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Mufti Menk – The Fortunate Few of Hajj 2020 #2 – FULLY SPONSORED HAJJ 2020!
AI: Summary ©
The importance of preparing for a job and being a guest of Islam is discussed, including the acceptance of acceptance award at 30 and the importance of knowing that a pass is given for a job vacancy in Saudi Arabia. The speaker also talks about their experiences with COVID-19 and how they made up for their weaknesses, including being isolated in hotels and waiting in a sanitizer bag. They discuss the similarities between the two countries' experiences and the excitement of returning to their hometowns.
AI: Summary ©
Come on to LA How about a cat?
While they can Salaam wa rahmatullah wa barakato brother use of Mashallah I must say and had use of you Allah bless you to go for Hajj 2020 Allah chose you from among the millions who wanted to go, how do you feel?
a humble I am overwhelmed. You know, I don't really, I can't really express such feelings. And I just want to say sugar and for having me and you are you an inspiration to everybody in the world.
I want to tell you why I felt the need to go live not just with you but a few others who have gone for Hajj. Every year we visit the hajis or they visit us before they go for Hajj. We're excited and we follow them during the Hajj. When they come back. Every community, every society, every city in the world, they visit the hajis they see the hajis they witness people go for Hajj come back this year, it was very different. There are very few so many cities including mine. We have no one who went for Hajj from here. You're the closest you are from South Africa. Am I right?
g so that is amazing. Je means yes, yes. Some of you who might not know Yes, so he is from South Africa. And that is the closest to me and me tomorrow we may be speaking to a sister also from South Africa, who was as fortunate as you are Mashallah. So I just want to know, because we want to let the oma your brothers, your sisters who followed you may do it for you. I'm sure you may do it for all of us as an oma, we would like to know, how was the process of you getting the accreditation for this yours hat? Just let it flow. I'm gonna let you do the total. Okay. I'm just a bit nervous. But no, right. This is
the manual.
It started all way before before had, I was back home. And I told my mom, mom, I would like to reside in Medina so that I can be close to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. And she told me that there was a job vacancy in Saudi Arabia. And long story short, I applied, and I was accepted. A hamdulillah. I've been currently teaching for two years now in Riyadh. And, you know, the, the spin demick everything happened so fast, like this pandemic and everything. I actually wanted to go home, you know, because we only have this three month vacation but airlines war, the International Airlines walk close. They didn't say there wasn't even supposed to be a hatch this year. But
hamdulillah they was. And you know, I was supposed to go home. There was a one repatriation flight, but my mother, she was making istikhara. And she she made it harder. And I said that we shouldn't get on this flight. And I said, but I want to go home. I missed my family. You know, I've never spent a Ramadan and eat with each other Howard out there. And and she was like, No, no, she has this feeling that we shouldn't go. And anyway, and she came again with some breaking news. She said Youssef, we could go on Hajj this year. That was like, Wow, I can't believe it, you know. And so I applied online. And within a week, I was accredited. They said that 70% of expats, and 30% of
citizens could apply. And within a week I was I was congratulated on my accreditation. But unfortunately my mom, she, she she couldn't go but Alhamdulillah she she was on hand already. And
I was inundated with with calls from from the Ministry of hygiene. They were they were telling me that I need to go for for tests and medical examinations. They even gave me this bracelet to monitor my isolation. So all these tests were done, but we didn't yet get confirmation. Only two days later I received my permit say that hey, you official now you can you've got your permit, you can go on Hajj now was like 100, Allah Subhana Allah, this is this is unbelievable, because the chances are so slim.
You know, and anyway, from there, the ball started rolling. The quick one. So, you know, some of the brothers and sisters were saying that in the form. They were they were taking people from all nationalities and it was it was selected totally by the computer. There was no human being involved in the selection. And what happened is, the forms were filled in and you had to be a person who did not make Hajj before. Is that correct?
Yes, that is 100% correct.
