It is difficult to write about one's own hajj experiences, but I shall try and at least make a start with this article.

The journey for hajj begins much before boarding the aircraft. It begins even before ticket-bookings are done. This is a journey that has a beginning in a dream to see the land where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) walked.

It begins with a prayer to Allah to take you to the holiest of mosques, the sacred mosque in Makkah. It begins with a desire to pray there, and with an intention to complete the fifth pillar of your Islamic way of life. 

Thisis where it all starts, with an individual desire to undertake this arduous and difficult journey to a different part of the world because His creator commanded us to.

And so this is where our journey began. When my husband and I got married, we decided that hajj would be a priority we would complete at the first possible opportunity.

All through the year we made plans, little things like saving up our leaves from work, so that we had them all collected for our hajj. We also saved whatever money we could for this journey that we intended to make.

As we approached the end of Ramadan, our eagerness grew and we hurried to make the final arrangements. We had a scare at this stage, when we were told there were no more spaces left on the hajj tour that we wanted to join. But this was cleared up and most things were arranged before the end of that week. All that was left to do was to wait and plan for the day when we were to travel.

Hajj is a very spiritual journey, but it is important to be pragmatic when planning your journey.

Vaccinations, visas, air-bookings, all of this has to be done much before you actually travel. The tour operator you are travelling with will arrange most of this for you, but it is a good idea to always double check.

Then comes all the packing that must be done. Make sure that you do not take too much; the lighter your baggage, the easier it will be to haul around. Clothes should be light as temperatures can get very hot during the day in Makkah.

Brothers should pack a few ihrams (two pieces of cloth attire worn by men during the state of consecration), though you shouldn't worry about taking too many as they are easily available in Saudi Arabia. If going in the winter, please take a warm jacket as Madinah can be rather chilly at dawn and after sunset.

Other things that you must remember to pack are any medications that will be needed along with the doctor's prescription. Don't forget good quality footwear. Remember, there is a lot of walking to be done.

A rucksack is very useful, it can be used to store any essentials that you would need while you camp in Mina.

Keep this bag small because if it is too big, security might stop you from carrying it in certain areas. Also keep this bag very light. All you need is a copy of the Quran, a drink (rather, an empty bottle that you can fill with Zamzam water), a snack, a change of clothes (when camping in Mina), and any other essentials — including medicines — you need for a day.

Hajj includes a lot of physical activity, particularly walking, so if your lifestyle is a very sedentary one — eight hours at the computer at work, then home for dinner, chit-chat and bed — it is a good idea to incorporate light exercise, like walking or jogging, into your schedule during the last month before your hajj.

Hajj is a spiritual journey that also requires physical strength and stamina. With a little bit of preparation you can have an experience which will last for a lifetime and beyond, and every time you think of the journey you made, you will want to go back again and again.

Another thing to consider is your food. You cannot obviously pack and take it with you, but once you get to Makkah, you should be careful about what you eat.

If you are prone to the flu, getting a vaccination is something you should seriously consider. Ask your doctor about this.

Remember also to drink loads of water. This will keep both the flu and dehydration at bay.

Patience is essential during your hajj. You may have to stand in long queues. You may have long waits before you get food, or get a bus, or get anything. You may have to deal with the largest crowds you have experienced. You may unintentionally get trod on or get pushed.

In all of this, it is important that you maintain your cool and remember that this is a journey recommended by Prophet Muhammad and Allah.

Now coming back to our story. As our departure date got nearer, our excitement grew. This was a different trip. This was a journey we were undertaking simply to please our Creator.

One of the first things we did was to read as much as we possibly could. We read about hajj and the different rituals we would have to perform. We knew the story of the Prophet Ishmael (Ismail) and his mother, Hagar, but we read it again.

We read about Lady Hagar's frantic search for water for her infant son, Prophet Ishmael, as she ran between the mountains Safah and Marwah. We understood the well of Zamzam as an epitome of Allah's mercy and we were keen to emulate her steps when we were given the opportunity during our hajj.

We also read about the strong faith of Prophet Abraham and prayed for our faith and trust in Allah to be like his. We read about Prophet Muhammad and wanted to be worthy enough, to be known as his Ummah.

But no matter how much we read or how many workshops on hajj we attended or videos we watched nothing, really could prepare us for the actual experience that we finally had.

Our journey to Jeddah was routed through Cairo, where while in transit my husband changed into his ihram and we made our intentions.

As our plane left Cairo, we noticed how all of a sudden things were different from everyday life. Perhaps our change in attire and attitude had for a while, changed the way we perceived our world.

The men all wore the same two pieces of white cloth that is not sewn or stitched. Some of the women too wore white scarves and white jilbabs (loose gowns). The entire aircraft resonated with the recitations of the pilgrims:  

Labayk Allahuma labayk.

Labayk la shareeka laka labayk;

Innal hamda wannimata laka walmulk

La shareeka lak

A rough translation of this is:

Here I am, oh Allah, here I am.

Here I am. You have no partner. Here I am.

Surely all praise, grace, and dominion is yours,

And you have no partners.

This was unlike any other experience. We had read that we would all be reciting the above words, but yet the actual experience of reciting it, all of us together, created an amazing feeling of unity.

This is a feeling you seldom find in the Ummah on a daily basis, yet during hajj, this inherent unity and brotherhood that we share becomes our reality.

It is obvious to all who participate or even those observe the pilgrims on TV that these multitudes are one nation, one people, a community of those who surrender to the will of their Creator. We were from different parts of the world, different races, we spoke different languages but yet united as one Ummah, we journeyed together to Makkah.

We landed in Jeddah with high expectations. We were now only a few miles away from our destination: the sacred mosque of Makkah — the Kabah. The relatively short distance from Jeddah to Makkah took us more than 12 hours.

Hajj is a test of patience, these 12 hours along with lost baggage, sleeping at the airport, and after the long wait almost missing our connecting bus to Makkah, did test us, but we knew it was all going to be worth it,.

We were feverish with joy, we could barely contain ourselves. We were at the gates of the sacred mosque of Makkah, What would it be like to see the Kabah for the first time?

What was it like for us?

We were simply moved to tears. We had travelled thousands of miles to be here. This simple brick cubical building, covered with a black cloth was built by generations of prophets. And here were we, two insignificant human beings, in its close vicinity.

We were given this honor for just one little reason — a reason we shared with 1.7 billion other people all across this world — we chose to believe. This was our faith.

From thereon, the rest of our hajj was easy. The desert heat was harsh but it was no problem at all. The walks were long and we had blisters on our feet. The streets were busy and the public transport was not too good. But nothing really mattered because we had one sole purpose that we intended to complete. This was to fulfil the commandments of our Creator, and this is what we intended to do.

It's been almost a year since our hajj. Now another hajj season and Eid al-Adha dawns upon us, the pilgrimage begins yet again. So many pilgrims — families, couples, the old and the young  — will together eagerly embark from different ends of the world on this journey of a lifetime. May Allah make it easy for them and bless them with increased faith.

As I write this, I think back to that moment when I first set eyes upon the Kabah, and how my husband would guide me through the crowds as we performed Tawaf (circumambulation around the Kabah). I think back and the coolness of Madinah fills my heart.

Finally, I remember my tears as I left the sacred mosque in Makkah for the last time and the tears come again.

Please take me again, O Allah! To that holiest of lands.

Please let me worship in that Masjid so grand!

Its grandeur lies not in gilt or gold,

But in the hearts of pilgrims, who the rope of Allah hold.