Living but not actually "Living"!!!

Sometimes, looking and listening to the people around you boggles your mind and leaves you speechless. But unfortunately this is how it is, we have to listen to the people around you otherwise they don't let you live in peace, which brings out the question that do we ever get to "live" our own lives? In my opinion, we spend all our lives fulfilling the society's expectations and finally succumbing to social pressures. We never live for ourselves, never follow our dreams, never do what we really want to do and in the end, die with the regret of never actually "living" our lives.   

Hajj- What does it Symbolize?

Hajj is among the five pillars of Islam that lay the foundations of a Muslim's  life. It is incumbent upon every mentally, physically and financially able Muslim to perform Hajj at least once in his or her lifetime.  

Allah says in the Quran: “Hajj to the House is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses." [Surah Aal-e-Imran: 97]

 Hajj is a beautiful act of worship, a ritual that symbolizes complete submission to Allah SWT.  There is an immense wisdom and purpose behind Hajj.  Hajj is a very comprehensive form of worship, it is the culmination of all the remaining pillars of Islam. The main purpose of Hajj is the obedience of Almighty Allah, to acknowledge that everything we own is a blessing that He bestowed upon us, so we should not attach our hearts to the worldly possessions and  hence devote ourselves completely to the one and only, Allah, as He SWT says in the Quran:

 “And (remember) when We showed Ibrahim(AS) the site of the House (saying): 'Associate not anything with Me, and sanctify My House for those who circumambulate it, and those who stand up (for prayer), and those who bow and make prostration (in prayer).” [Surah al-Hajj : 26-27]

The grandeur of this journey can only be understood when one realizes who he/she is going to visit:  The house of Allah SWT on this earth, SubhanAllah!

Right  from the beginning, Hajj serves as a connotation for the journey of the Hereafter. Before embarking on this holy pilgrimage, the Muslim pilgrims (or Hajis) have to wear Ihram, which is the dress code for Hajj. There is no particular restriction for women, they can wear any modest clothing which maintains their Hijab, provided it is not made of silk. For men, it consists of two un-sewn pieces of white cloth, sounds familiar? Yes, Ihram is symbolic to Muslim's burial garb or "Kafan"! When a Muslim dies, his/her body is wrapped in white shroud (kafan) before it is sent to the final resting place, the grave. Kafan, thus, symbolizes the beginning of our last journey, which starts right after a person dies. In the same way, when a Pilgrim wears Ihram, he is being reminded of his ultimate journey of Hereafter. When he removes his stitched clothing to dress into Ihram, as per the orders of Almighty Allah, he is abandoning his material desires and attachments, hence, acquiring a state of humbleness, humility and submission to his only Lord.

Allah is the most Merciful, no doubt, He is Ar-Rahmaan  and  Ar-Raheem. It is one of His innumerable blessings that He allows us to experience the symbolic state of afterlife, giving us a chance to change our lives and revert our hearts while we still can. When all Muslim pilgrims gather at the land of Arafah during Hajj, it serves as a reminder of the promised Day of Judgment, when all human beings will be standing at the same place, on the same ground, in front of Allah SWT, waiting for their final destiny, to reap what they sowed.

Hajj is a great bounty of Allah SWT. It allows the pilgrims to indulge in the showers of mercy bestowed upon them by Almighty Allah, when they perform Hajj with the purest intentions and complete adherence to the prescribed virtues and values. The Prophet SAW said:

"There is no ritual parallel to an approved Hajj, and there is no reward for it less than Paradise. A pilgrim becomes (so pure) like a newborn baby. Once the pilgrims complete their rituals, they will be told: ‘You’ve built a construction then do not destroy it. Your past is forgiven, then take care of your future.’"

Yes, pure like a new born baby, Allah-o-Akbar!

