And Alhumdulillah that there are thousands who currently have been invited to visit Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah these days, thousands who have just left, and thousands on their way, to be able to greet the best of creation, Al-Mustafa SallAllahu alaihi wasallam from within the confines of the city he brought enlightenment to. Brothers are given the opportunity to present themselves within meters of our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, anytime during the hours of Masjid Nabawi, while sisters are restricted in the area they may visit as well as the times. And we are taught to say Alhumdulillah for all circumstances, all conditions and all situations. Alhumdulillah!
This post is in response to Sister Shahida’s inquiry about the conditions of Ziyarah for sisters when visiting our Blessed Al-Mustafa SallAllahu alaihi wasallam in this Luminous City of Light and Radiance. Information is not only relevant for sisters but also for brothers to understand, as many visit with their female family members who need the basic information on where and when to go. Sisters often arrive at the wrong section assuming they can access the Rowdha Shareef from there, or some arrive towards the end of visiting times and are prevented from entering. In some cases some miss visiting altogether due to not knowing the routine.
Also, the conditions vary according to the time of the year, between the few months when there are no Umrah visa issued, the low and the peak Umrah seasons culminating in Ramadhan and Hajj.
There are only two prayer areas for sisters; the north western corner (orange line) accessed through doors 13-15, and the north eastern corner (pink line) through doors 25-28. In both sections the areas on the Qiblah side of the light blue lines are for sisters without children with a barrier separating the area for sisters with children. Security sisters are positioned at the openings of this barrier ensuring this rule is abided by. However during the busy times of Hajj and Ramadhan this division usually does not apply as the number of children at these times is far less. Access to Rowdha Shareef for sisters is ONLY through the eastern section, by following the blue path.
The sisters prayer area is separated from the men’s area by a tall finely decorated “mashrabiyah”, the traditional wooden Arabic screen, which allows air to still circulate, but limits visibility either way. The purple dotted line indicates where the huge doorways are for gaining entrance to the Rowdha Shareef. These are only opened during the Ziyarah times for sisters. The main session being after Ishraq until approximately 10.30am, but it is advisable to arrive by 10am the latest as the entry doors will be shut, even though sisters will still be inside the visiting area. During the crowded seasons it is best to remain in the Masjid from after Fajr Salat making your way to as near to the mashrabiyah (purple dots) as possible. The wait may be an hour or so as brothers need to be vacated from the area allocated for sisters and the white canvas fence to be erected. This demarcates the pathway to be followed to reach the visiting area and the greater men’s section of the Masjid, brothers are still able to access the Masjid and cross the sisters’ pathway during their visiting times. The actual position of this barrier tends to change, especially in and immediately around the Rowdha Shareef area, maybe according to the numbers, maybe trying various configurations, as the whole arrangement is far from satisfactory.
The second time for sisters’ ziyarah is after Salatul Zuhur. This session is only very short compared to the morning session so once again wait at the mashrabiyah soon after Salat has finished.
Now all this may sound straight forward…and for certain times during the year it is. However over the past couple of years the plan to bring more and more in for Umrah has increased the number of pilgrims. I read the other day, that just a few years ago, when we first came here, the Umrah figure over the space of a year was 1 million. Now it is 3.8 million, with the projected figure to be 10 million within the next few years!! I find this boggling on so many levels, the most pressing being the conditions sisters are subjected to in visiting Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. And I sense that this has been the least concern for all the “authorities”.
During these peak times they have tried to implement a one way system….the lime green line represents the exit pathway, which is a separate fenced area. Many do not realize this and leave their shoes in shelves on their way into the Rowdha Shareef, and then find they have to walk all the way back to the main sisters area to enter the way in again. Shoes and bags can be a hindrance in the crowds, and yet leaving them somewhere also can cause distress in locating them again, and the issue of “lost” shoes has also become rife! I always recommend you come with a shoe bag….one that has a strap that is across the chest so your hands are free.
The other “feature” employed when the crowds are great is the marshalling into groups according to nationality. Various “security” guards are given placards on sticks with the name of the main different countries on them…they stand in certain places on a chair waving these placards for the sisters to assemble around them. They are given a lecture on the Adab of Ziarah and can be “held” in these holding areas for ages. I have seen physical fights with this arrangement, and there are many cases of broken bones and sisters taken to hospital! Another aspect of trying to organize the crowds is the use of megaphones! Yes….megaphones in the Masjid, as well as under the umbrella area, so close to our Beloved Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam! And then there is the moving canvas tactic! Two “security” guard sisters hold a piece of canvas about one meter wide and five long…they “wrap” this around a group of sisters….and “pull” them into place! And during Ramadhan and Hajj , this holding place is literally a fenced in area positioned in front of one of the doors of the mashrabiyah. Once it is full it is shut. Sisters have to wait in these pens until space is made available under the umbrella area.
