About our Pilgrimage Journey to Mecca

Authored by: Dr. Ahmed Subhy Mansour

Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

About this book:

 With the Grace of the Dominant Lord God, our dearest wish has been fulfilled towards the end of our life; we have performed Hajj rituals in Mecca. This took place within the last week of the lunar month Rabei Awwal in 1414 A.H. Rabei Awwal is the fourth and last one among the four sacred months of Hajj, imposed by the Lord God, in the lunar calendar (Zu Al-Hijja, Muharram, Saffar, and Rabei Awwal). This is in contrast to the dominant notion of confining Hajj to the opening season (i.e., the first week of Zu Al-Hijja). This is our very first experience of Hajj; we have written the articles of this book directly upon our return home. May the Lord God always come to our aid.

Dr. Ahmed Subhy Mansour

9^th of Rabei Al-Akhar 1414 A.H.

6^th of Dec. 2019 A.D., VA, the USA

Table of Contents:

INTRODUCTION

Firstly

Secondly

Thirdly

Fourthly

Fifthly

CONCLUSION

INTRODUCTION

1- In Cairo, Egypt, in the mid-1990s, we have published a lengthy article titled "The Hajj Is During Specific Months" in the Nasserist newspaper (Al-Araby). We have proved in this article, using the Quran, that any person can perform Hajj within any days during the four sacred months of the lunar calendar (Zu Al-Hijja, Muharram, Saffar, and Rabei Awwal); we have proven through history books that the first week of Zu Al-Hijja was, and is, merely the Hajj opening season; we have written about the historical circumstances which drove Arabs to confine Hajj to the first week of Zu Al-Hijja; the main reason for this grave sin was the fact that the caravans of pilgrims were raided by highwaymen among the desert-Arabs and the Bedouins; this made people forget about the four sacred months of Hajj, their sanctity, and the peace imposed during them; the Quran prohibits (as an act of disbelief) the manipulation and change of the days if the lunar months to interfere in the duration of the sacred four months. At the time, our article caused much debate and controversy. This article was published later on, in Arabic, on our Quranism website (www.ahl-alquran.com) launched in 2006. A small part of this mid-1990s article is found, in English, on the following link:    http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=653  

2- Within our book titled "The Unspoken-of History of the Pre-Umayyad 'Righteous' Caliphs", found in English on this link: (http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=83), we prove that the very first sinful caliph, Abou Bakr, is the first ruler to violate the four sacred months of Hajj when he sent military troops within the Arab conquests during the lunar month of Muharram to commit aggression in order to invade and conquer nations which never committed any sort of aggressions against Arabs of Arabia. The Arab conquests continued and so did the Arab civil wars and internecine strife even during the four sacred months of Hajj without showing any respect to their sanctity and the peace which must be adhered to during them. Sadly, even now in our modern era, the Muhammadans continue to wage wars of aggression during the four sacred months of Hajj. In some of our other books, we show how the Kaaba itself was desecrated and destroyed within the strife during the Umayyad and the Abbasid eras. Within the centuries of the Middle-Ages, raiders and marauders attacked and raided the caravans of pilgrims; this drove Arabs to commit the grave sin of confining Hajj to the first week of Zu Al-Hijja. For more details, we refer readers to our subtitled-into-English YouTube episodes about pilgrimage within our show titled (Quranic Moments) (https://www.youtube.com/user/ahlalquran1/featured) and to our book titled "Pilgrimage between Islam and the Muhammadans", found in English on this link:      http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=90      

3- Of course, our abovementioned writings were theoretical since we have not performed Hajj; we ardently wish we would perform Hajj before we die. We imitated the theoretical fiqh authors who put down rules and preach reform. We imitated historians who commented on the acts and deeds common in their eras and preach reform from their own points of view; e.g., Al-Ghazaly, Ibn Al-Jawzy, and Al-Abdary, especially in our book titled "Researching within Sources of Religious History: A Practical Study", in which we write that such authors of fiqh unwittingly provided historical facts about their eras as they registered events, deeds, and acts of people in their eras and commented on them. For years, we wished for years to perform Hajj in order to write about this experience and comment on deeds and acts of people of our modern era while writing comments about what should be (or should have been) done. We sincerely hope that all our books would be part of preaching and warning in this era and the other future eras and be historical references about our era for the people who are yet to be born in later eras. 

4- Because our pilgrimage journey is a new, unique experience for our person and we write about it for the first time, the objective elements are mixed with subjective ones; we mean to say that we write in this book about contemporary history as well as our Quranist vision as a Quranist thinker. We include in this book details about our state of health in order to make our experience beneficial to readers who are as old as our person and are liable to suffer from fatigue and/or any ailments. We include also details about how we have performed the Islamic Hajj rituals away from the Sunnite distortions; we refute the laughter-inducing garments of Ihram impose by Sunnites and prove how they misunderstand the meaning of the state of Ihram. We also refute the Sunnite myth of throwing pebbles at a pillar of stone representing Satan; this is never part of the Hajj rituals at all. We mention in this book how the polytheistic Muhammadans waste and lose the rewards of their Hajj by their insisting on performing pilgrimage to the abomination/tomb (ascribed falsely to Muhammad) found in the Yathreb mosque. We comment on the grave sins of confining Hajj to the first week of Zu Al-Hijja and confining Hajj and Umrah to the Muhammadans though pilgrimage is for all peaceful human beings regardless of their denominations and sects (they are Muslims as per their peaceful demeanor) within the universality of pilgrimage as per the Holy Quran. Some lessons to be drawn and some pieces of advice addressed to the Saudi kingdom conclude this book. May the Dominant Lord God always come to our aid.

Firstly: last week, we have performed pilgrimage in the last days of the four sacred months of Hajj:

1- Years ago, we have received a phone call from a Quranist man from Saudi Arabia; among his questions posed to our person was why we have not performed Hajj to the Kaaba yet? We wept bitterly once we received this question; the tone was filled with reproach as if we made a terrible mistake for not trying to enter into Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj/pilgrimage in Mecca; most of the time, we assumed that the Saudi authorities might desire to take revenge on our person for having severely criticized Saudi Arabia, the Saudi royal family, and Wahabism. We told the Quranist Saudi person, in an agitated manner, that our circumstances at the time did not allow us to perform the pilgrimage journey. We vowed never to lose our temper ever again when talking to someone whom we do not know. In fact, pilgrimage seemed an impossible wish; our political and religious stance against Wahabism and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia made us feel that traveling there was too risky; we might lose our life. Besides, in the past years, we could not afford the journey to Mecca; we are now over 70 years old; the pains in our body joints restrict our movement; this adds to the list of reasons preventing our person from performing pilgrimage to Mecca.

2- Our wife performed pilgrimage, both Hajj and Umrah, at one time among a group of American pilgrims; she performed Umrah once on her own. She ardently wished that she and her husband (i.e., ourselves) would perform Hajj together. When she reached the age of 60 in 2019, and after a lifetime of struggle to help our person and our sons, her birthday presents were special as our sons have decided to reward her. Our third son, Amir, made her wish come true and he accompanied her to a trip into France and Italy. Our fourth son, Hossam, offered her a journey to Mecca to perform Umrah for the third time; yet, she wished she would perform Hajj with our person anytime convenient within the four sacred months of Hajj. At this point in time, we were in the first week of the lunar month Rabei Awwal; Hajj is possible in the rest of this fourth and last sacred month of Hajj. The question was raised: would we risk traveling to Saudi Arabia despite our known stance against this kingdom and its cursed Wahabism? Saudis never tolerate critics of Wahabism. Would Saudis allow our person into Mecca, and then back to our homeland, the USA, unharmed?

3- A heated debate ensued; our first-born son, Mohamed, strongly opposed the idea of our setting foot into Saudi Arabia as he feared for our life; he reminded our person of the assassination of Khashoggi by Saudi Arabia and of a young Egyptian lawyer who, as he came for pilgrimage, was framed by the Saudis who arrested him in the airport of Jeddah by the false accusation of being a drug dealer who sought to smuggle illegal drugs. Our first son, Mohamed, told our person that Saudis may take revenge on us by framing us and his mother (i.e., our wife). Our third son, Amir, insisted on accompanying us in Saudi Arabia and so did our fourth son, Hossam, who entirely covered the pilgrimage journey expenses for our person and our wife (i.e., his father and mother). Our sons and our wife feared very much for our life; in fact, our wife told our person that if there was any degree of risk or if our life would be in danger there, she was ready to sacrifice her wish of performing Hajj with her beloved husband.

4- We allayed their fears by asserting the fact that the case of the assassinated Saudi journalist Khashoggi – may the Lord God rest his soul – does not apply to our person; he was a Saudi man; in the Saudi culture, any 'Saudi' citizen is 'owned' by the Saudi royal family which owns the Saudi State. Of course, Khashoggi belonged to the deep-state of the Saudi regime; i.e., he was expected to blindly obey the king; if he joined any of the opposition movements, he deserved to be punished as per the Saudi mentality; Khashoggi defied the king and the royal family members as he declared his opposition defiantly outside Saudi Arabia; i.e., in the West and elsewhere. That Saudi tyrants punished him by planning his assassination is a strategy applied by any enthroned Arab tyrants who go into extremes in tyranny; e.g., Saddam Hussein, Kaddafi, and Al-Sisi. Each of the enthroned Arab tyrants assumes that he owns the nation and the country/homeland; these tyrants assume that those who oppose and disobey them deserve to be punished or to die along with their innocent family members who are punished as well. We told our wife and our sons that our case of opposing the Saudi kingdom differs a great deal from the case of Khashoggi; we also oppose Wahabi clergymen and all types of clergymen and tyrants in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and all Arab countries and all Middle-East countries. Besides, our own Quranism-based opposition to Saudi Arabia and Wahabism is a peaceful, overt type of opposition which never aims at gaining money, possessions, or fame or reaching power. We seek only to introduce political and religious reform; besides, we hail and encourage in our writings any steps (inside Egypt, Saudi Arabia, or elsewhere) taken forward to achieve any measure of reform. This is done as enthusiastically as our vehement opposition to all types of injustice committed anywhere. We reminded our wife and our sons that we are an independent Muslim thinker who never sides with anyone against anyone else and never seeks rewards, remuneration, or praise from anyone. We reminded them that we have written in the past about demanding the elimination of Saudi Arabia as the axis of evil which is Wahabi terrorism; yet, we have changed our point of view because we realized the fact that if Saudi Arabia is removed one day from the Middle-East map, Iran will control and invade the Gulf monarchies in Arabia and bloodshed will spread there; hence, we have declared our new stance of supporting the gradual reform of the Saudi kingdom; i.e., gradual installation of the culture of democracy and democratic transition; this will take decades until Arabians there imbibe democratic culture within introducing radical reform to the legislative, religious, and educational sectors in Arabia. We told our wife and sons that the crisis of Saudi Arabia regarding Khashoggi has made Saudi authorities learn a lesson (in the hard way) of never to assassinate any Saudi opposition figure however dangerous he might be; hence, since we are a peaceful American citizen coming to Mecca for pilgrimage, the Saudi authorities are entitled to protect all pilgrims of all nationalities; this is implied when they give pilgrims the entry visa. If Saudi Arabia would give our person the entry visa, this means that the Saudi authorities will have to protect us as an American pilgrim; for sure, if any harm would befall our person, the scandal will be grave for Saudi Arabia more than the one caused by the assassination of Khashoggi, especially that the Saudi crown-prince, M. Ibn Salman, builds stronger ties with the USA. We told our wife and sons that the men of the Saudi authorities are not foolish to try to assassinate our person; we never pose any veritable threat to the Saudi kingdom. if we may get killed inside Mecca, the outcomes will be enormous regarding the American-Saudi relations, especially that our second son, Sherif, works at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPS) which is the organization focusing on urging Washington to punish Riyadh for the assassination of Khashoggi. Our second son, Sherif, is like his father; i.e., very strict in his stances and, as an activist, is never bought or sold.            

