There shall be a new banner in the blog. Down will come Gallery, and up will come My Calling. I have played with many titled for this banner – Desecration and Saudi Secrets two that were in the running. But both sounded two strident, not reflecting the struggle, the reluctance with which I undertake this writing, exposing the truth.
This shall serve as the Introduction to My Calling which shall, be permanently placed in prominence as long as My Calling remains.
In my customary manner I shall define certain words and phrases to begin. So we all understand what I am talking about. Be on the same page as the expression goes.
A calling is a a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence. A perfect definition. The particular course of action I am undertaking is to write of the desecration of the Two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina. I earnestly believe, having held this conviction since July 22, 2024 that I have been led and been influenced in this undertaking by Allah (SWT).
A synonym for calling is MÉTIER which implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted.
I am.
An explanatory sample sentence, describes why I have to do this. “Her perseverance was driven by her conviction that this was her calling.” – Samantha Laine Perfas,
This perseverance (admittedly coupled with some procrastination) is explained by my belief that I am championing a cause, supporting or more precisely fighting for a cause. .
Some common synonyms of champion are advocate, back, support, and uphold. While all these words mean “to favor actively one that meets opposition,” champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause. For example, championing the rights of children.
Many factors are responsible for my reluctance, my procrastination. A major one was the knowledge, gained through research that the desecration has been going on for years and years and years. As you shall see, nothing seems to dissuade the Saudi government from not continuing on its course of destruction
We have all heard that phrase – better late than never “Better late than never” is a common, much-used, English idiom. It’s used when someone wants to welcome the fact that something has happened, even if it happened later than expected or planned for. It is a very useful idiom to express a wide variety of situations. It is used to express relief that something has happened at all, after the optimum time; it can be used ironically, suggesting that the speaker is actually quite irritated with whatever or whoever it is that is late, and is thus a pointed comment on the lateness.
It can also be used in a slightly different context: The proverb is also related to “it’s never too late,” in that it is never too late to stop something or to try something. To stop smoking later in life is “better late than never,” as is finding the time to explore new musical types, travel the world or get to grips with classic novels.
In an attempt to determine whether it was a situation of better late than never I looked to several quotations for guidance. These are some that spoke of my quandary.
- Everything comes at the right time, but if the right time is too late to be patient, go earlier before it becomes too late. Michael Bassey Johnson
- It is never too late to become reasonable and wise. Immanuel Kant
- It’s never too late to do the right thing. Nicholas Sparks
- It is never too late to be what you might have been George Eliot
- We come too late to say anything which has not been said already. Jean De La Bruyere
- Tis not too late to-morrow to be brave John Armstrong
- It is better to learn late than never. Publilius Syr
- It’s never too late to start heading in the right direction. Seth Godin
So I am not going to do the right thing, heading in the right direction and hopefully become reasonable and wise.
I will begin with an explanation of where, and when, I got the rather insane belief that I could do something about the desecration of the two Holy Mosques n Saudi Arabia. Up to my usual tricks, typed Rawdah into the search engine of this blog, eight blogs greeted me. . The first was dated May 11, 2024. Snafu and Anthesis Defined and Illustrated: July 21 and July 23, 2023 Blogs Speak of Being Trampled in the Holiest of Sights and Meeting my Malaysian Sister Whom I Shall See Soon; Unchecked and Unrestrained Greed Leads to Unlicensed Haj Tour Operators Putting Pilgrims at Risk: Rome Was Not Built in a Day; Photos from the Day of Trampling
I am forced to admit that I have the ability to compose great titles ( if nothing else). I quote from the blog, which is actually quoting from a prior blog. Here we go.
Al-Masjid an-Nabawī (Arabic: ٱلْمَسْجِد ٱلنَّبَوِي, lit. ’mosque of the Prophet’), known in English as the “Prophet’s Mosque“, is the second mosque built by the Islamic prophetMuhammad in Medina, after that of Quba, as well as the second largest mosque and holiest site in Islam, after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, in the Saudi region of the Hejaz.[2] The mosque is located at the heart of Medina, and is a major site of pilgrimage that falls under the purview of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
I am quoting a prior blog, putting myself in quotes.
“I entered the the Prophet’s Mosque by the proper door. Attached photos revealed the breathtaking architecture. The July 21, 2023 blog continues. “I walked in awe, came upon a reception area manned by three woman. An extremely helpful, kind and considerate woman and I began to speak – interrupted twice by impolite women but then by a covered woman who stood by, and when acknowledged simply and wondrously gave me a hug. Needless to say, I hugged back. The staff member suddenly said: She: I want you to meet my Manager. Me: (slightly confused) That would be nice. She took me to a nearby office, a room full of young spirited women. Two or three were English speaking. The Manager a commanding woman, full of energy and like me, loaded with strong opinions. We began a long conversation, she asking, of course, where I came from then curiosity about the motivation for my becoming of the Islamic Faith at such a late age. I had an appointment to meet AK, left, telling and motioning to all that I would return at 2. Did so, which began another huge adventure which you shall hear about in ensuing blogs.”
