HAJ- THE TRAVEL OF LIFE 1443 ;2022 by Dr.FATEMA ADNAN (PALGHARWALA)

 So, I was on my routine work schedule and in the middle of a meeting, I received this call from an unsaved number, and the kind man spoke with me and informed me which was not something I ever expected and I just ignored it and continued working. Now after a while I get another call from someone I know and they ask me to please check the number and call back. Well, that turned out to be a genuine call informing me I have to travel to Saudi Arabia for performing Medical khidmat for Hajj.  Seriously I’m shocked. Yes, that was a surprise beyond my expectations. Cool; I just have like 7 days to finish my work and hop on a flight. Yes, dear patrons and readers this series of blogs is going to be about my “Haj-Travel of Life”. And I never filled any forms for this or gave my names on any lists or pulled any strings neither paid anything, completely based on my work ethics I was called in as a Doctor for Medical khidmat on Haj1443. 

Are you with me for these eventful 40 days for the travel of life!

 Well let’s start. take off and I land Jeddah Airport at 2am in the morning SA time. Sleepy, was I? not at all never been so alert all my life … let’s go a little reverse in time while I was boarding this flight … it’s an indigo 6E Mumbai-Jeddah direct and believe me the worst flight I’ve ever flown, I have taken tons of flight around the world this overtook my worst flight experience of Air Arabia. and this flight was supposed to carry one more doctor and paramedic for the same purpose yet they were not on the flight so the journey began with a big problem and scare of the unknown.

 So come back to Jeddah airport I thankfully received all my luggage unlike many who did not receive their bags which was our second shockwave, bumped into rocks when we enquired about the missing luggage. So, we boarded our buses with some rolls of chicken to eat and started the “Labbiak” chants, wow that sound rings in my mind right now hear some @

 

It’s a sunny Friday morning at Mhouse, in my room with bags unlocked and breakfast calls ringing on the announcement. Eat well drink well was my personal motto for my own well-being because I was aware I have tough days ahead, I’m accompanied with Ms. KnowThemAll, it’s going to be the two of us for the next few weeks, so we acquaint ourselves trust each other quickly start matching our bathroom times and pick our bags to go for our first …. Umrah.

 

 It’s a very fresh memory of my childhood my uncle who was an artist by profession made me prepare a drawing of The Kaaba with Color pencils I was like 7 years then; I used my whole black color pencil that day and more!

That competition fetched me the first prize. So that’s how picture perfect The KAABA is, huge mighty overwhelming adorned in the black KISWAH.

 

The HAJJ AND UMRAH are physical acts and have to be performed in perfection there is no exception in that, for example when you enter the Masjid Haram there is a procedure for that, a tawaf i.e., the anti-clockwise round around THE KAABA it has many elements to it, from start till end. This procedure is fixed and same for all there is no bending rules and exceptions here, in case you break the rules there is a procedure of KAFFARAT, for it yet there is no exception.

 

So, after the completion of the 7 tawaf and namaz comes the ZamZam water, after drinking this glass of water I understood what is the meaning of quenching one’s thirst and mesmerism. The SAFA AND MARVA is a different ball game it’s long and tiring and tests your physical capacity to its optimum. 

 

 

Once we were all set with the medical room and medicines, we were all set for any emergencies, my team had this very unique pharmacist who I will call Mr. Neem Hakim, and he was not khatare jaan.

 And eventually our work started with daily routine of visitors to my desk. Somehow my team was perfect.

The three of us.

This trip was solo and solo to the core for all the three of us we did not have any guidance or help or perks and the difficulties arose when the travel had to be done along with the medical work which was a task without guidance. And we were learning every day, initially we could not reach on time for the namaz because the bus running by the Mhouse was incompetent to match the rules of travel for us.

Explorer wins the bread “You are an explorer, and you represent our species, and the greatest good you can do is to bring back a new idea, because our world is endangered by the absence of good ideas. Our world is in crisis because of the absence of consciousness.”

So, I found out the app, yes the app ‘Makkah Bus’ so every 6minutes we get a free bus which carries us mystically to the gate outside Haram!

Consciously elating!

This bus ride made me many friends from all countries, I met a very happy couple from Iran who are now my friends. Even the Mumineen of Mhouse started following the app and we became 6minExplorers. So, thank you we did not have the perks! The universe is abundance. 

Ms. KnowThemAll and I had bonded well and enjoying our experiences every day, Mr. NeemHakim along our team was happy.

 

Mecca is a city where things revolve around the Kaaba only, so everything starts and ends there, so thus shopping and some outside food I loved BinDawood for shopping and the food outside was below average thus I preferred our kitchen food over anything outside.

 

With days passing people started pouring in at MHouse and the parameter is directly proportional to your waiting time for the elevator to arrive at your floor.