If all this sounds like a disgrace it is because it is! It is a shambles. The emotions are high. Thousands of sisters have come to pay their respects, to give their Salam, some having waited decades for this opportunity. Many just sit and cry, Many are too weak or incapacitated to sustain this treatment. Hundreds resign themselves to never making it to the Rowdha area and convey their Salam from the back of the Masjid, or from the other sisters prayer area where it is calm and quiet.
This is a detail of the visiting area. The smaller green section is the green carpet area of Rowdha Shareef available for the sisters. The darker green lines represent the fence that is erected prior to our visiting times. The blue arrows indicate the direction one is to follow, the central green line is the fence separating the going in area to the exit area. It is almost impossible to offer two Raka’ts now, the crowds being too dense, and the "security" guards are on high stools yelling directions, and madly gesturing the whole time. At no time are sisters in the area where the Mihrab or the Minbar are, and as can be seen the closest we can be to our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam is at the far end of what was the house of our Lady Aishah RadhiAllahu anha.
The line of purple dots indicate where the barrier is erected when it is high season, which is the majority of the year now, other times sisters can enter into this larger green area to be near the place of Tahujjud, to have access to the raised platform, which some narrations say was the Suffah, others as written on this diagram. The narrow area is most sought after to offer Salam as it it as the Mubarak feet of our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and those of his blessed companions, Abu Bakr and Umar RadhiAllahu alahi wasallam. The red lines represent what are like wooden counters, reaching about waist high that are placed there during the sisters visits, the "security" guard ladies walk up and down this narrow area looking for "bida’h" and soon pounce on any one they feel is facing the "wrong" way or reading the "wrong" book of Du’a.
From this area you can look ahead to the corner of Bab Baqi, and the Qiblah wall….the pink dot indicates where we have been told, is one of the places where Jibreel Alaihis Sallam would come when visiting Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. Brothers can see this as a small wire grill with a beautiful flower design on it, and sisters fortunate enough to be here during the off season can see this, as well as use Bab Jibreel and Bab An-Nissa’. It is not that long ago when sisters could enter and exit from this side of the Masjid for Ziyarah, but for some reason we no longer can access this side. It makes it a very long walk for those staying, or living on the southern side, as you have to walk to the back of the Masjid and then all the way to the front again to be in the visiting area.
“A group of Angels travel throughout the earth to convey greetings of my Ummah to me.”
How blessed we are that these Angels are not confined to only those who are blessed to be in the immediate vicinity of our blessed Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. Alhumdulillah.
By saying one Durood as you read this, wherever you happen to be on the face of the earth, an Angel will immediately carry this to our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam as he rests under the splendid Dome of Felicity. Alhumdulillah!
And this is for everyday….EXCEPT Yaumul Juma’ah….when, wherever you are Al-Mustafa SallAllahu alaihi wasallam hears your greetings himself! SubhanAllah!
JUMA’AH MUBARAK! to all I see across the globe clicking on this page…..Insha’Allah make your connection to our Blessed and Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam more so on this Mubarak day, knowing that he hears you and he responds wherver you are!
JUMA’AH MUBARAK!
All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.
Assalamu alaikum,
JUMAH MUBARAK !
The canvas tactic the most hilarious of all but after the initial shock that comes from reading about this one can only feel very, very sad.Anyhow this the map and diagram that you have drwan is very helpful in given one an understanding of how it is all “set up”.So that whoever is blessed to visit can have an idea before hand of what to expect and where to go.
Wassalm
Comment by umm yusuf — July 27, 2007 @ 2:58 am
Jummuah Mubarak!
O’ Allah send blessings upon Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the family of Muhammad (peace be upon him) a thousand thousand times.”
http://www.islam786.org/powerofdurood.htm#51869533
Comment by Farah — July 27, 2007 @ 3:29 am
Asalamualaikum
I really enjoyed reading this
blog Alhamdulilah
wassalam
JUMMAH MUBARAK!
Comment by Asiyah — July 27, 2007 @ 4:28 am
Assalamu alaikum,
Jumah Mubarak,such an interesting post,Mashallah !I’ve started making my shoe bag.It’s a camel brown colour.It has a brown button and a handle that goes on your shoulder and across your chest.I hope it’s there with me in Madinah soon,Inshallah.
Wassalam,
Yusuf
Comment by yusuf — July 27, 2007 @ 9:42 am
Salaams Dearest sister,
I hope this message finds you well on the day of jumu’ah in the Enlightened city of the Nabi.
