Re: Travelogues
cont’d from the previous entry]
First Umrah and the younger brother!!!
I can’t forget my first ever Umrah in the month of Ramadhaan. We did that Umrah under the hot sun with extremely clear skies. The temperature was reaching close to 45 degree centigrade and it was the month of May. We started it around 11 and by the time of Zuh’r we were done with it. Umrah in normal conditions only takes atmost hour and a half to two hours, not more than that.
I remember entering into the Ka’aba and seeing it with my own eyes. I was just mesmerized. The surroundings and the feelings and the environment - those can not be fully described in man-made words.
Kabhi Aye HaQeeeqat-e-Muntazir! Nazar aaa Libaaas-e-Mijaaz maiN
kaY HazaaroN sajdaY taRap rahai haiN, meri Jabeen-e-Niyaaz maiN
I remember looking at Ka’aba all the time, just staring at it. Grabbing the index finger of Abbu I was just looking over my shoulder to have a glimpse of Black Ka’aba, under the arms of passing by men and between the people around, I knew only one thing that this was the ka’aba about which I always read and heard that it was the house of Allah:subhanahu: and it was first built by Adam:Allaih: and later by Ibraaheem-O-Ismaail Alyehimus Salaam. Having not much of the understanding of what it is to a Muslim, even at that age, I remember to be attracted towards Ka’ba. Baitullah, the house of Allah:subhanahu: I saw Black Bricks of the wall of Ka’baa, wanted to just go and kiss those walls and just cry. I did not know what cry means in that context at that age but Ka’aba has put that understanding in me at that time.
I remember after Umrah, Abbu had picked me up and in the heavy crowed made way towards Muqaam-e-Ibraaheem:Allaih:… I remember seeing those holy foot-prints of Syedena Ibraaheem:Allaih: while peeking into it over Abbu’s hands. Those prints are imprinted in my brain for the eternity now.
I remember the Veranda of Kaba’a was really cold in that hot weather. The Marble was not hot. Abbu told me that they had cold waterlines running under the ground. That was amazing. But I remember those black marbles at the corner of the roofed-mosque and the veranda which were about a foot high were hot as hell… I accidentally put my feet on them while going in the Masjid area and almost had screamed …
I remember my younger brother in my Ammi’s gaud. He was around 4 years old. With a gora rung and green eyes, and in white Ahraam, he became the spotlight for Arab women. I saw few Arab women grabbing his feet and kissing’em calling him Al Haaji Sagheer [choTaa Haaji].. I really felt jealous 
However, the most funny part which happened after the Umrah was in Madinah…
During the Umrah, my Brother had slept. So, when it came to get hair cut, all the men got their head clean shaved:D but he did not… he got a minimum required hair cut as he was sleeping.
We came back to Madinah…
next day, after Zuhar, we came from Masjid-e-Nabawi, and everyone of us were taking a nap, when suddenly I woke up…
And the scene I witnessed at that time was something which I did not know to laugh at or become worry about it..
I saw my younger brother had a scissor in his hand and he had cut his hair from the middle front of his head… making a four inches long and 2 inches wide “maaNg” 
Apparently, he was naraaz 
that everyone got their head shaved and he did not 
That evening, Abbu took him to a barber and get his head clean shaved as well. When he came back home, he was as happy as if he had found a big treasure… 
(To be Cont’d)