MAKKAH, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: It is the 27th night of holy month of Ramadan in Makkah. I was looking from the window of my top floor Rotana hotel room down at the worshippers of One God circling, thousands in number, the House of God untiring and no space between them.
I wondered is there any other place on the planet earth where God is worshiped 24 hours, 365 days non-stop. No, there is no other place than the city of Makkah.
And truly, the city of Makkah is the live miracle and truth of existence of God for mankind. For anyone who has the knowledge of history and world religions, Makkah stands a testimony for faith in God.
This city existed just 1440 years ago in human history as the city of arrogant and rich Arab traders who were custodians of Kaaba for visitors. There will be 2 or 3 Arabs circling the Kaaba at that time during day hours. And it was just 1440 years ago.
Earlier to that, the city was a desert where no human traces were found. Prophet Abraham lived in Jerusalem with his family. God asked him to leave his wife and son in a desert, the city of Makkah we call it today. He built the holy Kaaba and made a prayer to God, “Our Lord! Lo! I have settled some of my posterity in an uncultivable valley near unto Thy holy House, our Lord that they may establish proper worship; so incline some hearts of men that they may yearn toward them and provide Thou them with fruits in order that they may be thankful” (Holy Quran V37, Surah XIV). And the prayer of Prophet Abraham was answered. Today’s Makkah is a testimony for that. People from all over the world throng to Makkah.
If we look from the pictures of Makkah 100 years back in history, in the year 1920, there were only few pilgrims circling the Kaaba for Hajj pilgrimage. These few were, 100 or 150 in number. Compare it for tonight circle of over a million pilgrims.
The antagonist will argue with me that modern age has more facilities for travelers. Agreed, but is it not a miracle that millions from all over the world are assembled in one small desert city; they live here in comfort for the time of their stay and get good food, water and accommodation.
Most pilgrims do not buy water. They have Zamzam available all around the grand mosque. And the Zamzam water itself is another living miracle of God. It sprang as a fountain in the desert near Kaaba for the thirsty son of Hajra (Hagar, the wife of Prophet Abraham, who left her with child on the command of God). Later Zamzam attracted passing by Arab caravans and helped develop a city there. And that fountain of Zamzam is still there for hundreds of years, never ending.
The geologist will argue that oil wells in desert will dry over years but there is no opinion for the Zamzam well in the desert gushing water for so many years. I remember my grandfather brought Zamzam water in a glass bottle in 1960 when he returned from Hajj pilgrimage. Today, we see millions of pilgrims taking home gallons of Zamzam water. And it is never ending. And there is no restriction by Saudi government to pilgrims for taking home Zamzam water.
Today the city of Makkah stands as the city of world class hotels. There are top brand hotels all around the Grand Mosque. The rent for a Makkah hotel room for two for the last 10 days of Ramadan, inclusive of meals, facing the Holy Kaaba, ranges from SR70,000 to SR200,000(Equivalent to US$19,000 to $60,000). And all the hotels are fully booked!
And here, visitors from all over the world have only one business. Worship God 5 times a day, join the 24 hours circling of Holy Kaaba and relax in peace in hotel rooms. Here, there is no shouting, arguments, loud gossips or yelling. Here, all have peace and prayers. There is no similarity to any other place in the world, and for that reason I would call the Makkah city a live miracle of God for the mankind.
A.Q. Siddiqui
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