Writing at this time I went back reading the promised successive blogs , There wee no more details of the crucial events of the day. Why did I not speak of these events at the time I did wonder, but see now that it was so overpoweringly negative. I do not speak or dwell on such negativity until I could try and find a solution to the problem. I am beginning to – read on.
Now from a distance of one year and three months, I will fill in the details. Promptly at 2 that day, I returned to the office in the Women’s section of the Masjid. The feisty Manager began this conversation criticizing my manicured nails, telling me that purification could not be performed with nail polish. I was prepared, once on a prior day being denied admittance to the Masjid. The the ‘guard’ at admittance asked to see my finger nails. I had been denied admittance for wearing a Palestinian scarf. (Later learned from a Saudi Muslim woman that she is never denied admittance nor comments given about her long manicured fingernails.) Standing up for myself on this fateful day, speaking the truth, said “When you perform purification prior to prayer your nails never touch the water, your hands are cupped at times, washing one’s hands in the way required, water and nails never come into contact.” She quickly changed the subject, saying: “I will take you to meet my manager.” I was escorted to a long staircase located nearby. Stairs were a problem with my knees but slowly I climbed the stairs to be ushered into a large room, with wide windows overlooking the worshipping women below.
I was graciously greeted by a woman with great authority, Professor Fatimah Al – Ttuwaijri.
An Aside (.An aside is remark that is not directly related to the main topic of discussion: I shall use this heading throughout to insert up to date information, not known at the time spoken of)) Just did a Google search finding that in February of 2022 the professor had been named as the Assistant to the General President for Women’s Affairs at the Prophet’s Mosque, the creation of a new post. At the time, it was heralded as a giant step forward, illustrating qualitative changes in the recognition of Saudi women’s role in the governing of the Two Holy Mosques. Staff at the Prophet’s Mosque informed me in October of 2023 that she was no longer in that post and had been replaced).
Back to July 2023. She graciously escorted me to a huge window overlooking the sights below telling me she could, at all times, see women of all countries worshipping. She inquired of my coming to the faith, listening intently and then, impromptu, told me she was making the arrangements for me to go to Al-Rawda the very next day. I could not believe it, the next morning arrived early, I was joined by four other English speaking women from Pakistan and a woman from Morocco. We bonded immediately, all of us were utterly and completely amazed to be accorded this immense privilege. Their entry made possible by a previous arrangement. After waiting about two hours out entry was announced. I led the procession in my wheelchair, my knees made it impossible for me to walk long distances. We were weeping tears of joy in anticipation. For some reason I was miked – a woman asking if she could record my impressions throughout the experience. We entered in awe, prostrating in prayer. There were hordes of women, shoving, pushing, tripping over me and Muslim Sisters as we tried to pray. The feisty manager first encountered was in some measure of control, pointing out to mw Fatima’s home, which I hurriedly photographed. It was heartbreaking to see the prayers of my Muslims sisters interrupted and to see them stepped and grabbed by frantic souls. We were quit quickly ushered out of the massive confusion, the total melee. The pinned microphone was put to use, I was asked for my reaction. I recall saying it was so magnificent to be there but how confusing and horrible was the spectacle.of such disrespect. Our group parted, pledging to stay in touch (we did not) The Moroccan woman pushed me back to my nearby hotel. She was able to reach her English speaking daughter, at last we were able to communicate.
All of us, in our little group were utterly dismayed at what we had seen. How can this be allowed to exist I wondered at the time and still do. It is not a rarity, it is commonplace for both men and women I learned speaking to pilgrims of both sexes and those with extensive experience over the years at the Prophet’s Mosque.
I was convinced that I was allowed to see and experience this desecration for a reason. It was my responsibility to speak of it. Other insights obtained during my July 2023 visit encouraged the belief that I must speak out. You shall hear of them soon.
An Aside The situation has not improved only worsened it seems. This from the October 15, 2024 Gulf News. “Over 10 million Muslims visited and prayed at Al-Rawda Al-Sharifa at the Prophet’s (PBUH) Mosque in 2024, according to official Saudi figures.The figure marks a 26 per cent increase against last year. The visitors included 5.8 million male worshippers and 4.7 million females. Due to improved services, the waiting time for access to the site has been cut to one hour. Meanwhile, guidance is now available in 11 languages. The visits were made according to crowd-management rules and separate schedules set for women and men.”
Why are numbers so important to Saudis? It is greed, I have been led to believe.
The photographs you shall now see of that July 2023 day. My Muslim Sisters and me and the photograph taken on the home of Fatima. It was not, of course, covered with gold. Why that gold everywhere from the tomb of the Prophet (PBUH) who lived in such simplicity, modesty and poverty???
