A Tug of the Shoulder – My Hajj Story

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu me the Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you all. 1999 the first year I made a new Muslim I embraced Islam roughly about two years before that. And Allah blessed me to be able to go and visit his beautiful house in Mecca. But it was something that was new for me because you know, I'm going across the world, the Middle East, a place I've never been before. You know, my mind, I'm thinking it's the desert. In any case, there was a time within the ceremonial practices that was, you know, looking back at that time, the first time it was like a dream. It was like an illusion. But there were a couple of key things that I remember that taught me

lifelong lessons, it reminded me of my place in this world.

When I was making at that time when I didn't know but it was thought of as a father, all I knew at that time when I was told, you have to make this bow off, it's going to be difficult, but you have to make it or your hij may not be valid. So obviously, I'm going to make sure that I make it. Now this is thought for the father, as we know it's the throw off that's on the 10th day of the hedger which is basically the date of eat. you're performing numerous ceremonial practices, which is one of the wisdoms behind it being such a beautiful glorious day and a day of glorification of God. I'm leaving from making pull off. I'm done from circumambulating around the Kaaba seven times, as I'm

walking outside of the huddle. You know, it's beautiful white marble floors, you're seeing Muslims from all over the world. It's crowded, and walking up the stairs, and I am exhausted, surprisingly exhausted.

As I'm walking up the stairs, I feel someone grabbed my shoulder. Mind you, at this time, I'm exhausted not only from making dough off, but within the circumambulation I'm bumping, getting bumped people holding on to me because I was slightly bigger than people around me. So they're using me for support. You know, so I'm, you know, I'm exhausted from all of this, trying to stay focused. When I take a step up the stairs, somebody grabs my shoulder, and I'm like, at this time at this point, man, okay, um, you know, I'm used to lines I'm used to organization. So I want to turn around and tell this person, you know, take your hand off my shoulder.

When I turn around, I see that it's an elderly couple.

I felt so small and so minute, I felt so bad.

Being that I was going to turn around and reprimand this person, in the house of Allah, just finishing an act of worship, and the influence of you know, who came to me to go to turn around and reprimand this person in a way that may have been a little, you know, with turn heads. But I saw that was an elderly couple, and this person needed support to take that step. What support are we giving our elders? Right now, some of you may be watching this video in the midst of the pandemic. We know the general rules for going out in public places in general and going to the mosques in particular if they're open, is that number one, the elderly are not allowed. It's preferable for

them to stay home because of their immune system, their age and you know the elements of weakness that can make them make them susceptible to the Coronavirus. So just think of that the people that attend the mosques or who the most the elders, the ones that are there day in and day out the elders, then all of a sudden, the ones that cannot and recommended not to attend the mosques out of children, women, you know, middle aged and the elders. Most importantly, make sure that the elders don't come or to, you know, to politely ask them not to come because of their exposure, possible exposure to this Coronavirus. But from their perception, I can't go to the mosque and I've been

going every day of the week or the majority of the days of the week. I cannot make Juma

and these past couple of months no tarawih no Ramadan in the mosque. And they've done it for so many years, and now had just coming. They usually mean every year or this is their first plan to make Hajj or they planned it for years. And they can't go they can't even go to the mosque to have some form of serenity and closure. And I do use that word closure because they're emotionally distraught from not being able to visit the house of Allah.

Our elders, brothers and sisters, we can look at ourselves, but look at their particular situation as well. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said and ahaadeeth and gentlemen D and it is authentic by Shekar and it is on the authority of imminent best or the Allahu anhu Mel where he said Lisa min Malema Hamza here on a way you won't get a caveat on that.

Yup mode have been my roof, way unhandled muka the promise of a lie they wouldn't have said he or she is not from us those that do not show mercy to our young, nor show reverence and respect to our elderly, nor call to the good or forbid the evil. And there was another Hadith on the authority of Amrit miniature Eva and I'd be here on jet D that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, Lisa minette, Malema Hamza here on a way Yeah, they've shut off I can't be arena, that he said that he or she is not from us, those who do not show mercy to our young, our youth, nor acknowledge the greatness and nobility of our elders. And this isn't a Buddha would and eternity and so hey, so

seeing the importance of showing respect and reverence to our elders, not only those in your family, but anyone that is older than you, showing respect and reverence to them. This is the Islamic attitude and etiquette in regards to our elders, not to disregard them, regardless of their treatment towards us. To show respect to them, as a scholar, say, because of their longevity, their long life, in worshiping Allah, or their long life in this earth, just in general of having experience, which inshallah should generically entail wisdom, to respect the fact that Allah has allowed them to live this long, and that they are in our presence. So let's not forget the elders

that are around us, and to remember that what they're facing now generically, and generally we may safely say, maybe a little more difficult because we're at least able to go out to public places, and their advice on a general scale, not to me ilasik kind of went to Allah bless us and make us aware of our blessings may allow us to kind of without and make us with those blessings, to spread them wherever we may be, and recognize the ones that may not be as, as fortunate as us. And may Allah Subhana. Allah bless us and remind ourselves to remind others to spend the rest of their days and nights and years in that which is showing gratitude, a sentiment akin to lying in bed of cats.

Thank you.