Waqi’aat’ [Perils of Selfie Mania]: Selfie lovers are found pursuing their passion for selfies during the sacred pilgrimage for Hajj and ‘Umrah. They instantly take a selfie at a place they like and post it on the social media, making it public. Selfies are even made while kissing Hajar-e-Aswad or performing Tawaf and Sa’ee, which disturbs the flow of those who perform Tawaf and Sa’ee. People collide or fall over each other which cause great difficulty to them. In an attempt to take selfies while worshiping, the selfie-taking people lose their own concentration and devotion as well. Some people are found taking selfies even near the blessed Golden Grille in front of the sacred Muwajahah. Some overly bold people even turn their back towards the sacred Muwajahah for taking a selfie. Would that we could make our mind that the pilgrimage to sacred Haramayn is for earning Sawab [reward], not for taking selfies!

حرم کی زَمیں اور قدم رکھ کے چلنا

ارے سر کا موقع ہے اَو جانے والے

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب              صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic brothers! The fortunate people who are privileged to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah should bear in mind the manners of visiting these sacred places. Abstaining from useless conversation and the unnecessary use of mobile phone they should continue to do Zikr of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, recite the Holy Quran, Salat-’Alan-Nabi and invoke Tasbih and Tahleel all the time. In addition to these, they should also bear in mind the parables of pious saints’, and the practices they used to adopt during the pilgrimage and visit of these sacred places. اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ, by virtue of its blessing the yearning for Hajj will be increased. Let’s listen to three parables of pious saints about the pilgrimage for Hajj.

1. Best traveling companion

A person humbly said to Sayyiduna Haatim Asam رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه, ‘Tell me about the travelling companion in whose company I may reach in the court of