I think it's phase one.
Fair, it was a very good thing. So anyone who's made Hajj before you didn't get you wouldn't have qualified to go this step Mashallah. So you ticked all the boxes, right? Yes, my mom was yeah I ticked all the boxes but unfortunately my mom couldn't couldn't go this. Allah gave her a word. I very impressed at how because you listened to your mother you were able to then go for Hajj how she had this feeling, you know, it's a good point to ponder over because many people don't have a good relationship with their own mothers. But you know, when mother's good and pious and kind and loving and when they are guiding lights as well and you know real mother rolls fulfilled in a beautiful way
the bond is such that you just feel that I'm close to my mom, if she says don't go, I'm not gonna go but imagine some people it's either way maybe some people don't listen to their moms and some people their moms behave in a way that no one wants to listen to them. So the problem is two three different ways I'm so glad May Allah bless you and your mom we've learned a lesson for the oma by what you said now you can carry on so so
anyways
moving on after that
they were the transport the accommodation the food the plane tickets everything was seem to by the by the Ministry and then we arrived
Yeah, I didn't
so even though you were prepared to pay for the whole house, but apparently nobody paid for anything.
Nothing everything was paid for. Suppan Allah help me Wow, what a blessing so you You are indeed a guest of, of Allah Subhana Allah in any any ways.
being my first had, I didn't have know what to expect, and I didn't know what needed to be done, but hamdulillah my mother, she's been on Hajj, so she was able to tell me what the rituals and all the things that needed to take place for this Hajj. Anyway, also, she really helped me prepare myself. Well, we so I flew from Riyadh to Jeddah, and you're not going to believe this movie. There was so many Papa Razzies and people taking pictures. I felt like royalty. You know, in my mind, I was actually thinking I am like movie main now.
My main guy?
Yeah. Anyways.
Anyways, from the they escorted us to to Mecca, we were in this hotel, four corners, I think of Chevron, something like that. Anyways, we were isolated there for four days. And you're not going to believe this movie. they they they they actually sent someone to come and test us again for COVID-19 and at any time, they could have pulled me out and said hey, you said you got the virus you have to go home so it was like I was excited but also this fear that I won't be able to go on Hajj because at any time it would have been terminated. They said if you leave the building it's going to be terminated if you got the virus again it's going to be terminated all these things you know, but a
Hungary law still exists
they had to be strict because obviously they were they were getting this done they were giving random people that were selected by a computer to an algorithm the chance to fulfill the hatchet they didn't want to take any chances so I'm sure you must have been making to Allah Allah let me carry on
you brought me so far
there must have been a different dimension together to the whole had
Gee, there was an everything was so well organized. Even the ham
would you couldn't have bacteria or viruses it wouldn't have any of like they did they took well you know good proportions. When it came to even when we walked in the sanitizer bag start spraying us with sanitization and so on. They did they give you a special Where are you had your own yesterday but especially around we couldn't bring our own crap.
Wow. So ohana like means they really took every precaution in the book. I know he made a beautiful, beautiful
soap. So you arrived we will we will with the puppets even what happens?
Yes, in any way I moved here so we we from Bay like my most emotional experience was when we want arafat. You know, when I was lifting my hands up to make to app, there was this cloud that came out of nowhere and it blocked out the rays of the sun.
I knew I knew at that time that
that or that I could feel the presence of the Almighty, there was even this breeze that came out of nowhere. You know, my mother always told me about these experiences and my friends and yeah, I am experiencing it myself. You know, and at that time of day, I acknowledged all my strength and weakness. I mean, I acknowledge all my, my weaknesses, and I am faults, and I realized that I need to make to Allah subhanho wa Taala now, and I didn't just make to ask myself, I made up for me and the entire room.
So that was the most,
most memorable experience and it's hard not to, to shed tears. You know, I cried, and I begged for forgiveness. Love, may Allah grant us all a good lesson. So, so the highlights of the day, I'm sure your mother was featuring very high in that list of people? Yeah. Well,
gee, I always make to ask my parents, you know, we have to listen to them always. You know, they, they're the Mother Mother, I think is the feet. Janet lies under the feet.
Indeed, and you know, you must lie. You've got good parents. There are a lot of young boys and girls out there who do not have good parents. I know a lot of young boys and girls whose parents are out of line themselves. And then they tell us but this child supposed to listen to me. And I tell them they cannot listen to you in the disobedience of Allah. So we have to thank Allah, we've got good parents, some people's parents don't fulfill their
conditions that Allah bless your parents and ours and all of those in the room. When we become parents. Also, we need to be definitely responsible such that our kids can talk about us the same way. Mr.
G, no. So anyway, we heard that
that was all arranged and it used to come to your rooms.
Yes, everything the food, everything, you know, back in the rooms. And then after, can I go on from way after arafat?
Yes.
Yes. From there, we went to a Metallica and then a medical app. And again, because there was these that just started raining. And then everybody went outside. They said it's the Wrath of Allah and mostly the women and so they were outside and they were making the iron and everybody was so so you know, this. It's over. You don't know. The feeling is indescribable. Was it? Was it hot or cold? Or was it hot? And then it became cold?
Yes, it was hot and then all of a sudden, there was this coolness from
GE was over overwhelming.
Martial and we
have one I have one simple question. You know, we were watching from from the television it was looking so organized and so beautiful. How nobody bumped into anyone I asked the sister yesterday I'm gonna ask you Did anyone ever bumped into you throughout your whole house?
No, nobody bumped into me it was well organized. We had a guide g we had a guide who showed us and there there were stickers on the ground you know markers that that we were on in and we practiced they told us to practice our social distancing remains six feet away from from from each other.
Subhana Allah
stones Mufti
Tell me of all those little stones they gave you in pebbles and stones? Yes. This gave us in the day stones to get the gemilut Subhana Allah May Allah make it easy will lie. They went out of the way. And then another thing I also want to know is how did you know when to start the above the way round was just mind boggling.
Out them they were the like I said movie we were in groups of 20. So we each had a guide. Yes, when groups are 20 so like, there was a guide for 20 people and a guide for 20 people saying with a woman and then as soon as the guide said move, we all moved. I think they had radio stations where where they were they would gather guides at once, you know, let's get moving. So does all like in sync. Very well orchestrated. I saw it and to me, honestly, it looked like a school teacher going with the school children on an outing. Here you go. Now Now we've lent 20 kids and you've got your teacher the teacher says right.
was amazing. So those kindergarten skills really helped Mashallah.
You know, very, very good.
And then tell us your your farewell. Your farewell.
tawaf. How did that go?
Oh yes, the wife, you know a movie, I was actually very sad because I knew that every step I'm taking, I'm coming towards the end of my head. And when I looked at the Kaaba it was different because there were so much radiance coming from from the Kaaba was not something like I've ever experienced before it was very majestic and
did you notice the cloth was brand new when you wait for the last time off? They oh yes I noticed
well gee, I noticed and I've been on camera countless times but I can tell you that Hajj is way different from from from the ombre experience you know this just something different about this good feel unless of asthma. And you didn't want it to end?
No, no no, I actually yearn to go back to I want to go back on Hajj again and again and again. But you know, I actually would love it more for someone else to get the opportunity you know, and if I could maybe help someone to get that opportunity. So nationally, but I would love to go back
I'm sure your your your folks and your friends back in South Africa. There must have been so so so excited even those who are seeing you now who must be knowing you from back home in South Africa they must be
Mashallah
de ohana
where exactly do you come from in South Africa?
