The First Glance
I had waited for this moment throughout my life. Watching at home, on PEACE TV, the cubic structure in the middle of crowds of people, surrounded by high-rising buildings, the acclaimed center of the earth was the most esteemed place in the eyes of Muslims. Try asking anyone what they wish for, and almost everyone would elaborate on how lucky they would consider themselves if they “got the call from Allah”. Over here, they meant the invitation to the House of Allah, the Holy Kaaba.
Ascending the stairs which were meant to direct us to the Kaaba, my mind was continuously recalling all the stories people told of how their first glance was the most beautiful feeling in their life. I brushed away such thoughts by admitting I am not the best Muslim or even anyway near the piousness level some of my relatives were, who earlier visited, therefore my expectations shouldn’t be too high. Nevertheless, with a firm belief that I will capture the whole scenery with my eyes and save it for years to come, I was almost at the top of the flight of stairs. Adjusting my Ihram, looking again at my family members, I finally climbed the last stair, and there it was right in front of me.
The first glance was truly mesmerizing. AWE IN FIRST SIGHT! For years, watching at the television, I believed, I was mentally ready to come face to face with the House of Allah but all my confidence, ego, and arrogance were broken with just one stare. There was an unexplainable vigor inside my heart as my pulse dropped, dazzled at what it truly represented. All of my worldly thoughts seemed to vanish in thin air, all of my fears love, insecurities, and pride were down the bin as it was just my pure self, standing at the place associated with our Creator. The Master-Servant analogy which we have been taught throughout our childhood yet surprisingly forget, spontaneously came back inside my head, as I stood in awe. The power of that Holy place made me forego all of my negative thoughts as the purity and admiration of the Kaaba forced some tears to escape my eyes and onto my cheeks. The jet-lag, fatigue, and sleep deprivation no longer existed as the heart was determined to devote every single second and Joule of energy for one cause only-praying for the mercy and blessings of God.
The television fails to capture the beauty of the structure in itself. The beautifully woven black cloth is embodied with verses from the Holy Quran, adding to its beautification, instilling a desire for people to do even better. Everyone performing Umrah at that time, and Tawaf, in particular, showcased the Power and Influence as everyone left all of their worldly tasks and obligations to get a chance to visit this place. While the Makkah Clock Tower seemed to be one of the biggest structures I ever saw accompanied by its fine architecture, I even forgot it existed while implored in prayers at the Holy Kaaba.
Feeling slightly embarrassed at the prospect of hearing jokes from my family that an eighteen-year-old boy cried at this moment, I quickly wiped my tears and turned my neck to face my family. Surprisingly, all of them had dampened eyes with streams of tears fairly prominent. Although we planned to initially offer a Tawaf, the sheer impact of the first glance provoked all of us to raise our hands and start offering our Duas ranging from His Mercy to being grateful and finally asking for His Blessings. While I used to laugh that how would I remember everyone who asked for Duas, at that moment, everyone who I ever cared for or those who had asked me to remember them in our prayers appeared before my eyes, as I recalled every single prayer I remembered.
Frankly speaking, I do not shy away from claiming I am not the ideal Muslim. We all lack somewhere and only our God knows who’s a sinner and who’s a member of Paradise. I firmly believe that we all need to strive for the chance to visit Mecca and Medina, as the sheer awe of visiting such places brings unprecedented harmony, peace, and a sense of direction to our lives. Although I tried my level best to elaborate on my experience, I’m fairly convinced this is equivalent to the tip of the iceberg as words truly cannot describe the emotions you get to experience while standing in front of the House of Allah.
