My brother-in-law Osman and his wife Haniyyah were blessed to perform Hajj this year. They traveled with AlManasik, a Portland, OR based Hajj tour service, and signed up to be in the group led by Shaykh Muhammad Alshareef. The two had a blast and said AlManasik was tip-top organized from the moment they left the States.

Haniyyah shared a story of one of the last days of their trip, where their entire group was in a big circle. Shakyh Muhammad was telling them that when they go back, not to complain but instead tell the people about all the good that happened, pinpointing those “EmanRush” moments from their journey. Shaykh began with an example and shared his story first for the group.

Muhammad Alshareef’s EmanRush Moment

Some kid was raving over how he was able to kiss the black stone during Tawaf. This got to Shaykh Muhammad; in his 14 some years of performing Hajj, he had never gotten to kiss it and now here’s some kid who did it on his first try. So he decided this time he’s going for it.

He made his way through the Tawaf and approached corner of Hajr al-Aswad, the black stone. Getting through the commotion, he managed to get up in front of the black stone and found himself able to go in for a kiss. At this point, he had a realization. If he kissed the stone, he would be the only person on the face of the entire Earth currently performing that act of Ibadah. It’s reserved for just one person at a time; no one else. He placed his head into the metallic cover and gave the stone a kiss.

Once he kissed it, he went into a state of bliss and dazed out reveling in his glory of the moment. Then came another realization. He turned around and saw a sea of thousands behind him. “How am I going to get out of here???” He didn’t know how he was going to get back to the “regular” Tawaf crowd.

He had to snap out of his bliss and think quick. In a spur of the moment type move he kicked up off where he was standing and did a back flip onto the crowd. The people performing Tawaf just so happened to grab hold of him, and he ended up body surfing his way away from the congested area over the pack of those performing Tawaf.

As he was carried away to safety, Shaykh said he stuck his arms up and threw two thumbs high into to the sky. When narrating what he was thinking during the moment, he said “I body surfed my way like it was my janazah.”

Haniyyah’s EmanRush Moment

Next, Haniyyah shared her story with the group. She bought a janimaz that she was very excited about. She had been looking for a certain type to buy and found something really close to it. She purchased it and took it to the Haram to thrown down some Salah on in front of the house of Allah.

Near her, she saw an old lady in pain from a severely swollen foot. The lady gestured something in Arabic to Haniyyah who couldn’t understand what she was saying. She pointed to her janimaz, then to her foot, then to the floor, and back again to Haniyyah’s janimaz. Then Hanniyah realized she was asking if she could move her janimaz over a bit so she can place her foot on it and ease the pain.

Haniyyah gladly moved it over for her and the lady became very happy. She then started making dua for Haniyyah.

After some time, the lady asked something in Arabic again to Haniyyah. She motioned her hand out low to the ground and then pointed at Haniyyah while continuing to ask. Haniyyah stood a bit confused with the language barrier, but soon realized she was asking if she had any children. Haniyyah shook her head and replied that she didn’t, to which the lady replied saying “inshaAllah,” and proceeded to make even more dua, this time for her and her future kids!

After they had finished praying, Haniyyah got up to leave and gave the lady the janimaz for her to keep. The lady burst into emotion and was ecstatic that Haniyyah gave it to her. It was amazing to see that something so small for us made someone like her so happy.

Later, Haniyyah went shopping for another janimaz. Much to her surprise, not only did she find another stellar janimaz, she found the EXACT kind she had envisioned to find at Hajj, and was even happier she had given the other one away.

Then Muhammad Alshareef said in reponse to the story that while this is Haniyyah’s story, imagine that lady’s story. When she goes home, she’ll share the story of the girl who gave her the janimaz and all the dua she made for her.

May Allah (SWT) accept everyone’s Hajj from this year and help those of us who haven’t gone to go soon.