Ietikaf in Masjid e Nabwi, Madinah Travelogue!
Indeed,
An exhilarating spiritual experience for a cherishing memory!
Note: If you are an audio listener, you can hear my travelogue right here!
Let’s start from the ending! Guess what! I was just about to miss my flight from Madinah to Riyadh and in the matter of 3 hours I was about to miss another flight to Karachi for Eid with my family but alhamdulillah Allah caught me right there and saved me as always! Maybe my morning azkar helped me off.
I am about to write my travelogue of being a mutakif in Masjid e Nabwi for 3 days! Yes, a dream came true! MashAllah! I thought about taking out my pen and pages so that I can pour every detail in one go! Ready to dive? Let’s go!
You must be wondering how did my dream come true!?
I won’t say it’s a long story, in fact it all happened within 2 weeks! Yes that rapid with the help of istikhara, abundance of durood and tahajjud! The idea to sit in ietikaf in Masjid e Nabwi was just a beautiful wish which was lingering in my dreams since 17 years. It was one of the wishes in my heart but Allah made me to express through my tongue in front of my husband when he told me he feels like to do Hajj this year InshAllah. In return, I told him ok let’s make a deal to keep it balanced to cleanse our soul, let’s go turn by turn to make the most of our time in this blessed land of Saudi Arabia. He instantly agreed but to my surprise later took a u turn. He thought I may back off later but my wish was more than anything. My focus of duas was just to be a mutakif in the blessed land of Madinah as I already started reading biography of Prophet Muhammad SAW in Ramadan. I started my research and then to my amazement everything was happening in my favor. I started conversations with our children about the idea and they were pretty cooperative with the plan. I knew if I am going to follow the Hadith which I was mentioning to my kids, inshAllah I hope they will also follow the Hadith later in their lifetime.
Love of the Prophet ﷺ is a basic ingredient of Islam, the Prophet ﷺ himself declared: “None of you can be a believer until I am more dearer to you than your parents, children and the rest of humanity” (Bukhari).
Then the date arrived on 5th March 2025 at 11 am, I was in the mall with my friend. I opened my 4G, I started loading the website like anything. Out of frustration, I turned off my data and continued with my day. Deep in my heart, I knew I may not be able to make it but I am a risk taker. I don’t feel any hesitation doing big things. I never gave up. Near 8 pm, I got up and headed towards my family. I asked my husband to help me out in making an account. He couldn’t also help me that much due to some tech issues but I kept sitting until I didn’t register by myself till 11 pm. I filled out details by myself while weeping. I couldn’t believe my eyes when the process started to happen. I submitted my form after reading all the conditions. I was a total fit alhamdulillah for it. And then I asked Allah to help me out to reach the blessed land again, as if I had left my heart there last month!
After going through the process, I called my friend with whom I decided that we will be updating each other when the registration will open. A week went by and I came up to the point that I sort of gave up because things seemed to be difficult for me by people surrounding me. But one fine evening right after iftar, I received a message from the management of the Prophet Mosque, asking me about my age, education, specialization and suggestion. There I knew it, Allah wanted to make this happen then I never looked back. I filled the form instantly.
Then just don’t ask me what really was happening to me! I wept all the time , day in and day out, I found myself weeping all the time. To my surprise, I couldn’t sleep out of mental stress whether I ll be able to get the permit or not. Ofcourse, YouTube was listening to me. I started getting recommendations of videos about Masjid e Nabwi, Madinah , Durood etc. It clicked in my mind that why I haven’t increased my Durood zikr. I should be reading it 24/7. I downloaded the different sounds of Durood on my Spotify list and one more thing I started was to tell people around me I was meeting in masjid to make lots of Dua for me. I just didn’t want to think about anything else other than ietikaf. I was training my children in fact drilling in their minds to get the idea to live without me. The days keep coming near 20th Ramadan. I got an idea one morning to convince my husband to let me sit for 3 days if not 10 days because my Pakistan eid trip was already booked. Deep inside down my heart, I really wanted to sit for 10 days but my husband wasn’t getting convinced nor I could stay without a mehram alone in the country. Got a permit but it was inactive and pending meaning I was on waiting list but still I took a chance. I suggest all of you be there because intention counts.
