The Divine Call
I finally performed Hajj, my maiden one, in October 2012 at the ripe young age of 65. The pilgrimage was not an original part of my year’s itinerary as I had planned to attend the wedding of my niece in UK in July which would have left me with little time or finances to go for Hajj the same year. The cumbersome UK visit visa requirement eventually got the better of me and I decided to cancel the UK trip and instead applied for the Hajj visa. Being a retired air force officer, my first option was to approach the PAF for a slot in the quota that is annually allocated to the service but it was July, close to the Hajj season and the chances of success seemed rather bleak. And so it turned out as I was informed that the final list had already been approved and I could not be adjusted at this late hour. The very next day I got another call telling me that a slot had become vacant and I should immediately complete all the formalities and dispatch the papers without delay. I did and soon was informed that I had been selected to be a part of the PAF’s PIA component of the Hajj contingent of 2012. The manner in which events had unfolded strengthened our firm belief that the performance of Hajj is possible only if one gets a call from the Almighty. I finally got the call.
The Hajj Itinerary
As I learnt subsequently, the Hajj programme planned by AHQ was for six weeks duration. Personally I thought it was a bit lengthy given that the actual Hajj ritual is for just five days – making allowances for travel time and the need to visit Medina the second holiest site of the Muslims, two weeks or at the most three weeks should have sufficed. Why did then the PAF planners go for a six weeks trip, I wondered since I learnt from the travel agent who had been awarded the contract, he would have preferred a three weeks tour where he could have offered even better facilities at the same price. As I was to learn from my co would be pilgrims, the consensus among them was to be able to spend as much time at the two holiest of the sites because for most of us it was a once in a life time trip. Being aware how sensitive our people are on religious issues, I reserved my judgment until the end of the visit.
As to be expected, PAF’s handling of the Hajj project was on the spot, conducted with finesse and care. We were kept informed about the various developments in the travel itinerary, provided the necessary gear required during the pilgrimage and prepared mentally and physically for the big occasion. An excellent briefing was held before departure where the various dos and donts were explained and the contingent was given a befitting farewell on departure. Even the arrival at Jeddah was well conducted by the PAF’s Air Attaché in Saudi Arabia and his staff who had driven over all the way from Riyadh to receive us. Because of their excellent handling the ordeals normally associated during arrivals and departures for the Hajj were mitigated to a great extent; and for that all of us owe them much gratitude.
Our entire pilgrimage was planned in three phases. In the first phase the group spent the first twenty days in Mecca where the entire focus was on devotion and offering of prayers at the Haram, where Khan-e-Kaaba is located. We then moved on to Medina where again we spent most of our time in Masjid-e-Nabawi, the mosque, residence and the final resting place of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). In the final phase we travelled back to Mecca for the performance of the Hajj, which lasted for five days and the remaining period was basically a wait for the return slot by PIA, our national airline. Visits to various holy sites around Mecca and Medina were also a part of our itinerary, as was the search and purchase of the choicest khajoors (dates) especially in Medina.
Phase I, the Stay at Mecca
The group’s first week in Mecca was heavenly, both literally and figuratively. The Hajj crowd had not yet started to build up and the Haram was relatively less crowded, just over half a kilometre from our five-star hotel where we were bunked on a twin sharing basis. Initially we walked to and fro to the Haram which took about ten to fifteen minutes each way but soon learnt that the Hotel ran the shuttle service during the prayer times. The shuttle was a big plus as going on foot for the Zuhur and Asar prayers under the hot Meccan September sun where the temperature would be in the higher forties was for some of us taxing. Performance of Tawaf (seven circling around the Kaaba) and Saee (seven rounds between the mounds of Safa and Marwa) could be done hassle free and one could with a little effort reach the Hateem (the outer portion cordoned off by a small wall that was an original part of Kaaba and is still considered its part) and even touch and kiss the Hajr-e-Aswad (black stone) without getting crushed and pulverised by the crowd. The bliss ended in a week’s time, heralded by the descending of the ‘green birds’.
