| Hajj Sequel 2: Preparations - Logistical, Physical, and Spiritual By Anonymous Posted July 11, 2004 Sequel 1: Just A Dream or A Call For Hajj? |
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As soon as I made intention for hajj, I set my heart and mind into fulfilling it. I started doing all preparations without procrastinating anything for later. That included renewing passport, getting vaccinations, and supplying all paperwork needed by the travel agent.
I started maintaining a list where I would write down all the items that I needed to take with me. As I remembered about more items, I would add those to the list. I also started purchasing them and marking them off in the list.
I made a list of all the companies from whom I received bills and wrote down when I should pay each of these and when the next bill would be due. This allowed me to pay off all the bills in time so that nothing would be due while I was away.
All family-related arrangements were also done to make sure that my absence will not cause any problem for anyone and that my son will be under good care.
I maintained contacts with my travel agent and made sure that everything was proceeding accordingly. Physical Preparations As hajj requires considerable physical energy, I started doing exercise about two months prior to the departure date. While running on the treadmill, I would be reciting the talbiya: Labbayik allahumma labbayikAs I would run out of breath and could no longer recite the talbiyia, I would continue saying it in mind. In addition to taking the required Meningitis vaccination, I also took several additional vaccinations. I purchased an array of over-the-counter medications that I might need or with which I might come to assistance to my fellow hajjis. Additionally, I visited my doctor and asked his advice about how I should physically prepare for the trip. A British gentlemen, he knew well about Hajj although he was not a Muslim. He gave me some good practical advices and also prescribed me several medications including a whole course of antibiotic. He then told me something that was very pleasant to me: “If you do not need these medications, then perhaps you will be able to assist your fellow hajjis with them.”I have always found the British people very gentle, courteous, and sincere. This doctor was in his sixties, and thus almost double my age. Despite the fact that I moved fifty miles away from his office about a year ago, I continue to have him as my personal physician. Spiritual Preparation As soon as I made my intention for hajj, I became more conscious about committing anything that can be considered even a minor sin. I prayed to Allah (swt) for forgiveness of all past sins and shortcomings and I asked Him to keep me on the right path until death. I made two raka prayer and raised my hands to Allah (swt) in dua to accept my intention, make my hajj easy for me, enable me to perform it in the way that will be most pleasing to him, and to accept my hajj. Until the departure day, I would often read sura ya sin and make the ishrak prayer (after the sun has arisen), followed by this same du’a to Allah (swt) to accept my hajj. In an effort to strengthen my hajj, I also wanted to send someone to hajj to perform hajj on my father’s behalf who passed away almost two and a half decades ago. A very pious man who was loved by those who knew him, he was far from having the financial means to perform hajj. So, although hajj was never an obligation for him, I was very delighted to have someone perform his hajj at the same time that I did my hajj (I was also very fortunate to be able to send my mother to hajj as well some years ago). I made arranged for a pious person, who was not financially able himself, to perform my father’s hajj. During the hajj, I would be frequently making du’a to accept my hajj, my father’s hajj, also this brother’s hajj as if he was doing his own hajj. I collected several books on hajj, made notes, and got a good understanding of the rituals of hajj and what is authentic and the Prophet’s sunnah and what is not. I also attended a class on hajj to learn anything else that I might have missed. I made an Islamic will where I made detailed instructions regarding burial, asset distribution, bill and debt payment, etc. The will was prepared in consideration of the laws of the state so that it would be acceptable to the court. I then signed the will in front of a notary public and had two witnesses sign it as well. I then explained the will to my relatives and made sure that they understood the instructions therein. I told them that it was a serious will that was prepared with the understanding that I could in fact die while out for hajj. It turned out that our plane to Jeddah was in serious unusual turmoil and we all escaped near death as the plane almost fell off the sky. It is said that when death is imminent, many things flash through the mind. As I continued making du’a and asking Allah for forgiveness, it was the will that also came to my mind, and I was highly relieved knowing that I left behind a full and complete will. With all preparations completed, I was ready to take on my journey to the ancient and blessed city of Makkah to perform my hajj. One thing that frequented my mind was: how would I feel and what would be my reaction when I would see the Ka’ba? >> Next: Hajj Sequel 3: Bangle Between Fingers |