A ramble….which I may have to terminate any moment, so if it stops abruptly check later for the continuation, Insha’Allah. Just when I began to contemplate embarking on a few of my "extra curricula" activities, thinking all connections with Hujjaj were over, two phone calls promptly reminded me that The Master Planner, and The Best of Planners, Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala is the one deciding how I should be spending my time. Once again we have more Hajj-radiant house guests and others to visit, so this space may be bereft of a few posts yet again. Alhumdulillah.
The following "ramble" has been "incubating", sparked by an amazing story of Muhammad ibn ‘Aamir, a 130 year old man, living in the southern Asir region, seeking his 13th wife. The article described aspects of his typical and simple Bedouin lifestyle, his camels and goats providing most of his needs throughout this incredible time given him by Allah Ta’ala. Intriguing.
More than a century of living without what we consider "essentials", running water, electricity providing air conditioning in the searing summer, refrigeration, lighting. Though there have been reports relaying how some of the modern day Bedouins have a generator for….a washing machine….and a satellite dish!
The same day this article was published I was "strolling" along Quba Street with one of our guests. As the name suggests, one direction of the divided street leads to Masjid Quba from just near the date market, and the other way is the opposite, leading back to Haram. It is an extremely busy area with shops lining these two streets, mainly offering, (in my old fashion humble opinion) all sorts of titillating "nafs" things. Bridal outfits, jewellers, mobile phones, clothing, cologne, and and and. All these seem to be richly decorated with the same attention to glitz and sparkle. Head to toe diamantes, with the "must have" matching stamp of individuality dangling off the mobile phone.
We made everything on earth an ornament for it, that We might test which of them are best in behaviour. (18:7)
AND naturally… SHOES!!!!!!
I contemplate the type of shoes Muhammad ibn ‘Aamir and his family may have had throughout their lives, along with the nature of the terrain they would have traversed. And the significance placed on them compared to now.
I had a pair of Birkenstock sandals for decades. The stories they could tell. They were an extension of my feet, so practical, comfortable, durable and so much loved….by me. Not by many of my dear friends, who tried so many tactics to get me to "update." My response was that they were sufficient until my grave, only ever needing "retreads", and that I only had one pair of feet, which could only ever accommodate one pair of shoes at a time. Many gifts of shoes have been offered to me, but Alhumdulillah, Allah Ta’ala Willed that each time I dutifully tried these different shoes on, they were always too big! I was saved!
On many occasions since being here they would be conveniently "hidden" when visiting various gatherings of sisters, as they looked so forlorn amidst the latest models as seen in the photo. When I came to leave such gatherings I would seek my faithful "soles" where I had left them outside the house, much to the giggles and chuckles of the young girls, who would fetch them from some remote out of the way place! Other times children have run aghast to their mother, upon seeing my sandals at the door to the ladies area, asking who is the man in there, as the Birkenstock unisex "cult" is unknown here, and they look too much like a man’s sandal.
Then one fateful day they were no longer. The greatest remorse was that they "disappeared" from a shoe rack in the Haram Makkah! I have been with others who had experienced their shoes missing from there, but never thought these scruffy things would appeal to any body, so never bothered when I left them. I was devastated. It was as though some one had amputated my feet. Initially I was so angry, and held the disbelief and anger for so long. Especially as the temporary replacements were a cheap SR10, and felt as though I was walking on pieces of spongy bread.
Soon after I happened to read the following story.
One Wali was on his way to perform Hajj, having all his money in a small pouch. A thief stole this money and ran away. After some distance the thief suddenly became blind, and became so terrified that he started screaming. He soon realized that the person he robbed must have been a very pious man and that Allah Ta’ala had taken away his sight as a punishment for his crime. His screaming attracted a crowd to whom he told the story. He asked them to help him find the man he had stolen from so he could return the money and repent. When they found the Wali, the thief dropped to his feet and started begging for his forgiveness for having robbed him. The Wali said: "I forgave you the moment you ran with my money." The people were very surprised to hear that someone would so quickly forgive the thief who had robbed him, and so they asked why.
The Wali replied: "The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wassalam said that he will not enter Jannah until the accounting of his Ummah has been completed. I thought to myself that if I were not to forgive this man right away, then this case will be presented in Allah Ta’ala’s Court on the Day of Judgement and would delay my Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wassalam’s entry into Jannah for as long as it takes to be resolved. I do not wish to be a cause of my Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wassalam’s entry into Jannah. This Hadith came to me as soon as this man stole my pouch and so I forgave him immediately."
SubhanAllah!
(To be continued….other duties call.)
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. Ameen.
