8 Top Tips for You to Prepare for Hajj

The month of Dhul Hijjah (the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar) is nearing.  This is the time when Muslims around the world will make the sacred, annual pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Makkah and Medina. This pilgrimage is called Hajj. 

Those making this pilgrimage would have prepared mentally and physically long before making this trip.  The Hajj is both a mental, spiritual and physical activity.  Hence its reward is extremely great and in that, it is only required for one to make this trip at least one time in their life. Delina Partadiredja, Co-founder of aMuslima gives us her top tips on what we can do to best prepare for Hajj.

http://www.pbs.org

Umrah Trip and Qur’an Classes

Join the IEF’s umrah trip on Saturday, 14th November 2015 with Dr. Lamya Shahin, and below you will find details on the IEF’s weekly Qur’an sessions.

Jeddah is Buzzing in the Lead Up to Ramadan

As Jeddah’s weather has begun to heat up with temperatures hovering around 36C or 97F, so has the atmosphere in Ramadan.  With Arab schools out for the year and most international schools wrapping up this week (Conti still has a week to go), Ramadan is about to go into full swing. Delina Partadiredja from amuslima.com writes today’s guest blog on the current excitement and anticipation of Ramadan, and gives us lots of practical tips on what to do if one is not fasting, what to be aware of especially during Ramadan and how to take advantage of certain goods available only in this festive month.

A wide variety of dates become available during Ramadan.

The Islamic months are based on the Lunar calendar, so the time of year when Ramadan falls changes from year to year, moving back 11 days each year.  This year we are very thankful that although it will be a long and hot day, our children will be able to enjoy Ramadan without the burdens of school and the unbearable heat.

While around the city, several large supermarkets around Jeddah, in anticipation of Ramadan have already started the festivities.  Large signs greet shoppers with Ramadan Kareem and Ramadan Mubarak wishing customers a blessed fast. Colourful ornaments fill the stores and shopping areas.  You should take a moment to enjoy these beautiful decorations!

For those who are new to Jeddah, or are staying in Jeddah for the first time during Ramadan, you may be wondering what is different about this month in comparison to other months on the Islamic calendar. Ramadan (pronounced Ramzan in the Indian subcontinent) is the month where Muslims around the world abstain from food and water from dawn until dusk.  This is the time of abstinence, forgiveness, repentance and patience.  As this is a blessed time, many Muslims from around the world are interested to come for Umrah (the small pilgrimage) to enjoy fasting and praying in Makkah and Madinah.  You may find there is an influx in traffic and visitors from around the world so when venturing out be sure to wear cool clothes, pack water, ice, and wear comfortable shoes.  You may also want to check with the local mosques to find out when prayer starts and ends so that you may avoid traffic.

As a non-Muslim who is not fasting, what should I do?

• As a mark of respect, please eat and drink indoors and in the confines of your home. Individual muslims usually do not mind if you eat or drink in front of them while they are fasting, but it is considered respectful not to do so.
• You may want to shift shopping hours to after dhuhur time (around 1pm) mostly until 11 pm where you will find more people and shops open during this time
• Some of the best dates and sweets are to be found during this time so stock up!
• This is the time to shop for clothes and other cool things. — You may want to check out deals here: 
• For those who are Muslim this is a great time to complete your Umrah.  You may want to check out this travel group.

Heads up!

• There are many cool items that are for sale only during the time of Ramadan.  These include beautiful lanterns from Egypt.  The cost will vary but averaging around SR 200 + per piece.  Why not join in on the festivities and get one for your own home!
• As Ramadan is a fasting month, the demand for food actually increases exponentially which in turns drives up the cost of food.  Prices are expected to increase by 30% for typical groceries. For example: SR 5.95/kg is already SR 7.95/kg, lemons were SR 5/kg but now are SR 11/kg, potatoes were SR 3.95/kg and have now become SR 4.95/kg. Meat will see a price hike of about 15%.  You may want to hold off on buying Camel meat as there has been a recent outbreak of MERS affecting camel meat.  The Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) is working hard to put a cap on rising food prices. You can check out prices here

Finally, we at amuslima.com wish you and your family a blessed, safe and relaxed Ramadan.

Ever Wondered About The Tomb of Eve (Hawwa)?

Jeddah (or Jiddah) means grandmother in Arabic, and the city is named thus due to the belief that the tomb of Eve or Hawwa lies within this city. The tomb is known as Maqbara Hawwa and is not openly advertised to the public. Guest blogger Delina Partadiredja who writes regularly for aMuslima.com visited the site and reported back to Jeddah Blog.

According to the Koran, Torah and Bible, Adam and Eve did not follow the commands of God to abstain from the forbidden fruit. As a consequence, after being tempted by the devil, they were commanded by God to come down to Earth.

Where did Adam and Eve come on Earth for the first time? Although there are various opinions on the topic, it is cited in Ad-Dur Al Manthur, (Ibn Abbas R.A) that Adam, Eve, Satan and the snake fell at a place called Dajnah, which is between Makkah and Ta’if. Other books claim that Adam landed at Al-Safa while Eve landed at Al-Marwah; the two hills in Makkah where the Sa’i is performed during Umrah in the Grand Mosque. Another source mentions that Adam landed in India while Eve landed in Jeddah and Adam looked for Eve in Muzdalifah (where the stoning ritual is performed during Hajj).

The signpost reads Muqbara Hawwa in Arabic, which means ‘The Tomb of Eve’.

Jeddah means ‘grandmother’ and according to Arab traditions, it is believed that the mother of all human beings (Eve) was buried in Jeddah. Eve’s burial location has not been publicised, but a few years ago I visited the site that is believed to be the tomb of Eve. The place is located near the mosque of Qisash heading toward Balad around the old Jeddah. The public cemetery has no headstones, thus no can tell where exactly Hawwa was buried. This is to prevent people from turning a cemetery into a sacred place for pilgrimages or to engage in Shirk (Polytheism) by asking for blessings and favours from the dead; something that is prohibited in Islam.

The door to the Tomb of Eve. Benches have been placed within.

Her tomb is about 3 metres long and whitewashed. Before being destroyed, the tomb of Eve was about 120m long, 3m wide and 6m high. For those who want to visit the place, people are usually only allowed to stand at the front door of the tomb (this was previously coloured green). Visitors are prohibited inside the tomb and the open doors are guarded to prevent entry.

The tomb was said to be originally almost 400 feet long and that Eve was one hundred and eighteen feet tall.

References: Atlas of the Qur’an by Dr. Shauqi Abu Khalil

Special thanks to Delina Partadiredja for writing for us, and to Zareen Muzaffar for her help in editing this piece.