At King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah [October 19-20, 2010]

It was an enthusiastic feeling to land on the soil of what is now Saudi Arabia; reverberating with the thoughts and feelings that this is the place where Islam took its roots and stronghold and spread far and wide. This is the soil where my identity was first introduced by Almighty Allah through the Prophet [peace be upon him] some 1400 years ago. This is the soil where every believer wishes to set foot at least once in his/her lifetime. This is the soil that has nurtured the identity of believers through the ages. We were all set to land at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport at Jeddah.

King Abdul Aziz International Airport has two terminals, one specifically reserved for Hajj pilgrims. Therefore, we were all frisked towards the Hajj Terminal; where I suddenly got a shocking and flooring thought. While boarding at IG International Airport at New Delhi, we had seen the Air India officials putting a florescent red sticker announcing “Hajj” on our baggage. This was probably done to ensure that our baggage would be taken to the Hajj terminal at the Jeddah airport. I suddenly remembered that the wheelchair that we had been carrying for our mother was deposited with the Air India officials immediately before boarding the aircraft; and neither had they asked us about the Hajj terminal aspect at Jeddah nor had we mentioned the same to them. This meant that the wheelchair might well have been unloaded and taken to the international terminal at the Jeddah airport here, since it did not contain any indication whatsoever that it had to be unloaded at the Hajj terminal. This was an unpleasant discovery, since we had carefully procured a wheelchair right in Delhi to ensure that we do not face problems with procuring a wheelchair in Saudi Arabia, which would have been tedious and wearisome, apart from costing higher. I quietly voiced this concern to my younger brother, since I did not want to worry my wife and mother with this thought. He was very calm and composed on this, and just mentioned that we would simply purchase another one from here, nothing to worry. His calmness presented a real solace to me – indeed having someone calm and responsible like him by your side is a real blessing, Alhamdulillah – as we would realize later as well.

Polio Drops – Drop Drop Drop!!

We were all ushered to a huge waiting hall of the Hajj terminal at the Jeddah airport, which was located on first floor probably. Mummy had to struggle to climb up the stairs; however, she looked poised and determined as usual. A long wait followed, which was occasionally interrupted by one of us going to the lavatory and all. Lavatories at the airport were not very conducive; therefore, I decided against using them – it would be a hell lot of struggle to use them in their present dirty ambience, specifically with the Ihram on!! We later came to know that it would be a common sight during this entire journey – since the lavatories were mostly equipped with western commode-based cisterns, and there were people who did not know how to use them. While we were waiting at the hall, a few Saudi officials were moving around, checking the passports and other documents of the pilgrims and attaching some stickers and other indicators. Some medical officials were also roaming – making the pilgrims consume the polio drops!! This was a hilarious scene altogether – very similar to what Imran bhai, one of our friends at Azad Apartment in Delhi and a Hajj pilgrim some years back, had told us. In his words, “Jeddah mein polio ki dawa pilaayenge – aaa munh kholo – drop drop drop…” – They will give you polio drops when you disembark at Jeddah – aaa open your mouth – drop drop drop!!! Soon one official came to us as well; we also opened our mouths to allow the polio drops to enter!!!

After having completed the initial formalities, we were directed towards the immigration section of the Jeddah airport. Another long wait lay in wake for us here as well… We first saw a couple of queues being formed in front of the immigration counters. Then, all of a sudden the queues got broken and people started searching for vernacular places to sit and rest – some were even happy just sitting in the squatting position on the ground!! The counters weren’t open till now, so we had to wait… Then finally the counters opened, and the queues started moving, inch by inch and minute by minute. We watchfully observed the entire immigration process – first they took your passport, fumbled with the computer keyboard for quite some time, and then made you stand and smile in front of a camera to take your picture. Then you had to pass retina scan as well as full finger scan… Oh my God, what a drastic security arrangement this was – even the US administration would probably be put to shame on observing this!!

We were finally able to complete the immigration formalities, which probably lasted for more than two-three hours, and were then ushered towards the baggage reclaim section. With some difficulty, we were able to spot our baggage; and lo! Mummy’s wheelchair was well placed at one side!! Alhamdulillah, Allah is Great!! This is how a believer is always blessed by Allah, more so when he/she journeys just for the sake of Allah!! Indeed, that was a thriving moment for us, and it was then that I told my mother and wife of what we had feared about the wheelchair, and how Allah had safeguarded our convenience!!