The permit but it was in pending…sigh!
I left my home with a heavy heart for the first time as it wasn’t easy to leave kids. I packed nothing, just my hand bag and did I mention a special musallah I bought online from my savings, it arrived on time alhamdulillah and I realized later how much it was useful for me during ietikaf due to back issues. More details later inshAllah.
Day 1 (20th March 2025 ~ 20th Ramadan - 21st night)
We arrived to Madinah safely by plane. My husband dropped me at the Masjid. The fresh breathtaking fascinating views inside with full mehrab with moving dome , sunlight coming through it were waiting for me! I decided to pray tahtiyul masjid 2 nafil and then Zuhur. I also brought the backrest and folding prayer mat. It was so comforting that I can easily rest my back during reading Quran. I started recitation from Juz 8. During the recitation I got to learn so much here from people, who keep saying Madinah Madinah! It was so much pleasing to see everyone hugging with each other and greeting warmly! In one go, I tried to finish 8th, 9th,10th and 11th paras in two hours. One juz in 30 minutes. I was aiming to finish the whole Quran in Ramadan. Asar salah happened with Imam. I bursted into tears when I was listening the Imamat. I was thanking Allah from the depth of my heart. I didn’t have words to express my gratitude. I kept crying which was very soothing. After Asar, I continued reading Quran but after a short while I felt like sleeping basically I was dozing off from time to time. I took a very light cat nap. In the meanwhile, I saw the organizers coming with big boxes full of Iftar packets. They were putting breads inside. The sufras (plastic sheets) got opened. Everyone like me got their own packets. The packet included with some great goodies like cheese puffs, yogurt, bun, dates, duqqa masala (a masala with no spice made of sesame and coriander seeds) & water bottle. The aunty was sitting next to me was from Jordan. She was just like my mom. She shared the extra dates with me. I told her that whether I could give her a leg massage as seemed very uneasy to me due to pain. Anyways, it was great to meet her, she was holding the same insulin pen which my mom uses. She stayed with me till the end of taraweeh. I also got a chance to hear my favorite imam who always give me goosebumps when he recites Surah Fatiha. According to my father, the strings of heart gets into rhythm when Shaikh Hudhaify recites. A very overwhelming moment it was! Isha salah happened, we all read taraweeh prayer by 10.15 pm. I rushed towards the washroom which was just in front of gate 16 where I was sitting already. When I came back,I tried to sleep. At 12.30 pm, azaan was being called for a leftover 10 rakat taraweeh. Slept at 2am. Woke up again at tahajjud azaan happened at 4 pm. Fajar near 5pm. Then I slept back to wake up at 8.10 am.
Day 2 (21st March 2025 ~ 21st Ramadan)
It's now Friday morning, we all woke up after Fajar and suhoor. There was a Sudanese woman just beside me on the right and on my extreme left was a Bangladeshi , Uzbek. We were sitting very tightly. No space in between and I mean it. But I was loving the passion, the unity among people to strive for the best in Ibadah. Today, I was trying to complete 6 more paras. Jumma happened! In between salahs, I used to make duas with whom I promised. I had a long paper of duas list with me. Iftar packs came right after Asar. I was comfortable with what I got for Iftar as it was a perfect spread for everyone in the vicinity of masjid. I asked for more kehwa coffee and cheese puffs because I wanted to save for sahoor. The least I knew I won’t be spending the early morning meal there. After Iftar aunty shared Shurek bread of Madinah with sesame and nigella seeds. I also had a small chat with a nearby Pakistani aunty who was staying like me, we thought to do suhoor together.
Right after Maghreb, all of a sudden, I received a message on my phone. It was by ietikaf organizers with whom I had an inactive permit. It was all in Arabic but I got the slight hint in my mind that something positive has happened. I went to google translate and yes I was right!! I was awestruck. Attached is the screenshot of what I read. I couldn’t believe my eyes. My permit got approved! I loved it! At the same time, there was one more young girl in her 20s, she got the permit too. Her mom asked me to wait but I told her I have to go to the washroom which I really wanted to. I couldn’t decide at that time whether I should visit the washroom first or the permit area of ietikaf and in between all of this, Isha azaan was being called. Then she said it’s ok you can take my number for later contact.
