21st January 2020
We arrived at 9:15 PM yesterday. We ate, prayed and slept. That’s pretty much the entire routine of every single day. Isn’t it amazing? Life’s become so easy.
Being unaware about namaaz timings caused us one Jamaat in Al Masjid Al Nabawi. I got up at 5:31 AM, confident that we missed Fajr. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. The ameer had come to invite men for jamaat. Dad went, and returned after almost an hour. As it turned out, Fajr azaan was called at 6 AM and the three men gathered at Ameer’s room went to Masjid e Nabawi. Nice! Except that it took a toll on dad’s knee. It is freezing in Madina and a brisk walk in the early hours of morning was a double-kill for him.
It did not stop him from accompanying us to Masjid e Quba. Offering two rakat nafl in Masjid e Quba is equivalent to doing one Umrah.
We started around 7:15 AM, got a cab that dropped us to Masjid e Quba. We did not even know how to get back 😛
After namaaz and 2 riyal tea. I call it naqli chai, because this is the recipe.
- one glass full of warm water
- one tea bag
- half a teaspoon sugar
- two drops of milk
That’s not tea. I will share my recipe of making tea. Anyway, the only good part about the tea is that it’s warm.
Zohr was a challenge. Dad was already tired of walking in the morning and it was a painstakingly slow walk. The slow walk isn’t much of a problem. It is that pained expression on his face that hurts me. I wish I could get him a wheelchair.
It is midnight and I am writing this entry. I haven’t been to Masjid e Nabawi post Zohr. I know, it’s a pity.
Then, at night began the big debate of going for Salaam and Riyaz ul Jannat which seemingly opens for women after Isha. It was cold, I was tired and pained and just wanted to be in bed but the thought of offering prayers in Jannat was something. Ameer and his family was also planning to go so I thought I will have company.
The plan changed post dinner, because we have ziyarat tomorrow. I was secretly relieved. I would have been reluctant to go, to be honest.
Let’s wait for tomorrow.
Shabana Mukhtar
