The Story of Love

I had just finished listening to the sound of azan through my mobile phone. The azan for Maghrib prayer from Masjidil Haram in Makkah. How soothing it was, listening to the call of prayer directly from His house thousands of miles away. My tears is still flowing while I am typing this.
I made the special request to my brother who is now still in Makkah for hajj. He would be coming home soon, and tonight is his last attempt in making the call so I could listen to the azan live from the holy land. The few attempts made before were not quite successful. After the third failed attempt I realized that I've forgotten something. I forgot to ask from Him, the Owner of the holy land, the Owner of the masjid. I forgot to seek His permission. I went to sleep crying that night realizing my mistake. How could I forgot that...And just now, finally I was able to listen clearly..thank you Allah. I miss that sound so much..that soothing sound from Your house.

Every year when the hajj season comes, I would be quite emotional and I could feel a deep sense of longing in my heart.
It was love at first sight. The unforgettable experience of seeing the Kaabah for the first time will remain in my heart forever.
I've travelled to other places in my life, but traveling for hajj is totally a different experience, incomparable.
Hajj, with all it's obligated rituals and challenges, is actually a lesson about love.

Hajj taught me that if I want to love Him, I must free myself from loving others. Because He does not accept any partners in this relationship. I must love Him alone. I must depend on Him alone.
If I want anything, anything at all, big or small, anything... I must ask from Him. I must pray to Him.
If I want to love anyone else, it must be in the way that He allows.
My duty here in this world, a temporary world, is to please Him. To prove my love to Him. In this world it's not about seeking pleasure for myself or anyone else, but seeking for His pleasure.
Because He made a promise, that later, in the hereafter He will reward us with a pleasure beyond our imagination. In the hereafter, He will reward us the pleasure.
The kind of pleasure that will remain forever.
Hajj taught me about eternal love, as shown by Prophet Ibrahim when he slaughtered his own son, because as much as he loves his son, he loves Allah more, his love for Allah is beyond measure.
Because, to love human is natural, but to love Him is eternal.
THAT is true love.

Hajj is a lesson about love, and Makkah is the city of love.
Ya Allah...when I visited Your house, I left my heart there. I hope it will remain close to You.
Amiin.