We exchanged the numbers. Then I ran as much as I could! Yes I kept running as if I was in a marathon. I was directed towards gate 24. On the run, 🏃♀️ I found a young woman distributing dates, I took one from her box and put it in her mouth, at first she couldn’t understand, I told her I am going for ietikaf, she smiled in return. You see the strangers in Haramain become your people for the sake of Allah! I went inside the real i'tikaf area. I showed my QR code with a valid permit but another test was waiting for me. Guess what! The security checked and told me that my permit (tasreeh) has been used already. I replied NO! This permit hasn’t been forwarded to anywhere else. I started reading Durood aloud. Then she asked other security to check. They also told me the same. Then the first security asked me to follow her. She took me a long way inside the enhanced special designated space for ietikaf. She showed my permit to the security who was managing inside. She said OK after a while and then I ran inside as a gleeful bee I had to catch up with Isha jamaat. It was really a wonderful feeling. My permit number was G-158. I went and found my spot. There I found a Hyderabadi woman sitting there on a chair as if she was waiting for me. I asked her everything and she guided me so well. She told me to go get the locker keys which I already had in my bag. I rushed towards the organizers to arrange a power bank. To my husband surprise everyone got their own chargers. The facility was well equipped with top notch arrangements for mutakifeen. Volunteers were very helpful. They provided me with everything I could think of! The mattress, pillow, cushion, blanket, eye mask, backpack, miswak, tasbeeh counter, toiletries including shower gel, shampoo, dozen of dental kits etc.
jese k “ Allah ne chapparr phaarr k de dia ho!!!!!” Meaning as if Allah has given this blessed experience from His treasures!
My tears 😭 were on the verge of my eyes for the perks I was getting free of cost! I brought all necessary things on my spot. I settled everything and then Allah’s more blessings started to shower on me! The different types of croissants cheese filled, chocolate filled, juices, dates, treats , kehwa. After the second batch of taraweeh, I ate all these goodies as sahoor in one go because I was super hungry and tired. I slept and snored. Next day, my neighbor aunt told me that I was snoring heavily. lol.
My sleeping view! SubhanAllah!
Day 3 (22nd March 2025 ~ 22nd Ramadan- 23rd night)
I woke up, prayed tahajjud, fajar and slept again. Near 8 am, I woke up and I continued to read the Quran. Zuhur happened. Have I forgotten to tell you about the frequent visits to the washroom? That's another experience to mention. It had three floors and to every washroom door atleast three to five women were in lines. Now can you imagine how much the wait was! Everyone was very cooperative and trying to maintain the hygiene at their best. Moreover,I forgot to tell you the bracelet ( tasreeh in Arabic) I got which is a must to get access to everything quickly as VVIP. We were the guests of Allah. We have been chosen in millions, that was really an honor. We continued reading the Quran, Maghreb happened with Shaikh Hudhaify. I love his Surah Fatihah recitation as always. Followed up with the lavishing Iftar. The special bun from Madinah, yogurt, dukkan masala and coffee was a treat again. Isha salah, lead by Shaikh Sudais who gave us a surprise because we have a habit of listening to him in Makkah. He also made dua and I recorded all duas too which are below. Get an experience by putting on your headphones and remember me and my family in your Duas.
After the first batch of taraweeh post Isha, I tried to sleep, I got up and went to the washroom. In return, I got late and there was no space jam packed to enter so I sat on the golden grill AC with the pillar. After a while, I tried to go through people. It gave me anxiety and cramps on my stomach because I didn’t want to disturb people who were praying. During taraweeh,I had to lay down on prayer mat due to discomfort. I started reading the Nouman Ali Khan book “Reviving your Heart” to pass my time.
Then I realized that was my last taraweeh here in Masjid e Nabwi. I can’t afford to miss it. I have to get up by hook or crook. Then I got up, took my spray bottle and did wudu at the backside, came back and performed the rest of the taraweeh. In the meantime, I was also convincing my husband to let me stay for the rest of Ietikaf like 7 more days. I was also doing istikharah, I asked Allah if it’s OK for me to stay. Then eventually circumstances lead me to catching a flight on time with family. The least I knew was that my own mother fell in the washroom the very next morning in Pakistan. I got to know that later.
