DAY 05 – 15/12/2012
Tweets from Mission Olivistan
Four Nations. One Journey
Day 05 – 15/12/2012
Malayalees rarely do anything on time. Today we proved ourselves an exception
‘To Resist is to Exist’ – a writing on the wall in Jerusalem. Will miss this city of freedom-hungry lot. Lord be with you…
A pretty Israeli soldier comes in bus at check point, looks into a passport & bids us farewell with an assuring smile saying, ‘Very nice group. Bye’
For how long can clouds cover Sun? For how long can they chain Peace? For how long can they cage Humanity? For how long can this long go on?
Palestine need two things: Sufficient but well managed funds & powerful but cool-headed Leadership. Inshallah peace is not far…
All signboards here read in 3 languages. English, Arabic and Hebrew.
Visit to Prophet Musa maqam. We honored him with salaam, Yasin and tears. His Patience with children of Israel was unparalleled.
‘Palestinians celebrate Nabi Moosa day on every Easter in Jerusalem’
‘The bad Palestinians who betray their cause or sell lands to enemies are buried in a graveyard near Nabi Moosa’
Noble people may disappear apparently. But their memories remain. Nabi Moosa locality is named after Prophet Musa, just as Nizamuddin in India is named after the great saint of the same name.
Dead Sea appears on right. Huge date palm plantation on way.
Allah will topple those who turn upside down the nature of Laws decreed by Him. Story of Lut’s people teaches this lesson for us.
Sea may or may not be. The real question ‘Is the real Man Dead’?
Enjoyed Dead Sea views and moves. Alive moments at Dead Sea.
Entering Eilat, a duty free city. ‘Many from Scandinavian countries visit for sunbath. Conquered from Egypt during 1948’
‘Aqaba port can be seen from here. Elat is a very liberal city (including dress code)’
‘Diamonds and precious stones also popular here. Local airport also there’
Finally got hold of my favorite coffee flavor.
Red Sea also passes by. Now approaching checkpoint….
Crossed into Egypt through the Taba Border.
2pm. Jaihoon enters Egypt, without a Staff or splitting any sea.
Red Sea appears on left. Fort built by Salahuddin Al Ayyubi stands in pristine glory in the middle of sea.
Prayed dhuhr-Asr at a tiny Masjid Rahman. Interior calligraphy looks hand-made here
‘The normal route to Cairo is closed by Bedouins’
Passing through Sinai Peninsula.
‘The natives here are Bedouins. The largest oilfields in Egypt are also here. Steep and scary routes. Pharaohs used to dig out costly stones from here’
It was Amr bin Al Aas who won Egypt for Muslims.
Cairo or Qahira means victory.
‘After winning the battle, all tents of soldiers were removed but the last one. A bird’s nest was found. Amr (ra) asked not to remove it out of MERCY!’
‘That tent area came to be known as Fustat.’
‘The first mosque in African continent, Jami Amr, was by Amr bin al Aas. It also contains the tomb of the Companion.’
Masjids were great centers of learning in earlier days. Unfortunately today it’s become resort of the retired feeble ones alone
Interestingly Al Azhar University, Sunni Muslims’ greatest authority, was founded by Shiites. Presently it has both secular & religious teaching
Everyone’s introducing themselves in the journey. Interesting profiles from different parts of Kerala
An Eco-friendly waste Management expert said his mother first refused permission to go to troubled areas. When he said he was going with the Sayyid, she agreed.
Another man burst into tears unable to complete the sentence: My wife eagerly wished to join me, but her knee-cap pain…
Half past five. A bus runs through the peninsula sounding Haddad dua. Mountains star. Stars wonder. Angels smile
The chant is same. Ancient & repeated. But it’s power imatchless. Time hasn’t wrinkled it. It’s Reality of all realities. La Ilaha Illallah
The entire mountain range is bathed in moonlight & a pinch of cold. Solitude is the only company for Solitude here. Love hums. Passion drums.
Im trying to control sleep and Sleep is wrestling to be in charge. Who’s gotta win?
Some bag fell in the bus shedding the leaves of dream-tree…
Had a fascinating glimpse of Sharam Al Shaikh at night.
Dropped into a SIM card shop here. The salesman asked me where I hailed from. When said Indian, he started moving his hands in Bhangra dance style hinting at Bollywood films.
1045pm. Waiting at an unknown checkpoint in the middle of a desert. Dead silent. Just got my iPhone charged from the bus driver.
The seafood dinner has made everyone fall into deep slumber. Some standing & sleeping. Others are waiting to know why they are waiting.
The earth land which we consider so gigantic is actually only 25% of the planet. Dr Bahauddin reminded it with a good parable.
It’s great to have noble luminaries with such extraordinary sense of humor to lighten our moods with jokes filled with wisdom
Muslim Ummah today need such ‘cool-headed turban-heads’ who have a compassionate heart even when guiding them to straight path
Real humor is that which will provoke our comical and intellectual senses simultaneously
It’s only during such travels through dark regions I get to see the creatures called Stars.
Unfortunately today stars bring to our mind screen celebrities instead of those shining smilies up in the sky.
Traveling for the past 17 hrs. Stopped for Maghrib+ Isha at a hotel.
‘Referendum’ related riots are all over TV. No one pays as much a heavy price for Democracy as common people. They suffer between government & opposition
The only real stars of Democracy are the eloquent chatterboxes who appear on the Idiot Boxes.
Nevertheless like all forms of governances, Democracy too has good and ugly sides.
Meanwhile, responses pour in from Twitterati Arabs including VIPs congratulating on my ‘Olivistan’ journey
2.30 am. No. Not yet.
5.30am. Yes. Al hamdu lillah. Welcome to Cairo. Al hamdu lillah.
