Makkah Museum (Mat7af al Haramain) - Part 1

During the month of Ramadhaan I was commuting on a weekly basis to Makkah to spend time with my family who were in the Kingdom for a six week vacation.Whilst in Makkah I arranged for my family to visit the Makkah museum. It was a truly fascinating experience and of course a very educational one as well.
Usually in Ramadhaan the museum is closed to the public unless prior arrangements have been made by your travel agent. The museum prefers to accept groups of pilgrims who have booked to visit the museum in advance. Since I reside in Riyadh, I asked one of my Saudi friends to seek permission for my family and I to visit.The administration staff at the museum were very kind and accommodating and allowed us to come by whenever it suited us. Whilst viewing all the artifacts in the museum, qualified and knowledgeable staff were on hand to provide us with detailed history and information. If you wish to visit the museum kindly call the Makkah museum ( Mat7af al Haramain) at  00966 (0)2 5602188. It is a museum that I highly recommend for all children to visit in order to gain a better perspective with regards to the history of the Haram in Makkah and Medina.The museum is situated approximately 20 minutes away from the Haram area on the old Jeddah road.

A teak staircase of the holy Ka3ba dating back to 1240H

Ash Shumaisi moldings which used to be above one of the entrances of the Holy Mosque

A slab of Ash-Shumaisi stone on which is engraved the name of the ameluke sultan Qayitbay who died in 901 H

The brassy head of the pulpit made in the era of sultan sulaiman alqanoony on the tenth century of alhijra

A brass crescent belonging to one of the minarets of the Holy Mosque dating back to 1299 H

Four inscriptions on two stone pillars recording the reconstruction of the Muqam (stance) during the reign of the Amluki sultan al ashraf abu an nasr linal in 858 and sultan ganosh al ghori in 915.

Wall plaques found in the Haram with Allah, Muhammed and the names of the four khalifa (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthmaan and Ali)

The gold plated gutter of the Ka3ba

Riverview Spa - South Africa

A week prior to my departure from South Africa, my mom's sister decided to give mom and I a surprise by treating us to a hand and foot massage at the beautiful and tranquil Riverview Spa. If you are looking for a place to relax in the country side not too faraway from the city,  surrounded by picturesque hills with a river running through then Riverview spa is just the ideal place for you. Situated less than an hour's drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria, tucked away in a peaceful valley you can de-stress your mind, revitalize your body and soothe your soul.We arrived at the Spa around 11 in the morning and were welcomed by warm, friendly staff members.The owner's daughter Elmarie personally came by to introduce herself to us and also gave us a brief history about the spa and how it all started off. We were treated to welcome drinks and then made our way to the garden for our half an hour hand massage.The massage therapists were experienced and jovial. It was sheer magic being pampered in a peaceful ambience surrounded by the swimming pool and beautiful gardens whilst inhaling the fresh country side air.After our hand massage session we made our way to the Riverview Cafe where we indulged in a delicious vegetarian lunch. The kitchen at the spa prepared for us a snack platter comprising of cheese and corn samoosas, spring rolls and moons.We were also served delicious spinach quiche accompanied with a Greek and potato salad. After lunch we were once again whisked away to the garden area for our foot massage session. My mom suffers from arthritis and hence she commented that after receiving her massage she felt much relief in her hands and feet. The only disappointment was not being able to take a walk to the romantic riverside picnic area as we experienced a huge afternoon downpour. We were warned not to make our way to the river in the rain as we may slip due to the rocky steep incline near the river bed. Hence we made our way back to the Riverview cafe after the foot massage session for a late afternoon high tea. Riverview can accommodate up to 20 guests per day at the spa and 10 guests at a time to stay-over in their lovely private chalets.This is the perfect hide away for friends and family, close to all wedding venues in Muldersdrift and perfect for pamper days or break-awe’s combined with a relaxing day at the Spa. Riverview is a place with a heartbeat, a place with a difference, a home away from home. It was a day experience that I will cherish and remember forever. I had the opportunity of spending quality time with close family members and individuals that I truly care about. If you require more in depth information regarding all the treatment packages the spa has to offer I highly recommend you to visit their website.

An 'Emerging Mystery' by Photographer Sebastian Farmborough

A sweet message from a world class photographer and a truly remarkable human being.....Sebastian Farmborough

Hey,

Please feel free to share the pic. It's attracted over 18,500 hits so far from 134 different countries and I'm hoping that sooner or later it might generate the kind of attention that would enable me to return and complete the project.

Hope life is treating you well, Sebastian.

Whenever Western societies view a Muslim woman in hijab or niqaab, their first impression is likely to be one of negativity. A Muslim woman in niqaab is usually perceived as being illiterate, backward and uneducated.When I first saw this image of a fully veiled Muslim woman in water, I was blown away by the beauty and sheer simplicity of it. Thank you Sebastian Farmborough for replying to my emails promptly and for also providing me with a link to your fascinating story. I would also like to take the opportunity to encourage one and all to kindly view Sebastian's website where you will marvel at his breathtaking photography.

"The image is based on one of my very first experiences in Saudi Arabia: With the naked beaches of Barcelona a not too distant memory... I headed down to the Arabian Gulf for a dip. There, I became mystified by something black and obscure out at sea. It looked like a huge jellyfish. Then, as it approached, I realised that it was in fact a woman.

It was such an intense experience that I just had to capture it for myself. However, it was not until a few years later in Dubai, when I had acquired the equipment and expertise necessary, that I was able to execute it. Anyone trying to take a picture like this in Saudi Arabia would run the risk of ending up in prison, so in the more liberal country of the UAE, I was able to realise it.

It actually took me a year to find the right lady. Yes, there are lots of women with beautiful eyes in the Emirates, but finding an open-minded enough one to do it, now that was a challenge!

The picture itself was taken at dawn on the Burj Al Arab beach. I chose that time, because I wanted extremely soft light to fall on her and the sun to reflect in her eyes. It was winter, so the sea was freezing and we were both deep into it. It was an incredible experience. The model and I had only met a couple of times prior to the shoot so we actually got to know each other as it went on, finishing with a nice hot chocolate on the beach afterwards.

The photo is entitled "An Emerging Mystery" and I feel as though it is extremely symbolic of Muslim women's increasing prominence in the world, despite a continued mystery. The Saudi veil is so often portrayed negatively in the West that I hope to counteract that somewhat and prevent the Western public from being mislead. Many Muslim women actually choose to wear it and I am more than happy to respect that.

The image marks the beginning of a project that I have been wanting to carry out for some time. All we ever hear about Saudi Arabia seems to be negative, where as having lived there for 3 years, I can assure you that the reality is quite different. In fact, there are many things that we westerns could actually learn from them. I really admired and enjoyed the strength of their friendships, the closeness of their families, their sense of humour, and how friendly and generous they are. With this and other images I would like to try and redress the balance a bit and produce a book reflecting the more magical aspects of the kingdom."

Source:
http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/13355/the-veil-as-an-accentuation-of-beauty/

THE SAUDI SPONSORSHIP SYSTEM- A backward, outdated system that has NO place in ISLAM......

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/rights-group-backs-saudi-sponsor-move-453752.html - Picture

For those of you out there who are not familiar with Saudi rules and regulations, let me give you a brief insight into the Saudi sponsorship system. All expatriates working in Saudi Arabia require a kafeel or a sponsor. It is the sponsors responsibility to obtain a valid iqama ( resident permit ) for the employee. Once the expatriate is issued with the iqama, he/she hands over their passport to the sponsor for safekeeping. Each time an expatriate wishes to travel outside Saudi Arabia, they need to apply for an exit/ re-entry visa from the passport office after receiving approval of leave by the department head.
Only some nationalities are allowed to apply for a multiple exit/ re-entry visa which is valid for a maximum of six months. If an expat is working for a huge organization, like the hospital I work for, then of course I do not really encounter any issues or problems as a passport office is located on the hospital premises.The department secretary usually makes sure that all visas and iqama renewals are processed on time. The biggest flaw in the sponsor system arises when cheap labourers arrive in Saudi Arabia from Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Philippines. Many of these employees have private sponsors and hence are easy prey for abuse and oppression.
On numerous occasions, employers withhold employee passports and fail to pay salaries that were initially discussed. In this case the entire sponsorship system is a form of modern day slavery.
A totally outdated, backward system that has no place within Islam. A few days prior to traveling to South Africa, I met a friend of mine for coffee. She was highly distressed. She is originally from India and her husband is from Pakistan. Her husband needed to travel to India urgently but was unable to do so has he first needed to renew his iqama prior to traveling. His Saudi sponsor passed away nine years ago and so the sponsors eldest son now became his kafeel (sponsor). This Saudi gentleman did not inform the relevant authorities of his fathers death and hence when the employee went to renew his iqama at the passport office he was told that it can only be done once the Saudi sponsor pays a fine of SR9000. After being informed about the outstanding fine, the Saudi gentleman told the Pakistani man that he does not have the money to pay for the fine and hence if the gentleman is really desperate to travel to India he should pay the SR9000. In another incident, an entire family residing in Medina has been destroyed due to the sponsorship system. The family arrived in Saudi Arabia 40 years ago from the Kandahar region in Afghanistan. The father worked as a cleaner at the Prophets mosque. After years of saving money, he opened up a small shop. With time his business began to flourish and his family grew as well. All ten of his children were born in Medina tul Munawwara. In fact despite their roots being Afghani, the kids behave like proper Saudi children. When I met this family for the first time a few months ago I initially thought that they were Saudis until they related to me their entire life story. They arrived in the Kingdom legally and had a Saudi sponsor. One day, this sponsor disappeared without any trace and hence their iqamas expired. Despite finding another kafeel they could not get their iqamas renewed without the written permission of the initial sponsor.The Saudi government deported the entire family back to Afghanistan. Overnight, they lost their home and business in Medina. Naturally the kids and the family could not adjust to a new foreign country. It was the first time that the children set foot on Afghani soil.They knew no other way of life other than the lifestyle they grew up with in Saudi Arabia. After a few years, the eldest son returned to Saudi on a valid iqama. Within a few months he called his family to Saudi Arabia on an Umra visa. Naturally his family needed to return to Afghanistan. But how could they return. Kandahar was invaded by American troops. Their family home was invaded as well and of course destroyed. They had no home to return to. The family continued to stay in Medina but have now become illegal depsite the fact that they have found a new Saudi sponsor who is willing to make their stay in the country legal. The eldest son has been from pillar to post trying to legalize his family's status within the Kingdom. Due to their illegal status only the one son works and has a valid iqama. The two eldest daughters of the house can not get married and this has created lots of tension for the parents of the home. Due to stress and worry, the father of the house has developed hypertension and diabetes. It is systems like these that cause many expats to develop hatred for Saudi Arabs. If Muslims can oppress Muslims then why should we be condemning the West. Why should we be standing up to western countries oppressing Muslims when fellow Muslims are oppressing each other. It is 2013, the days of slavery and barbarism are over. Surely, other systems can be put into place to ensure that no crimes or atrocities are committed by expats residing within the Kingdom. Having a Saudi sponsor act as a policeman is not the answer towards bridging kind and friendly relationships between the native Arabs and expats. There are many families out there who wish to legalize their status within the Kingdom but fail to do so due to the red tape and bureaucracy. This in turn opens up the doorways of corruption. Many families hand over thousands of riyals to individuals who claim that they can obtain valid iqamas and sort out their problems. These shady characters then disappear after receiving the money. Then, there are families out there who have obtained valid legal iqamas due to the wasta system. If a person is acquainted to a Prince or a high ranking government official, then naturally this individual would obtain an iqama within a matter of a few days. I always wonder if the Prophet Muhammed (saw) was alive, how would he feel or react to such laws and regulations that oppress rather than unite. Abu Metab ( King Abdulla) has done a lot for his people and in particular for Saudi women. I salute him for all his efforts during his reign. Recently, he has been ranked as the seventh most influential man in the world and the most powerful man within the Arab world. Surely with his power, he can eradicate this backward, outdated sponsorship system and grant refugee status to people like this Afghani family. There are thousands of legitimate cases in Saudi that need to be addressed. Many of these individuals are afraid of seeking help from Saudi courts and ministries out of fear of being deported back to war torn countries. To Saudi's out there, how would you feel if you resided in a country for 40 years, built a home for your kids, worked hard to make a decent living and then suddenly you were asked to leave the country overnight? Is this what Islam teaches us? Is this what out Prophet Muhammed (saw) taught us? Abdulla bin Umar narrated that the Prophet of Allah said, “A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor. Whoever fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs; whoever brought his (Muslim) brother out of a discomfort, Allah will bring him out of the discomforts of the Day of Resurrection, and whoever screened a Muslim, Allah will screen him on the Day of Resurrection .”