5- After a long discussion, we reached a solution; once we get the entry visa (easily available for American Muslims in return for certain fees), our second son, Sherif, and his wife the professor and activist Dr. Negar Razavi (the mother of our first granddaughter, Thuraya Mansour) will notify their contacts/friends at the Department of State (and will contact the U.S. consulate in Jeddah) to take the measures necessary to protect our person inside Saudi Arabia since we are an American citizen. Days later, we were happy to receive a phone call from an old friend who works in the U.S. Department of State; he asked us about our very near pilgrimage journey; he gave us very useful pieces of advice about entering the Saudi kingdom; he told us he contacted his friends who work at the U.S. embassy in Riyadh to tell them about our journey to Mecca; he gave us their phone numbers to call them in cases of emergency. As far as we know, this meant that the men of Saudi authorities knew beforehand (from the U.S. embassy in Riyadh) about our intention to perform pilgrimage; they will do their best to protect our person inside Mecca; there is no need to worry about anything; we took the plane to Jeddah on the 21^st of Nov. 2019 and it was planned we will return home in VA, the USA, on the 28^th of Nov.

6- There were some enough days left in the lunar sacred month, Rabei Awwal, and as we have mentioned in our subtitled-into-English YouTube (Quranic Moments) episodes about pilgrimage and in our book, in English, titled "Pilgrimage between Islam and the Muhammadans" (found on this link:         http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=90), Hajj is possible within any days of the four successive sacred months of the lunar calendar; namely, Zu Al-Hijja, Muharram, Saffar, and Rabei Awwal. This is inferred from what the Lord God says in the Quran: "The Hajj is during specific months. Whoever decides to perform Hajj - there shall be no sexual relations, nor misconduct, nor quarrelling during Hajj..." (2:197); "When the Sacred Months have passed, kill the polytheists..." (9:5). The opening season of pilgrimage (i.e., the first days of Zu Al-Hijja) is mentioned here: "And a proclamation from God and His messenger to the people on the day of the Greater Pilgrimage, that God has disowned the polytheists, and so did His messenger..." (9:3). Ease/facilitation in Hajj by the Lord God is mentioned here about making 2 days after and before the four sacred months as part of the Hajj season: "And remember God during the designated days. But whoever hurries on in two days commits no wrong, and whoever stays on commits no wrong - provided he maintains righteousness. And obey God, and know that to Him you will be gathered." (2:203). In several articles of ours, we call for applying this in our modern era in order to lessen the over-crowdedness inside Mecca during Hajj. Of course, the fact that Hajj can be performed anytime within the four sacred month was known within the monotheistic religion of Abraham; this fact is asserted in the Holy Quran which was revealed when pilgrims were tens of thousands only; this proves that Quranic sharia laws of Islam are based on ease/facilitation. Of course, applying 2:203 is a must now; it is gravely unjust to gather millions of people in Mecca in one week; many victims die in stampedes especially during the devilish practice of throwing pebbles at a pillar of stone representing Satan. Hence, the fact that we have performed pilgrimage in the last days of Rabei Awwal, the fourth and last sacred month of Hajj, is an application and practice of what we preach and what we believe in and call for; we hope that Saudi Arabia would apply this Quranic sharia law during Hajj in the future.     

7- Of course, pilgrimage or Hajj never includes visiting Yathreb and its devilish abomination known as the Yathreb-mosque mausoleum dedicated to Muhammad. We believe in the fact that the Lord God will never accept the pilgrimage to the Kaaba, in Mecca, of those who visit and worship such pagan abomination in Yathreb. To visit an worship such abomination is a devilish invention in religion which has nothing to do with Islam of course. Muhammad never visited his own tomb during his lifetime as part of Hajj rituals of course. Likewise, the Pre-Umayyad caliphs and the Umayyad caliphs never did so as part of pilgrimage rituals; such a tomb never existed at all in Yathreb; Muhammad was never buried in a tomb or a cemetery; history tells us he was buried in the chamber of his wife Aisha, where he died and where she lived. When the Yathreb mosque was widened and rebuilt several times decades after the death of the wives of Muhammad, no one knew exactly where the chamber of Aisha was; a spot was chosen randomly, by polytheists who deify Muhammad, to build a mausoleum dedicated to him as his tomb. This turned the Yathreb mosque into a sanctuary (equal to or even surpassing the Sacred Kaaba Mosque in Mecca!) for polytheistic pilgrimage performed by those who deify Muhammad. This falsehood is asserted and invented by Malik in his book of hadiths titled (Al-Mowata') authored by him during the Abbasid Era. Of course, to venerate and worship at such abomination is sheer polytheism and sign of utter disbelief. The existence of this pagan abomination known as the Yathreb-mosque mausoleum indicates clearly that the Muhammadans deify, sanctify, and worship an imaginary, false deity named as (Muhammad) which has nothing to do with the mortal prophet, Muhammad, whose true history is mentioned exclusively in the Quran. To deify Muhammad is the worst type of polytheism and disbelief; those who die as polytheists will enter into Hell since their good deed will be nullified and rendered void; the Lord God pardons all sins except polytheism. This is inferred from the following Quranic verses: "God does not forgive of polytheism of ascribing partners to Him, but He forgives anything less than that to whomever He wills. Whoever ascribes deities to God has devised a monstrous sin." (4:48); "God will not forgive that partners be associated with Him; but will forgive anything less than that, to whomever He wills. Anyone who ascribes partners to God has strayed into far error." (4:116); "They disbelieve those who say, “God is the Messiah the son of Mary.” But the Messiah himself said, “O Israelites, worship God, my Lord and your Lord. Whoever associates others with God, God has forbidden him Paradise, and his dwelling is the Hell-Fire. The unjust ones will have no supporters.”" (5:72). Thus, we never talk/write in void; we infer our ideas from criticizing the status quo in everyday life of the Muhammadans; sadly, the greater aim of pilgrims is to visit, venerate, and worship the abomination known as the Yathreb-mosque mausoleum supposedly housing the buried false allegedly immortal deity of the Muhammadans which salutes them, judges their deeds, and acts as their intercessor. This means that most Muhammadans assume that pilgrimage to het Kaaba in Mecca is a mere preliminary step preceding their 'true' pilgrimage to Yathreb. This means that they mix a good deed (i.e., Hajj in Mecca) with a sinful act of polytheism (i.e., pilgrimage to the Yathreb mausoleum ascribed forcibly and falsely to Muhammad). The outcome is that their disbelief and polytheism will lead them to Hell for eternity if they die without repentance. This is why in our writings, we warn and preach those polytheistic Muhammadans. The Lord God has said the following to Muhammad and to the prophets/messengers before him: "It was revealed to you, and to those before you, that if you adhere to polytheism, your works will be in vain, and you will be of the losers." (39:65); this is about nullifying the good deeds of polytheists: "We will proceed to the works they did, and will turn them into scattered dust." (25:23); "As for those who disbelieve, their works are like a mirage in a desert. The thirsty assumes it is to be water. Until, when he has reached it, he finds it to be nothing, but there he finds God, Who settles his account in full. God is swift in judgment. Or like utter darkness in a vast ocean, covered by waves, above which are waves, above which is fog. Darkness upon darkness. If he brings out his hand, he will hardly see it. He to whom God has not granted a light has no light." (24:39-40). After they are made to enter into Hell, the polytheists will regret their nullified good deeds and will feel sorry after it is too late for them; they will never be made to get out of Hell: "Those who followed will say, “If only we can have another chance, we will disown them, as they disowned us.” Thus God will show them their deeds, as regrets to them, and they will not come out of the Hell-Fire." (2:167). Sadly, the Muhammadan, polytheistic pilgrims pay large sums of money to worship the Yathreb-mosque abomination, an act which will earn them Hell for eternity.         

Secondly: at the two airports:

1- We were pained to see other male pilgrims wearing this laughter-inducing dress of Ihram; i.e., two pieces of white cloth wrapped around the upper and lower body without underwear! In our previous writings and YouTube videos about pilgrimage, we have proven that Ihram has nothing to do with such laughter-inducing garments; Ihram simply means to adhere to higher piety while obeying the Quranic commands regarding pilgrimage within the combined three sanctuaries of time, place, and soul.

2- The state of Ihram during pilgrimage begins with purifying one's soul once one would enter into Mecca before beginning the Hajj rituals; this state of Ihram ends when one would finish all rituals; it contuse before finishing them even if one leaves Mecca temporarily for any reason. Meanwhile, piety is to be attained and maintained all the time. Certain deeds are prohibited and others are permitted during the state of Ihram: "Permitted for you is the catch of sea, and its food - as sustenance for you and for travelers. But forbidden for you is hunting while you are in the state of Ihram. And fear God within piety, to Whom you will be gathered." (5:96); "...those heading for the Sacred House seeking blessings from their Lord and approval. When you have ended the state of Ihram, you may hunt..." (5:2). Pilgrims must obey the Lord God's Quranic commands regarding pilgrimage.

3- The state of Ihram simply means combining simultaneously the three sanctuaries of time, place, and soul.

3/1: The place sanctuary is the Lord God's Sacred House; i.e., the Kaaba itself; this is the only location designated by the One Dominant Lord God for pilgrimage on Planet Earth and in the whole universe. Hence, pilgrims seek only the Kaaba in Mecca; they are not to perform pilgrimage elsewhere.

3/2: The time sanctuary is the four lunar sacred months: "The number of months, according to God, is twelve months - in the decree of God - since the Day He created the heavens and the earth, of which four are sacred. This is the correct religion. So do not wrong yourselves during them..." (9:36).

3/3: The third and last sanctuary is the heart/soul of the pious, monotheistic pilgrim.

