From: Mohd. Haque <haquetm83@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, Sep 5, 2010 at 5:50 PM
Subject: [bangla-vision] Ramadan in Grand Mosque (Kaaba)
To: bangla-vision@yahoogroups.com, reform-bd@yahoogroups.com, history_islam@yahoogroups.com
1.
At a time when Cordova initiative to build an Islamic Centre three blocks away from the 'ground zero' on a privately owned land created a commotion among Americans, at a time Islamic concrete structure like minerattes resembles missiles to many and take legal measures against it, at a time chaste women of Abrahimic faith because of their dress code being harassed and banned from public appearance - west paranoid against Muslims reached its peak that also killed millions of lives, destroyed homes, cities and nations, crippled their economy, natural habitats. At a time few other nations are waiting to be hit and on continuous threat and sanctions. Even at the time when their stooges being Muslim trying to toe their lines and giving Muslims same bad name, books and literature are called 'Jehadi kitab' and innocent faithful are suspected and put under threat and humiliation. Yet the Islam's propagation and spread becoming unstoppable despite
all the machination by the west and their Muslim stooges.
2.
Muslim faithful are in a greater march than ever before. Ramadan is the holy month in the Islamic calendar, its prominence and importance is felt not only in the heart of paranoid west thanks to their basic rights, legal system and constitution, but an ever increasing number of pilgrims visiting the Grand mosques in Makkah and Madina surpasses all previous records. Continuous expansion of the holy Haraams still finding it increasingly difficult to accommodate the daily visitors from all over the world. What is amazing is despite the increased cost and associated difficulties more people are making the effort and Saudi government is on their heightened alert to provide the facilities to the visitors. Often one may thing enough or adequate facilities have not been provided, at the same time looking at the effort and endeavor that is put in place is commendable. During Ramadan and Hajj crowd management is a mammoth tasks and it appears from this year
Ramadan, effort and plans are made more pragmatic and dynamic.
3.
Around 2 million pilgrims and worshipers gather inside and outside the grand mosques in Makkah everyday during Ramadan. Haraam is of four stories including roof top and underground, nearly half of these space is airconditioned, a huge expansion under 50 year plan is underway. A huge open space around the Kaaba all but one side– which is under demolition and reconstruction, is full by all count this year. This year crowd management is given new dimensions with thousands of policemen, scouts and volunteers equipped with new kind of training to smile and patiently guide the crowd. Places are marked clearly for prayers or walk ways, sign posts are placed all around in Arabic and English for the first time. Every two meters policemen are on watch to control and guide the pilgrims. All the walkways or exit/entry points are well guarded and maintained throughout the prayer time so that crowd movements are at ease.
4.
Not only the first time visitors but the frequenter also gets overwhelm seeing the crowd, it is like a sea of people at any time of the day, without seeing it, it is hard to imagine the moving crowd specially after the prayers. Kids and elderly, brown and yellow, black and white, handicapped on wheel chairs all sorts of people and their beaming appearances. Scorching heat or pressing crowd do not stop the circumambulation that resemble the planets or galaxies movements.
5.
These two million fasting pilgrims or worshipers are not only managed to perform their rituals but they are fed as well. All fed by private initiatives. Inside the Haraam except dates and Arabic coffee (qahawa) no other kind of food is allowed, so dates and hot drink is distributed by people who carries them in their hands, lovingly request everyone to accept their humble offering.
Outside the Haraam, different kind of food is offered that may include rice with meat or chicken, biriyani, fruits, yogurt and juices.
Some people offer even tissues to wipe sweat, a woman will hold in her both hands two tissue boxes while making Tawaf (moving around Kaaba) some will hold a plastic bag to collect the used tissues all by themselves. I found one man was using a hand sprayer to spray water to cool down- what an innovative idea to serve. People – men, women are ever ready to offer something that may bring little comfort to the visitors and only to be rewarded by the supreme authority.
Growing number of pilgrims all year round including increasing numbers from China and Russia makes one wonder what could be the reason behind this unstoppable surge of practicing Muslims. I only get emotional seeing such a crowd in and around the grand mosque.
M M Haque
Makkah Mukarrama
Palash Biswas
Pl Read:
http://nandigramunited-banga.blogspot.com/
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