Within about a week of our stay in the hotel, a large delegation of over 250 from South India joined us in the hotel for the pilgrimage. The group comprised almost entirely of ladies with a sprinkling of men folks. The ladies, nearly all less than five feet tall clad in black ‘abaya’ with a very prominent green shawl tied around their backs gave the impression of harmless green birds. Bunked five to a room, their ubiquitous presence in the hotel lobbies, lifts and alleys altered the entire hotel ambiance but that by itself was more a source of amusement than bother. Their impact on the shuttle service, however, was a different matter.
Up until then, the shuttles were very convenient facility for us and we hardly had to wait or even queue up for the ride. With the arrival of the green birds the situation changed drastically. Being aware of the rush, we would now queue up ahead of time to be able to board in an orderly manner. To our utter surprise as soon as the shuttle would arrive, out of nowhere the green birds would appear and gatecrash the line-up. They would muscle their way in and our carefully constructed linear formation would be soon demolished. Had the crowd been composed of men, we would have strongly resisted this highhandedness but where ladies are concerned, our military training made it difficult for us to retaliate. Eventually most of us, except those who were accompanied by their womenfolk gave up on the shuttle and for the next ten days walked to and from the Haram. As we were departing for Medina on the 21st day, we saw to our horror that the green bird delegation was also leaving for Medina the same day. Mercifully there they stayed at a different hotel to the one where we were to reside.
The hotel had five star amenities but initially its service did not match its starry status. We soon learnt that the less than efficient service was more due to the attitude of the lower staff where they assumed they could get away with sloppiness as the intending pilgrims would be so absorbed in their devotional activities they would not complain. But complain some of us did to the mid level management and when still there was no improvement the matter was then taken up to the highest level. The effect was electric and for the rest of our stay the hotel services at least for our group was brought at par with its star status.
As Khana-e-Kaaba came in my view at the start of my Umrah ritual on the very first day, the effect on me was powerful and deep but I will admit it was not overwhelming. This was not my first visit to the Haram and I had the fortune of performing Umrah thrice earlier, the first as far back as December 1980. The very first sight of Kaaba then was overwhelming and the experience is hard to describe – it was a combination of ecstasy for being fortunate enough to be at the holiest of holy site of Islam and the sense of humility and feeling of helplessness and surrender in the presence of the symbol of Divinity. To us, Kaaba is just another building but when the Almighty declares it as Baitullah and the very first house of His worship, for us Muslims, its symbolism exceeds anything in our universe. This intensity was not duplicated during my subsequent visits in 1985 and 1993 and this I believe is the common experience with a large majority of visitors who have had the fortune of multiple visits to the Haram in Mecca.
The Haram of 2012 was much different than the one I remembered way back in 1993. It had been widely extended to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims and the extension work was still in progress to cater for future growth. The workmanship was excellent throughout and the Saudi government had gone at great lengths to provide major and minor conveniences to facilitate the devotees. A virtual army of workers were deployed round the clock to ensure a very high standard of cleanliness is maintained on a 24/7 basis. A vast majority of workers were South Asian Muslims while their supervisors were Arabs. The police and Paramilitary personnel were deployed to maintain peace and security and as the Hajj season approached and the crowd became heavier, even the regular military was seen on duty.
Nearly all foodstuffs are imported in the kingdom and it was a very pleasant surprise to see the food items that common people buy were not only wholesome and pure but also very reasonably priced and despite the Hajj rush the government ensured the prices were not raised. Some of the food items like ‘broast’ chicken were cheaper than what they are at Karachi. For the Hajjis on a budget this was a great facility; but for the food subsidy and the strict price monitoring by the Kingdom this would not have been possible. These were the plusses for which credit must be given where it is due – the Khadim-e-Harmain Sharifain (the servant of the Haram), the Saudi King, but there were weaknesses too in the manner the Haram was maintained and run that must be pointed out.
For as long as the number of devotees visiting the Haram had not peaked, things ran smoothly but as the rush increased with the approach of Hajj, matters seemed to get out of hand. The supervisors, mostly Arab youths in their traditional dresses were not very effective in controlling or guiding the mass. They appeared listless and bored and would not assert themselves enough even when the pilgrims would be flouting the rules right under their noses. The pathways to the Haram and the Kaaba would get blocked by the devotees either sitting or praying in areas meant specifically for entrance or exit and the large posse of men and troops deployed specifically for the purpose to ensure unauthorised actions are prevented were either unwilling or unable to control the chaos.
