Another Inter-faith Dinner

There is no day in which Allah sets free
more souls from the fire of hell than on the day of Arafah
And on that day Allah draws near to the earth
and by way of exhibiting His Pride remarks to the angels,
'What is the desire of these (servants of mine)?"
(whatever they desire, I will grant them)

For those who have been lucky enough to perform Hajj or Umrah, forever more on the Day of Arafah, you experience the pilgrimage all over again. You yearn to be back there, you remember what was going through your mind at that time, the prayers you were asking to be answered, the difficulties you were facing.

There is simply no way to describe it ( but here I go anyway). The entire Hajj experience is surreal. But on the Day of Arafah, you stand on that plain knowing that maybe the next time you are there, it will be the Day of Judgment. There is nothing between you and God at that moment. It is a direct conversation, it is as though no one else exists. Your group is there, the Imam is there, your spouse, your food, your minimal belongings- but there is a moment when no one else exists. There is no heat, no thirst. Time and everything else stands still. You remember everything you ever wanted to pray for, you cry uncontrollably. You cry out of shame or joy- for mercy, for clemency, for guidance. You have tried not to think too much about the children you have left behind. But now their faces are before you, smiling. You leave, praying that your Hajj has been accepted. A wordless sense of peace comes over you. You have prayed as if your soul were aching. You have left the rest to Allah.

You find a seat on the bus again, your usual seat. Your spouse is waiting for you. But everything has changed. Except for the sound of the driver's horn, it is quiet on the bus now. Indeed what more is there to say? All are left with their silent contemplations. You ardently wish to return soon but NOW you know the pilgrim's secret. You CAN re-create that feeling you experienced on the plain of Arafat. When you pray with devotion- you are back there again. Even if you have never been, you can get there. The fifth pillar of Islam is not "Go to Saudi Arabia" . We ARE required to perform Hajj once in our lifetime, but devotion is ours at any minute of the day.

This year, it is a cosmic blessing that the Day of Arafah falls on Thanksgiving Day. While millions fervently pray for forgiveness and mercy, yet more millions of Americans are assembling to give thanks to God. Haj is, after all, on one level, a celebration and commemoration of our ties to Prophet Abraham. It gives me some strange semi-patriotic shivers down my almost American spine as I begin to mash those potatoes and stuff that turkey. It's like God is saying- Hey you! Remember those Abrahamic ties? Check on your neighbors today, it's a big day for all of us.

When I was teaching second grade at a full-time Islamic school, one of the most frequently asked questions would be:

'Teacher, is it haram to celebrate Halloween or Valentine's Day?"

(or whichever of the numerous holidays was imminent.

I had formulated a diplomatic and hopefully, Islamically, correct response but Thanksgiving was easy.

I used to reply that gratitude is supposed to be one of the characteristics of a pious Muslim. I then asked them if they saw anything wrong in getting together with family and thanking God. Then- my piece de resistance:
"Did you know Muslims celebrate Thanksgiving 5 times a day?"
They would slowly begin to smile as they understood the allusion. I would continue:
"But that doesn't mean you should ask your Mom for turkey and stuffing 5 times a day!" Roars and giggles would follow.

Now I realize that we can go to Arafat at least 5 times a day too. May Allah accept the Haj of all pilgrims who are there now and make it possible for all of us to experience this at least once in our lifetime. Oh and -Happy Thanksgiving.