Cycling to Hajj from Nottingham

[Ashiq e Rasool]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

ASALATU WASALAMU ALAYKA YA RASULLALLAH Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam

Cycling to Hajj from Nottingham

A French student living in Nottingham has set off on his bike for Mecca on October 27.

Salim Moumou Eljeddahoui aims to cycle more than 3,000 miles to join two million pilgrims at Islam's holiest city. He is set to arrive in Saudi Arabia for the start of Hajj - the annual pilgrimage to Mecca - on December 18. The 25-year-old, who moved to Nottingham this year to learn English, will be travelling solo, covering around 70 miles a day.

He said the trip follows the footsteps of his grandfather, who walked to Mecca from France.

"It took him six months during which the conditions for eating and sleeping were very difficult," he said. "I want to experience similar conditions and the same difficulties."

Salim, who lives in Lenton, added: "I'm also aware of the Crusades. Some of the soldiers are said to have set off from Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem but instead of going for war I am going in peace."

Salim will cycle through France, Belgium, Switzerland and on into Italy. From there, he will catch a ferry to Turkey and continue on bike through Syria and Jordan before arriving in Saudi Arabia.


Salim said he has been planning for a year but only decided to go ahead with his plans after Ramadhan.

Salim is taking a tent, but will also stay at mosques and hotels. He is being supported by some of the Nottingham mosques, including the Karimia Institute of Dr Musharraf Hussain. Dr Hussain said: "It is a good example for young people to see someone being so courageous and entrepreneurial. I have been advising him to take the right precautions so that he is always near a hostel, mosque or hotel at night and doesn't have to sleep rough.

An inspiration in this day and age.

[Sister Nomee]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

ASALATU WASALAMU ALAYKA YA RASULLALLAH Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam

MashAllah that is what you call dedication nothing is impossible may Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala grants this brother the ability, good health and will power to fulfill this challenge of his in order to follow his grandfathers footsteps and accepts his hajj ameen summa ameen.

I hear stories from my dad when his father went to hajj by ferry and took him months to arrive at Mecca shareef and all th hardship he faced, but how lucky we are in this day and age just book a flight and book the most luxurious hotel and package and complain if the food or hotel is not to our satisfaction may Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala forgive us.

JazakAllah khairun sister for sharing.

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

[chishti]

The harder the journey the sweeter the destination. These days we catch saudi airlines, maybe stay in 5 star hotels and perform Hajj without the difficulty of past generations and, i think, miss out on some of the sweetness.

[MadniMunna]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Wow that would be great! It would be good to know how he does after his hourney.

Good luck to him

[sajjad dar ashrafi]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Subhanallah best of luck to him

[muzaffar]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


Every now and again we read something, think, read it again and it totally blows you away.

What can i say, I certainly don't envy him , he must be a remarkable person to endure such a hazardous journey all alone. Not only does he need physical strength but sheer mental strength to get through each week, never mind each day. His imaan must be very strong we assume because his every sacrifice and strain is purely for the sake of seeking Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala's pleasure. And when you have a father like his, what better role model, in training and of the testament of the spirit of sacrifice, fisabillillah; in the way of Allah. Can any christian, jew, buddhist or sikh claim such devoted mercenaries in their religion?

No!! Such faith only comes from within when one is padlocked to the umbilical cord of Islam. Islam is not just about performing the hajj, and its other rituals, its a guidance for the whole mankind to mould their lives around in this world and the akhira.

Pray that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala gives Salim the strength to complete this journey, without hardship and with comfort.

Hasbunallah wa Nemal wakil

[madnibrother786]

mashallah wish the brother the very best, may his hajj be accepted with all his efforts. Ameen

[Sanam1]

Subhanallah may the brother succeeed in his mission and his hajj gets accepted ameen.

trhx sister AR for sharing this wonderful story with us.

[Ashiq e Rasool]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

ASALATU WASALAMU ALAYKA YA RASULLALLAH Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam

SubhanAllah well said brother Muzaffar. Admiration goes out to the brother, the sacrifice he is willing to give to Please His Creator Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala his every step will be rewarded.

Beautifully said brother Chisti, the harder the journey the sweeter the destination, Al- Humdolillah. So true!

We say we wished we lived in the Era of our Beloved Prophet Sayyedina Muhammad Mustufa Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam so we too could have participated with them , experienced their presence and shared their pain and grief.