How do I thank you taking out time in order fulfil my request? I sincerely pray that the Accepter of all requests accepts all your requests in dunya and akhira. Ameen
I remember when I went ummrah in 2005, just before they opened the gates for women to do ziyarah they would ‘brief’ them about what should be read and I recall how they said we shouldn’t recite the Durood at-taaj. There is no ‘evidence’ for it ect…thankfuly I didn’t understand all of it as they doing these sessions in arabic and urdu. Quite often they would take durood books away from people and would usher then to face the qibla too. Also, when women would ask them where the prophet and his two companions are buried they would say not here, these are the empty houses of the Ummul Muminun…causing great confusion.
Like you say my dear sister, all we can do is make dua. May the Light of Sirajun Munira touch their hearts and illuminate it with overflowing love for The habib - Ya Rabbul Ahmed, Ya Rabbul Mustafa, Ya Rabbi…
Much Love and Duas (for what they count),
Shahida (London)
PS. Your blog is first thing I read as soon as I am on the net - thank you again for such a wonderful site
Comment by shahida — July 27, 2007 @ 6:00 pm
jazakallak kairan for such an apt post. how vividly u have descibed the premises and process for the intending sisters of this blessed trip. equally accurate is your desciption of the treatment meted out to us. though i have been fortunate enough to offer few rakas at riazul jannah even durig hajj, ifeel a more humane handling of crowd by admin and a more disciplined and restraint attitued by us would do wonders .while thinking of our treat ment at rauza my mind keeps reminding me of a hadith in which our prophet has compared women with goblets or glass and asked the camel handler to be gentle!!!! but as u said in the end there are other ways of sending our humble salutations to our beloved prophet ,
pl remember me in your prayers
wassalam
nd
Comment by saimah — July 27, 2007 @ 9:29 pm
Assalamu alaikum dear Umm Yusuf, Asiyah and Yusuf, so much of Dunya “reality” is sad, but we all need to understand that it is according to Allah Ta’ala’s Hikmah, may He guide us all….especially those in the decision making capacity regarding the Haramain. I look forward to seeing your shoe bag Yusuf…the design sounds great, maybe you could market such a product! Insha’Allah you are all making clear name tags as well.
JazakiLlahu khairan Ukhti Farah for sharing this link, may Allah Ta’ala write in your account the equivalent of all this Durood recited by readers, Ameen.
Dear sister Shahida, Ameen thumma Ameen to all your Du’a and yes, I could fill many pages with such stories too, unfortunately many who listen to these talks go back to their countries believing such nonsense and try influencing others as well. Insha’Allah, we all must engender faith in the words of our humble Du’a, Allah Ta’ala is as we expect of Him, so let’s not despair and be more diligent in all aspects of our Ibadah and our pleading…specifically asking for His intervention regarding our Sacred Places. Ameen.
Wassalamu alaikum
almiskeenah
Comment by almiskeenah — July 27, 2007 @ 9:32 pm
Assalamu alaikum dear sister Saimah, the Hadith you share is a touching reminder on how our gentle Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam treated, and expected women to be treated. As an Ummah we have so much to learn and to apply regarding Adab and implementing the noble teachings given as a guidance for our success in both worlds. True, we can offer our Salam from all over the world as I have emphasized, but for those who are blessed with being invited the experience should be sublime and befitting this Mubarak place. Plus, it is a two way situation….until all sisters entering the sacred confines show the best of Adab in the way they behave, dress, control their voices and children, then maybe the treatment will be harsh. Sometimes I wonder how some of these sisters would behave it they were presented to kings, or prime ministers, presidents…or even their favourite pop/movie stars…and sadly in many cases they would have more manners in controlling themselves and dressing appropriately. So there are faults on both sides…we all have so much work to do in our Da’wah. May we beg for Tawfiq in this matter and those who know advise those who do not know, Insha’Allah.
Wassalamu alaikum
almiskeeanh
Comment by almiskeenah — July 27, 2007 @ 9:47 pm
Assalamu’alaikum,
Jummah Mubarak!
Jazakillah Khair for this post!! My experience was just as you have described. I found the use of megaphones shocking, the lecture on bidah was difficult to listen to without eliciting a certain reaction in one’s heart at a time when it should be filled with nothing but love, longing and rahmah. Subhan’allah, at one of the most sacred places on earth you face quite a difficult test. Perhaps it is so that we will become even more aware of our inward state. After observing what goes on, it causes us to be more vigilant of one’s own thoughts and actions. Imam Haddad rahima’ullah also denounced certain things they saw whilst in the Hijaz and advised to think well of the people. He advised ‘In the two sanctuaries look at nothing else except the Sacred House and the Blessed Chamber; look at nothing else’ so that we can maintain the correct adab.
Agreed that the set up is totally inadequate and they need to change things drastically but how the Saudis can ever accommodate the love we have in our hearts for Mustafa salallahu alayhi wasallam is beyond me! I was just grateful to Allah subhnaa’ala for the opportunity.
Oh! to be swept away in that rush to the Rowdah again!
