Ramadan Mubarak everyone. The days of fasting this year will be a bit shorter than they have been for many years now, as they fall before the clocks change for summer time. Although shorter the fasts will be just as important and I hope that Muslims can reflect, earn forgiveness and blessings during this holy month. We will also be thinking of those that are facing hardships in the world, wars, displacement and oppression and pray for their ease.
I was fortunate enough to travel to Makkah, Saudi Arabia recently to complete an Islamic pilgrimage Umrah. Umrah is known as the lesser or minor pilgrimage that Muslims can complete at any time of the year. It was my first visit and I feel it was a blessed and easy one. It was amazing and quite emotional to enter The Sacred Mosque and see the Kaaba, the black cube that Muslims use as the direction to pray in.
I was then able to travel to the city of Medina to visit The Prophet’s Mosque, which was built by our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and where he is buried. It was a beautiful mosque and I was able to pay my respects.
My trip to the holy cities of Makkah and Medina and to the two most important mosques in Islam was quite special and I hope one day to be able to go back. May Allah accept my Umrah and prayers, and peace to you all.
We’ve come to the end of 2024. It has been an eventful year for me personally and on the world stage. I was lucky enough to travel to lots of different countries as well as spend time with family and friends and doing my part in calling for peace and justice in the world.
Wars also still continue, in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and other parts of the world. They have taken a toll on me and many others and I pray that an end to these come swiftly and permanently.
Here are some of my best and favourite photos of this year, as I prepare for the next. Happy New Year to everyone and may it be one that is calmer, more peaceful and positive one for us all, with plenty of adventure.
On the edge of Regent’s Park is the London Central Mosque. I have glimpsed the golden dome many times from the park but I never ventured in, until recently that is.
The interior of the mosque was beautiful as many mosques are. I loved the colour of the blue carpet and the intricate detail of the Arabic scripture written around the base of the dome.
The mosque is open to everyone, regardless of faith and I found a diverse range of people taking in the building and the prayers. It was a very peaceful visit I hope to come back to again soon.
Ramadan the holiest month in the Muslim calendar started today. Millions of Muslims around the world will fast from sunrise to sunset. We abstain from all food and drink, using this month to reconnect with God, our faith and each other. This year is especially poignant as so many Muslims are facing war and difficult times. I pray that we use this time to ask God to have mercy upon those that need it most and to help them in their time of need. Ramadan Mubarak.
I did some shopping in Istanbul (of course), starting with a market in the area of Eminonu. It was a market that locals shop at so my sisters and I were hoping for some good bargains. We looked around and bought backlava, some oud in pretty colourful bottles and turkish delight.
There was lots to see, great smells and some lovely looking fresh produce. It took us a while to look around and finally make our way to the famous Grand Bazaar.
The Grand Bazaar was pretty touristy and really busy. We looked around but I didn’t find anything particularly appealing. There were lots of shops selling counterfeit designer bags and clothes and others selling jewellery and food. I only ended up buying some sweets for myself before heading for lunch at the famous Nusr-et.
After lunch we went to nearby Nuruosmaniye Mosque to pray. Afterwards we found a really steep narrow staircase to one side and putting in the effort and courage to climb the small uneven steps, we found ourselves on the top tier of the mosque. The view was beautiful and worth the effort.
I absolutely loved the beautifully detailed designs and colours of the tiles. And the mosque has high ceilings and was really spacious and light. We sat for a while taking in the view and soaking up the atmosphere.
At the end of our Istanbul trip we visited the Basilica Cistern, a place I was keen to see (even more since it was in the film Inferno). The cistern was built in the 6th century and the roof is supported by 336 marble columns. The space was lit up with atmospheric lighting and in modern time includes some art pieces too.
The walkways wound through the columns and artworks and it was cool and quiet. I really enjoyed seeing how well kept it all was and how the light created some stunning reflections.
We then decided to get something to eat and look at a few more shops. We were accompanied by one of the many cats we saw on the streets that are very tame and look well looked after.
I really enjoyed my trip to Istanbul, we saw lots but there was still so much to see that we didn’t have time for. The food was delicious, the people friendly and welcoming and the history unlike any other. I really hope that I can come back one day and continue to learn about this special city and experience more of what it has to offer.
On my visit to Istanbul I went to The Blue Mosque also known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. It was constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. It was being renovated so there was lots of scaffolding and parts covered up but you could still see how beautiful the visible parts were. It was really busy but I managed to take a few snaps.
We didn’t stay too long, and after praying and looking around I moved onto the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque which is opposite The Blue Mosque. Walking across the square the time for prayer came around and it was beautiful to hear the two mosques sounding the call to prayer in turn.
The Hagia Sophia was originally built as a Greek Orthodox church 1453. It served as a mosque until 1935 and then was converted into a a museum. In 2020, the Hagia Sophia became a mosque again.
Inside there were lots of circular chandeliers to brighten up the space and on the walls were plaques with Allah, Muhammed (PBUH) and the names of his closest companions written in Arabic. It was quite beautiful to take in the embellishment and architecture of the building.
Something I found interesting was that you could still see Christian embellishments in some parts like the walkway to the exit depicting what looked like Mary and Jesus and images of angles around the ceiling dome.
We stayed a while, soaking in the atmosphere and taking pictures. Again this mosque was very busy so we didn’t stay too long. It was really nice to have spent time in both The Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. Both are quite beautiful and I hope to come back again one day.
Ramadan Mubarak everyone. I pray that this month is a beneficial one for all of us, that we break old habits and create new ones, that we have an increase in peace, blessings and mercy and that we all come closer to God. Ameen.
I love this scene of our elegant local mosque with its tall minaret and nearby distinctive trees as silhouettes against a colourful, beautiful, winter sunset, with the light fading from day to night.
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