Luminosity

Here they are!

1. Lost a wallet filled with hundreds of riyals, credit cards, how about an allied health practicing license (OT specifically) and cochlear implant & hearing aid batteries for your child?? (yup, 2 days ago-don’t ask me why I was carrying all of this)

Check the Lost & Found Office at Door 30, everything found by honest people end up there, I have the number, not on me though i’ll get that up soon insha’Allah.

2. Want to give sadaqah jareeyah in Madinah Munawarra at the 2nd holiest Masjid?

Donate a wheelchair and register it at the office by Door 25.  Masha’Allah they have lots, but there’s always in need for those busy times, and for better ones due to wear and tear of the old.  Or just buy one of those foldable prayer stools you can get from any store nearby (about 15-20 riyals, maybe you can find it as low as 10 too) and bring it in, and leave without it. My husband told me they are everywhere in the men’s section, but in the woman’s side they are usually all in gathered in one or two locations, you have to look for them. Another thing is copies of Quran in various languages.  MashaAllah in Makkah Mukarramah you can find translations of all kind, anywhere in Masjid al-Haram.  But here at the Prophet’s Mosque they are more reserved to one or two locations as well. Oh, and dawah booklets in various languages they will take as well inshaAllah, review and keep in office 26.  Masha’Allah they have ample supply of these things, but during crunch times it’s not always easy to find.

3. How about ‘needing’ a wheelchair?

No problem, just prove you’re legal here by going to that same office and showing proof-Umrah Visa. They’ll give you one for your entire stay in Madinah to take back & forth to hotel. Free too, masha’Allah.

4.  Want the Ajr for feeding a Fasting person?

Bring Balahh, Dates I mean, especially on Mondays & Thursdays, when many come to break their fasts these days  Bread is also allowed inside, not much of anything else though.

5. Camera Phones now allowed…but in the Office only, not Salah Area 

For about 3 weeks now, Camera phones are allowed for women, but to stay in the office-not salah area. With a catch. Entering through entrance 25, use the door furthest left, the guard will direct you to an office where you will leave your phone in a locked box, name and they will give you a number to retrieve it on your way out. Don’t even try to negotiate with them, they will be more stubborn denying you in the Masjid with it, than your persistence.  (*this is really big because before they didn’t give you an option to leave it anywhere, and women with a camera phone just had to pray out in the courtyard, or pass it to their mahrams in order to get inside-no issue with camera phones in men’s section.*)

6. Lock your strollers

Or at least fold them up. Children fill the courtyard, mashaAllah, and an empty parked stroller can be a very tempting ride for kids who escape their mother’s vision.

7.  Pictures of any kind, even cartoon characters are a big NO. 

No Fulla pictures either! My girls had their backpacks with them with a pic of Fulla, a Muslim verision of Barbie wearing the saudi black jilbaab and black hijab.  Let’s just put it this way..the next day I made sure there were heart stickers on the pics faces. Which to them is acceptable.

8. Classes!

Registered Halaqahs going on 5x/s week for girls of all levels between asr-maghrib, maghrib-isha with adult halaqahs on tajweed & knowledge mornings as well.  You don’t have to be registered to sit by to listen though.  Motivate your kids to sit by the other girls.  Soft spot for new muslims too, so if not registered they might be able to acommodate you in other ways. If no one speaks English they will find one inshaAllah. Don’t feel intimidated though..most do speak it mashaAllah.

9. Offer the ZamZam

There are  always women & kids out on the courtyard.  If you have  a free hand while leaving the haram, then fill an extra cup to deliver it to a random sister (my preference is to an elder, because it can be a challenge to bend over, low enudrance, decreased strength)

10. See a child with a disability?

Don’t stare out of the corner of your eye. Go to them bend over, be at their level say ‘asalaam alaikum’ even though they might be so cognitively delayed they don’t understand the words-words are just words if without meaning anyway. Allah understands you, and this person has feelings probably stronger than your own. Look at his or her mother and say a kind word, maybe share a duaa…not out of sympathy. Give empathy.

ok, that’s 10…for now!

& Allah Knows Best.