Hajj and its hardships are known. How many of you have performed hajj? Share experiences
Re: Hajj
I have but i was a child at that time; however, I remember all of it.
Now I want to do it on my own.
The first time, my father took me to Hajj. Now I want to take him to Hajj with me Insha Allah.
Re: Hajj
Jinx how old were you?
Re: Hajj
First time I did I was 12 or 13 , I remember it until now. But I will do it IA with my hubs.
Re: Hajj
I went once when I was 10 years old. Don't remember any of the hardships........have very good memories. When I reflect back the whole experience seems a bit 'majestic'.........
I still remember the first time I saw the Kaaba very vividly....such an amazing feeling. I can always close my eyes and be back there.
Re: Hajj
I miss khana Kaaba :( it's magical.
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Oh it was so relaxing. Even from the wroldy pov, it was probably the best vacation. The experience just sooth you down. you realize how basic of a life you can live and still be happy without your gadgets and emails and socializing and worldly hoopla.
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I've been to Hajj it felt like a spiritual vacation more than anything the only "hardship" was using the restrooms in mina, long lines for wudhu, and the restrooms get dirty fast after the constant use its like a revolving door the wait for the restroom was long as well, other than that there was no hardship it is a luxury to go and experience it all, loved every moment. The last tawaf I did was hard because the volume of people it was hot and people were sweating and bumping into each other, and we inched around the kaaba at a slow pace due to the sheer number of people I think it took 50 minutes to finish the tawaf, I want to go back but with my mother, I missed her a lot.
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in 2006 .......... best feeling ever but got very difficult at times because of heat and amount of people with their very low level of courtesy and manners.
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never been there, but if you you guys pray for me then it would definitely a next trip. inshaAllah
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In 2005(with parents) and 2008(with wife) and alhumdolilah amazing experiance. Remember that fard hajj is done only once in a life so try to prepare your self as much as you can.
Further more try to make habit of making dua at least 1 hrs a day as this is the biggest ibadat in arafat.
Re: Hajj
My wife and I also went in 2006, 
. Despite the physical hardships it was an amazing and memorable journey. We also had our son with us who was 1 1/2 years old at that time, which was a bit of a challenge.
I do remember one occasion, when we were in Arafat on the day of Hajj. I had gone to Masjid-e-Nimra and my wife was back in the tent with my son. When I came back, she told me that he had been crying quite a bit and she was concerned that she’d miss the Zohr/Asr prayer and the duaa afterwards. Amazingly he fell asleep 5 minutes before Zohr, slept through the entire prayer and the Duaa and woke up after the Duaa was over.
Re: Hajj
went for hajj once and for umrah 3 times, but i did that when i was think 2-6 years old, I remember only few things about it and regarding hardship i didnt had any cause i was carried by my father, do have pics and dont know how to explain my feelings cause.......................i just cant find words. I still remember "saying out loud Labaik Allah"
Re: Hajj
Did Hajj in 2009. I guess the hardest part is to forget the world and your worldly intentions. The physical hardships don't really exist (unless you are elderly) because things are so much easier now. The hardest aspect of Hajj for me was to recognize our past sins, forgiveness and trying to implement the changes AFTER than you want to see in yourself. It's a very spiritual journey. The less you think about the world and the more you take in as a believer is important. The less you are concerned about what to wear, what to eat, what other people are doing, the better it is.
For me, even though it's not a part of Hajj, but visiting historical places like battles sites, masjids where specific khutbas happened, places that they told me that the prophet use to walk, seeing Ibrahim footprints etc held very special place in my heart.