As the Hajj season got closer, just entering the Haram became cumbersome and time consuming and for approaching the Kaaba for Tawaf one had to manoeuvre through a sea of humanity occupying spaces meant exclusively as pathways. While many of the devotees had squatted themselves in the courtyard and around Kaaba and the place was chock a block full, there was a vast underground facility that could house a very large number of devotees that virtually remained unoccupied until the very end. The Arab supervisors needed to exert their authority more forcefully to ensure rules and regulations are enforced for the greater benefit of all. While some of them were carrying out their duties very diligently, many did not seem to take their responsibility with the seriousness it deserved. Similarly there were a few who would diligently guide the pilgrims to areas that were relatively less crowded but majority of them would idly standby and watch the mayhem with a resigned look.
Our Hajj season fell in October when in most countries in the northern hemisphere the weather turns mild. Not so in Mecca where even in October the day temperatures were in the mid forties and even at night it would hover around thirty three. Deserts are known for their cool and even cold nights but Mecca is a concrete jungle where the night temperature stays high. The approach to the Haram is littered with skyscrapers, five star hotels, some at its very doorstep, to cater for the rich. The hot air and pollution spewing out of the hundreds of air-conditioning units have further polluted the atmosphere around the Haram raising the average day and night temperatures by a few notches. These high rise hotels and luxury apartments, one is told, mostly belong to the Saudi Royals and during Hajj season they make a killing in rent. Similarly even lower class hotels and rest houses raise their rental fares astronomically that puts them beyond the reach of not the so well off of pilgrims who then tend to spend all their time inside the Haram thereby further crowding it. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia should address this issue to reduce some aspects of crass commercialism that has seeped into the Hajj season.
Phase II: the Medina Trip
After nearly three weeks at Mecca we left for Medina by road in a luxury bus. The journey was comfortable and six hours later we had entered the city that had given refuge to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) during his hijrat and which had become his permanent abode. The hotel we were to stay was a three star facility and with a bit of generosity it would make the grade. The green birds, we learnt much to our relief were accommodated in an adjacent hotel.
Our Medina visit was primarily for the purpose of prayers and devotion at the Masjid-e- Nabawi, the mosque which the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had built and which was his residence and is his last resting place. Medina was a tad cooler than Mecca and our hotel was just five minutes stroll from the Haram. We were housed four to a room that was barely large enough for two. The fourteen story complex had four lifts to cater for its guests but since the hotel was fully booked and it had packed four to five persons per room, the number of occupants had doubled. During and after the prayers, the lifts would get overburdened and sometimes one had to wait for over thirty minutes to get up or down. For the downward journey walking down the steps even from the topmost floor was a minor hurdle but for going up, one had to wait for ones turn in the lift. Since we had come on a pilgrimage, most of us took these minor inconveniences in our stride.
Masjid e Nabawi is beautiful, spacious and well laid-out but not as large as the Meccan Haram. At any given time and especially during the Hajj season even at peak periods the number of devotees in Medina would be roughly half of that of Mecca. The mosque has a huge open courtyard and by installing numerous columns with foldable umbrella on their tops, a very large portion of the courtyard is brought under shade during the day. The opening and closing of the umbrella wings during dawn and dusk respectively resembles the blooming of a gorgeous flower and is a beautiful sight worth seeing. Because of the shade provided by them almost the entire courtyard becomes bearable for the worshippers to pray even when the portions without shade is sizzling under the hot sun. The cleaning and hygiene benchmark of the Medina Haram compares favourably with the Meccan one. Both have maintained very high standards.
While Masjid e Nabawi is much smaller than the Haram in Mecca, compared to almost all other mosques in the world it is very large. The Arab youngsters who were helping, monitoring and guiding the pilgrims were courteous, diligent and efficient. They would ensure the passageways did not get blocked by erring devotees and would guide them to areas that still had seating capacity during prayer time. At least I did not see any army contingent being deployed during my ten days stay although some paramilitary personnel were seen at key junctures. On behalf of my delegation I would like to thank the wonderful youngsters and pray they are rewarded in this world and the hereafter.