Hajj beautifully exemplifies the equality of all human beings in front of Allah SWT. When Muslims from all over the world, despite the differences in their social status, race, gender, color and ethnicity, perform Hajj wearing the same dress, following the same rules and regulations, saying the same prayers at the same time in the same manner, it demonstrates the most profound message of Islam, the concept of equality of mankind. The only preference in the eyes of Allah is piety. The Quran states in Verse (49:13):

" O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)"

The annual convention of Muslims in Makkah during Hajj also depicts the unity of Muslim Ummah to rest of the world. When Muslims of different nationalities and races assemble at one place and get a chance to socialize with each other, it inculcates and reinforces the emotions of brotherhood, good will and harmony among them, which make Pilgrims more tolerant and compassionate towards each other. Hence the enthralling journey of Hajj not only cleanses Muslims spiritually  but also serves to bring the Ummah together, uniting them in a strong bond which is founded on the principles of Islam, as Allah revealed in the Quran:

"The believers are nothing else than brothers. So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy." [Al-Hujjurat, 49:10]

To make the Hajj acceptable or "maqbool", purification of heart and an effort to elevate it to a state that is admissible by Allah SWT, is obligatory. Knowing the true purpose, spirit and significance of Hajj, awareness that Allah is constantly watching over us and the fear of accountability will help us in preparing for this mesmerizing journey of a lifetime insha'Allah!

Hajj Explorer!

Hello World

Hope all is well :)

I have been busy with some stuff, well just the routine.

I have also been writing blogs for a website, a great initiative from one of our family friends.

It is called Hajj Explorer. It is a website containing details of  Umrah and Hajj packages from USA, allowing the user to search the various packages and compare them. The website also contains ratings and reviews of different packages, submitted by the travelers themselves.  

It is one of a kind website because usually it is extremely difficult to find all the Hajj and Umrah Packages at one place, side by side, for comparison. The great thing about the website is that the users can also rate and submit reviews of the packages they have had experience with, isn't it great? First hand experience from the Hajis, regular people just like you. Its amazing!

Right now it contains packages only from USA since its a new project. I hope they extend it to other countries like Pakistan.

They also have a Facebook page, along with a twitter account.

Here are the links:

Hajj Explorer on Facebook

Hajj Explorer on Twitter

Oh and i made a squidoo account too, Squidoo is so much fun! I just published my first lens, i plan to explore it more. Let me give you the link.

My first Lens 

And i am thinking of starting publishing Articles on Ezine too. Just published a couple of my articles.

Types of Hajj

Origin and Background of Hajj rituals

Now as i am writing about Hajj, i am learning more and more about it, Alhamdulilah. There are so many things i still have to learn, gosh, there is so much to do, explore and grasp in life, i wish i was less lazy and could utilize my time more efficiently, *sigh*

and Ramadan is coming yayyy, time flies. It was just yesterday that i was in Pakistan, savoring samosas and pakoras and here is Ramadan again. I hope i am able to make the best out of it, both spiritually and physically (yup i wouldn't mind shedding some pounds)

I also went to New York for a few days to visit family. Yeah finally i have seen the "Big Apple" everyone raves about. It was nice, but i guess only for a visit. It's so damn expensive!

That's all for now. Will be back soon. Don't forget to visit the website that i have mentioned and give your suggestions, they are always welcome!

2013, Please be Good!

Happy New Year everyone!

2012 is gone with many bitter sweet memories, yesterday is gone and is history. Lets make new beautiful memories in 2013. I have a lot to work on myself, there are many flaws in me that i am trying to overcome, i can safely say that i am still striving to discover myself,  God help me!

Pakistan defeated India today in a cricket match, my second love! The first one is my husband ofcourse lol. It was ecstatic. This rivalry between the two counties cannott be diminished and will remain forever, making every competition more interesting and intense. Congratulations Pakistan on defeating India both in Hockey (Asian Championship) and Cricket.

It is so cold here today, we are expecting rain and snow showers in the evening, very unusual for Texas. Looking forward to it!

Rest life is good. I will try to update my blog often this year, even if nobody reads it except me :)

Signing off.

p.s. oh and i made my twitter account today, very late i know. Yup i am still learning!

   

A very Happening March!

