Hajj-Now
Salam alaykum from Mekkah:
Things have really been exciting here, Al Hamdulilah. Can you imagine what it is like to be out on the desert and watch the sunset? Complete with a bedoin tent, live camels and drinking camel milk? The stars are huge and the air is pure. This experience alone, was a beautiful part of our family Hajj.
We also met with the top mufti for Saudi Arabia and many other scholars as well. The opportunities for sharing information about the dawah in the USA are many and folks here seem to love the idea of bringing about a better understanding of Islam to the non-Muslims in English speaking countries.
Many people from around the world have come up to us and asked, "Aren't you the guy from Texas?" or "Are you Sheik Yusuf?" or "You are the preacher who became a Muslim, right?" It is amazing as to how many are seeing our television programs in India, Pakistan, Kuwait, Canada, Egypt, Saudi and other countries. Since we have been here we have already done some television and radio programs, Al Hamdulilah. But of course, I was not able to do my favorite thing: GIVE SHAHADAHS. (Everyone here is already a Muslim)
We are currently preparing to leave for Meena to preform Hajj, Al Hamdulilah.
After spending the night there, inshallah, we will then do the necessary preperations to go to Arafat to spend the day there.
After making dua and praying Dhuhr and Asr combined we will continue with the dua until sunset. But we will not pray there on Arafat. Instead we will continue on to Muzdelifah to pray Maghrib and Isha combined and then spend the night on the ground there. In the morning after praying the Fajr, we will continue back to conclude the final steps of tawaf, saie and so on.
Scarfice and hair cutting will then end the Hajj inshallah, we will then be ready to bid farewell to Mekkah once again and leave behind the old and set out with the new and hold dear the memories of this Hajj, inshallah.
Please convey our deepest and most heartfelt congratulations to all the believers on the event of Eid and pray for those who were unfortunate not to be able to come, that Allah will invite them for the Hajj next time, inshallah.
On a personal note: We have never had such a rewarding and blessed series of experiences as we have this year in the Hajj. Many of our dearest and most beloved brothers and sisters were able to be with us and it is certainly a blessing from Allah.
We intend to be back in the office, inshallah, with in a week or so. Please continue to visit our site to check our schedule:
www.IslamTomorrow.com
Until then, salam alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatu wa kul am wa antum be khair.
Salam alaykum,
Yusuf Estes