Five times prayers at Masjid e Nabawi was our main objective but Medina has a number of other holy and historic sites and Ziarats (pilgrimages) to these places were also a part of our plan. Medina is famous for quality Dates, some of which had been blessed personally by the Holy Prophet (PBUH); their purchase for distribution to families and friends back home was also a part of our visit agenda.
In summary, the Medina visit was excellent and we were able to complete our continuous forty prayers at the Haram, which for many of us was a major objective, very comfortably. The attempts to pray at Riaz ul Janna (a piece of heaven) and pay respect to the final resting place of the Prophet (PBUH) that were located adjacent to each other inside the mosque were never easy as the overzealous devotees tried to outdo one another in a bid to gain access but nevertheless with a bit of struggle and much patience it was possible. For the ladies wishing to visits the two sites, separate hours were reserved exclusively for them.
My lone observation is that by the end of our stay in Medina, we had completed a month away from our homes and the continuous exposure to the multitude of crowd from all over the world where majority were well past their youth and carried numerous international viruses, had started to take its toll. Despite precautionary face masks that we wore diligently and other preventive measures (warm gargling, anti Flu shots) most of us were by now suffering from minor ailments and I prayed fervently to the Almighty to keep me fit enough to be able to perform the rigorous Hajj rituals, which was the very essence and purpose for our visit.
The Final Phase: Hajj
The Hajj ritual for the year was to commence on the 25th of October, (8th Zilhajj) for five days, culminating on the 29th. We departed for Medina on 21st by road and the bus carrying us was either overloaded or underpowered as it would slow down to a virtual crawl at the slightest of uphill gradient. However, eventually we made it to Mecca a bit late but in one piece and miracle of miracle, were welcomed with rain and shower as we entered the city that mitigated the searing Meccan heat.
Our dwelling now was a high rise apartment at Aziziah, a suburb of Mecca, which had been booked for our group. Here we were put five to a room but the rooms were bigger than the ones in Medina and the washrooms too were far more spacious. There was a large common room that duplicated as a drawing cum dining room and also occasionally served as a prayer hall. Personally, I found the apartment living more comfortable than the Medina hotel because besides being more spacious, unlike the Medina setup where we dined at various food outlets inside and outside the hotel premises individually or in small groups, at Aziziah meals were arranged and served for all of us in the common room thrice a day. This facility allowed us to socialize and get together more often, something that many of us sorely missed in Medina.
Our first objective on reaching Mecca was to perform Umrah again, which was a mandatory requirement before the start of Hajj. The crowd in Mecca and Haram by now had swelled to full capacity and the travel agent had arranged to transport us to a point by coaches from where state provided buses would drop us at the Haram. The state buses were lined up at the drop zone but there was a fair bit of confusion about the fare rate. It was supposed to be free of charge but from some of us five Riyals (around one and half US dollars) were demanded. The fare was not a major issue but getting in the bus was a challenge that mercifully our group managed to accomplish sans any major hassle.
The performance of Umrah was achieved without any hiccups as by now most of us had become pretty familiar with the Haram and Umrah rituals. Because of the rush, however, both the Tawaf and the Saee took much longer time to complete. On completion of Umrah our group returned to the spot where we had been briefed the state buses would take us to the drop points where our travel agent had arranged coaches for our return to Aziziah. This is where the mayhem began. The state buses were operating normally but for some strange reasons they were being hijacked by goons masquerading as conductors even before they arrived at the pickup point. Here they would only allow their groups to board leaving the rest of us high and dry. Whenever we tried to board, we would be asked for tickets and when we enquired about from where the tickets could be purchased, we were told from a location three kilometres away. Appeals to the police and Paramilitary forces that had been abundantly deployed at the site to maintain law and order and discipline were fruitless – most smirked and shrugged their shoulders refusing to interfere at this blatant violation.
