بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

During Hajj, there were some moments that became Moments. That is to say, instants where one cannot do anything except acknowledge Allah and how everything goes back to, and comes from, Him.

One such Moment:

After first landing in Saudi, we're doing Umrah. Near the end of the Tawaf, as I'm moving (or rather, flowing with the crowd) near the Ka'bah, I somehow lose my Hajj group badge from around my neck (apparently torn off, lots of human traffic). It's an ID we aren't supposed to lose as there wasn't any replacement, fairly essential to logistics with hotels and etc. I don't realize the badge is gone until I'm walking back to my hotel room, with the expected sinking feeling of "oh my God, that just happened". After a few seconds/minutes, I accept it, start thinking about what potential future consequences might be. Right around that time, I get the inclination that I should mention the loss in our Whatsapp group, just in case someone familiar picks it up. I'm not expecting anything, as there's thousands of people going around the Ka'bah, like no way I find it again, right? Still, I'm feeling really down about it, and like a minute or so later, someone replies to my Whatsapp message....a group member found my ID....and not just any group member...a roommate of mine...and not just any roommate, literally, the guy from the bed next to me is the one who has it. Lol. The probabilities...smh.....unfathomable. SubhanaAllah, always.

If we don't realize how blessed we are, it's just because our eyes aren't opened enough. Perhaps not as obvious as this, but it's truly all right there, just waiting for us to see them and give shukr to Allah for. 

I would go into other Moments, but they seem a bit too personal so I'll leave them be. One is easy enough to relate though: I got completely lost from my group, couldn't get in touch with anyone due to no Wifi, and our meetup was supposed to be heading to a new hotel or something. I'm doing Sa'y and from Safa and Marwa, I'm pausing now and then to see if I can catch any familiar faces. I can't, there's way too many people and my mind is super out of it (partly tired, partly cold/flu-ish). Eventually, I get to I think Safa and I stop and make dua there, asking my Rabb to not let me be lost. Maybe a minute or less later, some group members walk by, and I only recognize them because one of them turns around and is wearing the (Qalam) group bag...that was TOTAL panic averted alhamdulillah. Intense.

I wish people turned to their Creator more often, opened/kept open that avenue of communication that's based on not only need, but accepting one's own slavehood.  It's the only way to forging a path not only in dunya but into akhirah too. Among the lessons that Hajj reinforced, this was another for me to keep close forever.