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Thursday, April 7, 2011

Madina al-Munawwarah 100 Years Old Pictures (B&W)

Over a Century (100 Years) old B&W (Black & White) Photos
PICTURES OF THE CITY OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD (P.B.U.H ) (MADINA MUNAWARA)
Door of Mdina al-Munawwarah


Friday, April 1, 2011

Top 10 (Ten) Umrah Countries 2009

Umrah is one of the important rituals in Islam and has been performed from its inception. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Accumulated sins are expiated with each Umrah".

Top Umrah Countries 2009 with number of pilgrims from each country:
  1. Iran = 866,147
  2. Egypt = 563,000
  3. Pakistan = 272,000
  4. Jordan = 268,000
  5. Syria = 241,000
  6. Turkey = 211,000
  7. Iraq = 173,000
  8. Algeria = 137,000
  9. UAE = 120,000
  10. Indonesia = 108,000

Rituals of Umrah

IHRAM: When performing Umrah, before entering the Holy City of Makkah, you should be in Ihram.
Enter the Holy Sanctuary (al Masjid al Haram), preferably right foot first through the Bab as-Salam gate, reciting the Talbiyah:

'Here I am O Allah, (in response to Your call), here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise, grace and sovereignty belong to You. You have no partner.'

You may then say: "In the name of Allah, may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, forgive me my sins and open to me the doors of Your mercy. I seek refuge in Allah the Almighty and in His Eminent Face and in His Eternal Dominion over the accursed Satan."

When you first see the Holy Kaaba, keep your eyes fixed on this the holiest of all structures in Islam. Standing to one side, proclaim:

"Allahu Akbar" three times
"La ilaha illa'Llah" three times

Then proclaim a blessing (Salawat) on the beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) and, in all humility, make your prayers to Allah. This is an especially propitious time to offer prayers to the Almighty.

You may recite some other similar holy verses if you so desire.

After this, while uttering Talbiyah once more and repeatedly, move forward to prepare for the circumambulation of the Kaaba (Tawaf).

To prepare for the Tawaf, the pilgrim must ensure ablutions have been performed. The pilgrim should pass the upper garment of the Ihram (the rida') under the right arm and over the left shoulder, thus leaving the right shoulder bare. This procedure is called iddtibaa'.

When you reach the Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Aswad), you have arrived at the starting point for the circumambulation (Tawaf), and you may cease reciting the Talbiyah.

NIYYAH: You are now ready to perform Niyyah (i.e. express your intention to perform Umrah):

"O Allah, I perform Tawaf of Umrah to please You. Make it easy for me and accept it from me."

ISTILAM: Now, moving right, if space permits, stand before the Black Stone and kiss it. If you are unable to move close enough to kiss the Black Stone, you may touch it with by hand. If you are unable to kiss or touch the Black Stone, place your hands at your ears, palms facing outwards, and say:
"Bismi'Llah Allahu akbar wa li'Lah al-hamad"

This alternative is perfectly acceptable so there is no need for pushing or shoving which may harm yourself or others if you are not able to reach the Black Stone.

This act, whether you kiss the Black Stone, touch it by hand or utter a prayer while pointing by the palm of your hands towards the Black Stone is called Istilam.

TAWAF: You may now begin your seven circumambulations, moving to the right so that you keep the Kaaba to your left, counter-clockwise, around the Kaaba.

When performing the first three circumambulations, men may uncover their right arm and move with quick, short steps. (This procedure is called Ramal.) The remaining four circumambulations should be performed at a normal walking pace.

PRAYERS DURING TAWAF: While performing Tawaf, there are no prescribed prayers but there are a number of supplications which are recommended. You may also use the prayers that form part of your daily prayer sessions and pray to Allah in your own way in your own language.

HATEEM: Hateem is a semi-circular section which originally formed part of the Kaaba but was not incorporated into the Kaaba when the Kaaba was rebuilt. You should include the Hateem in your circumambulations.

When you reach the fourth corner of the Kaaba (Rukn Yamani), touch it with your right hand or both hands and, as you walk between Rukn Yamani and the Black Stone, you may pray:

"Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasanatan wa qina azabin-nar".

When you reach the Black Stone, perform Istilam again, to mark the start of your second circumambulation.
Continue in the same way, until you have completed the seven circumambulations, including Istilam at the end of each circuit.