After waiting unsuccessfully for over two hours and with our patience wearing thin eventually we physically forced our way in, ensuring ladies accompanying us get seated and fought a raging verbal duel with the conductor who was bent upon expelling us and in the end won the battle. The return to the drop zone and subsequent trip back to our apartment was uneventful. The experience was unnerving, one I would like to forget and it gave us an insight into the callousness and incompetence of the Meccan law and order authorities especially if it concerned alleviation of the unjust sufferings of would be non Arab Hajjis.
On the 8th Zilhajj, 25th August we were transported to the Mena Valley for the first segment of Hajj. A mere four kilometres distance by crow’s flight and about eight kilometres by road it took us more than three hours to reach the destination because of very heavy traffic. At Mena we were put up in tented accommodation, thirty-two of us in each tent. Although we had been forewarned about how tight the accommodation would be, seeing the tent size and the number of occupants was heartbreaking. Here we were supposed to spend three or four nights and even if we lay shoulder to shoulder, all thirty two would not fit. Worse, for our group and the adjacent Indian group numbering over two hundred, a total of just six toilets for males had been designated. These were combined shower and squat toilets where the shower was placed just above the toilet and the whole structure was so tiny that once you entered even turning around was an exercise. Our major fear was about ensuring that our Ihram was kept unsoiled during the visits. It was a nightmare that we had to endure during our entire stay at Mena. As my good friend Kamran, who as an Air Defence officer in the PAF had spent his youth in outdoors in the fields, the field toilets were much cleaner and convenient than what had been arranged for us at Mena. As was to be expected, sleeping thirty two to a tent was impossible and some of us just walked out and spent the whole night outside sitting, meditating and occasionally dozing off. In this manner the rest of the group managed to get some rest. This was the routine for the other two nights we spent at Mena.
The next morning we were to board the special trains to take us to Arafat for the most important part of Hajj. Our group was given a seven AM slot for boarding and accordingly at around six-fifteen we started our march towards the station which was about twenty minutes walking distance from our abode. As we approached the station which was at a height our progress grounded to a virtual halt because of massive blockage caused by a sea of people awaiting their turn to board ahead of us. Our progress was at a snail’s pace and as we sweated under the hot sun, many of the weak among us fainted in the process. Finally after over two hours of agonising and painful wait, we managed to board and within fifteen minutes reached Arafat. This mayhem was repeated on our return journeys from Arafat to Muzdalifah and finally to Mena. On each occasion the tempers among the crowd would reach to a feverish pitch and a stampede seemed imminent. While I had personally experienced up to three hours of getting stuck in the hot morning sun trying to board the train some of my friends from other groups narrated their own horror stories where they were trapped for over five hours under the burning midday sun. That there were no stampedes can only be attributed to His mercy. Unless things improve, the next season onwards where the month of Zilhajj will be in summer months, we may not be so lucky.
Our group disembarked at the Arafat station at around 10 AM where the travel agent’s representative was waiting for us with a placard to escort us to our tents. As we trudged behind him, thirsty, tired and frustrated after the train ordeal, it soon dawned on us that our guide was hopelessly lost. After wandering around under the hot sun for another two hours we finally made it to our destination.
The arrangements at Arafat for the pilgrims by the Saudi government were very adequate. The open-ended tents provided shade from the hot sun and plenty of soft drinks, fruit juices, fruits and cold water all gratis were abundantly available. A sumptuous lunch Saudi style courtesy the King as we were informed was also served. The desert coolers installed in the tents were not very effective and those tents not facing the breeze tended to get hot by noon. The slight physical discomfort was not a matter for concern and most of our time at Arafat was spent on meditation and supplication, especially as the evening drew near. As night fell we boarded the train for onward journey to Muzdalifah, a mere 10 kilometres from Arafat. Those of us who reached the station early had a relatively easy passage while the rest had to endure suffering similar to the one we had experienced in Mena, except the hot sun was not beating down on them. Some amongst us had decided to go on foot to Muzdalifah in a bid to avoid the train hassle, hoping to cover the 10 kilometres distance in about two hours. Frequent road blockages and diversions that had been put in place even for those on foot more than doubled the distance and travel time.
At Muzdalifah we were required to spend the night in the open and leave for Mena after Fajr prayers. Besides the place being very crowded we did not face any other problems during our night stay there but the return train journey to Mena was a repeat of the horrors we had endured in the earlier two rides. It may be remembered that those who had been made to purchase the train tickets could not avail the bus facility and the only other alternative was to walk.
