Miracles can happen during the sacred pilgrimage Photo Sacred Journeys
World – Every year millions of Muslims travel to Saudi Arabia for only one reason, to perform Hajj. It is not merely a mass gathering of Muslims from around the world. It is a profound spiritual journey filled with awe-inspiring experiences and miraculous occurrences that leave pilgrims transformed.
Miracles happen during Hajj even if we are not privy to them. We all know the rituals of Hajj like going to Mina, climbing Mount Arafat, stoning the Jamarat, performing tawaf, and enduring the extreme heat. We often forget that millions of people come together to perform these rituals in a small space. This in itself is a miracle. However, behind the crowd, each individual has a unique story that reveals their heart and soul. These personal experiences show us that Muslims are not just a mass of people, but individuals with their own remarkable journeys.
In 2013, an old Sudanese woman who lost her sight nearly seven years prior, began to regain her sight just a few days after arriving in Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Speaking to Emirates 24/7, Fatima Al Mahli explained that even after several operations had failed to cure her blindness, she did not lose hope of restoring her eyesight.
“I spent a few days at the Grand Mosque praying to God the Almighty to cure me… I was sitting in the corner at the Grand Mosque when suddenly the blackness cleared off my eyes and I started to see. I could not believe what happened to me. I could see my son for the first time in seven years and I can now move without help from anyone.”
Al Mahli is not the only one who was granted such a blessing from Allah (SWT). After living in complete darkness for 18 months, a Tunisian woman regained her eyesight while standing on Arafat. The 70-year-old Nafeesa Al-Qurmazi came for Hajj totally blind but went back home to Tunisia with her full eyesight.
“I have never lost hope in the providence of Allah. I kept praying to Him all the time to give me back my eyesight … Allah would not disappoint me. While doing the Duaa in Arafat I suddenly started to see. When the other pilgrims in my tent saw me crying with joy, they all started chanting Allahu Akbar,” she said speaking to the Saudi Gazette.
Al Mahli and Al-Qurmazi had hope in their hearts that Allah (SWT) would answer their prayers. This is one of the biggest miracles and blessings a believer has. That when a Dua (prayer) is made with such sincerity and hope, it is accepted by Allah (SWT).
SMread: Exploring Khadija Patel’s Deep Bond with the Holy Lands
The miracle of going for Hajj
While those two miracles happened in the blessed lands, we often ignore the miracle of being allowed to go for Hajj when one does not have anything. My ustaad (teacher) Maulana Dawood Seedat once told us how he went for Hajj with his wife with barely anything to his name. While everyone else stayed in the five-star hotels, Maulana Seedat slept under the stars, and this too was a blessing from Allah (SWT).
When my father was going for Hajj, he barely had enough for himself. It was my mother’s dream to go for Hajj but with no money, it just wasn’t possible. Still she never lost hope in Allah (SWT). Just a few days before my father was supposed to leave, his boss, a non-Muslim, asked if he was taking his wife along. With a heavy heart my father explained the situation and after hearing this, his boss paid for my mother’s ticket and expenses. Overnight, my mother was able to see her dream come true. My own mother is an example of if a person is called by Allah (SWT) for Hajj, even with nothing, Allah (SWT) will create a way forward.
Hajj is a journey where the ordinary transcends into the extraordinary, where faith intertwines with miracles, and where hearts and souls find solace, healing, and transformation. It is a reminder to us all that miracles abound, both seen and unseen, during this profound pilgrimage. As we marvel at the collective experience of millions of pilgrims, let us not forget the individual stories that bear witness to the miraculous and divine nature of Hajj. May the blessings and lessons of this sacred journey continue to inspire and touch the lives of all who embark upon it.
