Headline September 02, 2017/ ''' HAJJ'S HEAVENLY HUSH'''

''' HAJJ'S HEAVENLY HUSH '''

*HERE I AM, O ALLAH,....... here I am*  :   ''Labbayk Allahumma labbayk'  is what what every pilgrim will chant when arriving in Mecca  :

''AND THEN to the rolling heavens itself I cried-

What lamp has destiny to guide?

YOUR LITTLE CHILDREN stumbling in the Dark......

*Blind Understanding,*''  Heavens replied.

Omar Khayyam at his very best. 

IT'S MIDNIGHT,   -three days before I leave for my first Hajj, the five-day religious pilgrimage that's among the most beautiful and meaningful experiences in a Muslim's life.

When I arrive in Mecca, I'll join nearly two million believers  who've travelled from Virginia, Kabul, Islamabad, UK, Delhi,  Decca, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, and everywhere in between-  or the world over-

A dysfunctional but a tightly knit family of believers, dreamers, and sinners, briefly unite under the piercing sun of Mecca.

WEARING white garments that conceal any clues about our professions or possessions, we embark on a journey retracing the steps and rituals of Abraham and Prophet Muhammad [PBUH]  and satisfying-

One of the  five pillars of our faith.  If we're lucky, we'll earn approving winks from God and return with purified hearts and spiritual clean slates.

AND YET, here I am, sitting, in my kitchen feeding tiny bites of chicken kebab and rice to Ibrahim, my insomniac 3-year old, as we finish an episode of  ''Paw Patrol'' on his iPad.

Nusayba, my 1-year-old-daughter, circles us. She just learned to walk, and is now a tyrant in diapers. I often wonder aloud if someone is sneaking the two of them energy drinks. They rarely sleep before 1 a.m.

As a result, my wife and I are brown zombies.........   She's convinced that her neck is permanently damaged from lifting small children. I complain of chronic ''dad brain'' -my sleep deprived mind   making daily tasks feel unmanageable.

Lately, I am fretting because exhaustion and the demands of domestic family life are standing between me and my pre-Hajj checklist.

Yes, there's a checklist. My mother interviewed several Hajj veterans about indispensible items for the trip and passed their responses on to me in an email : Tylenol, medicine for diarrhea and stomach upset'' -the extreme heat is known to take a toll-

''Strong Chappals and not flip flops'  ' [you can't have your shoes falling apart mid-trek]; and  ''sunglasses, fanny pack and umbrella.'' By the time I've scrolled to the end I'm overwhelmed.    

Instead of attacking the list at Target, I just spent two hours at a discount grocery store with my wife, because according to her, they had ''excellent prices on bulk diapers and sweet iced tea.''

Helping to stock up on these essentials was the least I could do, I'm worried about how she'll handle two babies without me, not to mention how I'll manage jumping  back into our routine after I return.

Many of my fellow pilgrims have already sent the obligatory ''I am going to Hajj'' mass emails and posted on their Facebook walls. 

Like most holiday-pegged social media announcements, these modern additions to the spiritual journey tend to follow a formula.

You can count on some combination of  profound spiritual yearning, public requests for forgiveness, inspiring verses from the Quran, popular quotes from Rumi and pictures of the Kaaba-

The black cubed ''house'' of  Allah built by Abraham and his son Ishmael. Even if the words are prosaic, there's beauty in so many folks earnestly promising to humble themselves-

Make amends and do the right thing before embarking on a journey that could, realistically, kill them.

''Please don't die,''  one editor implored me, citing the numerous stories of deadly Hajj stampede, the most recent of which killed over 2,000 people in 2015.

The risk is why it's traditional for each pilgrim to make a will before leaving. I've joked that I might just scrawl an  ''I.O.U'' for my wife, perhaps on the back of one of our  Toys- ''R''  -Us receipts.

My guilt about my failure to properly prepare is amplified by an awareness of how lucky I am to have been invited to God's house, a yearning unrealized and unfulfilled by millions of far more pious men and women.

Many save their entire lives to make the trip. I always imagined that I'd make Hajj after I reached a stage of stable adulthood  -and accompanying income-  that still sometimes feels distant.

But in a fortuitous plot twist, a Hajj tour company invited me as its guest, making it possible for a freelance writer to afford the trip.

''Labbayk Allahumma Lbbayk'' is what I and all pilgrims will chant in Arabic when arriving in Mecca. ''Here I am O Allah, here I am.''

I recently complained to my wife about how our kids sleep schedule [or lack thereof] was stealing the time I needed to be truly ready for this moment. 

I immediately felt guilty. It occurred to me that I had to think of these frazzled pre-travel days -and all of our days   -differently.

After all  -what's the point of saying, ''Here I am,''   when you are not present at home? What's the point of seeing the  Kaaba if you can't appreciate the miracle that is two maniac munchkins running around after midnight?

I haven't shown the selflessness and dedication of some of my peers in preparing for Hajj, and I know it's likely too much to ask for this journey undo all of my flaws. 

But part of me believes I still have a chance to do it right  -starting before I leave.

That means watching another  ''Paw Patrol''  episode with patience instead of resentment, and bringing renewed energy to being the kind of dad who will return to kids who have actually missed him.

I hope I'm lucky enough to have my Hajj accepted. I hope to earn a wink from God. I hope to return to my family in Virginia,.......... see a bag of soiled affordable diapers in the trash near the doorstep-

Hear the voices of  babies who are gearing up for another all-nighter, and smile, grateful to be home.

The World Students Society wishes Playwright and Lawyer and writer Wajahat Ali the very best, while truly admiring all his delightful fluid and earth bound states. 

And while the World Students Society encloses no checklist for Ibrahim and Nusayba, they both are most welcome, and hope to see both of them on,  !WOW!

Last but not the least  : With most respectful dedication and Eid blessings for the whole world. See Ya all on !WOW!   -the World Students Society and Twitter- !E-WOW!   -the Ecosystem 2011:

'''Checklist Of  Honors'''

Good Night and God Bless

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless