Exploring the sacred cities of Medina and Mecca

MECCA (JP): The cities of Medina and Mecca, as well as the Prophet's Mosque (Masjid Nabawi) and Masjid Al-Haram, are places for people watchers.

In these places, you can see some of the most beautiful people you would ever hope to see, as well as some of the sorriest- looking people that would bring tears to your eyes.

At the Prophet's Mosque, the women's prayer court is separated from that of men's and so, as a woman, my "feast for the eyes" was limited to women only.

Many of the women wore black garb and veils, but they took off their veils once they entered the mosque. I saw the most beautiful women from Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Pakistan, Syria, Iran, England ... any country one can think of.

At Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca, women perform some of the rites in umrah along with men, including the tawaf or circling of the Ka'bah and running between the mounds of Safa and Marwa as required for the sa'y.

Here, I saw some of the most handsome men I could ever hope to see, from Canada, Iran, Malaysia, Morocco and many other countries.

Also at Masjid Al-Haram, I saw dozens of very sorry-looking beggars: old women whose soiled black coats were infested with flies; armless, legless children.

There were also one or two female beggars who, on all fours, circled the Ka'bah in the hope of making money from pilgrims who sincerely believe that giving alms at this particular mosque during this particular rite promises even greater divine rewards.

One of the most interesting people I met here was Nouzha Benali, an 11-year-old Moroccan girl who was on the umrah with her Mama, Baba and Zedati (grandmother).

I first saw her at the Prophet's Mosque in Medina and was attracted by her apple-red cheeks and beautiful gray-green eyes. I smiled at her and she rewarded me with a friendly smile.

I met her again several days later at Masjid Al-Haram. I tried to talk to her. She only speaks Arabic, while I don't, but we communicated well using the "me Tarzan, you Jane" sign language.

She taught me that eyes are aine, nose is manajeri, lips are fume, tongue is lisani and eyebrow is hagbi. We promised to write, though I'm not sure, even now, in what language.

I also got acquainted with Jasmeen, a nine-year-old Indian girl who paid no heed to the fact that I did not speak Urdu. She chatted without stopping, telling me in sign language as well, that she had five brothers and sisters.

She told me that there were four gates at the masjid, and named them one by one, including the Bab el Salam (Gate of Peace), through which haj and umrah pilgrims should enter the holy mosque for the first time.

A 24-year-old Pakistani girl finished her prayer, then asked me what time it was. After pointing to the numerous clocks hanging on the walls and by the mosque's roof, I gave her a smile. Suddenly, she started confiding in me.

Coming from a highly affluent family and after spending so much time abroad, especially in the United States and Canada, the girl found the idea of arranged marriages, still prevailing in her country, abhorrent.

She wanted to marry the man of her own choice; the problem is, she's not even sure that this person she has been seeing is the right choice.

"This guy is not as well-off as my family. He comes from a different ethnic group, a year younger and an inch shorter than I am," the Karachi resident said at one stage of her half-hour monologue.

She had spent the last 15 days at Masjid Al-Haram to pray and ask Allah to guide her heart in making her decision. "I don't want to make any mistakes and find my parents saying 'see, we told you so'," she said.

Tolerance

Ustaz (Teacher) Aunur Rofiq of Indonesia said the two holy cities and the two mosques are actually the most tolerant places to be.

People are bound by the same faith, and by the fact that they came from far-flung countries to the same city to worship Allah. They are, therefore, more tolerant with each other.

Some minor differences in the way they pray, for instance, are ignored. These differences, however, would have developed into major contention back home.

For instance, there are people who say qunut (a prayer which the Prophet used to say during hard times or war) in their subuh (dawn) prayer, and there are those who don't. Once, in Indonesia, the difference became a source of heated debates.

There are Moslems who say two rakaat (bows) of additional prayer after dawn, there are those who see it as haram, forbidden.

There are slight differences in gestures performed during the salat (prayer). There are women who cover every single inch of their body during prayer. There are also women who leave their ankles and feet and forearms bare.

Some years ago, the differences were cause enough for some people to eye one another with suspicion.

In fact, "the two mosques are the most tolerant places of worship," according to Aunur Rofiq. "Those small differences are accommodated without questions." (swe)