After we claimed our baggage, the next set of formalities started. Here, we had to report to the officials of the airport to get registered in the Hajjis database, so that our Iqamas or identity cards could be prepared. These counters also provided stickers on our passport that we would use to travel within Makkah and Madinah during our journey. The formalities again took an hour or so, and we were finally directed towards a comparatively open space covered by huge umbrella-like structures. These were supposed to be our temporary resting places till we got the local bus transport to travel to Makkah from Jeddah. It was seemingly already time for Fajr now, and we performed ablution and offered Fajr salah. However, it came a bit as a surprise that we did not hear any Azan for Fajr. Only after about an hour or so, we actually heard the Azan, and one of our co-travellers hinted that we had offered Fajr before its time; therefore, we must offer Fajr salah again, which we did. Then, it was time for another interesting and amusing experience to happen!!

Towards Makkah!!

We were now waiting for our designated bus to come by, so that we could be ferried to Makkah. In the meantime, it occurred to us that our agent representative was nowhere to be found. He had eventually left with another bus, while many of the pilgrims from our group were still stranded!! We were however, met with Mr. Haqqani, who was a representative of our travel agent from Mumbai branch, who calmed us and ensured that he would guide us further. Finally, Mr. Haqqani announced that our bus to Makkah is ready, and we may queue up to board it!! The wait at the queues had been really tiresome, and it appeared as if we simply wanted to get into the bus and take a quick nap!! The wait for perhaps finally over – perhaps because it was not actually over!! There was some issue with the record of the number of pilgrims coming from Delhi, and it appeared that one person was missing! The transport authority officials and the Indian Hajj Mission officials were discussing the issue; the transport authority official simply denied us access to the designated bus till the issue of the missing person was cleared. I did not understand the reason why the Saudi official would deny us access, which I learned later – that at all checkpoints, the officials ensure that the number of pilgrims tally as per their records to ensure that no pilgrim slips off and starts residing and working in Saudi Arabia on a Hajj visa!!

The row over the missing pilgrim continued for some time, and Mr. Haqqani was finally able to contact Mr. Tariq, our travel agent representative from Delhi [who had left us in another bus to Makkah some time back!!]. Tariq did not know about the pilgrim either; and they both tried to contact the Delhi office of Muslim Tours and Travels, our travel agent. After another hour or so, they got NEWS!! The missing pilgrim had cancelled his plan of Hajj and had not boarded the Air India flight from Delhi itself!! It took some time for Mr. Haqqani and some Indian Hajj Mission officials there to convince the Saudi transport authority, and we were finally queued up to board our designated bus to Makkah once again. While waiting in the queue, we came across many groups of pilgrims from different countries – all proclaiming Talbiyah in rhythm; it was really enchanting!! As our queue moved towards the bus, another Saudi official could be seen at the entrance of the bus collecting the passports. He was an official of our Muallim [Muallim is the official responsible for a particular group of pilgrims coming into Saudi Arabia], as we learned. We already knew our passports would be collected and would be in the custody of the Muallim during our entire stay. We handed our passports to the Muallim official and finally boarded the bus!! As the bus moved on, we proclaimed Talbiyah and then quite surreptitiously, dozed off in the bus…

Entering Hudood-e-Haram!!

We had requeted Mr. Haqqani to let us know when we would enter Makkah, and he had promised to do so. He kept his promise, and showed us the entrance to Makkah; however, much before that, he also showed us the bifurcating road that separated the non-Muslims from entering Makkah. The signpost “Hudood-e-Haram Starts Here” had overpowered my emotions unlike any other time in my life! We were now going to enter the Sacred Sanctuary of Allah’s boundless blessings. The speakers inside our bus came alive with Talbiyah, and we recounted the same with even more enthusiasm, pleasure, and fervor. The feeling that I underwent while realizing that we were now about to enter the Sacred Sanctuary is simply indescribable; defying all expressions. Why, we might have travelled to different places of the world, visited spellbinding tourist places, but the pleasant and jovial feeling of entering this Sacred Sanctuary was far far more nourishing and enchanting than ever. This is one thing that makes this journey of ours the journey of a lifetime indeed!! My hands shake while I type these wordings here, while my heart is ablaze with the same intense feeling of unbounded blessings, pleasure, and delight that I had witnessed while entering the Sacred Sanctuary.