Winter is….

A photo essay from way back…

Call out to Him

You’ll be happy again:
Able to perceive
how your struggle was only temporary;
An episode that was meant to bring something to your life:
Shaping you,
Making you,
Giving you
a benefit which you could not have gained
if life had run perfectly well – With no bumps or bruises along the way.

More funnies

A follow-up to this. The source for all of these is…. the Internet 😉

Beyond Hajj: Five ways to maintain your Hajj for life

Hajj is now over, and as the pilgrims return home to their loved ones, they take back with them a multitude of precious memories from the journey, lessons they’ll hope to apply for the rest of their lives, and an elevated sense of spirituality.

Hajj: the greatest annual gathering of humanity

This year’s Hajj pilgrimage commenced yesterday, with close on 3 million Muslims travelling to Makkah and surrounds for what is the world’s biggest annual gathering of humanity.

Missing Makkah: A Personal Plan for Dhul Hijjah

Year after year, we hear the excellent advice of what we should do if we are not going for Hajj. We all know about not clipping our nails and hair, the fasting of the first nine days of Dhul Hijjah, being charitable, making dua, and so on. While these are all excellent actions to take – essentials really – they may become repetitive and uninspiring, because they are so routine by now. If this is how you feel about Dhul Hijjah, try to do something different this year: do I’tikaaf.

Reliance: How 9 hours defined My Hajj

It was incredible to see and be among the 3 million pilgrims heading to Muzdalifah – both by bus and walking. The busses held passengers inside, on the roofs, and in the luggage compartments underneath.

Book 2: You Suck!

So, here we are:
Dwellers of the concrete jungle,
Prisoners of our own, man-made environment;
the physical outside distorting the vision inside:
work in boxes,
live in boxes,
think in boxes.

Force-fed your vision of the world we inhabit,
Conditioned to accept the barrage of information which bombards us at hyper-speed.

Missing Makkah: Special advice for former Hujjaj this season

Every former Hajji has their own unique story. Tales of the days they were blessed to spend on this sacred journey, so beloved that even the struggles and discomfort they faced are not enough to discourage them from wanting to return. At this time of year, that yearning grows stronger. So, what can they do about this?

The Cage

Sometimes at work you just feel closed in. Bored by what you’ve got to do; restricted by the times you work; and caged in by the physical environment you’re in.