The May 31, 2024 blog discussed, amongst other topics, the wisdom of a virtual Hajj. The enormous surge of converts and reverts to the Islamic Faith coupled with Muslim reproduction rates makes it the fastest growing religion in the world of today. It is absolutely impossible for world wide believers to physically come to Saudi Arabia during the few days prescribed by traditional Muslim practices. The May 31 blog made suggestions for the implementation and acceptance of a virtual hajj in Nigeria.
Hajj 2024 is upon us. This article from the June6, 2024 Arab News.
“RIYADH: Millions of Muslims from across the world have arrived to perform Hajj in Makkah during the hottest season of the year in the Kingdom, leading to concerns regarding the challenges that may await them in the days to come.
Unpredictable weather can affect the health and safety of pilgrims, especially the elderly. A primary concern is the extreme heat. As global temperatures continue to rise, heat waves in the region have become more frequent and intense every year.
Last year, temperatures in Makkah ranged between 43-45 degrees Celsius during Hajj, affecting the health of pilgrims, particularly the elderly, who are vulnerable to heat-related problems such as heat stroke and dehydration…..Many elderly pilgrims have underlying medical conditions that can be triggered by heat, making them even more susceptible to health complications. Dr. Fakhr Al-Ayoubi, president of the Cardio Clinical Pharmacy Group in Saudi Arabia, explained to Arab News how the rising temperatures impact the immune system and increase the risk of developing critical health conditions. “Increased heat can lead to dehydration, heat stroke, and other heat-related illnesses, which can weaken the immune system and make individuals more susceptible to infections or illnesses,” she said. “It is therefore advisable for Hajj pilgrims to take appropriate precautions to stay hydrated, cool, and healthy during the pilgrimage, especially in the face of changing climate conditions.”She also talked about the significance of vaccination prior to performing Hajj, not only to protect the health of the individual but also that of other pilgrims.“Vaccines save lives, prevent diseases, and keep people safe. Sometimes it’s easy to forget this with how busy our lives get, but by ensuring that we stay safe as individuals through immunizations, we can all play a role in building a healthier, more productive community,” she explained. Al-Ayoubi emphasized the importance of strengthening and safeguarding the immune system to protect pilgrims. “If pilgrims become faced with weakened immune systems, that means that they are more vulnerable to catching diseases, and this creates a need to safeguard their health through vaccination,” she said. “This is especially important during Hajj, where it is commonly crowded, and people are in very close proximity to each other.”
The article continues, documenting the measures presently being taken for the safety of pilgrims. The most creative and far reaching? Providing more areas for rest, enhancing logistics and informing Imams in the Two Holy Mosques to shorten Friday prayers. It is laughable, if it were not so serious. These folks need some help but who knew it would be coming from an eighty year old revert born in Saskatchewan, Canada.
It boils down to this. (If you say that a situation or problem boils down to a particular thing you mean that this is the most important or the most basic aspect of it)
Hajj pilgrims are risking their lives. Could this be what Allah (SWT) intended? Could Allah (SWT) be instead creating intolerable conditions in order to force the ‘authorities’ to rethink their outmoded ways of doing things. It seems they are frozen in time, possibly motivated by the profit motive and not thinking “outside the box.” .
Unfortunately, do not see how I could be of service. I am technologically challenged unable to create a virtual hajj. It would require funding for experienced technological camera crews, spokespersons and advisors. I have insider information that a Nigerian Muslim multibillionaire is in the ‘habit’ of funding viable business plans, a most creative means of charitable giving. His name is Abdul Samad Rabiu. Not sure how I could reach him with my brilliant idea. Perhaps mentioning it on my blog? Who knows? I do have a photograph of him, taken I do believe during the final days of Ramadan 2024 in Mecca. Perhaps posting it on the blog would yield some results? Nothing ventured, nothing gained. .
Did venture, but received no gain. WhatsApped a man, telling him of the May 31, blog, asking him to read it.
He: I will read it inshAllah, i feel bad for the dethronement though even though im friends with the new prince. No virtual hajj here oldie 😂
No help from him Too bad. So Sad.
Not counting on making a big impact. Instead feeding my thirst for knowledge. A thirst for knowledge is a curiosity that motivates investigation and study. This appeared as an example: ’She chatted with Salon about her new film, her penchant for humiliation, and her endless thirst for knowledge.” SalonMay 7, 2020. (This from “Thirst for knowledge.” Vocabulary.com Dictionary, Vocabulary.com, https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/thirst for knowledge. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024) A person who has a quest for knowledge is called a philomath, a lover of learning and studying. Fantastic, I can change my name, more descriptive of my identity, call myself Philomath Orang Petcheu.
Apparently the brain when it receives knowledge gets a high, a fix one might say. University of Southern California. “‘Thirst For Knowledge’ May Be Opium Craving.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 June 2006. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060620170342.htm.
While you’re trying to understand a difficult theorem, it’s not fun,” said Biederman, professor of neuroscience in the USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. “But once you get it, you just feel fabulous.” The brain’s craving for a fix motivates humans to maximize the rate at which they absorb knowledge, he said” He further hypothesized that knowledge addiction has strong evolutionary value because mate selection correlates closely with perceived intelligence. Hmmm. Popularity may be mine.
