Saturday, December 24, 2011

Photos of Abraj Al-Bait (Mecca Royal Hotel Clock Tower)



"The Abraj Al-Bait Towers, also known as the Mecca Royal Hotel Clock Tower, is a building complex in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The complex holds several world records, including the tallest hotel in the world, the tallest clock tower in the world, the world's largest clock face,and the world's largest building floor area. The complex's hotel tower became the second tallest building in the world in 2011, surpassed only by Dubai's Burj Khalifa. The building complex is meters away from the world's largest mosque and Islam's most sacred site, the Masjid al Haram. The developer and contractor of the complex is the Saudi Binladin Group, the Kingdom's largest construction company." 




Please click the photos to see them in larger size.


   




Abraj Al-Bait 
 



Abraj Al-Bait (Mecca Royal Hotel Clock Tower)










Photos : Ibn Hanif

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

A few more photos of Masjid Al Haram (The Holy Kabah)

Minarets over  King Abdul Aziz Gate


  The Holy Kabah (View from Hateem Side)


View from  Maqam-e-Ibraheem side.










Photos captured by :  Ibn Hanif

Friday, November 18, 2011

Recent Photos of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah Mountains



[Note : Alhamdulillah, I captured the following pictures of the mountains; Al-Safa and Al-Marwah on 18/11/2011.
All these photos may be published on websites blog etc. (except the ones which have been created only for the sake of spreading misconceptions about Islam). If appropriate please give credit to my blog: www.VoiceofNature.Net


And now first of all read about the history of this holy place:


 Ibn Abbas(R.A) Narrated that :
When Abraham (Peace be upon him) had differences with his wife), he took Ishmael (Peace be upon him) and his mother and went away. They had a water-skin with them containing some water, Ishmael's mother used to drink water from the water-skin so that her milk would increase for her child. When Abraham reached Mecca, he made her sit under a tree and afterwards returned home.


Ishmael's mother followed him, and when they reached Kada', she called him from behind, "O Abraham! To whom are you leaving us?" He replied, "(I am leaving you) to Allah's (care)."
She said, "I am satisfied to be with Allah."


She returned to her place and started drinking water from the water-skin, and her milk increased for her child. When the water had all been used up, she said to herself, "I'd better go and look so that I may see somebody." She ascended the Safa mountain and looked, hoping to see somebody, but in vain.
When she came down to the valley, she ran till she reached the Marwa mountain. She ran to and fro (between the two mountains) many times. Then she said to herself, "I'd better go and see the state of the child." She went and found it in a state of one on the point of dying. She could not endure to watch it dying and said (to herself), "If I go and look, I may find somebody." She went and ascended the Safa mountain and looked for a long while but could not find anybody. Thus she completed seven rounds (of running) between Safa and Marwa. Again she said (to herself), "I'd better go back and see the state of the child."
Gabriel hit the earth with his heel like this (Ibn 'Abbas hit the earth with his heel to illustrate it), and so the water gushed out. Ishmael's mother was astonished and started digging. (Abu Al-Qasim) (i.e. the Prophet) said, "If she had left the water, (flow naturally without her intervention), it would have been flowing on the surface of the earth.")Ishmael's mother started drinking from the water and her milk increased for her child.
Afterwards some people of the tribe of Jurhum, while passing through the bottom of the valley, saw some birds, and that astonished them, and they said, "Birds can only be found at a place where there is water." They sent a messenger who searched the place and found the water, and returned to inform them about it.
Then they all went to her and said, "O Ishmael's mother! Will you allow us to be with you (or dwell with you)?" (And thus they stayed there.) Later on her boy reached the age of puberty and married a lady from them. Then an idea occurred to Abraham which he disclosed to his wife (Sarah), "I want to call on my dependents I left (at Mecca)." When he went there, he greeted (Ishmael's wife) and said, "Where is Ishmael?" She replied, "He has gone out hunting." Abraham said (toher), "When he comes, tell him to change the threshold of his gate." When he came, she told him the same whereupon Ishmael said to her, "You are the threshold, so go to your family (i.e. you are divorced)."
Again Abraham thought of visiting his dependents whom he had left (at Mecca), and he told his wife (Sarah) of his intentions. Abraham came to Ishmael's house and asked. "Where is Ishmael?" Ishmael's wife replied, "He has gone out hunting," and added, "Will you stay (for some time) and have something to eat and drink?" Abraham asked, "What is your food and what is your drink?" She replied, "Our food is meat and our drink is water." He said, "O Allah! Bless their meals and their drink." Abu Al-Qa-sim (i.e. Prophet) said, "Because of Abraham's invocation there are blessings (in Mecca).
" Once more Abraham thought of visiting his family he had left (at Mecca), so he told his wife (Sarah) of his decision. He went and found Ishmael behind the Zam-zam well, mending his arrows.