3/3/1: This heart/soul of any given pious pilgrim must be purified; i.e., it cannot harbor even the mere intention of sinning: "As for those who disbelieve and repel from God’s Path and from the Sacred Mosque - which We have designated for all humankind equally, whether residing therein or passing through - and whoever seeks to commit sacrilege therein - We will make him taste of a painful torment." (22:25); "O you who believe! do not hunt while you are in the state of Ihram. Whoever of you kills any intentionally, its penalty shall be a domestic animal comparable to what he killed, as determined by two honest persons among you - an offering delivered to the Kaaba. Or he may atone by feeding the needy, or its equivalent in fasting, so that he may taste the consequences of his conduct. God forgives what is past. But whoever repeats, God will take revenge on him. God is Almighty, Avenger." (5:95). Intentions of sinning are known only to the Omniscient Lord God; this means that Ihram is a state of pilgrims directly dealing with the Lord God within fear, reverence, and piety.

3/3/2: The pious hearts/souls of pilgrims avoid things prohibited during Ihram which are permitted in ordinary days outside Mecca; i.e., marital sex, small mistakes/sins, and disputes/arguments or quarrels (i.e., about ordinary topics, and NOT about religion as religious arguments of any sort must be avoided all the time anywhere): "The Hajj is during specific months. Whoever decides to perform the Hajj - there shall be no sexual relations, nor misconduct, nor quarrelling during the Hajj..." (2:197).

3/3/3: Pious pilgrims prevent their hearts/souls before their hands from hunting during their Ihram.

3/3/3/1: "...but do not hunt while you are in the state of Ihram...." (5:1).

3/3/3/2: "O you who believe! God will test you with something of the game your hands and spears obtain, that God may know who fears Him at heart. Whoever commits aggression after that will have a painful torment." (5:94).

3/3/3/3: "O you who believe! do not hunt while you are in the state of Ihram. Whoever of you kills any intentionally, its penalty shall be a domestic animal comparable to what he killed, as determined by two honest persons among you - an offering delivered to the Kaaba. Or he may atone by feeding the needy, or its equivalent in fasting, so that he may taste the consequences of his conduct. God forgives what is past. But whoever repeats, God will take revenge on him. God is Almighty, Avenger." (5:95).

3/3/3/4: "Permitted for you is the catch of sea, and its food - as sustenance for you and for travelers. But forbidden for you is hunting while you are in the state of Ihram. And fear God within piety, to Whom you will be gathered." (5:96).

4- Pious pilgrims adhere to performing many good deeds while seeking to obey and gratify their Lord God during their performing the Hajj rituals; these good deeds include extra prayers, glorifying the Holy Name of the Lord God, and circumambulating the Kaaba.

4/1: "And We made the House a focal point for the people, and a sanctuary. Use the station of Abraham as a place of prayers. And We commissioned Abraham and Ishmael, “Sanctify My House for those who circle around it, and those who seclude themselves in it, and those who kneel and prostrate.”" (2:125); "We showed Abraham the location of the House: “Do not associate anything with Me; and purify My House for those who circle around, and those who stand to pray, and those who kneel and prostrate.”" (22:26).

4/2: "And remember God during the designated days..." (2:203); "That they may witness the benefits for themselves, and celebrate the name of God during the appointed days..." (22:28). Thus, rituals of Hajj take few days; fatigued by the journey, some pilgrims may perform the rituals within several more days; e.g., standing at the Arafat Mount and the purchase and offering of sacrificed animals.

5- This is the state of Ihram which marks the pilgrimage as a very special occasion and an act of worship which differs a lot from other acts of worship (for those who can afford it in terms of money and health).

6- Within transit, the plane we took landed in the airport of Frankfurt, Germany, in order to allow pilgrims to take another plane heading to Jeddah, the main Red-Sea port in Saudi Arabia. During our waiting time in this airport, we saw many male pilgrims wrapped in the laughter-inducing, revealing garments of their polytheistic pilgrimage; they walk in it proudly as if intentionally showing it off to the Germans; it is as if they take pride in this latest fashion or dernier cri. To make the scene more painful, some pilgrims made their male children wear the same garments! We posed this question inwardly within our mind: Would their pilgrimage to Mecca and their state of Ihram be acceptable to the Lord God despite wearing such horrid garments of semi-naked men?! We think that Ihram is all about dedicating and devoting one's heart/soul to the Lord God within reverence and fear regardless of wearing ordinary/simple or expensive clothes. Yet, how dare these pilgrims perform pilgrimage within piety while they are semi-naked?!  

7- We posed this question to our mind: Would it be beneficial if we advise such people by reminding them of this Quranic verse: "O children of Adam! Dress properly at every mosque..." (7:31)? This divine command is about entering all mosques on earth; thus, the Sacred Kaaba Mosque is no exception to this Quranic rule in 7:31. We felt very much the desire to explain to these pilgrims the true meaning of the state of Ihram and the vital importance of purifying one's heart/soul of all types of polytheism of deifying things, places, and mortals. We desired to remind them of this Quranic verse within the context of pilgrimage legislations: "All that. Whoever venerates the sanctities of God - it is good for him with his Lord...So stay away from the abomination of idols, and stay away from perjury." (22:30). Yet, we reminded ourselves that it is no use doing so; they will never listen to the pieces of advice preached by our person. This is asserted further when our plane landed in the airport of Jeddah; at the age of 70, our frail body is burden we carry about with extreme difficulty; we walk very slowly as we suffer pains all the time in our backbone and our body joints. This made us suffer as we felt the painful urge to urinate; we cannot run to the rest room. We had to lean on our fourth son, Hossam, to reach the special rest room whose cubicle is made for old men. Unfortunately, the bathroom was occupied for a long time; the other public bathrooms were far away and not made for old people like our person; we decided not to use them. We felt much pain as if our bladder was about to explode; we feared that we might suffer urinal incontinence. We knocked at the door of the bathroom several times but in vain; we told ourselves that the man inside might be an old man who suffers any diseases or pains; we must excuse him for occupying the bathroom for such a long time. Eventually, he left the cubicle; to our surprise, he was a strong, burly young man in his early fortieth! We saw him before in the airport of Frankfurt. He got out of the bathroom while walking proudly in his Sunnite, laughter-inducing Ihram garments, showing off his semi-nakedness! Shame on him! We reminded ourselves, as we plodded our way to the bathroom after it became unoccupied at last, that it is no use trying to preach and advise those pilgrims who will return to their homelands with more misguidance and polytheism filling their souls!   

8- We noticed during our circumambulating the Kaaba that the laughter-inducing Sunnite pilgrimage garments dominated among all pilgrims regardless of their nationality and skin color; most pilgrims were from African and Asian countries, with yellow and black skins respectively, and few Arabs (some white-skinned and some dark-skinned as the case with Middle-Eastern men) and fewer white people of European origin. Most of them circumambulate the Kaaba in groups; each group had its male leader; all of them repeat after him reverently some words of prayers/supplications in (bad) Arabic. We felt very sorry for them; they will be more pious and reverent as they worship at the Yathreb abomination/mausoleum ascribed to Muhammad; they will humbly beseech their imagined buried, immortal deity under their feet to act as their intercessor. This polytheism will nullify their pilgrimage to Mecca. We felt like advising them in English and in Arabic about not to go to the Yathreb abomination, but we remembered that arguments of all types are strictly forbidden during Ihram in Mecca as per the Holy Quran. 

9- Arguments about religion (anytime and anywhere) are strictly forbidden by the Lord God in the Quran because disbelievers may seek, in their arguments, to undermine and to strive against the Quranic verses of the Lord God; let us be reminded of the following Quranic facts.

9/1: The polytheists who reject the Quran seek to refute and undermine its verses: "None argues against God’s Verses except those who disbelieve..." (40:4).

9/2: The disbelieving polytheists seek to argue with falsehoods as they seek in vain to refute or cast doubt on the Quranic Truth: "We send the messengers only as deliverers of good news and warners. Those who disbelieve argue with false argument, in order to defeat the truth thereby. They take My Verses, and the warnings, for a joke. Who does greater wrong than he, who, when reminded of his Lord’s Verses, turns away from them, and forgets what his hands have put forward? We have placed coverings over their hearts, lest they understand it, and heaviness in their ears. And if you call them to guidance, they will not be guided, ever." (18:56-57).

9/3: They deserve to be hated by the Lord God: "Those who argue against God’s Verses, without any proof having come to them - a heinous sin in the sight of God, and of those who believe. Thus God seals the heart of every arrogant sinner." (40:35); "Those who dispute regarding God’s Verses without any authority having come to them - there is nothing in their hearts but the feeling of arrogance, which they will never attain. So seek refuge in God; for He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing." (40:56).

9/4: In every era, wherever people are found, there will be among them who argue against God's Quranic verses: "And among the people is he who argues about God without knowledge, or guidance, or an enlightening book. Turning aside in contempt, to lead away from the Path of God. He will have humiliation in this world, and on the Day of Resurrection We will make him taste the torment of burning." (22:8-9).

9/5: Satan the Devil, as well as his devils under him, drives polytheists to engage into this type of seeking to undermine, or striving/arguing against, the Lord God's Quranic verses: "...The devils inspire their followers to argue with you; but if you obey them, you would be polytheists." (6:121); "Among the people is he who argues about God without knowledge, and follows every defiant devil. It was decreed for him, that whoever follows him - he will misguide him, and lead him to the Hell torment." (22:3-4).

9/6: The polytheists used to come to Muhammad on purpose to argue against the Quranic verses with him: "Among them are those who listen to you; but We place covers over their hearts, to prevent them from understanding it, and heaviness in their ears. Even if they see every verse, they will not believe in it. Until, when they come to you, to argue with you, those who disbelieve will say, “These are nothing but myths of the ancients.”" (6:25).

9/7: The Lord God has commanded Muhammad here to respond to them briefly: "But if they dispute with you, say, “God is fully aware of what you do.” God will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection regarding what you disagree about." (22:68-69).

9/8: The Lord God warns them here against Hell torment for eternity: Have you not observed those who dispute regarding God's Verses, how they have deviated? Those who call the Book a lie, and what We sent Our messengers with - they will surely know. When the yokes are around their necks, and they will be dragged by the chains. Into the boiling water, then in the Fire they will be consumed." (40:69-72).

10- Thus, the impermissible type of arguments (about religion) is strictly forbidden during the state of Ihram during pilgrimage along with ordinary arguments about worldly matters (permissible only outside the state of Ihram). 

11- Ordinary arguments about worldly matters (e.g., about sports, politics, arts, and sciences) are permissible only outside the state of Ihram; they are absolutely forbidden during Ihram and pilgrimage so as not to allow them to turn into quarrels; the intention here is to give one's soul/heart the chance to dedicate the whole time to remembering the Lord God and to perform rituals of pilgrimage in peace and security. Pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca is for all peaceful human beings since all of them by adhering to peaceful behavior, regardless of their denominations or faiths, adhere to Islam in terms of peaceful demeanor. As for the other meaning of Islam; i.e., in terms of faith tenets and belief inside one's heart (i.e., monotheism), this is left only for the Lord God to judge on the Last Day when He will settle the religious differences and disputes of all humanity.

