Reminder Series

30th November 2009 13 Dhul-Hijjah 1430

Hajj: Rebirth of my Soul

Eid Mubarak to you all! Eid-ul-Adha marks the end of the Muslim pilgrimage known as Hajj. In this issue we have a short extract from the diary of Jeewan Chanicka, a Canadian Muslim convert who describes his hajj journey undertaken 2004 and the tremendous feelings he felt while undertaking this blessed journey.

I have returned home and I sit now to put the rest of this journal together. Physically I am here, but my heart is very far away. I look for the simple beauty that surrounds us that is sometimes drowned out by the noise, the pollution, anger, the hatred, by war and those who would have us believe that they are acting with the goodwill of humanity in mind. How far away have we come, when we forget the lives of those who we do not see on TV each day, when the lives of some are of more importance than others, when we are so consumed by materialism and materialistic needs that the universal truths of justice, peace, love, respect are ignored. As those with military might show their will, Hajj has been a good reminder of the power of prayer and the power of the masses of humanity, when we leave our capitalistic trappings, our chauvinistic claims to power and might, our feelings of superiority and pride. Perhaps the next superpower will not be that of military might and power, but of the masses who stand for truth, justice, love, dignity, respect, and tolerance. It has already been happening, millions of people around the world, standing up and speaking out against the atrocities of occupation and war. When we feel no one is listening, or feel that there is no hope, we must never allow ourselves to forget that the One Who listens, the Divine Presence is ever near and always ready to answer the calls of those who ask. With this, there is always hope and we will never allow our spirits to be broken.