A.Q. Siddiqui
As I looked out from the gallery restaurant of Rotana clock tower hotel, I could see the vast sprawls of holy city of Makkah. A look at the surround of mystic city itself gives an awe-inspiring feeling. As far as you behold you can see mountains all around and the magnificent huge boundaries of expanded Haram, with same Kaaba in the midst, we call it House of God.
For 24 hours year round believers keep circling it chanting glory of One God. A small verse in Holy Quran says, “Whoso enters it is safe”. Safe from what, only God knows but we can conceive the meaning of it. It is the word of God that whoso enters it, is safe. For me this line is enough to believe as I have occasionally told my friends that many verses in Quran have very simple meaning for mankind. And I will repeat here for mankind and not just for Muslims.
For example about Dome of rock from where the Prophet Muhammad (pbu) boarded his non-stop flight for heavens, God say, “Holy is He Who carried His servant by night from the Holy Mosque (Makkah) to the farther mosque (in Jerusalem), whose surroundings We have blessed. (Quran 17:1). It means whoso enters into that surroundings; he or she is entering into the mercy of Lord.
What a simple announcement by God Himself for the mankind and sadly there only few takers for it. Yes, the mercy of God across the Dome of Rock is for everyone who believes in One God and enters it. If you understand this, I am sure you will have an urge to visit Jerusalem on a priority.
Looking at the tall towers of many world brand hotels across the Kaaba, I wondered is there any other city on our planet that accommodates as many people as here in a single day throughout the year?
No, there is none. This city itself is a living miracle of God. It sprang in the midst of a far off desert where no human soul resided ever and developed into human dwelling because Prophet Abraham (pbu) made a prayer to God, “to incline some hearts towards it”. Is it not a living miracle in human history that every day believers from all over the world are present here for 24 hours? Is there any place on our planet with similar attributes? No, there is none.
Looking at the largest circle across the Kaaba I felt pity for those hundreds of Indian-Pakistani Americans who have cancelled their Umrah trips in the wake of President’s Executive travel ban order for seven countries. Although Indians and Pakistani were in no way connected to the travel ban when it was announced but many cancelled their travel plans, fearing “something will happen” when they return.
This reminds the story of Prophet Moses (pbuh). When he led his people to the bank of Nile and tore it apart with the command of God and asked them to walk through the open path, people asked him, “Oh Moses, what happens if we go through it and the two parts of water meet again?” They were people believing in circumstances and not in God. And for that reason God turned away from them. We are Muslims, we are asked to believe in God but …
