For Muslims, the city of Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem) is an important site and home to Al-Aqsa mosque, or Islam’s third holiest site.
Being a sacred place where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) led all the earlier prophets in prayer and then ascended to Heaven, a visit to Al-Aqsa mosque had always been a dream for Shahid Bin Yusef Takala
The South African university lecturer wanted to make this journey a memorable one, so he decided to trek from Cape Town to Al-Quds’ Al-Aqsa Mosque, The World News reported.
Read Also: Inside Al-Aqsa: A 360° Tour of Jerusalem’s Holiest Mosque
He also plans to continue his journey on foot to Madinah and Makkah in Saudi Arabia.
Takal set off his journey on August 15, 2018. He arrived Al-Quds on February after passing through Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, and Jordan.
Though the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has forced him to stay in Al-Quds, he described it as a “great blessing” that he is unable to leave the third holiest place in the world for Muslims.
“Praise be to God, I have the opportunity every day to perform the five daily prayers in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque,” Takala expressed.
“I feel that it’s an honor from God and a privilege for me to pray the five daily prayers from dawn until night at Al-Aqsa,” he added.
The former lecturer at the University of South Africa is planning to write a book under the title My Spirited Struggle, in which he is planning to document his journey.
Hajj on Foot
Though Takala’s journey on foot was not for hajj, it is inspired by others who have made the journey to Makkah on foot, making headlines over the past years.
In 2019, a group of four Kenyan cyclists and two support members embarked on a lengthy trip from Nairobi to Makkah to perform Hajj and raise funds to educate needy children in Kenya.
In 2018, a family of five Indonesian Muslims took a lengthy cycling journey of 13,000 km to Makkah to perform Hajj.
Another Indonesia Muslim walked more than 9,000 kilometers to perform Hajj in 2017.
In 2012, 47-year-old Bosnian Muslim, Senad Hadzic, reached the holy city of Makkah on foot to perform Hajj.
During his journey, the man walked for nearly 3,600 miles (5,900 km) from his Bosnian village to the holy city of Makkah.
The post From Cape Town to Jerusalem: Man Walks to Al-Aqsa Mosque appeared first on About Islam.
source https://aboutislam.net/muslim-issues/world/from-cape-town-to-jerusalem-man-walks-to-al-aqsa-mosque/
No comments:
Post a Comment