FRIDAY, as most of us are aware, is a special day for Muslims the world over to congregate at the mosque to express devotion to the Almighty. 

And nowhere is this religious significance better illustrated than at the Grand Mosque of Mecca.

The mosque is normally thronged but last Friday, August 31, the attendance was overwhelming. 

This apparently was due to the fact that some pilgrims would be leaving Mecca, and attending the Friday prayers as well as performing the last “tawaf” (“tawaf wada”) is an appropriate way to say goodbye to the holy site. 

By about 10.30am, the mosque and its courtyard was cordoned off by Saudi soldiers to control the surging crowd and prevent any untoward incident. 

A friend had told me that one would need to get in the mosque by 8am in order to secure a place in the packed mosque. 

As a result, the mosque-bound crowd, especially along the Ajyad road was held back and foot traffic reached a standstill. 

People started to lay down their praying mats and cardboards on the tarred road as they were prevented from moving ahead. 

Some opened their umbrellas or wore umbrella-hats to protect themselves from direct sunlight while others in their devotion took the scorching sun and 40˚C heat in their stride as they waited for the azan or call to prayer. 

The common denominator among these faithful of various nationalities and cultures who patiently sat side by side was their iron-clad devotion to Allah, which in turn gave rise to a sense of belonging to the ummah. 

The faithful may also attain ummah consciousness by being charitable and kind to fellow beings – especially during the haj – as encouraged by Islam as this also constitutes devotion to the Almighty. 

Hence, you’d see cold water bottles being brought in by the truckload to be delivered freely to the worshippers needing to quench their thirst. This massive delivery is usually undertaken by the rich as a form of “sedekah”. 

On a smaller scale, those with relatively deeper pockets would give some money to certain eateries around the hotel and shopping complexes where the poor and the marginalised hang around. That’s why during mealtimes long queues are formed by the poor and needy from various countries at these eateries. 

Pigeons at a huge yard near the eateries are also fed just as cats are given food and milk by caring Muslims.

There are individuals who distribute dates or bananas in sections of the mosque to the faithful. 

Charity need not necessarily be in the form of cash. I have seen a stranger help an old man push his elderly wife in a wheelchair up a hill. 

It is hoped that such generosity and compassion are sustained after the faithful leave Mecca for home. –  September 7, 2018.