Our train ride to Mena dropped us at the Jamarat, where the three walls representing the three devils are located. After casting seven stones that we had collect at Muzdalifah at the big devil we finally made it to our base camp at Mena. Most of had purchased the Saudi government sponsored coupons that had given us the guarantee that it will sacrifice a goat/sheep on our behalf by 10 AM on 10th Zilhajj (26 October) but to be on the safe side we waited till 11 AM, shaved off/trimmed our head hair and took off our Ihram. Performance of Tawaf-e-Ziarat around Khana-e-Kaaba any time by 12 Zilhajj and stoning of the three walls representing the devils (Rami) on 11th and 12th Zilhajj were the rituals left for the completion of Hajj.
Our small group of eighteen, comprising men and ladies, some in their seventies decided to perform the Tawaf-e-Ziarat on the night of 10 Zilhajj. The problem we were confronted with was that the Haram was about four kilometres from our location and no transportation was made available to go there; we had to go on foot but for the return journey we were told that it was possible to hire local taxis but they were likely to charge very high fares. Outward journey to the Haram was all downhill and we decided that most of us would go on foot and for some of the ladies wheelchairs were hired. The trip was completed in about an hour and a half.
For the convenience of the pedestrians the Saudi government had constructed special tunnels that were closed to traffic and led straight to the Haram. Large water cooler fans had been installed in the tunnels to keep them cool and ensure fresh air circulation. While the fans did an impressive job for the purpose these were installed, their operation led to another very serious health hazard that was solely due to the negligence and very poor standard of sanitation the pilgrims had displayed. As we entered the tunnel, the sight of strewn Ihrams, foodstuff, disposable water and soft drink containers/bottles and rubbish of various nature was unnerving. Worse, the big fans kicked up the rubbish and the viruses that were swirling around affected all of us, despite our masks. The next day many among us were down with some ailment but for the night we made it to the Haram safely.
Performance of Tawaf and Saee in the very heavy rush was not easy but we were mentally and physically prepared for the conditions and by midnight had completed the Tawaf e Ziarat and were ready to return to Mena only to face another major challenge and hurdle. There were no state buses around; instead Arab youths in heavy-duty motorcycles were roaming around offering to drop us individually at Mena at an astronomical price. There were private vans too that were heavily overloaded and charged over a hundred times the normal fare from each individual. All these were being run by the locals and the posse of police standing right there were quietly witnessing this daylight robbery. For most of us the prospect of walking 4 kilometres all uphill after having spent nearly six hours on foot was not very appetizing. We paid the fares demanded, travelled on the van roof and set off for Jamarat. The road to Jamarat, our destination had been blocked for traffic by the local police and the van eventually jettisoned us at an unknown site and left without refunding the money. It took us further two hours of laborious walk up the incline to finally make it to our destination. This crass exploitation of the pilgrims by the locals and the total ineffectiveness of the law enforcing agencies that were present there cannot be condoned or justified as legitimate commerce.
11th and 12th Zilhajj were spent in Mena where Rami was performed on both days. Having learnt their lessons from earlier stampede where colossal lives were lost, the Saudi authorities had revamped the entire approach and exit routes to the Jamarat. They deserve full credit for it as the multiple and layered approaches and exits to the stoning walls made it easy and safe for the pilgrims to carry out Rami.
On 12th Zilhajj (28 October) evening, our group departed Mena for Aziziah. The agent had arranged buses for us but due to traffic restrictions these had been parked at a distance from our camp. We set on foot for the buses and arrived there after an hour’s walk, boarded the buses and reached our complex in Aziziah. After Mena the Aziziah apartments felt better than any five star hotel. The next five days were essentially waiting period for our return journey by PIA that was planned on 2nd November. The days were spent on visits to the Haram for performance of Tawaf-e-Alwedah (farewell Tawaf) while it also allowed some of us to see other parts of Mecca and indulge in some shopping.
