Alhamdullillah I have just returned from a wonderful umrah trip and I have so much to say, (or write) but I first need to recover and I'm really not in the mood to get back to my normal, everyday life. I'm sure those of you who have been to Makkah and Madinah can relate to this.
When you are in these Holy places it seems like time is unimportant and your life focuses around prayer times, every worry, problem or concern seems trivial and it seems unimaginable that life could be about anything other than worship of the Almighty Allah.
Of course worhsip comes in different ways and forms and we have to get back to reality (unfortunately), but the good thing is that Allah is everywhere, and since our test in this world is constant, we have to do what we can to try and make sure that we pass this test. Nevertheless, umrah teaches you many important lessons and I don't think it's possible for anyone to return from a trip such as this unchanged.
I am so very thankful to Almighty Allah for taking me on this amazing trip and I pray that every single Muslim can have the chance to go on such a trip themselves, so that they too can experience real truth and beauty as well as witness the signs of Allah, blatant and obvious!
The one thing that I will say is that it was beautiful to be amongst thousands of Muslim sisters, standing shoulder to shoulder (with absolutely no space in between at times) and know that we have the exact same objective, an objective so simple, yet so profound. The reason for our lives, our worship of the One God unifying us, even though we come from different parts of the world.
Alhamdullila, Islam is truly amazing and so simple, and it really makes so much sense. Going on this trip has reminded me of this and if we do find Islam to be complicated or difficult, if we do think it contradicts our lives, then there's something seriously going wrong.
Amidst all that's going on in the world, the different challenges that Muslim women have to face around the world, the issues that Muslims in general have to deal with, it was really great to have some time to forget about all that and to be a part of millions of people worhsipping Allah, constantly and proudly. Allahu Akbar! Indeed Allah is the greatest, Allah's signs are the best and most beautiful, Allah is Truth and Allah's promises are certain!
I hope that all of you can experience what I have just had the honour to experience, and so I say to all of you that we do not need this world, the material things in this world are a waste of our time and will never satisfy us. There are people who have nothing, who go for umrah with a few belongings in plastic bags, who sleep in the streets, and yet they are there, spending their time, worshipping their Lord with no concern in the world. This world will hold us back from what is true and as we strive for this world, we will miss out on the true reality of everything. May Allah make it easy for us all to detach ourselves from this temporary world and may He take every single Muslim to His Holy places!
Insha'Allah I will have more to say soon, right now thought i'ts time to get some rest.