Please please pray that we can visit again really soon and convey my Salams to the beloved salallahu alayhiwasallam.
Apologies for the long post…
Much love & dua’s
HB
Comment by HB — July 27, 2007 @ 10:02 pm
ssalamu alaikum
Alhamdulillah, after visiting your site i’m always left with a wonderful feeling. They say that a lover always wants to hear talk of their beloved, and you always talk of the beloved, or what is related to him, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. May Allah fill our hearts with the love of rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, ameen. Thank you once again, for this beautiful blog, may Allah reward you a thousand fold and more in both worlds, ameen.
mawla ya salli wa sallim daa’iman abadaa
‘alaa habeebika khairil khalqi kullihimee
Ya rabbi bil mustafa balligh maqaasidanaa
waghfirr lana ma madaa ya waasi’al karamee
Muhammad
Comment by sialvi — July 28, 2007 @ 12:40 pm
Assalamu alaikum again
Almiskeenah, i teach a class of children here in the uk, our aim is to to not only teach them the Qur’an and Sunnah but also to try and instil the love of rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam in their hearts inshaAllah. You may be able to help me in doing that, please could you e-mail me if you have time, Jazakillahu khairan
Muhammad
Comment by sialvi — July 28, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
Assalamu alaikum dear sister HB, Alhumdulillah for your input, especially from Imam Haddad, Rahima’Allah. This advice is the only way we can be present…not only in our two most sacred places, but in all the tests we are gifted with, Insha’Allah our hearts can remain steadfast just as our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s heart remain totally focused in the worst of situations. Sometimes I feel that the conditions for sisters in the Haramain is an even more special test from Allah Ta’ala, looking to see how we react to the circumstances, and checking the state of our Iman…do we fall into the category of yelling and punching and and idle talk while in the precinct of the Ka’abah and/or Rowdha Shareef….or do we maintain Adab and turn our every fibre to Him and His SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. Insha’Allah you are called back to be in the CRUSH soon! Allahu Akbar. Sabr is the essence most needed….to move from the area between the two marked Suffah places on the second map takes at least an hour….this is a true test of the Maqam of Sabr! May our love for our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam be the means of dealing with whatever conditions prevail. Alhumdulillah, there are many “Saudis” who do have a blessed love for our Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, and just as shocked as we are with how things are handled in the Haramain. May Allah Ta’ala increase their effectiveness, Ameen. Love to you too, Du’a and Salam to be conveyed!
Dear brother Muhammad, I will email ASAP…I deleted your email from the comment section, best like that Allahu ‘Alum.
Ameen thumma Ameen and JazakumuLlahu khairan for your encouraging words. Indeed may our hearts be OVERFLOWING with our love for the best of creation SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, our only way to salvation.
Wassalamu alaikum
almiskeenah
Comment by almiskeenah — July 28, 2007 @ 1:51 pm
assalamualaykumWW
dearest sister, i hope that you’re enjoying the best of health, and pray that Allah continues to give you the strenth and wisdom to keep the ‘windows of madinah sharif’ open for all your readers ameen.
a humble request for special dua for my sister SUMAYYA - may Allah grant her complete shifa and protection asap ameen!and may Allah accept us as the eternal neighbors of our habib sallallahualayhowassallam ameen!
take care, lotsa love and duaz always, ws
Comment by tasnim — July 28, 2007 @ 10:09 pm
Jummah Mubarak, dearest Sister
This was a fascinating post on crowd control, and a sad post on the treatment of women, yet by your love you have shown that “Allah is patient and loves patience.” This is a lesson for us brothers as well.
Please make dua for me.
Ya Haqq!
Comment by Irving — July 28, 2007 @ 11:51 pm
Assalamu alaikum dear sister Taslim and sister Sumayya, Ameen thumma Ameen to your steady stream of Du’as….positively heard by our Ever Merciful, Most Compassionate Rabb. For what it is worth, I lift my humble begging hands for you all too.
Dear brother Irving, the signs of employing professional crowd control strategies certainly are there, and the trial seems to be undergoing changes all the time for the best solution. To me it is an easy decision….halt the escalation of numbers, but then that goes against the push to fill all the new hotels and the pockets of the investors. All is in the Wise Hands of Allah Ta’ala, may He soon ease hearts and make LOVE the core of all that the Ummah strives for, Ameen. Indeed brothers need to be aware of how it is for the sisters inside. Often the brothers wait in the courtyard with the children to give the sisters special time while visiting, and they do not realize that it can be hours later before their family members will appear. Alhumdulillah that the love shown for our Beloved Prophet SallAlahu alaihi wasallam is such that thousands of women endure these ordeals every day. May these efforts be recorded in a positive way for their Akhirah, Ameen.
Wassalamu alaikum
almiskeenah
Comment by almiskeenah — July 30, 2007 @ 10:52 am