Inqalab

Farmodat

Sayings

Tasawuf

Sayings 3

sayings 2

Sayings

Syed Asmat Gilani Canda visit (September 2010 – November 2010)

Darse Mathnavi – Rumi and Shams Tabraiz

PART 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAWSAy2NlCY&feature=PlayList&p=A8EC1E9603FB1F82&index=15

PART 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuXfjgkIWWI&feature=PlayList&p=A8EC1E9603FB1F82&index=12

PART 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCnkNPNA56I&feature=PlayList&p=A8EC1E9603FB1F82&index=11

PART 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTjXYePqRkw&feature=PlayList&p=A8EC1E9603FB1F82&index=16

Umrah diary 2009

Our trip started on the 8^th of July 2009. We were a group of 7 people from Copenhagen, Odense and Norway. One brother went to Mecca already on the 6^th July due to preparations.

Umra Pic - 2009

We met at the airport 6 o’clock in the morning and went on to Vienna. There was a transit stay, where we had some lunch. We changed our western clothes with religious shrouds called Ihram (plain white clothes). We went on to Jeddah with a little stay in Riyadh. At Jeddah airport we met Syed Asmat Hussain Gilani. They had travelled from Islamabad with their respected wife, daughter and another brother. A couple of hours later, a family joined us from Canada in Mecca who would stay with us during our entire trip. A larger group from Canada (consisting mostly of youngsters) was also present (whom we met several times during our stay) who were for Umra for their first time.  

We drove to Mecca to our resident at the Saraya Al-Imaan hotel just beside Haram as-sharif. After a short stay we set of for performing Umrah with Shaykh Gilani in the lead. By the mercy of Allah, we were in Mecca, and it was another blessing to perfrom Umra in the company of a pious man most of us had known for the most of our lives.  We started Tawaf (circumambulation) just before the morning prayers and went on to perform Sai between the hills of Safa and Marwah. We were delighted that our Umrah ended with Shaykh Gilani cutting our hair. (Either shaving or cutting hair marks the end of the Umrah )

Next few days we stayed at Mecca and were blessed by the city of Mecca, which is also the birthplace of the Prophet (PBUH). In this city they spent about 50 years of their blessed life. We visited the location of their birthplace, where Hazrat Amina (RA) house was located. We visited Masjad-e-Jinn, where the Prophet (PBUH) used to teach Jinnaat. We visited Jannat-ul-Mualla, where many Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) and other honorable predecessors are resting. We also visited the Prophet’s (PBUH) first wife Syeda Khadijah al-Kubra (RA) in the same cemetery.

Another evening we visited the locations of Mina, Arafah and Muzdalifah which are used during the annual Hajj rituals. We saw the cave of Thawr, where the Prophet (PBUH) took refuge during the migration to Medina from Mecca with his close companion Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA). They stayed there for around 3 days. We read our evening prayers at the mosque just beside the cave of Hira. Then we started our mountain climb in order to visit the blessed location, which the unique Prophet (PBUH) used to visit and stay for several nights alone in deep meditation- sometimes up to 40 days.  It was at this place where the first verses of the Quran were recited by arch angel Gabriel to our beloved Prophet (PBUH). We had a Naat session just outside the cave.

On the 12^th of July we make the farewell Tawaf (circumambulation) in order to leave Gods lofty house and made our onwards (and inwards) journey to the blessed city of Medina, where the Prophets (PBUH) abode is. It was an eager journey with a good atmosphere in the minibus where we sang Naat and a talk by Shakyh Gilani about the preparation for entering Medina and the Adaab (courteousness) needed, was also delivered. We reached around midnight and were in awe, seeing the lit up minarets of the Prophet’s (PBUH) mosque. We drove to the Hotel Movenpick Anwar-al-Medina, which was located just beside the Prophet’s (PBUH) mosque. From our hotel rooms, we had a view of the Haram as-sharif and some of us even the full view of the out of the ordinary green dome. For morning prayers we went on to make salaam at the Rowdha as-sharif of the beloved Prophet (PBUH) in the company of Shaykh Gilani.

In the city of Medina, we visited the location of Uhad, where the 2^nd battle of Islam took place led by our Prophet (PBUH). Approximately 70 Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) were martyred, among those were the Prophets (PBUH) uncle Syedna Hamza (RA). We visited their burial place and made Fatihah. We drove on to the mosque located at the battle of Khandaq. Next we visited masjid-e-Qiblatain, where the Qibla (prayer direction) was relocated from Jerusalem to Mecca during a prayer led by the Prophet (PBUH). We ended this day’s visit at the mosque of Quba, which is the first mosque of Islam.

In Medina we were blessed to celebrate the night of Ascension (me’raj) of the Prophet. (PBUH) There were naat recitals and a talk by Shaykh Gilani in which he reminded us of the uniqueness of the nightly journey.

Individually and group wise, we had time for shopping for our family members and friends at malls just beside the Prophet’s (PBUH) mosque. It was also these malls we visited mostly, for lunch and dinner.  

On the 20^th of July we said goodbye to the Pakistan group and Shaykh Gilani who went back to Pakistan. The last day we spent in the Prophet’s mosque and did some last shopping before leaving back to Copenhagen via Jeddah. It was a difficult moment leaving the Prophet’s (PBUH) mosque, but we were certain and hopeful to come back soon again.

 

By Tabassum Ali