Hajj

Abdullah & Family Go On Hajj

A young child’s learning through the journey of Hajj

A Poem-Story for little Muslims

Please note this PDF is intended for personal use only. Kindly refrain from sharing it/ making copies of it (digital/print) for purpose of distribution or sale, without prior permission from the author. This is an amanah between us. May Allah safeguard us from transgressing His rights as well as the rights of people. Aameen

Written by: Zahra Venkat

This story is a fictional poem-story about little Abdullah and his family, who are getting ready to embark on the journey of a lifetime – Pilgrimage (Hajj) to the Ka’abah in Makkah. Follow Abdullah as he narrates this beautiful journey, as seen from the eyes of a child.

As parents, we always strive to make the learning of our deen as well as all its tenets as simple as possible for our children to understand. I pray and hope that they grow to love the religion, and always navigate through their life balancing both hope and fear of Allah, while always holding the sunnah of our Prophet ﷺ in their hearts and actions, in shaa Allah. This short book is thus a humble attempt to help our little Mu’mineen learn and understand the different stations/ steps in the ritual of Hajj, with the help of this simply worded story/poem, and a visual representation of the pilgrimage using the DIY Craft Model (available as a separate PDF)

On a warm summer afternoon, Abdullah ran up to his mother,

She was busy packing; through a list of items she peered over.

I wonder where we ' re going; let me ask her, " O my dear mother,

It is so exciting, to see the happiness shine in your smile,

I'm sure it is a journey unlike any other."

"We're going on Hajj", she says, "oh my son Abdullah,

To the Ka'bah in Makkah, the House of Allah!"

"To the Ka'bah, to the Ka'bah!"

My heart jumped with joy, How could I forget, it is the month of Dhul-Hijjah!

We’re packing all our things, our clothes and our ihram,

But the most important is taqwa, Allah tells us in the Qur'an.

My mother, my father, my sister and I,

Will go on this journey together, to fulfill our duty;

Hajj, a Muslim’s obligation, at least once in a lifetime!

Soon we arrive at the City of Makkah, We put on our ihram at the station of Miqaat.

The white cloth on my body feels so soft to touch, I see all others, dressed the same as us!

Here we are all equal, in the eyes of our Lord,

We come from different places, yet our beloved Prophet's footsteps we all follow.

"Come my dear Abdullah, let us recite the Talbiyah",

Says my sweet mother, before we make the Umrah.

We go around the Ka'bah, oh how beautiful it is to see,

So many people all gathered together, I wonder, can Allah see me?

We now reach the two hills, named Safa and Marwa',

Running between them, oh I feel so exhausted!

Then I heard the most amazing story ever,

About a courageous woman, Prophet Ismail's mother, Hajar!

Who ran 7 times, between the two hills,

To quench her little baby's thirst, and in search of some water.

Hearing her story from my dear father,

I was so happy to know how every du'aa, Allah answers.

Her trust, hope and patience, Allah rewarded,

And granted her a stream of pure gushing water.

The water so sweet and so fulfilling,

It is the amazing zamzam I cannot stop drinking!

We now leave for Mina, it is the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah, We have completed our Umrah, Alhamdulillah.

Here we stay, in stretched out tents,

And perform all our prayers, and for Hajj we renew our intentions.

On the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, we walk to Arafah,

With tears in their eyes, I see everyone making dua'.

Remembering Allah, saying Takbeer,

He is deserving of all praise, Exalted be He!

I asked Allah for all the toys, and the cars and the sweets,

Also for Al-Jannah, as my mother reminded me.

I want to see all the beautiful trees, the rivers that will flow underneath me,

So oh Allah, please hear me, I want to make You happy, so You can love me.

We stay in Muzdalifa after the sun sets,

Sleep my son, rest well, she says.

I fall asleep, as my mother strokes my head, Dreaming of my soft bed.

I feel excited as we return to Mina the next morning,

I pick up seven pebbles, and throw them at the shayateen.

Fighting the shaytan is in your hands, my father tells me,

If ever you feel weak or sad or angry, just say "Auoothu billahi min-ash-shaytaan-ir-rajeem"!

On the 10th , 11th , 12th of Dhul-Hijjah, we offer the sacrifice and remove our ihram,

Then go back to make tawaf around the Ka'abah, and sayii' of Safa and Marwa, just like last time.

We also return to Mina, to stone the Jamaraat again.

It is the days of Eid-ul-Adha, Our Hajj is now completed.

We make one last tawaf around the Ka'bah, Hoping Allah has accepted.

On the way to Madina, We constantly thank Allah, Our heart feels heavy, To leave from Makkah. But we ' re also so happy, and so grateful, As we have fulfilled Hajj- our duty, pillar, and ritual.

Allah has washed away our sins, Oh Allah, make my heart shine, and grant me forgiveness.

My father, so lovingly, now tells me,

About our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ,

How humble, kind and patient was he, Full of mercy and compassion.

The Prophet's ﷺ masjid, in Madina, I eagerly wait to see,

He is beloved to Allah, also to me, SallAllahu alayhi wa sallam.

He united us as one ummah, And practiced what he preached.

He guided us, taught us right from wrong,

The most excellent leader was he.

We pack our bags, our clothes and our things, To return home after our journey.

Holding dear our taqwa, our imaan, And our Hajj memories.

The city of Madinah is one so peaceful and serene, Visiting it after our Hajj, Alhamdulillah, brings our journey to a most beautiful end indeed.

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Aalameen