Yet here we are so easily said , yet find it hard to Practice the Farz and emulate the Sunnah's left behind by the Best of Creation Aap Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam we complain about the air travel, how uncomfortable it was about the lack of hygiene in Musdalifah and Arafat, about the lack of sleep and tiredness etc...

Yet Here is a young man who has never been to Haj before is going out alone and cycling it there, kipping down catching up on his sleep in Mosques along his journey, doesn't have a clue of what he is going to entail or have to endure but he is doing it to get an experience of hardship and difficulties and a Idea of what his grandfather and the warriors of Islam entailed. Subhan Allah.

[sajjad dar ashrafi]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

May ALLAH TA ALLAH make his journey safe and trouble free and accept his intentions of the way he is going Haj

[madnibrother786]

Hope the brother has strong legs and good stamina, i tried cycling last time after ages i went round the block and felt well tired, its strange how u dont get tired when ur kids and when u grow up u cant do nothing without getting tired.


I want to be a kid again now

[PBUH]

naseer said:

Hope the brother has strong legs and good stamina, i tried cycling last time after ages i went round the block and felt well tired, its strange how u dont get tired when ur kids and when u grow up u cant do nothing without getting tired.


I want to be a kid again now

Brother, supplicate if your need is urgent.


Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

[sajjad dar ashrafi]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Loose some weight then brother naseer and you might be able to cycle a bit further

[sajjad dar ashrafi]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Before you say it yes I have a lot more stamina than you and will out run and out cycle you anytime

[Ashiq e Rasool]

naseer said:

Hope the brother has strong legs and good stamina, i tried cycling last time after ages i went round the block and felt well tired, its strange how u dont get tired when ur kids and when u grow up u cant do nothing without getting tired.


I want to be a kid again now

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

I'm sure the brother above has done a lot of training and is physically fit as well as mentally fit. Any body who goes on long journeys or treks have to be prepared and a lot of training goes into it.
I know a few years back there where 2 young lads who cycled from Leicester to Masjid E Aqsa , they were raising money for the Mosque and looking for sponsorship. They said they had been training for a year before hand and its was extensive training. They did succeed and raised a lot of money for it and were in the local papers.

[Hafeez]

ashiqerasool said:

naseer said:

Hope the brother has strong legs and good stamina, i tried cycling last time after ages i went round the block and felt well tired, its strange how u dont get tired when ur kids and when u grow up u cant do nothing without getting tired.


I want to be a kid again now

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

I'm sure the brother above has done a lot of training and is physically fit as well as mentally fit. Any body who goes on long journeys or treks have to be prepared and a lot of training goes into it.
I know a few years back there where 2 young lads who cycled from Leicester to Masjid E Aqsa , they were raising money for the Mosque and looking for sponsorship. They said they had been training for a year before hand and its was extensive training. They did succeed and raised a lot of money for it and were in the local papers.

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

may Allah almighty give him a safe journey and may his prayers be accepted, his Hajj will mean so much because he has strived to get there, we are all to used to our comforts

sister AR do you have any more info on the brothers that cycled to masjid ul Aqsa???

[Ashiq e Rasool]

hafz85 said:

ashiqerasool said:

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu



sister AR do you have any more info on the brothers that cycled to masjid ul Aqsa???

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

ASALATU WASALAMU ALAYKA YA RASULLALLAH Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam

No brother this was a few years back probably about 4 years ago when I was In Leicester, I first heard them on Ramadan Radio asking for sponsorship and talking about their training and what motivated them, then they were in the local paper before they set of and again after their return also, I know they did raise a lot of money , but cant remember the actual figures.
Sadly they were from a deobandi mosque so didn't know much about them.

[MadaniSister]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

ASALATU WASALAMU ALAYKA YA RASULLALLAH Salla Allahu ta’ala ‘alayhi wa Sallam

SubhanAllah Azzawajal such dedication May Allah Azzawajal Accept his Hajj Ameen,Thum,Ameen,JazakAllahkhair for sharing sister Ashiq e Rasool.

[ank92]

Subhanallah! What a fantastic story. A pilgrim cycling to Hajj. I can just imagin after all the trials and test of endurance Allah puts him through the emotion he will feel in the sacred Cities on arrival will be second to none.

Good luck to him, may Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala give us all the same will power and strenght of Iman as this brother.

[sajjad dar ashrafi]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


Mashallah we are talking about the brother cycling to Haj but what about his grandad walking from France to Haj


Main soh jaoo Ya MUSTAFA kehteh kehteh
Coole ank Salleallah kehteh kehteh