On 2nd morning we left for the Jeddah airport by bus for onwards journey to Pakistan. At the Jeddah Hajj terminal around noon we were unceremoniously off loaded at an open site with just the rooftop to wait for the final boarding that was still four hours away. The place was a veritable mess. The arrival and the sight of our Air Attaché brought us instant relief. He and his staff helped and guided us in booking and boarding. And PIA lived up to its reputation and the scheduled 4 PM flight finally got airborne at 8 PM. On arrival at Islamabad, a PAF contingent was there to receive and help us disembark. For most of the group, Islamabad or near about was the final destination but for us who had come to Karachi, PAF had arranged for a night’s accommodation at Chaklala/Islamabad Messes and we availed the next service aircraft for Karachi. I reached home on the 4th evening. While my daughters who had come to receive me were very pleased on my safe return, they were much amused at my bald status.
Conclusion
I learnt from my civilian friend in Karachi who had also performed Hajj this season that they were in camp three, the adjacent camp to ours where they were ten to a tent and had enough modern toilets and washrooms reserved for the group. It may be worthwhile negotiating for slightly better terms for the Mena stay because twenty rather than thirty-two to a tent would be adequate and also comfortable enough for prayers, meditations and supplications in relative peace, which is the principal objective during the Mena stay. One needed to be a saint to be able to do so effectively in an environment where you are packed like the proverbial sardines. I was, I will be honest, no saint. Renegotiation of the contract terms may entail some enhancement of the package price or a slight reduction in the length of the tour itinerary.
The entire management of the train service had not been professionally handled by the Saudis. Too many had been issued train tickets and the number of trains was far too few resulting in huge, massive backlog. The sufferers were primarily Hajjis for South and South East Asian countries because they had been booked for transportation by train.
Let there be no doubt that the train facility developed at great cost and effort is an excellent system that should ease the difficulty of transporting such a huge mass of population from one spot to the other under severe time constraint. Increasing the number and frequency of trains especially during 9th Zilhajj, professionally calculating the number of passengers that can be successfully handled by the system and then ensuring only those number of tickets are issued and making the Muallims and agents responsible that their groups strictly abide by the boarding time that had been planned are a number of measures that can help remove some of the major difficulties that train travellers had to confront in 2012. The pilgrims too must display greater discipline, more patience and finally far greater sense of hygiene and cleanliness not only during the train ride but for the entire duration of Hajj.
On my return some of my friends asked me what special prayers had I offer during Hajj. Of course I had prayed for the welfare of my children, my family, for Pakistan and all my friends who had asked me to pray on their behalf. For myself, I prayed to the Almighty to grant me the wisdom and courage to become more humane, display greater patience and develop qualities where I am considered an asset to the society and humankind. While casting the stones during Rami I prayed that let these stones represent the evil and selfishness in me that I am expelling and help me become a more compassionate human being.
At the conclusion of the Hajj ceremony, one of our learned colleagues advised us not to highlight the adversities we faced during Hajj lest it discourages others from performance of Hajj, quoting a relevant Hadith in support. The advice was well taken and any exaggeration of minor inconveniences must be avoided. However, to overlook and ignore practice of crass commercialism, economic exploitation, poor management and bad practices by those responsible for the conduct of Hajj and the pilgrims themselves would be patently unfair. In my defence I quote another Hadith that roughly translates as: if you notice something wrong you must attempt to correct it; if you are unable to do so, speak up and if even that is not possible, at least condemn it in your heart’. The errors of omission and commission in the conduct and performance of Hajj that I have enumerated in my travelogue should be taken in that spirit.
All of us were aware of the genuine difficulties and hardships we were likely to encounter during Hajj and we faced them cheerfully considering these as a very small price for the unlimited bounties the Almighty had showered on us. Similarly for those hoping and planning to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage in future, if they are made aware of the legitimate challenges ahead they will rarely be deterred but instead will be better prepared to face them.
In conclusion, I consider myself very fortunate for the Almighty’s consent that allowed me to perform Hajj this year. If I had departed the world without performing one of the pillars of Islam I would have had much to answer for. I might have pleaded that I could not go for Hajj because I never got the call. ‘You never tried hard enough’, probably would have been the verdict. I cannot thank Him enough for the call.