Oops My playfulness just got in the way of my intellectualism.
Alter Ego: I noticed It happens frequently
Me: It does. The child in me wants to come out and play for a few minutes but then can go back to satisfying my thirst for knowledge.
Alter Ego: Show me!
Me: Okay Inshallah I shall. .
Meanwhile Back at the Ranch
This from Wikipedia:
“Meanwhile, back at the ranch…” is a catch phrase that appears in a variety of contexts. For example, it may be employed by narrators of American cowboy movies and TV shows to indicate a segue from one scene to another but there is often more to this than meets the eye. “
Alfred Hitchcock used this technique in his movies, using it impressively. This from Wikipedia:
“Contemporary filmmaker John Sturges quoted Hitchcock as saying, “the name of making movies is meanwhile back at the ranch. He’s absolutely right. You want to have two things going. You reach the peak of one, you go to the other. You pick the other up just where you want it. When it loses interest, drop it. Meanwhile, back at the ranch “
Suppose that is what I am doing right now, accidentally. There is no ranch here in Penang, Malaysia but there is Lexis Suites. Way more interesting than a ranch. There are no cows, horses, lariats, or barns. There are no hired hands.
Here comes a segue. A hired hand is a man employed to do odd jobs about a farm or estate. My maternal grandfather, James Pirie was employed as hired hand at the McClelland estate near Ft. Collins. Colorado. My grandmother Esther McClellan, raised by her grandfather married him. That is how I came into existence. James was born in Scotland, was the sweetest man. I look like him, blue eyes, square chin, but, unfortunately, not sweet. .
Meanwhile back at Lexis Suites. There are so many interesting guests from many countries. Their presence satisfies my thirst for knowledge. My Singapore Muslim Sister inspired me to learn about Singapore, satisfying my thirst for knowledge learning about about the country. Under discussion, the arrogance of some Singapore folks.
Me: I am learning about Singapore. They have much to be arrogant about.
She: Really? What did you find?
Me: Wikipedia says:
“Singapore ranks highly in key social indicators: education, healthcare, quality of life, personal safety, infrastructure, and housing, with a home-ownership rate of 88 percent. Singaporeans enjoy one of the longest life expectancies, fastest Internet connection speeds, lowest infant mortality rates, and lowest levels of corruption in the world.” That is impressive!!
(An aside, I did put my money where my mouth is. I made a donation to Wikipedia, received a thank you. A woman is the CEO, made me proud!)
Meanwhile back at Lexis Suites. Small pools are on every patio. There is also an enormous pool on the eighth floor, seldom visited as families are happy to be playing in their own private pool. Been here for about three weeks, always intending to visit the big pool. Yesterday finally I got on the elevator, went to the eighth floor and there it was. I put my bathing suit under covering clothes after Asr prayer. I was the only guest there, Elephant Man was there to encourage and assist me. Ideal! The pools length allows walking forward and backward as a means of exercise. WhatsApped my former Medina trainer Mona showing her the video.
Me: Found new way to do knee exercises. It works. Walking forward and backward and exercises also remembered from classes at the side of the pool.
She Ooooh that’s really good. Keep moving. Nice view by the way.
Me: It is an amazing place. I am blessed.
Elephant Man is my videographer now, such an extremely valuable commodity, Elephant Man. Poses with me, came to my birthday party with his trunk. He, has a name but nicknames are used on this blog, so its Elephant Man (obviously). You can hear him laugh at the conclusion of the reel; we were having so much fun.
If Allah (SWT) gives you a gift, a believer is to use it. My sense of humor and positivity is a gift, I use it to make Muslims happy, so valued by our Creator. Elephant Man is a Muslim, almost everyone in my life is these days Yesterday brought cheer to a Saudi man surrounded (and I do mean surrounded) by Hajj pilgrims.
Me: I know how busy you are these days with the pilgrims. Thought I would send some cheer. I sent him the swimming pool reel. He laughed, sent me a couple of stickers.
I was also gifted with a thirst for knowledge. A new acquaintance and I were conversing on WhatsApp, she sent me.a “beneficial website on Islam”. Initially, thanked her for it but when opening found it a disappointment. .
Me: I did examine the website briefly. It was not helpful at all. Some answers to questions rather harmful. I have studied the faith on an almost full time basis for three years.
She: Where did you study full time?
Me: On my own Independent learning, Just as Aishah did. She was considered a brilliant scholar although she was not schooled. That information is on my blog with authority for that statement.
Presently I am studying Schools of Islamic Theology, learning a great deal about the history of Islam. Most interesting and does explains why I am so happy here in the presence of Malaysian Muslims. Stay turned.
Photographs are a mixed bag (a mixed assortment of things.) Photo (possibly) of Abdul Samad Rabiu. Photograph of swimming attire allowed at the Lexis Suites Hotel big pool. One of me in the water. I did create a reel for Instagram combining the three but it was not altogether successful. I will include a link to the Instagram but also put the reel on YouTube. For a retired eighty-one year old I am busy.
