Haj begins in Mekah

Labbaikallah Humma Labbaik 
Labbaikallah Syarikalaka Labbaik 
Innalhamda Wannikmata Lakawalmulk la Syarikalak

O my Lord, here I am at Your service, here I am.
There is no partner with You, here I am.
Truly the praise and the provisions are Yours, and so is the dominion and sovereignty.

It is 5:30 PM Mekah time, some 20 minutes before Maghrib.

We had just called my uncle in Mekah. He thanked the package of serunding daging we sent through a cousin. At the moment, he was preparing to leave for Arafah to perform the wukuf.

Thus begins Haj.

Wukuf is the congregation at Arafah to commemurate Prophet Adam and Hawa brought back to earth from heaven for defying God's order. They were separated on earth and met at Jabal Rahmah on the field of Arafah after being separated for 40 years.

It was at Arafah they prayed and seek God's forgiveness for many years.

Pilgrims are required to congregate at the fields of Arafah from zohor to end of 'asr on the 9th of Zulhijjah which falls on tomorrow. Malaysian pilgrims begin to make their way to Arafah ever since after 'asr at 3:23 Mekah time.

The Kaaba Live website here shows a pack city of Mekah as pilgrimmage swarm out towards Arafah and a busy Kaaba of pilgrims performing tawwaf.

To see how it feels like, we wish to share some pictures of Arafah from our pilgrimmage last year.

Below are pictures of a less packed of Jabal Rahmah taken during ziarah before haj begins. This was where Prophet Muhammad delivered his last sermon on his last Haj before his death.

Below are pictures of Tabung Haji making preparation at the field of Arafah few days before wukuf last year.

Below is how Arafah looks on the day of wukuf at the solemn moments from zohor to 'asr.

There are those finding their own private space for that spiritual defining moment as our life flashed back in our mind.

It was a touching moment for us as we seek forgiveness, blessing and other wishes from God. In that window of time betwen zohor and 'asr, it is believed that heaven open up to receive the doa' of pilgrims.

For us in Malaysia, we are encouraged to fast tomorrow. Hari Raya Adil Adha will fall on Friday.

For the pilgrims, they will leave for Mina tomorrow after 'asr and on the way, they will stopover for the night at Muzdalifah and gather stones for the ritual of stoning the devil at the three Jamrah in Mina.

After four days and three nights at Mina and completing the stoning rituals three days in a row, pilgrims make the journey back to Mekah to perform tawaf and saei to complete Haj.

May Allah protect and guide all those pilgrims in Mekah performing that most meaningful journey of our lifetime as Muslim.