In the name of God most Gracious, Most Merciful.

as-salamu ‘alaykum one and all,

Today is the day we embark on this holy and sacred journey. We depart from our home town after Salat al-Dhuhr on our way to Heathrow airport and then on our way to Jeddah. We will spend the first 8 days in Medinatul-Munawwara to visit the Prophet of God (Allah bless him and grant him peace), I am filled with a yearning, apprehension and anticipation. There will be many hardships, I am going with my elderly parents, my wife and daughter, my sister, my brother and his wife and daughter so have multiple roles to play and a lot of responsibility. What else is a pilgrimage if it is not to suffer hardship, make a sacrifice of one’s comforts and to put others before oneself?

I would like to take this opportunity to ask forgiveness from all those who I may have hurt either intentionally or unintentionally, many things are said in the faceless and soulless world of the Internet and I have written my fair share of such emails and messages. Forgive me.

I have never visited the Haramain and this is my first time ever and I can imagine it will be a shock to me, insha’Allah, can everyone pray that Allah accepts our worship and makes it easy for us.

Not sure what I will have to write when I come back, not sure who I will meet, what experiences I will have, but isn’t that all part of this sacred journey? We are the guests of God and far be it from The Host to neglect His guests if they come in sincerity, may Allah make firm our intentions and grant us sincerity and may He open the doors of Divine Mercy for us!

wa’as-salam

Mas’ud