alhamdolillah! i am on my plane to houston,
waiting for this tiny plane to finally finish
boarding. :)
The Holy Masjid in Makkah, no place holier! Picture from Hajj 1426 (January, 2006)
i'm going home, inshaAllah!
notes from Riyadh
wednesday 4:30 am Riyadh
inshaAllah, four hours left till my flight back to Washington. i left Amman yesterday at about 7 pm (flight delayed), alhamdolillah.
my layover in Riyadh will be about 12 hours in all, inshaAllah. transit has been fairly smooth if at times a bit disconcerting.
i identified myself as a transit passenger when i arrived. there were several security/baggage screenings, all very courteous.
but at one point, one person walked off with my luggage tags (which had been separated from my ticket), another had my ticket, and a third had my passport, while i was left alone with a guard at a screening.
but Allah Ho Musta'an, alayhi tawakkalto. my transit check-in completed while typing this entry, alhamdolillah, and now i am just waiting for boarding. the hospitality i received has been excellent, alhamdolillah.
they broadcast the adhan at the airport here, and alhamdolillah i had been resting at the musalla. so i had the tawfiq to make Fajr in jamat, alhamdolillah.
la ilaha illAllah. His Mercy is beyond the scope of human imagination, and He is always Merciful.
wednesday 5:30 am Riyadh
tip: if you find yourself in the Riyadh airport, stop at a "Twisters" juice bar. i had the Twist of the day, and it was very fresh and even more tasty than i had expected.
if you're making dua for me...
monday 6:10 pm Amman
a small number of people have this blog info, alhamdolillah, and if you happen to see this entry before any follow-up, then please make dua for me:
no one knows his destiny until it happens, but Allah subhanahu wata ala is the One Who Advances and the One Who Delays, and His is the Best of Plans. He Knows, Sees, and Hears All. through dua a person may ask Allah subhanahu wata ala to improve his destiny. so i ask Allah subhanahu wata ala to make my destiny good for me and for my family, inshaAllah, in this life, on the Day of Judgment, and in the life to come.
Walking videos
Being here has been such a Mercy from Allah subhanahu wata ala.
But because the Israelis deny hundreds of thousands of Palestinians permission to visit Masjid al Aqsa, they can only visit through pictures and video. InshaAllah, someday these Muslims will be able to pray in this holy masjid without fear of Israeli persecution.
Starting in the al Aqsa courtyard. Video length 2:10
Approaching the eastern wall. Video length 58 seconds
Peering through the cracks. Video length 48 seconds
Climbing the eastern wall. Video length 43 seconds
On top of the eastern wall. Video length 45 seconds
From the zakat offices. Video length 1:10
From just below the Dome of the Rock. Video length 6:01
From just outside al Aqsa grounds. Video length 3:56
Through the old city's streets. Video length 22 seconds.
And back to the Hashimi Hotel. Video length 35 seconds
parting shots
alhamdolillahi Rabbil aalameen, Who permitted
me to visist this blessed Masjid and blessed land.
i pray for the health and well-being of all the
Muslims i met here, for all my family and
friends wherever they may be, and i pray that
He will be pleased with us, and guide us to be
among those whose reward is Paradise and who will be saved from the fire.
inshaAllah, all i have to do is finish packing and board a bus back to
the border. please make dua for me.
last supper, or at least last very early dinner
alhamdolillah, this morning i switched hostels from the one outside
the old city to one inside, owned by a Muslim i met at Masjid al Aqsa.
a very good decision, alhamdolillah. you still have Muslims and
non-Muslims living together, but the environment is much more
wholesome (see last pic).
this afternoon, after asr, i was treated to an early dinner at the
home of a another brother i met at al Aqsa, alhamdolillah. there were
six of us, and alhamdolillah, enough food for 12.
it would have been weird to take picture of the food but believe it
was fantastic, alhamdolillah. a very light rice platter with meat on
top, hummus, two different yogurt toppings, salad, and at least four
other serious condiments. alhamdolillah, and dessert with coffee and
then tea.
and the most amazing part, his home is next to the masjid compound --
that first pic was through the dining room window, alhamdolillah.
the whole day was wonderful, alhamdolillah.
the other pics are a shot of a beautiful stained glass window by night
-- showing the intricacy, and tilework along "tareek al wad," the
street in the old city that runs past the majority of the gates to
Masjid al Aqsa.
inshaAllah, this is my last night in Jerusalem. i was one of the last
people out of the masjid and then the courtyard. inshaAllah, i will
leave after sunrise, maybe staying till breakfast is served.
wAllahHoAlim
Video views from the Hashimi Hotel
First video from the Hashimi terrace. 38 seconds long.
Second video from the Hashimi terrace. 16 seconds long.
My room at the Hashimi. 37 seconds long.
from al Quds
Above: from the al Aqsa grounds by night. Below: pictures taken from the Hashimi Hotel in the old city. This was a much better hostel than the one I stayed in outside the old city. Alhamdolillah, this one is owned by Muslims, and the view from their terrace is fantastic.
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Masjid an-Nabi in Madinah, the second holiest masjid! Also from Hajj 1426 (January, 2006)