It was fun to see a filled lobby and mawaid. I love jaman khidmat so I would join the cool gals’ team for jaman khidmat sometimes in that I met this PoetLady, you got to listen to her poems.

 

Graphology is my tool for analysis since years now and new people don’t know about it, so while I would make them write and absorb all the information regarding their health wealth and relationships, they mistook me for a simple GP who can give some painkillers or Crocin and this made many feels like magic. For me diagnosis is not dependent upon some blood tests and in a setup like this where it’s not easy to get blood work done this was my boon. I solved many chronic issues for my visitors and adjusted their medications and made them feel free and better and not pill dependent.

Menses and travel are a big mismatch for the female species! Yes, it’s messy its time wasted, it’s unhappiness for many and many believe that Hajj should be performed only after menopause, yet this travel is so anxiety creating that even a 55-year-old will menstruate. Graphotherapy helped me with this, how? That questions I’m sure you will receive in the comments once this blog is published. So many of them went writing their way through and avoided the pills completely.

 It’s a debate why no pills and why allow the nature take its toll, yet my favorite question remains is it natural in all ladies or acquired?

Well so these episodes of menses anxiety and lack of knowledge and over medication also in many cases wrong medications taught me a lot. How the lay man is cheated by money making quack doctors around.

 And our own chicken stories and it made my conviction of saying no to chicken all the stronger.

 

With so many experiences our journey continued and then joined us the missing team members finally the ‘Ms. DryNeedle’ joined our team so now we were four and things got better with addition of physiotherapy in the treatment.

 

Let’s take our blog to ‘The Enlightened City’, The Prophet’s City - Al Madinat Al Munawwarah. We stayed for 3 days at this Holy City and my main focus was the ‘Visibly Uncovered Tomb’; I think nobody will contradict me in case I say this is the most Pious place on earth Jannat.

My experience at this place has been simply unexplainable. Nobody will have words to express their emotions who visit here. So just feel it sync with it and after our short stay at Madinah we were back to MHouse. Duty calls thus we were summoned back to Mecca.

 

Our routine was set and now the upcoming days were bringing the most important part of our life Haj, the clinic got two more doctors from Pakistan. A little ease in work for me. Now we were six in the team!

 

So much anxiety and pressure and past experiences of previous visitors of Haj, sums up to fear for these days although to each is own.

 

We performed one more Umrah and got ready for Haj during these days one is supposed to stay in Ahram till the start and then again Haj Ahram which is as I mentioned in the beginning a physical act and the procedure is very important and has to be done ‘as its is’ there are no exceptions for this so this requires expertise and thoroughness, so we were given Hizb and we were headed by ‘MasoolHakimi’

A very charming young man he reminded me of my little brother! we were not less than a nightmare for him to handle because we had to travel along with our khidmat tasks which was very difficult for time management. The feeders and doctors were together with our MasoolHakimi. Feeders were a group of men who had come for mawaid khidmat and they were amazing people.

 

 

There are 3 types of people, and Haj is a mystery; the first kind who have come for the first time, second those who have not yet come which also comprises of those who are non-Muslims, and the third kind are those who perform Haj every year since 15 - 20 years.

Yet remember that all these three kinds are humans and to Err is Human, now guess who is most likely to make mistakes in the physical acts of Haj, 1^st ,2^nd or the 3^rd? Put your answers in the comments, and then read on.

 Well, the answer is the third kind. And we witnessed it, they take things for granted and think it’s ok and just make mistakes in the procedure and then try to prove it true too, My prayers for such kind. And then as we say there are always those few good men who are void of ego and true to their souls and acts, and save the day for the learner’s and first timers

One such couple was at MHouse I will call them ‘Mr&Mrs.Quote’, and I have really started admiring their dedication and selfless service I learnt from them many things very soft spoken and kind and then in the scriptures once I had a few questions regarding the medical treatment and kind sir simply explained me with quoting the scriptures flawlessly and it was so easy to understand and follow the same, they were the power couple of MHouse,

unlike a few who have centipedes crawling in their brains and shout out wrong orders without explanation, we are doctors not donkeys this had to be made clear and it was. All those who are reading this please update yourself and remember that doctors are doing their best and each doctor who had come for khidmat had one single aim well-being of the hujjaj without reservations, we were not bureaucrats neither politicians nor centipedes. And my kind advice to those doctors who will go after me , keep your hearts open and be kind don’t forget you are a doctor first you don’t need to be going every year to prove your expertise only one best effort is effective for a lifetime don’t fall prey to the cancer of politics ,this khidmat opportunity will come to you because of our Aqa Maula TUS and his acceptance of our services and not because of your degree or contacts, when you are in front of The Hajar ul Aswad, only truth prevails .

 

 

 

Now let’s focus on our pilgrimage we started at night, got ready with our Ahram on and there were some unexpected events which were taken care of than finally we went to Masjid Al Haram, prayed and came back to travel ahead.