I come from a small town or city called Kimberly
Mashallah I
already you gave us
years ago yeah
Mashallah, that was amazing. When Look how your journey for wanting to be in Medina to que tu and historic Hajj that will be so memorable. When people see you. They're going to say that's the guy who went for the hunt during the corona lockdown. That's the guy who went for the heist during the corona lockdown. So that's a very
very big movie
Mashallah
My grandfather was from Holland mmusi Island amazing you know, yes, I know very, very well and you know, amazing the effort of those people sometimes you know, Allah gives in their progeny also people who raise that effort once again, may Allah use you also to serve the deen in a great way and your families I mean, I mean, so in towards the end we were told Oh Mashallah, everyone's got such a lovely souvenirs and gifts to take home to be able to remember the time and so on. Tell us a bit about that. How was it? How was that final thing you know, when you were like sort of slamming the place?
Yeah, they they they gave us Mashallah, they they gave us gifts, at like, core, core and pains. And it was like customized Muslims. Also.
The I don't know why, but the officials actually invited me and my friends to to reside with him like, after after ishai it was so nice because I don't know why they did this. They just said that. You know, that maybe they saw that I'm a people person. And they liked that. And they actually gave me a special gift. It was a a watch. special type of what and after 444 of us, so we received your special treatment.
It's generally the hospitality. The hospitality is of a high standard generally. So that's the lesson why you find that Mashallah. They'll call you then and if they if they will notice that, you know, you're a guy who likes to help and nice to do so. So Mashallah, that's amazing. You know, I always, I always like to know, in my heart, it's not easy to ask people because it's, you know, but they must be something you've done in your life that you must be thinking because I did this. That's why Allah has given me this. Some people go through struggles, some people go through, you know, loss of a loved one. So they've made for something, some people I know, you've already told us that
you listened to your mum, as Angela, I'm convinced that it's a Baraka of that. Do you think there was anything else that can come to your mind? Why you know why you felt that perhaps Allah has chosen you for this opportunity? Is there anything you can tell us maybe?
I don't know. So I just made to share. That that's that's it. That's your right
I can tell you that you know have you got the flight back home, he wouldn't have even been gone for the height so
it actually started before before the Hajin anything I just made a do add to the almighty that I would like to just visit these holy places and so that they could get by salaams to the Nabi Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and it just that's how it happened.
Yeah, so that you can fulfill the Hajj and be at the mercy of the number we those are the two main messages that we actually traveled all the way to in order to fulfill Salah in them. If you look at the one sister told us yesterday the same thing she made the do out in the previous year on the day of alpha but she wasn't an alpha
and she said the next alpha she was there so Panama
Mashallah the internet connection is not so strong. We have a small problem with the internet but Alhamdulillah we heard from brother use.
Inside he gave us some very good insight. If he wants to join back, you can just his comment again, a beautiful insight about the Hajj and how he was selected, what happened in the Hajj, how they were in groups of 20. And they had a little leader telling them they didn't know bumping into each other. He says he he felt like he wanted to go to Medina a few years ago to live there. And his mother told him you can apply for a job he went, he got that job in rehab. And he he during the Coronavirus who wanted to go home his mother told him not to go and Subhana Allah He didn't go and then he managed to apply and within a few days a week he got the response to say you're a candidate and then two
days later or something he actually came in accepted with that particular document that you need to go for the Hajj and then he explained to us how it was amazing and so beautiful in alpha how the clouds came in, and it was Delhi for how it rains and then also the final award the hospitality how beautiful it was. And the Mashallah the whatever we've heard from you my brother, I pray that Allah grant you goodness and acceptance thank you so much for sharing it with all of your brothers and sisters across the oma family wanted to hear this and desire Kamala Harris, giving us the opportunity to come to her main info
for having arranged some of these
meetings brother Amir as well for having arranged this May Allah bless you guys and tomorrow inshallah we will be speaking to a sister, also from South Africa who had the good fortune of
fulfilling the hunch 2020 even less. For now I'm just going to say my brothers and sisters Well, it's me glad to Allah subhanho wa Taala Allah May Allah take us the next year, and she can my brothers and sisters Assalamu alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh