sunset over makkah on our last night here before we leave for mina. we put on the ihram, which are 2 sheets that all muslim males must wear to stand as equals in the eyes of allah. it signifies that wealth or status doesn't mean anything when we stand before allah. added to this is the fact that when muslims die, all they wear in the grave are 2 sheets. this moment serves as a reminder that life on this earth is temporary while life in the hereafter is forever.
we have just completed the tawaaf (going around the holy kaaba 7 times) necessary before hajj and sa'ee (running between the hills of safa and marwah) emulating what abraham's wife, hagar did as she searched and prayed for water for her son ishmael (peace & blessings on them all). finally water gushed forth from where she had placed ishmael, between the 2 hills. this water flows from the well to this day and is called zamzam water. tawaaf and sa'ee are 2 of the acts that are required for umrah ('the little hajj'), which can be performed at any time of the year except the 5 days of hajj itself (8th dhul-hijjah to 13th dhul-hijjah).