Thirdly: about the universality of pilgrimage: pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca is for all humanity:

1- Let us suppose that a Coptic Orthodox Christian couple; i.e., a man and his wife, who are devoted to their religion, submitted a request to perform pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca. The result will be that their request will refused by Saudi authorities because such a couple deify Jesus Christ. In contrast, an Egyptian Sunnite Muhammadans man believes in the so-called intercession of Muhammad, performing pilgrimage to the mausoleum ascribed to him in Yathreb, and in myths like Muhammad being created from the Light of the Lord God, Muhammad being created before Adam, and the world being created only for the sake of Muhammad; this Sunnite man was accepted to come into Saudi Arabia as a pilgrim in Mecca. This is unjust; both he and the Coptic couple deify mortals; both are polytheists; yet, the Coptic man and his wife who deify Jesus are never allowed into Mecca as pilgrims; the Sunnite man is allowed into Mecca as pilgrim and the same applies to a Wahabi man who joined ISIS terrorists and another Wahabi man who joined Al-Qaeda though both men professed their readiness to commit jihadist/terrorist operations anywhere worldwide including Mecca! Thus, the Christian Copts of Egypt who are among the most peaceful communities on earth and who bear patiently with being unjustly treated cannot perform pilgrimage to the Kaaba, whereas pilgrimage is available for all Muhammadans who deify mortals and things  (disbelief in terms of faith tenets) especially for Wahabis who tend to commit acts of violence (i.e., disbelief in terms of behavior) and to massacre innocent people within indiscriminate killings and terrorist operations. This injustice has nothing to do with the True Islam (i.e., Qurnaism).            

2- When we were inside the Sacred Kaaba Mosque, we saw that the vast majority of pilgrims there at the time were (arranged from the biggest numbers to the least numbers) Indians, Indonesians, Turks, Moroccans, Africans, and Europeans. We could not help but wonder why they never allow non-Muhammadans in their countries from coming to Mecca for pilgrimage if they desire it. We mean that pilgrimage to Mecca should be permitted to peaceful Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Baha'is, Ahmadiyya, and Israelites. We mean that they never commit aggression at all; the same applies to the vast majority of the peaceful Muhammadans. The disbelievers in terms of demeanor (i.e., violence, terrorism, and aggression) are less than 1% of the Muhammadans. Of course, the polytheistic belief tenets of the Muhammadans who deify mortals resemble those of Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Baha'is, Ahmadiyya, etc. who also deify mortals with different names. Thus, the raised question is as follows: why is pilgrimage allowed for the Muhammadans only? They also fall into the trap of disbelief in terms of faith tenets as they perform pilgrimage to the Yathreb abomination; i.e., the mausoleum or tomb forcibly and falsely ascribed to Muhammad. No one protests against such devilish pilgrimage to Yathreb. We hope that one day, the true Quranic/Islamic sharia laws would be applied one day in relation to pilgrimage; i.e., pilgrimage should be allowed for all peaceful human beings regardless of their faith tenets and denominations.  

3- Allah is the One Lord God of all humanity and not only of Muslims and Muhammadans: "Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds." (1:2). The One Lord has but one Sacred House made for all human beings, in all eras, for the sake of pilgrimage which is a religious duty for those who can afford it: "The first house established for the humankind is the one at Bacca; blessed, and guidance for all people." (3:96); "...Pilgrimage to the House is a duty to God for all who can make the journey..." (3:97); the Lord God has commanded Abraham to call all human beings to perform pilgrimage: "And announce the pilgrimage to humanity. They will come to you on foot, and on every transport. They will come from every distant point." (22:27). When the Qorayish tribesmen controlled the Kaaba as if they were its owners, the Lord God has described them as disbelievers; His Sacred House is made for all human being equally within safety and security: "As for those who disbelieve and repel from God’s Path and from the Sacred Mosque - which We have designated for all humankind equally, whether residing therein or passing through..." (22:25); "God has appointed the Kaaba, the Sacred House, a sanctuary for all people, and the Sacred Month, and the offerings, and the garlanded..." (5:97); "And We made the House a focal point for the people, and a sanctuary...And We commissioned Abraham and Ishmael, “Sanctify My House for those who circle around it, and those who seclude themselves in it, and those who kneel and prostrate.”" (2:125); thus, this meaning is repeated in the Quran. When the Qorayish tribesmen hated dispersing from the Arafat Mount, the Lord God has told them the following: "Then disperse from where the people disperse..." (2:199).

4- As per the abovementioned point, the pilgrimage to the Kaaba is for all humanity; this is a universal or international religious duty imposed by Allah on all people who are addressed directly here: "O people! We created you from a male and a female, and made you races and tribes, that you may know one another. The best among you in the sight of God is the most righteous..." (49:13). This means all human beings are brethren and have one parents (i.e., Adam and his wife) despite their different tongues and colors; they should get to know one another peacefully and not to fight one another; the best location and time for peacefully knowing one another are during Hajj at the Kaaba (a sanctuary of security and peace made by Allah for all humanity) within the four sacred months. All of them are united there within peace and security; i.e., Islam in terms of behavior.  

5- The root of the problem is that most people are not aware of both types of Islam (i.e., in terms of behavior and in terms of belief). In terms of behavior, Islam is peaceful demeanor; this can be judged by others; all peaceful people are Muslims as per overt behavior when they deal with people regardless of their different faith tenets or denominations which are judged only by the Lord God: "Say, “Our God, Originator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of all secrets and declarations. You will judge between your servants regarding what they had differed about.”" (39:46). In terms of belief, Islam is monotheism; i.e., to devote/dedicate one's heart/soul and religion to the Lord God, willingly obeying Him only within submission: "Say, “My prayers and my acts of worship, and my life and my death, are devoted to God, the Lord of the Worlds. No associate has He. Thus I am commanded, and I am the first of those who submit." (6:162-163). Of course, the true, monotheistic believers are expected to adhere to both types of Islam (i.e., in terms of peaceful behavior and in terms of monotheistic belief): "O you who believe! Enter into peace, wholeheartedly, and do not follow the footsteps of Satan; he is to you an outright enemy." (2:208). The pious ones who will inherit the Eternal Life in Paradise combine both meanings of Islam (i.e., in terms of peace and monotheism), and their Paradise in the Hereafter is called the Home of Peace which is the reward of their good deeds: "For them is the Home of Peace with their Lord, and He is their Ally - because of what they used to do." (6:127). Sadly, the vast majority of human beings, who belong to Islam in terms of peaceful behavior, belong to misguidance or polytheism in terms of faith tenets: "And most of them do not believe in God unless within polytheism." (12:106); they would have misguided Muhammad himself if he were to obey them: "If you were to obey most of those on earth, they would divert you from God’s Path. They follow nothing but assumptions, and they only conjecture." (6:116); Muhammad could never have convinced such polytheistic majority, of his era in Arabia, to believe in Allah within monotheism: "But most people, for all your eagerness, are not believers." (12:103). At the same time, a minority of human beings in all eras will be among the Paradise dwellers who are of two types of degrees: the Forerunners and those on the Right mentioned respectively here: "A throng from the ancients. And a small band from the latecomers." (56:13-14); "A throng from the ancients. And a throng from the latecomers." (56:39-40). The sphere of applying the Quranic/Islamic sharia laws is linked to human rights as per their overt behavior and NEVER as per searching into souls/hearts of people to question their faith. As for the belief in Allah within either polytheism or monotheism, this is for Allah to judge and not for human beings to judge. Typically, people differ in their religions and faith tenets; each group consider itself as having the Truth and deem others as disbelievers. This is why on the Last Day, the Omniscient Lord God is the Only One to judge all humanity and settle their disputes and differences in religion: "Say, “Our God, Originator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of all secrets and declarations. You will judge between your servants regarding what they had differed about.”" (39:46). This meaning is repeated several times in the Quranic text.

6- Muhammad's companions exemplified both type of Islam in terms of peaceful behavior and in terms of monotheistic belief; many of them exemplified disbelief/polytheism as well. One's companions are one's contemporaries who lived in the same era and location; this is why Muhammad is described in the Quran as the companion of Arab disbelievers and polytheists (see 34:36, 53:2, and 81:22). Accordingly, the polytheistic Arabs were also companions of Muhammad. There were several types of his companions in Yathreb: the Forerunners, those who mixed good deeds with bad ones, the frank hypocrites, and those adamant in hypocrisy who concealed their disbelief and were never known for Muhammad as hypocrites (see 9:97-102). Hypocrites who died as such will enter into the lower levels of Hell. Of course, both types of hypocrites (overt, frank ones and covert, secret ones) in Yathreb who lived around Muhammad were peaceful people in terms of behavior and they never resorted to violence nor raised arms; this is why they enjoyed citizenship in the Quran-based or Islamic Yathreb city-state. Some companions in Yathreb were believers in terms of behavior but within monotheism and they enjoyed their religious freedom available by Islam (i.e., the Quran); this is inferred from this Quranic context descended shortly before the death of Muhammad: "O you who believe! Wine, gambling, mausoleums, and divination are abominations of Satan’s doing. Avoid them, so that you may prosper. Satan wants to provoke strife and hatred among you through wine and gambling, and to prevent you from the remembrance of God, and from prayers. Will you not desist? Obey God and obey the Messenger, and beware. If you turn away - know that the duty of Our messenger is clear communication." (5:90-92). Of course, there were polytheistic Arabs whose aggressive behavior and launching wars against Yathreb entailed engaging into self-defense military endeavors (see 2:190-194 and 2:217). Belligerent Arabs loved to raid one another; this was the dominant culture turned into a polytheistic religion by Qorayish tribesmen whose military troops attacked Yathreb several times to terrorize peaceful believers there at the time. When the peaceful Islamic call prevailed eventually, most Arabs, including the tribe of Qorayish, entered into the religion of peace (i.e., Islam in term of peaceful demeanor); this is deemed in the Quran as victory: "When there comes God’s victory and triumph. And you see the people entering into God’s religion in multitudes. Then celebrate the praise of your Lord, and seek His forgiveness. He is the Accepter of Repentance." (110:1-3). Muhammad, of course, was no mind-reader and he had no measure of omniscience; he never knew if such multitudes converted to Islam in terms of faith inside their souls or not; he saw only their adherence to peaceful coexistence.

7- During the wars of Qorayish against Muhammad, this tribe prevented Muhammad and the early believers (i.e., peaceful people) from pilgrimage: "It is they who disbelieved, and barred you from the Sacred Mosque, and prevented the offering from reaching its destination...." (48:25). We should bear in mind that Muhammad's companions at the time included covert and overt hypocrites, the Forerunners, those who mixed good deeds and bad ones, and those who were addicted to sins like wine, gambling, and polytheistic acts worship. There are no Quranic divine commands about preventing them from performing pilgrimage in Mecca. On the contrary, the Lord God has predicted their performing pilgrimage later on: "God has fulfilled His Messenger’s vision in truth: “You will enter the Sacred Mosque, God willing, in security, heads shaven, or hair cut short, not fearing. He knew what you did not know, and has granted besides that an imminent victory.”" (48:27). This means that pilgrimage to the Kaaba is for all peaceful people (i.e., those who adhere to peaceful demeanor) regardless of their faith tenets and denominations.

