Departure from Madinah to Makkah Part 3

Assalaamu-Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

I apologize once again for the late post, but here it is!!!

Our Last three days at Madinah were Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

On Friday we reached the Mosque in Madinah at 11 am thinking that we're arriving early and we'll find space easily, only to find that even at 11 am it was full from the door till the inside. We made our way to the inside part of the mosque where we hoped we would find some space, and Alhamdo lillah we did find just enough space for us to fit in.
The Khutba was amazing, even though it was in Arabic, we could get the gist of what was being said, we read our Zohr, and then went home till Asr. From Asr till Esha we stayed in the mosque again, as it was already full.

Saturday, most of the people who had arrived from the neighbouring Saudi cities headed back, and there was space in the mosque.

Sunday we did our last Ziyarah, and it was the saddest time for me, knowing that tommorrow i'd be gone from the City of the prophet not knowing when I'd be able to come back again, and it saddened me, I did not feel like leaving, I felt like staying there forever in Madinah, to be an Ummati of Huzoor Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam.

Monday morning around 10 am we left Madinah, after doing Niyah and salaah for Umrah at Masjid Quba, and headed across the dessert towards Makkah, past the sand dunes that were far away from the edge of the road. The Uhud mountains watched as we left Madinah and soon they also were out of sight.
We reached Makkah at around Asar time, thanks to the traffic in Makkah, as it was almost Asar time, and also since it is the main road that passes right in front of the Great mosque.

We finally got to our hotel an hour later, did Wudhu, read asr at the hotel and got ready for Magrib Salaah, and hopefully to do our Umrah after Esha Salaah. Unfortunately that was not possible because we were too tired, so we postponed it till after Fajr, but the crowd was too large after fajr, so we had to do it at 9am since my parents are old(but prefer to do tawaaf and Sa'ii walking rather than in a wheelchair), and cannot perform their Umrah on the first floor or the roof as it would be too long for them.
Luckily we got to do our Sa'ii on the first floor (same size as one below) which was still being completed, but open for people to do their Sa'ii.

On the left is a photo from that floor looking down. please note that the heat was no intense and hence there are so few ppl doing Tawaaf.





The picture below is taken on the ground floor just behind Safa Marwa, facing the Ka'aba.
we rested here a while after our umrah.



The first three days we found it very hard to find a place in the mosque to read magrib and esha, as the people arriving would fill up the back of the Mosque while the front portion of the mosque was relatively uncrowded. The main reason for this was that the front of the Mosque is not air conditioned and the portion behind is.
The second reason was that some people, like us did not realize that there is space in the front as well.


We discovered this two days before leaving Makkah.
Alhamdo lillah it was a good place to read, but it was very very hot there, as it is an open space, the air conditioners cooling effects are not felt.

We arrived at the mosque at 10am on Jummah to get good place for Zohr Jummah Salaah. We made our way to the front of the mosque, joining a long line which was slowly making its way into the heart of the Mosque. Alhamdolillah we found a good space here, and read some Quraan till the Khutba started.

The most annoying thing that I found at this time, was that two male beggers dressed in ehram had made their way into the ladies section, pulled out their mutated limbs from under their ehram and started asking the women for money while swingind their deformed limbs!!! whatever happened to the concept of Pardah, especially at a time when a person is trying to understand what is being said in the Khutba!
First of all before any of you decide to judge my harsh words, and say how can i say this, these guys are pros at this stuff, i've been seeing them at the mosque since i was a small child.
secondly, they can beg outside of the mosque after the Salaah, and i have no problem with that.
Thirdly, they should respect pardah from the women, and ask the men!

Magrib and esha, the mosque was packed full, more than i have ever seen it.
Pictures in next post!!!

Saturday we left makkah for Jeddah after our last Umrah, and back home!!!