-Kahf:49)
Thank you for reading in sha Allah, see you in the concluding part where I detail my first Hajj experience,
Bint Shakir Dhul-Qa’dah 1443AH