So lazy me....my last post was more than a month before, i must admit, i am not good at updating my blog regularly lol partly because i don't have any followers yet, so all i write is for myself. Ok so lots have hi appened, we lost the semi final of the world cup, yes, SIGH. Dont ask, it was very heartbreaking.
Also last month, somehow we managed to take out some time and went to Six Flags Fiesta San Antonio. Oh it was so much fun. The rides were very thrilling and i must admit, very frightening! The wait time for the rides was veryyyyy long, we had to stand in long queues for at least 2 hrs in front of every ride.But the rides were worth the wait. Theres also a sea world in San Antonio with water rides and different shows. It is now at the top of my hit list. Lets see when we go there.
I had a potluck last week at my place. It was nice catching up with friends. Met another lovely lady, wife of my husband's friend who has just shifted into our apartment complex. She was fun to talk too. In short, i had a great time.
I am desperately looking forward to shed a few pounds. Thanks to my hubby who has been dragging me along with him for an hour walk everyday (otherwise i am always lethargic and making excuses for skipping the work out). The place we go for the walk is called "Lady Bird Trail", it continues alongside the beautiful lake Austin. It is always busy and crowded with people running and jogging around either with their kids in the strollers or their dogs. I always admire these goras, they are so active and punctual in their workouts which is why they are so physically fit.
I am also thinking of resuming my "long forgotten" CSS preparation, this time with full determination. The only subject which gives me goosebumps is Current Affairs as i am not such a big fan of newspapers and channels. But trying hard to grasp the daily dawn  lol  *grumps*  it just seems out of my league. :( But i hope i am able to get a good hold over this subject as its one of the compulsory ones. Also as i have already disseminated my plans for CSS everywhere, it has kind of become a social pressure for me to go for the exam and ofcourse clear it too. Good for me, as i cannot study until and unless i am answerable to someone.
and yes as always i will try to update it more frequently....till then....bbye

Another one.....again!

Another sad news flashing across the news papers now-a-days, the assassination of Shahzad Bhatti, Federal Minitser of Minorities in Pakistan. Another brutal murder after Salman Taseer. Another voice was made silent when it raised against the "misuse" of blasphemy law, mind it i used the term "misuse", not the blasphemy itself. Now who is to blame and who is to praised for his so called heroic act? Why is FB not flooded with all those statuses that were set as a tribute to the killer when Salman Taseer was murdered? Such a level of ignorance, where we cannot differentiate between basic right and wrong *SIGH*. We are the followers of that Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) who was known for his kindness with even non-Muslims. And here we are, celebrating the demise of our Muslim brother. Such a state of crudeness and illiteracy just rips my heart off.
Anyhow, coming back to my routine, its Monday today...a fresh start to a new week. Among many other things to look forward to this week, one of the most significant is Pakistan VS New Zeland match coming up on Tuesday morning. I am really keeping my fingers crossed for the game. I hope that we win the match....may be it will serve as a ray of hope and light in the darkness caused by some events happening in my country. My husband has an interview coming up on Wednesday (hmm....now this is an important day), i pray that it goes well too. Lots to see and hope for, this week is surely of great importance......

Get a grip Mr.Rehman!

Its 5 a.m in the morning, Pakistan VS Srilanka match on television and laptop on lap, the only thing missing is a cup of tea which i'll make shortly. I hope we win this match, it is very important to keep the morales of our cricket team high. Hubby has gone to a friends place to watch it, an all friends get together to watch the match...they must be having fun as its the discussion that the guys enjoy more rather than the game itself :)
It was a good day yesterday. I had invited a friend over for lunch, it was fun involving tasty food and a nice chit chat. Then i went out for a walk and the day ended up with krispy kreme doughnuts and a cup of coffee!
Except from that, there is one upsetting news that has bothered me. Its the statement that has come from Rehman Malik regarding the "Requirement of  NoC from interior ministry" by students and artists when travelling across the country.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/02/23/artists-students-can%E2%80%99t-leave-country-without-clearance-malik.html
Its such a shame. After so much already going on in our country, its the students and artists that they need to monitor??? *sigh*. Being the wife of an international student, i can very well connect to the inconvenience and trouble that it would cause to the students. Come on....you cannot have the freedom to leave or enter your own country? Isn't the Immigration process that Pakistanis have to face at foreign Airports enough to keep the students agonized and stressed? We all deserve to have a healthy state of mind rather than being fearful and disrupted all the time! Also i have come across another point that this rule is a direction violation of the 13th amendment of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
I really hope that this rule does not get implemented as it would greatly hurdle the movement of our students and artists, adding complexity to the already convoluted system of our country. It will take our country many steps backwards instead of contributing towards its advancement. We all need to spread the word, stand up and protest against this rule before it gets too late.