He said, "O Ishmael, Your Lord has ordered me to build a house for Him."


Ishmael said, "Obey (the order of) your Lord." Abraham said, "Allah has also ordered me that you should help me therein."
Ishmael said, "Then I will do."
So, both of them rose and Abraham started building (the Ka'ba) while Ishmael went on handing him the stones, and both of them were saying, "O our Lord! Accept (this service) from us, Verily, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing." (2.127)


When the building became high and the old man (i.e. Abraham) could no longer lift the stones (to such a high position), he stood over the stone of Al-Maqam and Ishmael carried on handing him the stones, and both of them were saying, -O our Lord! Accept (this service) from us, Verily You are All-Hearing, All-Knowing." (2.127)








Al-Safa Mountain

 


Facing the holy Kabah pilgrims praying at Safa 




 Al-Safa Mountain




 
Al-Safa Mountain








This green light is a mark where male pilgrims walk a little faster until they reach a similar light where they walk at normal speed.








An area in the middle of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah

























 Al-Marwah Mountain






Ibn Hanif

Makkah Al Mukarramah, Saudi Arabia
Captured on 18/11/2011


Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Between Safa and Marwa

Oh my mother Hagar!
The wife of Ibrahim
Running and searching to fed your dying babe
In distress
Running out of breathe
Feeling helpless
And feeling weak


Taking your faith to every mountain
In search of water for your boy
Your dying boy
Oh how the angel took pity on you
Striking the ground and causing water to flow


Fed your babe
All alone in the desert
Wasting away


But it was not the wish of your husband
To cause you such cruelty
He could not even turn back to you
As you pleaded for a reason
His heart was soft
But their was someone he loved more then you
For Allah?, you asked
And he said yes


For Ibrahim loved unconditionally
More then anyone in the world
The one who created the heavens and earth


When Allah spoke to him, he listened
He tested repeatedly his most faithful servant
And in turn Ibrahim is a friend to Allah




And now my mother
We run like you run
Retracing your steps
Not with a babe in our arms
But with our hearts filled


Asking for mercy
Praying that a mere ritual
Will grant us a place in paradise


But for you Hagar, my sweet mother
My faithful mother
I pray for you, a place beside your husband
Where you'll wear gold and never be cold
And never have to run again








[Narrated 'Asim bin Sulaiman (Radi-Allahu 'anhu): I asked Anas bin Malik about Safa and Marwa. Anas replied, "We used to consider (i.e. going around) them a custom of the Pre-islamic period of Ignorance, so when Islam came, we gave up going around them. Then Allah revealed" "Verily, Safa and Marwa (i.e. two mountains at Makkah) are among the Symbols of Allah. So it is not harmful of those who perform the Hajj of the House (of Allah) or perform the 'Umra to ambulate (Tawaf) between them." (2.158) Bukhari Vol. 6 : No. 23



Poetry : Nuriddeen bint Yusuf



More Islamic poems of Nuriddeen can be read at her team blog www.GuidingFriends.com 



Alhamdulillah, I had the honor of starting "The Guiding Friends" blog. But when I felt that I needed to avail some time for my personal life I gave the ownership of the blog to respected sister Nuriddeen. Although, I am not a team member of www.GuidingFriends.com any more but I still love this blog and recommend it to my visitors as well. Please read more Islamic poems written by sister Nuriddeen at:



"The Guiding Friends"



Alhamdulillahe Rabbil-Aalameen



Friday, November 11, 2011

A Photo Tour of the World's Largest Annual Gathering (The Islamic Pilgrimage in Makkah, Saudi Arabia)

And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Kabah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for ones conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves (i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allah), then Allah stands not in need of any of the Alameen (mankind and Jinns). (Quran: 3/97)












Nearly three million Muslim pilgrims performed the hajj on Tuesday and alhamdulillah no major incident was reported this year. May Allah reward Saudi hosts who did their best to make the journey peaceful.



All praise is due to Allah Who enabled me to perform and witness the rituals for the first time in my life.



Here is the photo tour of the worlds largest annual gathering:




"Eid-o-kum Mubarak fil-Balad-al-Mubarak" 


[The Royal Mecca Clock, a giant clock on a skyscraper in Islam's holiest city has four faces measuring 151 feet (43 meters) in diameter - setting the new world record for the Largest Clock. The Largest Clock in The World will tower over the holy Kabaa in Mecca, Saudi Arabia at a height of 1,972 ft.]{www.worldrecordsacademy.org}
























Map of Mena in Mena


Mountain Ar Rahmah




A note for the pilgrims informing them that Prophet (Peace be upon him) did not climb the Mount Ar Rahmah, whole Arafat is a standing place on the day of Arfah.



















Photos : Ibn Hanif