8- Disbelievers in terms of behavior (i.e., aggressors and those who resort to unjustified violence) are the ones to be prevented from approaching the Sacred Kaaba Mosque; their unwarranted aggression makes them polluted with sin; this is mentioned in this Quranic verse addressing Muslims during Muhammad's lifetime when they controlled Mecca: "O you who believe! The polytheists are polluted, so let them not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year of theirs..." (9:28).

9- Within the abovementioned point, we know that the description of disbelief applies to those who control the Kaaba while preventing peaceful people from entering into Mecca for pilgrimage: "As for those who disbelieve and repel from God’s Path and from the Sacred Mosque - which We have designated for all humankind equally, whether residing therein or passing through..." (22:25). Other disbelievers are aggressors who commit violence inside Mecca and its Sacred Kaaba Mosque: "O you who believe! The polytheists are polluted, so let them not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year of theirs..." (9:28). Within the long history of the Ancient House before and after the descent of the Quran, it was mostly Arabs who violated the sanctity of the Kaaba and were highwaymen who raided, robbed, and massacred the pilgrims on their way to Mecca or to their homelands. Such sinful Arabs were not among the vast majority of peaceful human beings who are allowed to perform pilgrimage.

10- Lastly, the call for pilgrimage to the Kaaba (the only place sanctuary designated by Allah on Planet Earth) is for all people in all eras, regardless of their different faiths and denominations, within peace and security; i.e., pilgrims there must adhere to peaceful behavior so that security is maintained. Pilgrims meet in peace and security preserved to the extent that quarrels and arguments are prohibited during the state of Ihram there in order to make room for people to make the acquaintance of one another as they consume the meat of sacrificed animals while contemplating on the One and Only Lord God; pilgrims should return to their homelands in safety after such a great spiritual experience; they may be guided by this experience of Islam in terms of behavior (i.e., peaceful demeanor) to reach Islam in terms of faith (i.e., submission to the Dominant Lord God within monotheism and devotion). 

Fourthly: within airports and in the hotel:

1- The time for setting out for our journey was 10:00PM on Thursday, 21^st of Nov. We took the plane of the American United Airlines from Dallas international airport in Washington. Our transit was in an airport in Frankfurt; a Lufthansa plane took us to the airport in Jeddah. We reached Jeddah in the next day at 10:00PM. On our way back home, we left the Jeddah airport at 2:00AM on Thursday, 28^th of Nov. to the Frankfurt airport and then to Washington.

2- Our fourth son, Hossam, procured to us a wheelchair used by the ill and those who cannot walk for a long time inside airports. There were two types of wheelchairs: the one which must be pushed by someone else and special cars to carry people and their luggage once they enter into the airport, as we have seen in the airport in Frankfurt. Sadly, the Dallas airport in Washington is backward in this respect; we, an ill, old man, had to walk along with our luggage for about a kilometer before reaching the area of United Airlines. We waited for a while until someone brought us the wheelchair and to push us, along with our luggage, into the gate leading to our plane. Of course, wheelchairs are very important to an old, ill man like our person; this will save us miles of moving on foot inside airports and through their gates and floors; besides, moving on a wheelchair gives persons like us priority within measures of examining passports and searching the luggage.  

3- It was decided that we, our wife, and our third son, Amir, will take the plane from Washington, and we will be joined by our fourth son, Hossam, in Frankfurt, as he will take the plane from LA, the USA, where he works. Our first son, Mohamed, drove us to the Dallas airport and accompanied our person, our wife, and our third son, Amir, within the measures related to the luggage. Amir and Mohamed, along with our wife, took the passports and luggage and moved hastily to the area of United Airlines. We walked very slowly as we lagged behind, panting as we leaned on our walking cane. Unfortunately, the cane fell on the ground and it was very painful for us to bow and take it back; pains in our back were unbearable. We caught up with our sons and wife, feeling our pounding heart. We sat down in the wheelchair, waiting for the purchase of tickets, examination of luggage, and other measures. We waited for a while until we could hire someone to push the wheelchair to the waiting lounge in order to catch our plane. We felt mortified as we sat on this wheelchair because our facial features do not show any signs of senility and old age to justify using a wheelchair. Our feeling embarrassed increased as we saw many Americans older than our person striding and pushing their luggage. Our embarrassment increased as the persons who pushed our wheelchair were an old woman and then an old man; they were almost at our age. This was not very comfortable for us, but we had to accept it. We tipped them generously; this never lessened our mortification. When we asked the old man (when we saw his face) if he was from Pakistan, he answered with haughtiness that he came from Bangladesh. As this old man pushed our wheelchair, he panted heavily and seemed to feel fatigues; he requested the help of Amir. We felt sorry for this old man; we imagined, in a moment of surrealism, that we would leave the wheelchair immediately and push it with him! Our next Via Dolorosa was inside the economy class of the United Airlines plane; we felt that this company punished our person for getting economy-class tickets by offering us very uncomfortable seats which are sure to cause a backache for a slender, young man, let alone a fat, old, ill man like our person.  

4- The details of our suffering are important here because they are linked to one of the greatest features of Quranic sharia laws; namely, the legislative purposes of ease/facilitation and removal of burdens. This feature is not linked only to pilgrimage in this journey of ours but also to prayers and purification/ablution. We are very grateful to our Lord God because all our life, we have never missed any of the daily prayers imposed by Him for pious believers on specific times. We easily perform Tayammum by wiping our face and hands with a clean handkerchief or any raised, clean surface. The Sunnite Tayammum using sand or dust reflects the backwardness and idiocy of the Sunnite laws of the Muhammadans; dust and sand are never raised, clean surfaces since we tread on them with our feet. Of course, missing any prayers is hardly excusable within such ease/facilitation, even during times of war and being chased by enemies, as we explain in our subtitled-into-English YouTube videos about prayers and also in our book titled "Between the Quranic Prayers of Muslims and the Devilish Prayers of the Muhammadans". We pray regularly and on time anywhere, even inside planes and cars, while adhering to piety, reverence, and concentration as much as we can.  

5- The plane of the United Airlines landed in the airport of Frankfurt, where we found unparalleled care for old people like ourselves; a hired man drove us in a comfortable car for several miles until we reached the gate to the plane taking off to Jeddah. Luckily, this was a Lufthansa plane and not a plane of the United Airlines; the economy class in the Lufthansa plane has its very comfortable seats and wide aisles. As expected, our fourth son, Hossam, met with us at this Frankfurt airport. 

6- We reached the Jeddah airport in the very next day: Friday the 22^nd of Nov. at 10:00PM. Another wheelchair was waiting for us; we and our wife and two sons, Amir and Hossam, pretended never to feel anxious about anything. Both Amir and Hossam had the phone number of our second son, Sherif, at hand in case they need to call him if an emergency would take place; Sherif was spending a vacation in Spain as he celebrated his 40^th birthday, while waiting for any calls any time in case our life would be in danger. Luckily, nothing dreadful happened to us. May the Dominant Lord God be thanked and praised. When our passport was being examined, we were sitting in our wheelchair before a Saudi young woman in niqab; this female employee checked our passport, took our fingerprints, and took a photo of us as typically expected. That was all. We guess that she smiled under her niqab as she welcomed our person to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We sighed in relief; we felt very happy that nothing dreadful happened to us. We moved from Jeddah to Mecca in a comfortable car, rented by Hossam, driven by a Saudi driver; this helped passing all checkpoints without troubles at all. We could not help but notice the wide highway and the many large trucks which indicate commercial prosperity. Hossam booked for us a large suite in a hotel overlooking the Sacred Kaaba Mosque; one of the main gates of this hotel is nearer to the Sacred Kaaba Mosque. Out the window of this suite, we could see the Sacred Kaaba Mosque and hear the prayers and the Azan (i.e., the call to prayers).

7- We were fatigued after this long, sleepless journey; yet, we left the hotel quickly in order to see the Kaaba for the first time in our life. We moved through unroofed, paved spaces and then roofed, paved spaces which surround the Sacred Kaaba Mosque. Hossam advised us to enter into the Sacred Kaaba Mosque from the King Fahd Gate No. 73 which was facing the hotel in order to save time as this has been the shortest way from the hotel to the Kaaba.

8- Luckily for us, there were no crowds of pilgrims circling the Kaaba at the time. We said to our wife and two sons that the first step was the intention to begin the state of Ihram and to circumambulate the Kaaba. Of course, they have prior knowledge about Islamic Hajj rituals and the meaning of Ihram. We had with us our walking cane to lean on it; we reassured our wife and two sons that we can circle the Kaaba with them. Each of our two sons took both our arms in theirs in order to help us walk; our wife walked on front of us; all of us began to circle the Kaaba; we read to them Quranic verses which contain supplications addressed to the Lord God and glorification of the Holy Name of the Lord God; they listened as we circled the Kaaba together. It was a magical moment of fervor, devoutness, and reverence. Circumambulation ended and we decided to perform prolonged acts of worship until the dawn prayers; we prayed and read some Quranic Chapters. Sensing extreme fatigue and the urge to urinate, our two sons accompanied us to the hotel suite where we performed the dawn prayer on our own; our wife and sons performed the dawn prayers at the Sacred Kaaba Mosque. In fact, our wife performed prolonged acts of worship until the dawn prayers at the Sacred Kaaba Mosque every night the whole week; may the Lord God bless and reward her. She typically left us in the hotel suite either after the night prayers or after midnight in order to perform prolonged acts of worship until the dawn prayers at the Sacred Kaaba Mosque. When we felt worried about her walking alone, we would remember (after thanking and praising the Lord God) the lights and the security guards everywhere in Mecca, turning nights into broad daylight, and constant movement of many pilgrims in the way between the hotel and the Sacred Kaaba Mosque.     

9- In the very next day, we decided to rest all day long; yet, Amir suggested to our person that we should not waste the day; he said that we should perform a Hajj ritual; he and Hossam suggested helping us to perform the march between the Safa and Marwa Mounts that night. A wheelchair was ordered for us in the hotel; we sat in it while being pushed by Amir and Hossam within the march between the Safa and Marwa Mounts. This activity drained the energy of both Amir and Hossam because of the long way betweenthe Safa and Marwa Mounts and its ups and downs.

10- We have to praise here the constructions made by the Saudi royal family inside the Sacred Kaaba Mosque and around it; there are also parallel route between the Safa and Marwa Mounts; one for those marching on foot and one for those on wheelchairs like us. Circling the Kaaba can be performed in many floors apart from the ground-floor. There are, outside the Sacred Kaaba Mosque, roofed and unroofed paved spaces with the capacity to include tens of thousands of people during prayers. All gates of the Sacred Kaaba Mosque are numbered with signs in Persian, English, and Arabic which are easily read by all pilgrims; there are hundreds of guards and servants who guide, organize, and help pilgrims and thousands of chairs that can be used by anyone for free. Such chairs were very useful to us; we cannot sit on the floor; we cannot prostrate during prayers. There are mobile barriers to control the number of people when necessary at certain locations, thousands of Zamzam-water taps, and thousands of copies of the Quran available for everyone. We have spent many times, as long as we can, in prolonged acts of prayers (prayers, supplications, and reading the Quran) inside the Sacred Kaaba Mosque.  