Anyways, we all did sahoor right after our second batch of taraweeh. Today the drink was Laban, an apple, bun with black seeds, yogurt, cupcake and dates. We got some extra stuff too. I ate at least 3 small packs of yogurt due to hunger which made my stomach upset. When we prayed Fajar salah, after a minimal amount of sleep, I kept staring at the inner side of the dome which has a locomotive feature. I was just right beneath it. It has a beautiful intricate design with lots of delicate woodwork laced with gold. As a designer, I have also recently started to design Islamic patterns that’s why the dome was attracting me a lot. Right after Fajar, I also packed everything which I needed to take home. It was really dear to me. The presents I got in Madinah! My other friend advised me to ask the driver to get me a small bag as a cabin baggage which I will use as a hand carry. He bought it for me on my behalf so that I wouldn't face any trouble at the airport as I was having a no luggage ticket and one hand carry was only allowed.
The very next morning right after Fajar, me and my friends also tried to visit Rawdah to convey our salaams to Prophet Muhammad (SAW). At 6AM, we went outside. Suddenly an aged woman asked us whether we are going there towards Rawdah, we said yes but without permit. She had the same scenario. One girl among us was very helpful and knowledgeable. She held her hand and quickly rushed towards Rawdah. We thought she was with us. We kept searching for her around but after frequent calls to our amazement , she reached gate 34 already. A gate which is designated for those women who do not have a permit. I also forgot to mention the beautiful sunrise I witnessed in Madinah on 24th Ramadan followed by 23rd night. I also recorded the video where the mechanical umbrellas were opening in a very slow manner. My other wish was coming true to record it. Alhamdulillah!
We walked towards the gate, we could surely see two lines in a row, we didn’t realize for the next hour or two we will be stuck standing there. After a very long wait, some of us decided to leave and return back. But of course I wanted to see the green dome view and had an intention to convey my salam because I was leaving the very next day for good. And my iqamah will be gone. I sent my friends back to the itikaf area and I headed towards the green dome. While walking, I was trying to recall the events happened in Seerah, how the companions of the Prophet SAW have walked on this space. After reaching there, to my surprise, the green dome was also not that visible, covered more with umbrellas. Picture given above. I said my durood and salaams and left the place due to the crowd with a heavy heart. As I was a mutakif, I didn’t want to stay outside for long, as always I showed my permit and entered inside.
After coming back from Rawdah, I tried to sleep but I couldn’t maybe out of worry. It’s not easy to sleep when you are leaving this Holy place for a long period of time. I laid, read my dua list, masnoon and Quranic duas, Quran recitation and lots of Durood. Till this moment, I reached 20th Juz at Surah Qasas and surprisingly the Imam also reached at the same Surah on the same night! After Zuhur salah, I had a really good chat with my friend who felt like an elder sister or a mother figure to me. It felt like a tarbiyah session for me with long life lessons full of giggles and tears. It was worth the time. The other friend reminded us not waste our time because I had to leave in a while. My flight was at 9.30 pm but most of the people suggested me to leave from inside right after Asar and sit in courtyard till Maghreb so that my 3 days itikaf gets into completion officially. My friend also gave me a dua booklet in Arabic so that I could keep engaged in Ibadah till the last moment.
For just a while, I read more Quran and then I realized I had to leave the itikaf area because I had lots of luggage with me the things I got from the Ietikaf management.
I bid farewell to my friends. It was unbelievable for me to admit that I am leaving , I was scanning the details of masjid again and again with my eyes. That special place has my heart. It gives me peace and tranquility but life had to move on. I returned my power bank at its station. I picked my musallah and bags, I left. The heart was heavy and to my surprise I wasn’t crying, maybe I cried before already so much when I was asking Allah to give me the chance for ietikaf but my heart was full of gratitude and the experiences I witnessed. Later, I found out that I forgot my shoes inside when I was returning the power bank. When I came back from inside, the security asked me where are you going with all of stuff, I told them in Arabic that I came from Riyadh and I did intend to sit for 3 days of ietikaf as I have small kids. They gave me dua in return “ تقبل الله منك, may Allah accept your ietikaf” that moment I couldn’t control my tears. 😭
I offered Asar prayer outside in courtyard and gifted the snacks and toiletries there with kids and women so that my luggage gets lightened as well. I still remember that last sight of minarat, the gorgeous door, the moving domes, the mehrabs, the umbrellas, Islamic patterns and what not. Mesmerizing heart touching sounds!
