To be sitting in the Masjid al-Haram in Makkatul Mukarramah, is one of great gifts of honour and reverence from the Almighty Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala, and a feeling of overwhelming awe and gratefulness. As I was seated in the masjid one day waiting for the call of adhan, two African women came and sat beside me making zikr of Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala. I turned towards them and made salam, only to see that they were both blind. The woman who sat beside me replied to my salam and continued glorifying Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala. Instantly my heart felt pity due to their blindness, but at the same time, it amazed me of how blind people from around the world flocked to the blessed city without the aid of their eyesight.
As I waited for the adhan to commence questions ran through my mind, how did they manage at the airport? How did they travel to Makkah? How did they find their way to the masjid? I paused and questioned myself, at how weak my trust in Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala was. He can make anything possible, especially for those who have full trust and reliance in Him. Just like these women did. In truth, it was I who was justified to be pitied for questioning their presence due to my lack of understanding in the trust of Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala and not them.
As the words of the adhan began to echo, everyone rose to their feet. I noticed that both the blind women were stood slightly away from the qiblah, so I gently held the shoulders of the lady nearest to me and turned her towards the direction of the Kaaba, she stroked my hand and thanked me. Her friend held on to her clothing and followed whatever her friend said and did. Seeing their actions reminded me of the phrase the blind following the blind; unfortunately this terminology in English is used as a phrase of mockery, but to actually see this in reality is nothing but a miracle of Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala.
When salah finished, I again turned to the blind lady next to me, stroked her face and said to her in broken Arabic that I thought she was very beautiful, this made her laugh and she became happy. She paused for a moment and spoke in a very sad and calm voice about Allah and her eyesight. Unfortunately, I understood very little, but felt touched by the way she spoke about Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala and her blindness. As we departed we said our salams, they got up and left one following the other chanting in a low voice Allah Subhaanuhuwataaalas zikr. An impression and a slight envy is always left in my heart by those I meet who have a strong reliance and trust in Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala as it is a very rare quality to find and is a sign of genuine love for Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala. As I was leaving the Haram, I saw them again asking the way to the mataf. I went across and took the one who was previously sitting next to me by the arm, with her friend following, and told her I would take them to the mataf ground around the Kaaba. Upon recognising my voice she became extremely happy and gave me duaas. We walked until the steps and every time I said step, they took one step down reciting bismillah. They prayed bismillah for every step they came down. On reaching the mataf, we once again made our salams and departed. As they walked away I was left wondering how they were going to continue, once again I found myself, reminding myself of how weak my trust in Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala was. When these blind people I saw in the masjid carried nothing but words of Allah on their lips, it was more than evident that Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala was with them at every step. It was He who had fed them, clothed them, bought them to Makkah, and was taking them to make tawaf.
The blind are seen doing tawaf independently like free birds, with no worries or interest in other people or in whats happening around them, continuing to glorify Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala with full reliance and trust in Him. They are deprived of one of the greatest gifts and blessings of Allah Subhaanhuwataaala (their eyesight), and yet they continue to praise and glorify Him at all times.
Here we are, drowning in the blessings of Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala, yet we forget the Giver and Provider of all these blessings. We utilise and benefit from all He grants, yet we fail to fulfil what He has ordained upon us. Furthermore, despite all this, He continues to shower His blessings upon us.
Our lives are void of understanding the concept of Tawakkul (trust in Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala). We fill our cupboards, fridge/freezers to the top, we carry our mobile phones, money, medicine and other worldly possessions everywhere we go. We drive ourselves to hoard wealth for today and tomorrow, constantly striving for our health and sustenance, with no reliance or trust in Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala. Is it we who are in a pitiful state and are the blind following this lifestyle of the blinded? Or is it the blind that see life as it is, and live life solely for the pleasure of Allah Subhaanuhuwataaala with total reliance and trust in Him, with nothing except recitation of His zikr on their lips?