11- In the very next day, we decided to visit the Arafat Mount. Our fourth son, Hossam, was accompanied by an Egyptian friend of his who helped us in everything; may the Lord God bless and reward him. This friend drove all of us in his car to the Arafat Mount; the way to it was open; once we reached it, our sons and our wife climbed it. it was impossible for us to join them; we remained inside the car, praying and supplicating to the Lord God while remembering and glorifying His Holy Name as per His Quranic commands. Contrary to the popular idea, spending a whole night at the Arafat Mount is not necessary. It is enough to spend few hours there. hours later, we left the Arafat Mount and passed and stopped by the Sacred Landmark to remember the Holy Name of the Lord God as per His Quranic commands (see 2:198); we then returned to the Sacred Kaaba Mosque.

12- Our wife and Amir remained with us inside the Sacred Kaaba Mosque while Hossam went along with his Egyptian friend to purchase the sacrificial animals. Sadly, in the Sacred Kaaba Mosque, we could not circle the Kaaba for the last time (a.k.a. the farewell circumambulation before ending the state of Ihram). The time was shortly before the sunset prayers and the ground floor around the Kaaba was filled with thousands of pilgrims. Amir brought our wheelchair and got ready to push us to circle the Kaaba for the last time within a very wide circle this time as we were very far from the Kaaba; yet, the guards prevented the use of the wheelchairs within the crowds; they told us to come back at 11:00PM when using wheelchairs would be allowed. Amir had to return the wheelchair to the suite of the hotel; he left our person on a chair (the type which can be transformed into a walking cane) in a location surrounded by mobile barriers, and our wife moved to another location made for female pilgrims. Because of the crowdedness as the number of pilgrims increased, the mobile barriers were removed; many pilgrims were told to move into the roofed paved spaces. Thus, our wife moved from one location to the other; when Amir returned, he could not spot our location; he panicked; he told our wife that he could not locate us and she panicked; both began their frantic search of us. We were sitting uncomfortably in a chair that can be transformed into a walking cane; it was a weak chair; we felt it might break and we would take a fall; the battery of our cellular phone was drained completely; we could not phone Amir to tell him where we were and he could not phone us. The weak chair began to bend; we thought if we took a fall, we will not be able to stand up even if we would not break our leg! We got busy reading the Quran and writing some notes about some Quranic verses in order to write articles later on about them on our website. Luckily for us, our wife and our son found us before we would take a fall from this very weak chair. We felt the urge to urinate and demanded from Amir to get us to the nearest bathroom; we discovered that it was nearer and better to get into the suite of the hotel to use one of its two bathrooms; fortunately, one of them were directly near the door of the suite. We implore the Lord God to relieve us (and all old people) from such suffering. 

13- Hossam brought the sacrificial animals and performed this ritual (more details about this will be mentioned in the next article). A for our person, we decided to end the state of Ihram after we finished all Hajj rituals: circumambulating the Kaaba, circling the Safa and Marwa Mounts, visiting the Arafat Mount, remembrance and glorification of the Lord God, reading the Quran, supplications, and prayers. In the Sunnite sharia laws of Satan, there is one devilish ritual we never performed; namely, the so-called throwing of pebbles at a pillar made of stone representing Satan; this has nothing to do with Islam. Significantly, the route leading to such a pillar is aptly named (The route of Satan)! The only true ritual left but we could not perform it was the farewell circumambulation of the Kaaba; we did not perform it as we decided to use the ease/facilitation which as a higher purpose mentioned in the Quran in relation to all acts of worship; we reminded ourselves that the Merciful Lord God does not burden a soul beyond its capacity. We decided to spend the rest of the week in the hotel room until the time would come for our departure in order to return to our homeland in VA, the USA.   

14- Having ended all Hajj rituals, we spent several days (i.e., for the rest of the week) in the hotel room; we got busy performing acts of worship, whereas our wife did the same but at the Sacred Kaaba Mosque; she performed Umrah three times before and this is her second Hajj. She combined it with Umrah; she asked us if she should circle between the Safa and Marwa Mounts in Umrah since she performed Hajj with our person and did the same ritual; we told her she should repeat the same ritual within Umrah. At one time, she got into the hotel room agitated because locusts filled the spaces around the Sacred Kaaba Mosque; she feared she might accidentally crush a locust under her feet; at one time, she found a dead locust inside her clothes and she threw it in the bathroom of the hotel room; she asked us if this is akin to the prohibited hunting during Ihram; we answered her in the negative; locusts are not hunted like animals.  

15- In the Holy Quran, the Lord God has imposed pilgrimage as a religious duty for those who can afford it in terms of money and health; we lack both; i.e., our pilgrimage journey was paid by our sons and their efforts helped our person to perform the Hajj rituals; may the Lord God bless and reward our sons in this world and in the Hereafter.

Fifthly: about the sacrificial animals:

1- Within our previous writings, we have suggested that instead of offering sacrificial animals inside Mecca, pilgrims may donate the price of such animals to any of the poor in their respective countries or in any other countries struck by famine. We have been wrong in such a view or suggestion. The Quran tells us most distinctively that offerings (i.e., sacrificial animals) must be made inside Mecca only and to be consumed by rich/poor pilgrims and poor Meccans only; this meat is not to be given to, or distributed among, others elsewhere at all.

2- At the time when we wrote this erroneous view, we were influenced by what was being said about years ago about too much meat of sacrificed animals during the pilgrimage season, the prosperity of Saudi Arabia and the adversity and poverty in other countries, the prospect of producing canned meat from the offerings made by pilgrims, and the rumors about some swindlers who took money from pilgrims within the claim of purchasing sacrificial animals which were never bought and offered at all. 

3- We and our wife and two sons discussed this topic in the suite of the hotel in Mecca within our pilgrimage journey. Our wife saw that it is best to distribute the money/price of the offerings among the poor inside the Sacred Kaaba Mosque especially the low-rank workers and dustmen (most of them are Asians). One of our sons suggested sending such money to the poor and the destitute in Egypt. The Egyptian friend of our son said that a Saudi bank offers the service of taking the money of offerings from pilgrims to distribute such money among the poor in other countries and that some abattoirs take the money of offerings from pilgrims and then sell the cattle and rams to other people in half the price.  

4- Our own decision, after much discussion and deep thinking, was to buy rams slaughter them at the abattoir, and to distribute their cooked meat among some people in Mecca and inside the Sacred Kaaba Mosque; a small part of this cooked meat will be consumed by us as per the Quranic commands. Hossam, with the help of his Egyptian friend, bought three medium-sized rams and oversaw their slaughter and preparation in an abattoir. The cooked meat of two rams was distributed among people; the meat of the third ram was sent to a restaurant to be cooked and consumed by us. We ate a small part of this cooked meat, inside the suite of the hotel, to apply these Quranic commands: "...So eat from it, and feed the unfortunate poor..." (22:28); "...Then, when they have fallen on their sides, eat of them and feed the contented and the beggar..." (22:36). Hossam went with his Egyptian friend to the Sacred Kaaba Mosque with the rest of the cooked meat in a tray to leave it to people. On the very next day, the tray was left, empty and clean, against a wall. We think this is the best way to deal with how to offer and distribute the sacrificed animals. Let us explain this topic further within the Quran in the points below.

5- The Kaaba is situated in a mountainous area with no vegetation; the Lord God has provided with water of the Zamzam well so that the guardians of the Kaaba would provide water for pilgrims; the polytheistic Qorayish tribesmen during Muhammad's lifetime used to brag of this and the Lord God has addressed the following to them: "Do you consider giving water to pilgrims and maintaining the Sacred Mosque the same as believing in God and the Last Day and striving in God’s path? They are not equal in God’s sight. God does not guide the unjust people." (9:19). In order to provide food for pilgrims, the Lord God has imposed offerings on pilgrims inside Mecca, and He allowed exchanging benefits within trade inside Mecca: "That they may witness the benefits for themselves, and celebrate the Name of God during the appointed days, for providing them with the animal livestock. So eat from it, and feed the unfortunate poor." (22:28); this means merchants are allowed to work inside Mecca and sell their different merchandise. The Lord God has addressed the following to the Quran-haters inside Mecca: "And they say, “If we follow the guidance with you, we will be snatched from our land.” Did We not establish for them a Safe Sanctuary, to which are brought all kinds of fruits, as provision from Ourselves? But most of them do not know." (28:57). Centuries ago, Abraham supplicated to the Lord God to make provisions reach Mecca: "“Our Lord, I have settled some of my offspring in a valley of no vegetation, by Your Sacred House, our Lord, so that they may perform the prayers. So make the hearts of some people incline towards them, and provide them with fruits, that they may be thankful.”" (14:37); within his supplications, Abraham asked for provisions only for monotheists, but the Lord God asserts that His provisions are for all humanity in this world regardless of their faiths; the torment is for disbelievers in the Hereafter: "When Abraham said, “O My Lord, make this a peaceful land, and provide its people with fruits - whoever of them believes in God and the Last Day.” He said, “And whoever disbelieves, I will give him a little enjoyment, then I will consign him to the punishment of the Fire; how miserable the destiny!”" (2:126). This matches with the fact that pilgrimage is for all peaceful people regardless of their doctrines, sects, and denominations; the same applies to feeding pilgrims inside the Sacred Kaaba Mosque regardless of their beliefs and their (dis)belief.

6- This is reinforced by the fact that hunting is prohibited for pilgrims during the state of Ihram: "O you who believe! Fulfill your contracts. Livestock animals are permitted for you, except those specified to you; but do not hunt while you are in the state of Ihram. God decrees whatever He wills." (5:1); pilgrims are to make offerings (i.e., sacrificed animals) and they are forbidden to hunt for food or for the purpose of making the offerings: "O you who believe! Do not hunt while you are in the state of Ihram. Whoever of you kills any intentionally, its penalty shall be a domestic animal comparable to what he killed, as determined by two honest persons among you - an offering delivered to the Kaaba. Or he may atone by feeding the needy, or its equivalent in fasting, so that he may taste the consequences of his conduct. God forgives what is past. But whoever repeats, God will take revenge on him. God is Almighty, Avenger." (5:95); this is asserted in the test, warning, and atonements mentioned here: "O you who believe! God will test you with something of the game your hands and spears obtain, that God may know who fears Him at heart. Whoever commits aggression after that will have a painful torment." (5:94). Eventually, for the sake of assertion, the prohibition of hunting for pilgrims in the state of Ihram is repeated here: "Permitted for you is the catch of sea, and its food - as sustenance for you and for travelers. But forbidden for you is hunting while you are in the state of Ihram. And fear God within piety, to Whom you will be gathered." (5:96); this means pilgrims can eat from the meat of offerings.