Alas! The driver called because the time had arrived to leave the beautiful masjid. One lady helped me to reach the landmark driver told me. I was walking towards it and all of a sudden my musallah also got out of its cover. One random stranger helped me in fact people all there treat each other in a very well mannered way. As I sat in the car, there I saw my hand carry. I started to transfer my things inside to make it one. With full heart from the blessed city of Madinah Munawwarah, I arrived at the airport within a matter of minutes. There I could see people having Iftar boxes. I found the kiosk, got mine. I prayed in Maghreb there and did my Iftar. There I found two sisters, they seem clueless about Iftar. I grabbed that moment for grabbing a good deed. I offered them my Iftar box and instead I went to a nearby shop to get coffee for myself.
Once my Quran teacher told me that whenever we visit Makkah and Madinah, we should be in search of doing good deeds and we should be learning from someone there or we should be teaching something good to someone there. I lived by it. I passed the boarding and went to the lounge, waited and chatted a lot with my sisters on whatsapp. I saw my slippers also got really bad because I was wearing them for 4 days straight. Due to moisture, they got really weary. The least I know I was sitting at the wrong gate🥴 which was also going to Riyadh. At the time of going into the plane,the boarding officer told me to run to a particular gate as much as I could because when he was scanning my pass it was giving an error. I truly felt Allah’s help as He knows the unseen. I was the last passenger. I started writing my travelogue when I just came on my seat recalling this embarrassing moment, scroll up at the very start and you will see.
I was wondering what if ?! What if! The plane had left me in Madinah! What if I won’t be able to reach home on time? It’s Allah who loves me 70 times more than my own mother. I felt truly Allah is watching me. He executed the plan so seamlessly that He saved me from a possible mishap too. It reassured me that don’t be shy in asking Allah. He is the One who can give you anything we ask. It was the very first time in our family as a woman who got a golden chance to sit for ietikaf in Masjid - e - Nabwi.
I begged Allah for it. I cried all nights for it. I couldn’t sleep for 36 hours so that I don’t miss my tahajjud nor Fajar nor permit. It was truly an emergency for me. Allah made it all happen. I made sure to keep my toungue immersed in Durood 24/7. I have a solid belief in Allah that He is the only who can fulfill my wishes. My heart was yearning for it. I could have told myself that I just visited Madinah in February with family, why would I want to visit it again? Actually, I wanted to visit to take all the benefits of being a mutakiff during the state of fasting in the special month of Ramadan in the holiest and blessed place of Madinah. I wanted to catch Layl tul Qadar, perform taraweeh. Allah made it happen bit by bit, in fact more than that! I felt like I had graduated from an institution after training of 3 days! May Allah have accepted everyone’s ietikaf including me there! It was worth it! Alhamdulillah! I pray to Allah that whoever is reading this travelogue get a chance and keep calling us to visit Makkah and Madinah and most importantly visit for Hajj and Umrah and sit for ietikaf for full 10 days in Ramadan sooner than soon inshAllah.
I am writing this beautiful journey of mine in plane with no disturbance, this is also a dream come true! 😉
Thanks for reading till the end, now let’s make dua and we keep saying Aameen for you in comments! You never know when your dua is going to be fulfilled inshAllah!
Escalators from washroom to masjid
The best Iftar and suhoor in the entire world
The lockers with all stuff we need
Asar azaan
The sight one can never get tired of subhanAllah, don’t forget to say your Durood
no words can explain these kind of heartening moments
Alhamdulillah celebrated Eid with family in Karachi as planned by Allah but my heart was there again in Madinah!
Oh yes, would you like to read my hajj travelogue, if yes! Here you go!