I'm not so into pilgrimage. In fact, until about five seconds ago I wasn't even entirely sure how to spell the word.
And yet today I am getting on a plane and flying the five hours to Saudi. To perform Umra. With my parents. Abaya and all.
Okay so that came off as a little angsty but I can't really write and youtube 'how to pray in Islam' at the same time. In the past three days I have learnt how to recite the four quls, pray, cover my head and perform wuzu. All the things I was taught at six, abandoned by twelve and now, six years down the road, make as little sense to me.
'Laqqum deenaqum waleeya din' is the only phrase from the Quran that I have ever quoted anywhere. 'To you your beliefs and to me mine' And now, once again, I am memorizing verses that make little sense to me and frankly it seems fake beyond belief.
And I don't believe in rituals. I firmly believe they suck all the spiritual out of everything. And as far as Islamic rituals are concerned, I believe they are irrelevant to my life. There are other ways to find faith. But then again, that's just me.
'Darling' says a friend on the phone 'Don't go as a believer. Go as an observer. You might just be surprised.'
Or maybe I'll just admire the buildings.
Notes to follow.
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