Rubbya Rashid
“Every believer nurtures a dream deep within the heart—the dream of standing before the Holy Kaaba and offering salutations in the blessed city of Madinah Munawwarah. That dream had lived in my heart for years, and by the infinite mercy of Almighty Allah, it finally became a reality.”
Every believer nurtures a dream deep within the heart—the dream of standing before the Holy Kaaba and offering salutations in the blessed city of Madinah Munawwarah. That dream had lived in my heart for years, and by the infinite mercy of Almighty Allah, it became a reality in June 2025.
June 2026
Whenever I reflected upon my deeds, I felt unworthy of such an extraordinary blessing. I often wondered how someone like me could ever be invited to the House of Allah and the city of His Beloved Messenger. Yet Allah’s mercy is beyond human understanding.
The day I saw my name on the selection list, my heart overflowed with gratitude, and I realized that His mercy is never dependent upon our worthiness but upon His infinite kindness.
On Sunday, 19 April 2026, I left my home with a heart filled with hope, gratitude, and countless prayers. Every mile of the journey brought me closer to the places I had loved long before I had seen them.
When I entered Madinah Munawwarah, words deserted me. I found myself beneath the blessed Green Dome, in the city that had lived in my prayers for years. The cool morning breeze seemed different, carrying a peace that cannot be described. Every breath felt like a blessing, and every heartbeat whispered, Alhamdulillah.
My eyes filled with tears, my hands trembled, and my heart struggled to believe that I was truly present in the city of my beloved Prophet Muhammad . I stood speechless, overwhelmed by emotions that no language can fully express.
Where should I begin? Should I first gaze upon the blessed Green Dome, the golden grills, the shining white marble of the Prophet’s Mosque, or Jannatul Baqi, where so many beloved companions rest?
Every corner of Madinah radiated serenity. Time seemed to stand still as I offered two rak’ahs of prayer in Riyaz-ul-Jannah, the blessed garden from the gardens of Paradise. At that moment, nothing else in the world mattered.
As evening descended upon the City of Light, Madinah appeared more beautiful than words could ever describe. Every street reminded me that my beloved Prophet had once walked there. Every breeze carried memories of his blessed life, and every step I took deepened my love for him.
Praying in Masjid Quba, visiting the blessed places of Madinah, and standing before the majestic Mount Uhud were moments that became permanently engraved upon my heart. They were no longer stories I had read in books; they had become precious memories of my own life.
Then came the moment I had dreamed about since childhood—the first sight of the Holy Kaaba.
The Kaaba that I had admired in books, whose picture I had carefully preserved for years, now stood before my eyes. I could neither speak nor control my tears. I did not know whether to look at it continuously or lower my gaze in humility before the greatness of Allah. My heart was completely overwhelmed. At that moment, I felt as though the world had disappeared, leaving only my Creator and His Sacred House before me.
Visiting the birthplace of the beloved Prophet, Jannat-ul-Ma’la, Masjid al-Jinn, the Cave of Hira, the Cave of Thawr, the plains of Arafat, and every sacred place associated with Hajj made me realize how fortunate Allah had made me. Every prayer in the Mataf, every supplication in the Hatim, every tear shed before the Kaaba became a treasure that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
This journey was not merely a journey across countries; it was a journey of the heart. It strengthened my faith, purified my soul, and reminded me that the greatest honor in this world is to be invited by Allah to His Sacred House and to the blessed city of His Beloved Messenger.
I pray that Almighty Allah grants every Muslim the opportunity to perform Hajj and Umrah, to stand before the Holy Kaaba with tears of gratitude, and to send salutations upon the Prophet in Madinah Munawwarah.
May Allah accept the Hajj of every pilgrim, forgive our sins, transform our hearts, and invite us again and again to His Sacred House and the city of His Beloved. Ameen.
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