1
MINA
By Ninie G. Syarikin
"Ya, Musafir!
Are you going to Mina?"
"Why, yes, Brother! I am."
"May I go with you?"
"Yes, sure, Brother! You may.
I am going to Mina,
and you may come along."
The two walked together
The older walked a little in front
The younger walked a bit behind.
Both walked in silence.
In the same walking rhythm.
One two, one two
One two, one two.
They passed street lamps
They crossed bridges
They followed curves
They met crossroads.
"Where is Mina, my brother?
Still far away?", finally asked the young.
"Why ask, Brother?
You are young!
Just enjoy!!
"Well, I wanted to know.
We seemed to have walked far."
"Mina is behind that hill.
A winding road has to be walked
The first tent is not until
behind that giant rock."
The young continued walking obediently.
Three four, three four
Three four, three four
As they walked,
a camel driver with a passenger
was passing by.
He shouted: “Hajji, hajji!
We are going to Mina, are you?
Do you want to ride along?
You are welcome!"
"Wuaaah, wuaaah," the desert carrier
murmured his welcome.
Even the beast felt the excitement of
the season, which he considered
an honor from Allah,
instead of a burden.
"Oh, thank you for inviting;
jazakumullah khairan," replied the two.
The four hajjis were riding close
behind each other,
with the camel taking
a big step each time.
Five six, five six
Five six, five six
The group went around
about many hills,
and tracked a long winding road.
Arriving at Mina, they were engulfed
by the sea of white pilgrims,
unstitched ihram.
"Ya, Akhi, Akhi,” called the young
to the older
“Hajji, hajji,” while pointing to
the sea of white pilgrims,
unstitched ihram,
thousands of tents.
"Not yet, ya, Akh,”
responded the older matter-of-factly.
“Hajj is Arafah. A long winding road
still has to be walked."
Yet, the young seemed to ignore.
He listened no more.
Before him, he saw two hajjis,
so joyful to meet each other.
They were locked in a warm embrace,
with radiant faces,
full of brotherhood and love,
equal in white ihram.
They gave each other hugs and kisses
from cheek to cheek.
One, two, three.
Right, left, right.
While greeting each other noisily:
"Kaifa khaluk, ya Akhi?"
"Kaifa khaluk, ya Sadiq?"
"Alhamdulillah!"
The young hajji was overwhelmed
by the sight.
His eyeballs were getting bigger,
as if ready to jump out of
their sockets!
He totally stood alert and stared,
absorbing everything with his senses.
Gradually, his lips parted to a grin.
His teeth were seen big and wide.
Then he broke into a smile!
A smile so rare to be found;
as if to declare his readiness,
for a thousand winding roads.
NGS
Arafah, Monday, April 6, 1998
GLOSSARY:
1. Musafir: An Indonesian or Malay word, derived from Arabic language,
for a traveler.
2. Hajji: A male pilgrim to Makkah (Mecca), Saudi Arabia; whereas a female
pilgrim is called 'Hajjah.’
3. Jazakumullah khairan: An Arabic expression, which means 'Allah will
reward all your good deeds.'
4. Akhi: An Arabic word, for ‘my brother’, from the root word akh which
means 'brother’.
5. Kaifa khaluk: An Arabic expression for 'How are You?'
6. Sadiq: An Arabic word for 'friend.'
7. Alhamdulillah: An Arabic expression, which means 'all praise belongs to
Allah’.
8. Ihram: 2 piece white seamless garment worn by Muslim men during hajj.