22/06/2025
Grateful is an understatement. The opportunity to complete my Hajj al Islam was healing. It’s the journey I didn’t realize my soul craved and NEEDED. I would do it many times over if I had the opportunity. Alhamdulilah!
Beginning in Medina, I’ve never felt more at home in a new place. This is where tired souls striving in Allah’s way come for rest, help, and certainty. A sanctuary for spirits weighed down by the trials of life. I felt safe—as if Rasulallah (saaw) was telling me, “I know grief all too well. You will be ok. I am with you.Take your strength from my life and legacy with you as you make your journey to perform the Hajj.” Each morning and evening, a breeze would flow between the minarets and the green dome… a reminder of the prophet’s merciful spirit—respite from the heat of the day.
Mecca: a homecoming of the soul and anchor to the divine connection. Touching the kabaa for the first time was electrifying. I could feel Islam running through my veins. The best moment of my life. A veil of uncertainty and worry lifted.The tawaf was exhilarating and rejuvenating. I kept repeating, “This is home. Allah is there. We are under Allah’s magnificence and protection.”
This is your sign. Prepare for Hajj now. Set your intention. Hajj/Hajjah is not a title to be earned in old age after time is almost up. It is meant for the sincere and repentant. It is for the youth who want to transform and renew their pledge to Allah. It becomes obligatory as soon as one is mature, healthy, and financially able to go. I pray that Allah swt gives you all this ability.
Hajj is not just a box to check off or an obligation to be fulfilled. It is a quest reminding yourself of who you are and where you come from. Open your heart to the lessons that will be revealed through the struggle of hajj. Strengthen your soul through the hardships of the Tawaf, the Saii, Arafat, Muzdalifah, Mina, and Jamarat. In your spiritual quest, you will receive your message from Allah swt. You will be reminded of what matters and what does not. You will reconfigure your life and soul with the right preparation and mindset.
All of you were in my prayers and I look forward to sharing more.