House of Creative Writing

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Bismillaahirrahmaanirrahiim
In The Name of God, The Most Kind, Most Merciful

INTRODUCTION

Assalamu'alaikum ! Peace be upon you!

This introduction will give you a background of the poetry collection that you are viewing on this
page. To understand this collection better, Ninie invites you to read the paper she wrote, that she
has attached on this page.

From March 29 through April 13, 1998, Ninie and her parents traveled to Saudi Arabia to perform
their Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage, in the cities of Makkah (Mecca) and Madinah. Hajj is the fifth
pillar of Islam, which every Muslim is required to do once in their life time, provided that he or
she has the means to do so.

Since this pilgrimage, Ninie started writing Hajj poetry upon her reflections and experiences
about this important religious journey, utilizing also her imagination and sensory.

On Tuesday, February 16, 1999, Ninie gave a talk on her Hajj experience, before a group of US
Department of Education employees, at the APAED (Asian Pacific Americans at the Education
Department) Forum, during a lunch time seminar.

Then, from December 14 through December 29, 2000, Ninie traveled again to Makkah, Saudi
Arabia, with a group of Muslims from Washington, DC, to perform Umrah during the last two
weeks of Ramadan 1420 Hijjriyah. Umrah is a lesser Hajj, a pilgrimage that a Muslim can do,
but not required. It can be done throughout the year, except at the prescribed time of Hajj
in the month of Dzulhijjah, the 12th month in Islamic calendar.

Renewed spiritually, Ninie continued writing her Hajj poetry project, adding one poem after
another. To date, she has composed twenty one poems on this project, and is still struggling
to complete her Hajj poetry collection. She aims to achieve a certain number, before she plans
to publish them in a book of poetry, Insha Allah, on God willing. However, Ninie is pleased to
publish her Hajj poems in her website at the moment, while continuing this project.

Ninie humbly presents this Hajj poetry collection for both Muslims and non-Muslims. For Muslims
who have not made their Hajj, may it become an inspiration and encouragement to perform their
Hajj as soon as they are able to do; and for Muslims who have done theirs, may it be a source of
joy, nostalgia and reflections. For non-Muslims, it is sincerely aimed as a "cultural bridge" to
introduce one aspect of Islam.

Ninie dedicates this poetry collection
to her honorable and courageous parents:
Hajji Syarikin Bin Agin
and
Hajjah Soprah Binti Haji Abdul Madjid,
who, together, dreamed, dared draughts and hurricanes,
in the education of their six children:
Ninie, Yoyo, Petu, Esu, Iwan and Wawan;
as well as to her own:
Mohamed, Ibrahim and Umar.

All goodness and beauty that maybe found in these poems belong only to GOD, The Most Kind,
Most Merciful; any mistakes and shortcomings are Ninie's weaknesses and responsibility alone.

"SEE YOU IN THE HOLY LAND! THE HAJJ IN POETRY"

THE FIRST ISLAMIC STAMP IN THE US

NOTICE OF USAGE

Please refer to the similar
title in the section of
"House of Poetry;" thank you!
Read a correspondence
between Ninie and a music
teacher in Florida, who
asked Ninie's permission to
perform her Hajj poem
"The Hajj."

This is a typical sight during the annual pilgrimage "The Hajj" in the Masjidil Haram, the Holiest Mosque in Makkah, Saudi
Arabia. About two to two and a half million pilgrims from all over the world make their Hajj every year during a specified
time. This is the view from the top floor of the huge four storeys mosque. The black cube that you see in the middle ground
is the Ka'bah, the House of God, that Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) AS, Peace Be Upon Him, and his elder son, Prophet Ismail
AS (Peace Be Upon Him) rebuilt together. The world's Muslims pray to the direction of the Ka'bah five times daily.

These calligraphies say "Eid Sa'id" and "Eid Mubarak" which means "Beautiful Eid" and "Happy Blessed Eid." There are
two most important festivals in Islam, Eid al-Fitr, which is the celebration after the Ramadan fasting month, and Eid al-Adha,
the Festival of Sacrifice, when abled Muslims make pilgrimage to Makkah and Madinah, the journey of a lifetime. On this
occasion, the rest of the Muslims all over the world join the celebration in their own homeland. On those festive days, the
Muslims shake hands and wish each other "Eid Mubarak" in their own mother tongues. In Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore
and Brunei Darussalam, generally among the Southeast Asian Muslims, the Eid al-Fitr Festival became the special
occasion to seek forgiveness from each other, among family members, relatives, neighbors, friends and colleagues.
Their typical greetings are: "Selamat Hari Raya, Mohon Maaf Lahir/Zahir dan Batin" which means "Happy Eid, Please
Forgive Physically and Spiritually."

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