The Rehearsal

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is a transcript of discourse delivered by Mawlana Wafi’ Muhammad. 

Visiting the Holy House and the blessed city of Madina is enjoined on all believers who can afford it; and the benefits and blessings that are derived from it are many.  Insha’Allah, I wish to highlight a few good reasons why Muslims must avail themselves of this opportunity as it will definitely help them in this life and the next. 

Firstly, we all understand that we are not here forever, and we all have a fixed life span.  We will have to leave everything we’ve accumulated behind.  Leaving and going to the Holy Land therefore is like a practice session in a way; because one day we will have to leave and begin the journey back to our Lord.  And it’s reflected in the talbiyyah that is recited: “Here I come at Thy service O Lord, here I come.  Here I come at Thy service and Thou hast no partners.  Thine Alone is All Praise and All Bounty, and Thine alone is The Sovereignty.  Thou hast no partners.” 

This is a good practice that believers inculcate to remind themselves that one day we have to leave everything and go back to our Lord and stand before Him.  And look at the humble manner in which we are commanded to observe the haj or ‘umrah.   We adorn ourselves in simple humble clothing.  And at that point in time we cannot think of material things.  All we are preoccupied with is glorifying and begging the Merciful Lord.  It is a rehearsal for what will happen on that inevitable Day. 

Secondly, we all love our family, our friends, and that which Allah (s.w.t.) has Blessed us with.  When we go to the Holy Land, we get the discipline that none of these things really matter as it cannot help us; it is only us and our Lord.  Our family and assets cannot help with being bombarded with the millions of people.  It is actually us and our Lord.  This too is a rehearsal for the Day of Accountability as Allah (s.w.t.) Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ عَبَسَ

يَوۡمَ يَفِرُّ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مِنۡ أَخِيهِ (٣٤) وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ (٣٥) وَصَـٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ (٣٦) لِكُلِّ ٱمۡرِىٍٕ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ شَأۡنٌ۬ يُغۡنِيهِ (٣٧) 

That Day shall a man flee from his own brother.  And from his mother and his father.  And from his wife and his children.  Each one of them, that Day, will have enough concern (of his own) to make him indifferent to the others. (Surah ‘Abasa:34-37) 

Those who visit Allah’s (s.w.t.) sacred House will get the experience and Blessings of that kind of feeling and the good that goes along with it.  In Makkah especially, it is a question of survival.  Everything is so fast paced, and everyone is always on the go.  In contrast Madina is so different.  It reflects the verse from Surah YaSin that we recite so often: 

سُوۡرَةُ یسٓ

سَلَـٰمٌ۬ قَوۡلاً۬ مِّن رَّبٍّ۬ رَّحِيمٍ۬ (٥٨) 

“Peace!  A word (of salutation) from a Lord Most Merciful!” (Surah YaSin:58) 

If Allah (s.w.t.) has Created in Paradise, peace and tranquillity and Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) is reported to have said, “Between my house and the pulpit there is a garden of the gardens of Paradise,” can we imagine the feeling we will get?  Firstly, we will get the feeling of amazement.  We are Blessed to stand in the same city that our Prophet (s.a.w.) lived in.  It is quite different from Makkah. 

For anyone who has the means and can find the time to make this sacred journey, it is highly recommended to go and experience these things.  We should go with the right intention.  Nothing can be compared to being able to stand in the Holy House and glorify Him and praise our Loving Lord.  And Allah (s.w.t.) is so Merciful that anyone who worships there the blessings are multiplied many times over.  We wish all our brothers and sisters who are blessed to go, all best and request that they especially offer salaam to the Best of All Creation (s.a.w.) on our behalf and remember us in their ud’iyyah.  We beg Allah (s.w.t.) to Enable all believers to visit His Holy House and the mosque of His Beloved (s.a.w.).  May He Bless and Enable us to successfully meet Him on that Promised Day and may the meeting be Special, Blessed and Highly Rewarding, insha’Allah.