I was a little lost for words on how I should begin this blog, I wasn't sure if I should start with my first visit to Makkah or talk about my new adventures here in the KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)...
It has been 3 months since I have arrived in Saudi Arabia I am always asked have you experienced any culture shock yet? my response..."not really" the first culture shock I had was walking down the stairs from the airplane instead of walking through a tunnel into the airport. Anyone that knows me personally know's that its been a life long dream to come here before coming here I used to have dreams of being here I never wanted to wake up because I was always happy I always took it as a personal message from Allah saying you will come here and you will be happy. Now that I'm here I know its a reality but at the same time I'm afraid its a dream and I don't want to wake up ever I would be beyond devastated to have to leave here. I have said before that Saudi Arabia may not be the place for others to live but for me, and for my family it is where we belong until Allah decides otherwise...
I keep asking myself what I have done to keep receiving the things I have before I became Muslim and as I spent time with Muslim families and I said to myself and at the time as a Christian I asked God please I want to live this life style as a Muslim and a year later after becoming friends with Muslims and learning slowly about Islam I became Muslim 9.12.2002. after a few years I had some personal struggles with my Eman and I remember seeing "sheikh Meshary Rashid Al-afasy" on an old friends t.v. it was a nasheed channel and I remember asking Allah one day I want to pray behind this man and with in a couple years later I got to see him and pray behind him.
for those who don't know who sheikh Al-afasy is please check him out he has a magnificent voice masha'allah.. http://www.youtube.com/feed/UCmMcOjsVehVlEOteyrhjI2Q
I became acquainted with Saudi people as I learned about there culture,traditions,lifestyle I literally became mesmerized and I one made it my personal mission to find and marry a good Saudi "Muslim" man and to live there lifestyle. and alhumdullilah on 08.08.2008 I married the man that would be my best friend the father of my beautiful children but Allah sent him to see my wish and dreams to come into reality. Was it an easy process to adjusting to the Saudi lifestyle? No! a lot of arguments and clashes due to language and understanding in our language but I think with in the time it has and will get better.... little did I know with in these 4 years would I finally make my trip to Saudi Arabia on 12.6.2012 we departed from America it was kind of bitter sweet for me because America is the home I have ever known but at the same time there was nothing there for me worth staying for and I needed to go to my real home "Saudi Arabia"...
my visa for entry to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia...
With it being 3 months since I have been here it has been a long stressful process or "Journey" I should say when arriving here my husband was supposed to go to a hospital where he was supposed to get his job the paper process took such a long time, anyone that knows how things work here in Saudi Arabia knows how difficult they can make it to get things done here unless you have a "wasta" and Influence aka as someone who can pull strings to make things work faster! yesterday 2.9.2013 I finally made it to Makkah we where supposed to do Ummrah but we where unable to do so with the fact of kids and many people it would have made it very difficult so we went to go pray Asr and Maghrib I was so excited to go anyone that knows my story before becoming Muslim knows how personal it is anyone that comes to Makkah to do Ummrah or Hajj has there own personal reason as for me it was just as personal. as we arrived and parked the car Alhumdullilah we where able to find a space close by with in walking distance, my words of advice before coming here " GO TO THE BATHROOM BEFORE COMING'' because you will have to literally push each other out of the way to get to the bathroom that is overly crowded...
in front of masjid Al-haram
After being partially traumatized with the bathroom experience my husband and I made our way inside masjid Al-haram as my husband is explaining something to me I see something in a far distance, it was black and had gold writing on it I felt as if I was literally a bug that was attracted to a bright light "wallah" I could not take my eyes off from it I had to come closer as I came closer it was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen before more beautiful then a waterfall and more beautiful then the most beautiful person in the world I was so mesmerized at how beautiful the Kabba was I wanted to cry and started to cry but I couldn't cry I wanted to talk but I couldn't talk for the first time ever I had so many emotions going at once I did not know what to express other then stare in amazement at how many billions of Muslims come here each year and everyday to be closer to Allah and ask him to forgive there sins and to ask him for help and his mercy...
Kabbah and people doing ummrah.
As my husband and I searched for a place to pray asr that we missed as we drove to Makkah we also had to search for a place to sit and wait for the Maghrib prayer as I'm siting I'm making dua'a to ask Allah to help me and my family to be closer and for me to gain more patience for all Muslims to be guided to the right path I asked that Allah please make the process for my husband to become easy so we can start living our life, as I'm making du'a I see people around me making dua'a crying asking and pleading for Allah it was truly the most touching thing I have ever seen in my life I felt to myself if I could die I want Allah to take me here and now where I'm finally at peace I never wanted to leave this place but I had to leave to go get my kids the images of the Kabba and Makkah and all the people will always be implanted in my heart. the next morning my husband received a phone call letting us know that his paperwork went through and he finally got his license to work I felt to myself "Subhan'allah" with every struggle there is relief and allah answered our prayers and dua'a and I can not help but think that Allah is good to me everything that I have wished and dreamed he has given to me, but I didn't get these things easily but through trials and struggles I really do feel the meaning that Allah tests the ones he loves and I could not be more then grateful for the many blessings that he has given me and will have later on, I just hope and pray that my "Muslim" brothers and sisters will have the same happiness....
"Verily, along with every hardship is relief, (94:5)
Verily, along with hardship is relief (i.e. there is one hardship with two reliefs, so one hardship cannot overcome two reliefs) (94:6)"
"فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا (٥) إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرً۬ا (٦) فَإِذَا فَرَغۡتَ فَٱنصَبۡ (٧)"
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