 

Let’s ponder at the unexpected event a bit reason for pondering is that this event makes it clear that allopathy is not going to work and makes blunders always , their prescription is useless because everything is available over the counter and anyone can buy anything from a medical shop without any prescription this happened because to prove their worth these Drs write the commercial name of the medicine and not the generic prescription, which makes it easy for people to buy anything anywhere, without a requirement of a Certified Pharmacist, in these type of setup where different drs of different countries come, the brand names are difficult to learn.

Our prescription rules in homeopathic medications are very strict and foolproof and universally understood.

 

Let’s travel ahead…

The second night we reached tent no.53 coincidence I was in tent no.53 yes.

 Almighty was protecting us from all evil and each body and soul present in these tents was going to experience something unique and extremely important. We were performing Haj we were all equal.

 Let me tell you an adventitious experience about my bag for Haj, lol yes bag is very an important part of Haj and what to carry list and what not to Carry list. Let’s travel back in time, before Haj khidmat knowledge I was supposed to be travelling to another country and I needed a good transit luggage and I was looking for something perfect and I came across this brand mokobora, difficult to pronounce and it was hard to believe their quality, simply excellent, I ordered for a golden Color and received a white Color, yes white completely white and I know 99% people will not buy a white transit backpack because “it will get spoilt” and here I was with a white transit backpack and simultaneously I receive a call regarding the confirmation of my visa procedure and I continued with this beautiful white backpack which was famous in the whole tent and throughout and more white Ahram White backpack we started our first transit to The Namera tent, our medical supplies were along with us and camp was set up for any medical aid required. It was that time when we go to Arafat; that whole afternoon is the most beautiful time after my son’s birth of my life. And we just pray there, each breath is prayer, each moment is prayer, each step is prayer, each word is prayer, just pray.

 

Fulfilled it’s done your prayers are answered it’s a mission accomplished now walk back to Namera and go to Muzdilafah and sleep. 

Good morning wow all the fulfilled souls woke up and counted those 70 stones and with our MasoolHakimi we started ahead.

Stoning the dEvil and then go back to tent 53.

Mina is the best tent life one will experience with refrigerators filled with cold drinks and food so tasty that you keep eating no changing clothes no combing hair just be just be yourself and enjoy and go ahead.

Now the next big experience was the Adahi which has 1000000000…. Myths for all and more in case you are a female.

You will have heard many stories I’m telling you mine here, it was a lovely morning walk for 30 minutes and we reached the Adahi place, MasoolHakimi is our leader now because as I said Haj is a physical act and has to be performed with perfection, otherwise you will end up paying KAFFARAT, so after a long wait we got our tickets for Adahi.

 

We entered and we saw them lovely looking goats waiting for release. Now our aim was the knife, Hahahah yes don’t be scared I’m a doctor I know my knives well and this one is the best kind, we were carrying our salt water and sand and queued up, my turn came and with all my conviction and prayer I skill fully completed the Zabihat. Easy and simple. Neat. This was the easiest act I performed in the whole travel. Our Hizb completed our Adahi perfectly and we left for The Kaaba, as I approached The Kaaba, this time it was a fulfilled experience with all done and we were performing our Tawaf of Eefaada then Namaz, ZamZam, and SAFA MARVA, Complete. Haj is complete.

 

Happy and joyous faces everywhere each one.

Now we reached our tent 53 relaxed and all the doctors were taking turns of duty and also enjoying their experience.

A few tasks remaining like stoning the devil and sleeping well.

So, these blissful 3days come to an end and we are back to MHouse.

Once back it was time to go back, many left the very same night and all were gone in the next 2 days empty MHouse was empty it was us now and we doctors were relaxed since very few visitors came.

 

My colleagues and I had a short shopping list because luggage was an issue.

I had to get toy cars for my boy, he was the most affected by this absence of mine. For the first time in his 5years of age my Burhanuddin was staying without Mamma, and believe me each parent reading this knows what I mean. And the best part is he would call me and tell me he is fine and doesn’t cry and that I should I complete Aqa Maula TUS, work and return soon. Parenting is a very important part of life always tell your children the truth and trust me they will be confident in their life, no need making dumb stories tell them where you are and why they can’t be along and never telling them they are alone without you, tell them they are with themselves for few days and that they are prepared for it. So, we were preparing for our departure.

We performed our Gadeer khum Umrah and next day we were supposed to say Wada to The KAABA is it even possible, well yes physically we are human beings and departure is imminent so we finish our final tawaf of Wada and pray for our souls and return to our families.

The flight back was fun and better than the last, although it was the same flight 6E.

 

I took my bags loaded them on the trolley and ran towards the exit, He was the loudest flight…. And ran into my arms and I’m home.