7- The meat of sacrificed animals must be offered and consumed only inside the Sacred Kaaba Mosque; this is inferred from the Quranic term (destination) within the contexts about sacrificial animals offered by pilgrims.

7/1: "And carry out the Hajj and the Umrah for God. But if you are prevented, then whatever is feasible of offerings. And do not shave your heads until the offering has reached its destination..." (2:196); the destination of offered animals is the Kaaba itself and not anywhere else even if one is prevented from entering into Mecca for some reason or the other; the prevented people must send the sacrificial animals to the Kaaba anyway.

7/2: When Muhammad and the early believers with him were prevented by the disbelievers of Qorayish from entering into Mecca as pilgrims, the Lord God has told them the following: "It is they who disbelieved, and barred you from the Sacred Mosque, and prevented the offering from reaching its destination...." (48:25); this means the offerings (i.e., sacrificial animals) must be sent to the Kaaba as their destination anyway.

7/3: In general, the Lord God says the following about sacrificial animals offered by pilgrims: "In them are benefits for you until a certain time. Then their destination is by the Ancient House." (22:33); hence, they are offered only inside Mecca, and never elsewhere, in order to feed pilgrims and the poor in general inside Mecca. Of course, the poor exist everywhere, and in the Quran, the Lord God commands paying the money Zakat to them; yet, the poor outside Mecca have nothing to do with offerings of pilgrims inside Mecca.   

8- The Lord God has imposed the protection of sacrificial animals (marked by being garlanded) to be offered in Mecca by pilgrims; no one is allowed to steal them; they must be secured along with pilgrims heading to Mecca: "O you who believe! Do not violate God’s rituals, nor the Sacred Month, nor the offerings, nor the garlanded, nor those heading for the Sacred House seeking blessings from their Lord and approval..." (5:2); this is in order to make sure the offerings of sacrificial animals would reach their destination; namely, the Kaaba itself.

9- The Lord God links the sanctuary of time and place (i.e., the four sacred months of Hajj and the Kaaba, respectively) to the sacredness of the offerings (i.e., sacrificial animals) here: "God has appointed the Kaaba, the Sacred House, a sanctuary for the people, and the Sacred Month, and the offerings, and the garlanded. That you may know that God knows everything in the heavens and the earth, and that God is Cognizant of all things." (5:97).

10- Sacrificed animals offered by pilgrims are part of the rituals imposed by the Dominant Lord God and His rituals must be revered by the pious believers: "We have made the animal offerings rituals of God for you. In them is goodness for you..." (22:36); "So it is. Whoever venerates the rituals of God - it is from the piety of the hearts. In them are benefits for you until a certain time. Then their destination is by the Ancient House. We have appointed a ritual for every nation, that they may commemorate God’s name over the livestock He has provided for them..." (22:32-34).

11- As this is part of rituals imposed by the Dominant Lord God, they are mentioned among the details about Hajj rituals linked to the remembrance of the Holy Name of Allah here: "That they may witness the benefits for themselves, and celebrate the Name of God during the appointed days, for providing them with the animal livestock. So eat from it, and feed the unfortunate poor. Then let them perform their acts of cleansing, and fulfill their vows, and circle around the Ancient House. All that. Whoever venerates the sanctities of God - it is good for him with his Lord..." (22:28-30).

12- Hence, to venerate such rituals is a sign of piety: "So it is. Whoever venerates the rituals of God - it is from the piety of the hearts. In them are benefits for you until a certain time. Then their destination is by the Ancient House. We have appointed a ritual for every nation, that they may commemorate God’s name over the livestock He has provided for them..." (22:32-34). Sacrificing or slaughtering such animals is a ritual linked directly to piety: "We have made the animal offerings rituals of God for you. In them is goodness for you. So pronounce God’s name upon them as they line up. Then, when they have fallen on their sides, eat of them and feed the contented and the beggar. Thus We have subjected them to you, that you may be thankful. Neither their flesh, nor their blood, ever reaches God. What reaches Him is the righteousness from you. Thus He subdued them to you, that you may glorify God for guiding you. And give good news to the charitable." (22:36-37).

13- Of course, Hajj is available for the duration of the four sacred months of the lunar calendar (Zu Al-Hijja, Muharram, Saffar, and Rabei Awwal) and the Umrah is available for the whole lunar year. This means pilgrims (who can afford the journey) are there all year long around the Kaaba. Those pilgrims offer the sacrificial animals and they consume the meat and feed others from it as well; they give shares of this meat to other rich and poor pilgrims and the poor people who reside in Mecca: "...Then, when they have fallen on their sides, eat of them and feed the contented and the beggar..." (22:36); "...So eat from it, and feed the unfortunate poor..." (22:28).  

14- This matches with the nature of Islam in terms of behavior (i.e., peace or peaceful demeanor); pilgrims who offer sacrificed animals feed others from this meat and consume part of it themselves. They invite peaceful others to eat from this meat regardless of their denominations (or their monotheism/polytheism) as faith is judged only by the Lord God on the Last Day. This is why the ones invited in the Quran to consume this meat are not described as faithful, pious ones but as (contented, beggar, and unfortunate poor). It is a moving scene to see Muslims in terms of peaceful behavior of different sects, doctrines, tongues, races, and colors share a meal consisting of the meat of the offerings, while thanking the Lord God for His provisions granted to them especially the offerings of sacrificial animals as part of the rituals of pilgrimage imposed by the Lord Allah. It is great to allow this to continue all year long within Hajj and Umrah as per the lunar calendar. 

CONCLUSION

Conclusion: lessons to be drawn and pieces of advice:

1- We, along with our wife and two sons, Amir and Hossam, were driven in the car of the Egyptian friend of Hossam who helped us reach Mount Arafat. On our way, we saw a grand building with a huge sign which read: (The University of Um Al-Qora). This caused us to reminisce: we have a story linked to the name of this university; this story dates back to 1983. After a long struggle inside the University of Al-Azhar (1977 – 1980), we have crushed and defeated Sufism which was dominant there; at the time, we were a 'moderate' Sunnite thinker who assumed that it would be OK to believe in few hadiths which apparently and overtly do not contradict Quranic verses. Within our struggle against Azharite Sufis and their Sufi leader the grand imam (or head-sheikh) of Al-Azhar at the time sheikh Abdel-Haleem Mahmoud, no Azharite Sunnite professors or sheikhs stood by our person at all. Yet, once we refuted and debunked Sufism and proved it has nothing to do with Islam, many Azharite Sunnite men supported us and drew nearer to us; they considered our person as the new leader of the Sufism-hating Sunnite trend inside Al-Azhar. At our own expense, in 1982 in Cairo, Egypt, we published our very first book, in Arabic, titled "Al-Sayed Al-Badawi between Truth and Myth", in which we refute the so-called sainthood of Al-Badawi (one of the biggest Sufi saints in Egypt whose mausoleum is worshiped in Tanta, Egypt) and we prove that he was merely a Shiite spy and never an ally/saint of the Lord God; we refuted the notion of sainthood altogether as it has nothing to do with Islam. This anti-Sufism book of ours grew popular among the Wahabi clergymen of Saudi Arabia; one Saudi sheikh bought 1000 copies of this book and distributed them among Sufism-hating Sunnite Wahabi sheikhs. The Azharite professors at the time dreamed of secondment at Saudi universities. Being seconded there meant receiving high salaries plus the chance to perform pilgrimage; fierce competition among Azharite professors to work in Saudi universities drove the Azharite administration to put rules for secondment in order to arrange how professors would be seconded one by one each in his turn. Our turn came in 1983; the University of Um Al-Qora demanded us by name to work there as a professor; we felt very happy at the time because this would be our chance to perform pilgrimage. Before our meeting, at the premises of Al-Azhar University, with the Saudi committee coming from the University of Um Al-Qora, we received a formal letter with the seal of the Saudi Wahabi sheikh Abdul-Aziz Ibn Baz; he praised our book about Al-Badawi; yet, he had the nerve to request from our person the omission of certain paragraphs from our book! Ibn Baz hated our view about the meaning of the Quranic term (the allies of Allah); we assert that they are those pious monotheists, in all eras among all people, who performed good deeds; in our book, we prove this by quoting the following verses: "Those who believe, and those who are Jewish, and the Christians, and the Sabians - any who believe in God and the Last Day, and act righteously - will have their reward with their Lord; they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve." (2:62); "Those who believe, and the Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians - whoever believes in God and the Last Day, and does what is right - they have nothing to fear, nor shall they grieve." (5:69). Ibn Baz, who liked our refutation of Sufi saints/allies, disliked our understanding of (the allies of Allah) and requested the omission of several paragraphs. This infuriated us very much and we wrote Ibn Baz an angry letter, telling him we never work under him. days later, as the Saudi committee never met with us, we knew that the secondment is lost; we felt that we would not be able to perform Hajj. We consulted our paternal uncle's son, Dr. Abdel-Hameed A. M. Ali, who was a professor at the History Department like our person; he advised us to refuse the secondment so as not to get into trouble with Saudi official clergymen. Another Azharite professor told us that any Egyptian professor seconded to Saudi universities must leave his human dignity behind at the Cairo international airport! We can never do this; we decided to reject the secondment and we never regretted this decision though this meant that our dearest wish of performing pilgrimage would be postponed indefinitely. We went, along with our wife and small children, to the city of Al-Ibrahimiyya, in Al-Sharqiyah Governorate, to live for a while in the house of our father-in-law Mr. Mohamed Al-Baz. The youngest son of ours at the time was Hossam; he was born in 1983 on the 1^st of March (the same day of our birthday 1^st of March, 1949); he was a baby when we lived in Al-Ibrahimiyya. The members of the Saudi committee of the University of Um Al-Qora sent us a telegram there, informing us of their desire to meet with us before they leave Egypt; how they knew we lived at our father-in-law's house remains a mystery for us. When our father-in-law reproached us for rejecting the secondment, we told him that they desire to turn Egyptian professors into slaves or puppets who parrot what the Saudi clergymen say; we can never do that; our disputes over hadiths we reject would never be settled at all; we can never agree; if we would go there, many troubles will occur inevitably and we would return to Egypt anyway. The only thing we felt sorry about is missing the chance of performing pilgrimage. This conversation between us and our father-in-law took place in 1983. Now, 36 years later in 2019, we performed Hajj; the one who covered the entirety of expenses is our son Hossam who was a baby when we refused to put our religion for sale.     

2- Our relation with Saudi Arabia worsened; Saudi Arabia controlled all famous Salafist societies in Egypt at the time; we were the secretary-general of the Salafist society (Dawat Al-Haq) and its leading and no. 1 sermonizer in its mosques. We preached to people that there all hadiths have nothing to do with Islam; using the Quran, we denied the so-called intercession and infallibility of Muhammad; we proved that it is a grave sin to consider Muhammad as the best among prophets of the Lord God. Saudi Arabia waged a war against our person through the Saudi embassy in Cairo and the so-called League of the Islamic World. Saudi Arabia allied itself with Azharite clergymen; eventually, in 1985, this resulted in our suspension from work as an Azharite professor; our salary and promotion stopped; we were prevented from ever leaving Egypt. After the Azharite inquisition-like two-year trial of our person, we were fired from Al-Azhar University in 1987; six months later, we were imprisoned in Egypt along with a group of Egyptian Quranists. Hence, our own Via Dolorosa began in 1985 because of the Saudi influence within the Mubarak regime in Egypt. The Saudi embassy in Cairo waged an unjust war against our person using the weapons of terrorism and hunger; this embassy controlled the officers of the Egyptian State Security Apparatus who held the dossier of the Egyptian Quranists. One of such young officers terrorized us by bringing us to his office only by night several times; we typically waited for him in his office until he would arrive in his Mercedes at midnight to interrogate us! When we left Al-Azhar University, our monthly pension was LE 87 which hardly covered the expenses of one week or of breakfast meals for a month. We had to work to provide for our kids; we worked as an editor and a proofreader within an Egyptian publication (in Arabic). Once the Saudi embassy in Cairo knew about this, it bribed the owner of that publication to give us the sack; other employers knew about this; they employed our person in order to get money from this embassy in return for giving us the sack! Most of our articles published in Egyptian newspapers were without remuneration; we worked voluntarily (for free) within civil societies such as the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, the Egyptian Society for Enlightenment, and the National Front for Facing Terrorism. Our poverty and sufferance continued along with our wife and four children from 1985 to 1996. This is because in 1996, we worked at the Cairo-based Ibn Khaldoun Center and we received a good, regular monthly salary. Within 11 years (1985 – 1996), our first four children experienced poverty and deprivation never fit for the offspring of a university professor and a renowned thinker/author. Our first four children realized how we were terrorized by the officers of the Egyptian State Security Apparatus and how we were liable to be imprisoned anytime. Our poverty ended when we worked at the Ibn Khaldoun Center; our four sons accompanied our person in the weekly forum held by us there (on Tuesdays) which never stopped from Jan. 1996 to June 2000 (when the Ibn Khaldoun Center was closed down by the Mubarak regime). Terrorizing our person by the officers of the Egyptian State Security Apparatus the increased at the time; this was encouraged by the Saudi embassy in Cairo. Many Egyptian newspapers published our articles about criticizing and refuting hadiths; in many of our published books at the time, we have announced our rejection of all Sunna hadiths and called for Quranism (i.e., the Quran-only Islam as the Only True Islam). eventually, the Saudi influence managed in 2001 to convince the Mubarak regime to arrest and imprison a group of Egyptian Quranists; this means we were about to get imprisoned soon; we ran away and sought and obtained political asylum in the USA, leaving our wife and our sons in Cairo, Egypt, until they, one by one, joined us in VA, the USA.       

3- The lesson to be drawn here from the abovementioned point is the vital importance of the test of deprivation and impoverishment; our first four sons experienced poverty and deprivation and this was very beneficial for them; they grew up to be real, strong, and responsible men; they managed to face and surmount all difficulties; they excelled at their education and at their jobs; they are the apple of their father's eye. In contrast to our first four sons, our last two sons never experienced poverty and deprivation; they grew up after our status of impoverishment and hunger ended; they lived within tender and loving care of their fond parents and their first four brothers. This made our last two sons get used to receiving without giving; they were very much dependent on their parents and their first four brothers. We exerted much efforts later on to reform them both; eventually, they have changed to the better; yet, they cannot reach the level of the character of our first four sons who experienced poverty and deprivation. In fact, a pampered child or youth whose all desired and wishes come true can never become independent and successful in their lives as grown-ups. A reminder: Hossam, our fourth son, is the one who realized the dear wish of his 72-year-old father as he covered the entirety of expenses of our Hajj journey. By the way, the Dominant Lord God has granted our person several other sons who are not our biological sons; we never saw them in person; yet, they are at the bottom of our heart; they strive with our person as much as they can for the sake of Islam; on top of the list of these great sons is the Egyptian translator Mr. Ahmed Fathy who dedicates most of his time since 2014 to translate into English (and sometimes into French) our books, articles, and fatwas, and he provides the English subtitles to our YouTube videos (https://www.youtube.com/user/ahlalquran1/featured). We cannot give Mr. Ahmed Fathy any remuneration or rewards; we sincerely implore and supplicate to the Lord God to bless and reward him.    

4- There is another lesson to be drawn; some people assume that once they are guided by the Quranic Truth and they embrace the fact – denied by the vast majority of people – that Quranism is the Only True Islam, angels will offer parties on their honor and applaud their steps and the Dominant Lord God will grant them many bounties. This is a grave error. In the Holy Quran, the Lord God asserts that reaching the true faith is always linked to tests and ordeals: "Have the people supposed that they will be left alone to say, “We believe,” without being put to the test? We have tested those before them. God will surely know the truthful, and He will surely know the liars." (29:2-3); this means that having the knowledge of the Truth is accompanied all the time with patience; the pious believers advise one another with adhering to patience: "By Time. The human being is in loss. Except those who believe, and perform good works, and advise one another with the Truth and with patience." (103:1-3); this means that the guided monotheists will be tested by their Lord God; entering into Paradise in the Hereafter is not easy as it entails adhering to the Truth, patience, piety, and peaceful striving/jihad for the sake of Allah: "So that God may prove those who believe, and eliminate the disbelievers. Or do you expect to enter Paradise, before God has distinguished those among you who strive, and before He has distinguished the patient ones?" (3:141-142). Eventually, the Lord God does not need our jihad/striving for the sake of His Religion; rather, we are the ones who need this peaceful, intellectual jihad if we desire to inherit the Eternal Life in Paradise: "Whoever strives, strives only for himself. God is Independent of the beings." (29:6). We sincerely hope that the persecution, ordeals, tests, and hardships we have faced in the period (1977 – 2001) will make us among the accepted winners, who passed the tests of life, in the sight of the Dominant Lord God and that He will make us among the Paradise dwellers.

5- Despite the fact that the Saudi influence in Egypt was the primary factor responsible for our persecution and suffering and our being forced not to meet with our family members (so as they avoid being persecuted because of our visiting them or their visiting us), we never wrote any articles or books to attack and criticize Saudi Arabia when we were living in Cairo, Egypt. Our political writings at the time have attacked and criticized the Mubarak regime against which we spoke in many conferences held in Cairo. Because of our being persecuted several times, we lived in constant fear, we lived in a real nightmare for years; we have expressed our feelings of resentment in this article of ours titled "We Have Lived Feeling Our Egyptian Nationality as a Disgrace", found, in English, on this link: (http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=15627). We wondered how come that an Egyptian president (i.e., Mubarak) would allow a foreign country (i.e., Saudi Arabia) to persecute an Egyptian citizen in Egypt instead of protecting this citizen. The Egyptian regime at the time compromised our rights as an Egyptian citizens in return for Saudi riyals and for ending the froideur and consolidate the rapprochement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Arriving to the USA, we did not write any articles or books to attack and criticize Saudi Arabia until we ran out of patience when the Saudi influence in Mubarak's Egypt managed to convince the Egyptian government to arrest, detain, and torture a group of our relatives in 2007 in order to punish our person; their only 'crime' was being our relatives! Since 2007, we began our virulent attack and criticism of Saudi Arabia in our writings; we called for the liberation of the Sacred Kaaba Mosque from the Al-Saud royal family (see:  http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=6027  +    http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=5954) and for the collapse of Saudi Arabia and its removal from the world map (for example, see our book, in English, on this link:   http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=111  ). Yet, later on, we have realized the fact that the collapse of Saudi Arabia means inevitably turning Arabia and the Gulf region into bloodbaths and mass graves; the vast majority of the victims will be among the innocent people; grave harm may reach Mecca and the Kaaba itself. We have realized that Iran and fabricators of arms and weapons in the West will be the only beneficiaries in such a case. This drove us to change our stance; we have written, and will go on writing, about the introduction of immediate reform inside the Saudi kingdom in order to achieve peace; i.e., Islam in terms of demeanor.   

6- Of course, the introduction of any type of reform means to change the dominant culture in order to raise the collective awareness of citizens. This begins by immediate reform which should take place within the top of the pyramid of power and authority; this reform must affirm the higher Quranic values of Islam; namely, peace, justice, human rights, human dignity, free speech, charity, and absolute freedom of religion. This entails cultural, educational, and legislative reforms which will take decades and require stability. In fact, in the Arab countries, royal regimes are very stable and may achieve success internally when reform is introduced because of the stable mechanism of reaching power; i.e., the crown-prince succeeds the king and ascends the throne. This is in contrast to tyrannical republics in the Arab world where we find enthroned tyrants/presidents sticking to power and desiring to make their sons or brothers succeed them. During their presidency, these tyrants spend their time consolidating their rule and chasing their (supposed) foes and adversaries. Eventually, such presidents are ousted like Mubarak of Egypt, Al-Bashir of Sudan, Ben Ali of Tunisia, Ali Saleh of Yemen, Saddam Hussein of Iraq, and Kaddafi of Libya. Such presidents may cause the total destruction of their countries such as the case with Syria and Libya. We assert here the fact that the Saudi royal regime is the nearest royal regimes to introducing reforms successfully by the Crown-Prince, M. Ibn Salman, who has removed many of the burdens caused previously by Wahabism; for sure, Wahabism does not flourish and dominate unless powerful, wealthy rulers would protect it against being discussed, questioned, and criticized. The Saudi Crown-Prince is a young man in a kingdom whose inhabitants are mostly young people who use social media networks (e.g., Facebook and Twitter); we mean to say that they are aware of, and have strong ties with, modernity. No one can deny that the Saudi Crown-Prince at first committed terrible mistakes upon taking the pieces of advice offered by corrupt, evil consultants. Yet, it is OK when young people make mistakes since they draw useful lessons, correct their mistakes as much as they can, and introduce reform.     

7- Since Wahabism is the problem, Quranism is the solution. Our writings prove this fact; we, of course, have written a lot about activating and applying the only true Islamic sharia laws; i.e., the Quranic sharia legislations. The case of applying the Quranic sharia in Saudi Arabia entails more writings which will publish on our website later on. We emphasize here, in this book, that Saudi Arabia must allow Hajj (as opposed to Umrah which is allowed all year long) within the duration of the four sacred months of the lunar calendar: Zu Al-Hijja, Muharram, Saffar, and Rabei Awwal. Besides, Saudi Arabia must allow Hajj for all peaceful human beings (i.e., Muslims in terms of peaceful behavior) regardless of their sects, doctrines, and denominations. This, of course, will entail security measures in Mecca and certain arrangements which we will mention in detail in our writings later on.

8- These are not merely pieces of advice; rather, they are our suggestions based on our pondering deeply on the Holy Quran. the suggestions we propose here have their huge financial benefits and will add much to the international reputation of Saudi Arabia. These suggestions will help save the lives of thousands of people within applying one of the main features of the greatness of Islam; i.e., peace, as Islam is the religion of peace.