Riding on sand and rocks I saw mountains with white snow on the top, the wind blew me back on my horse, but we still carried on going. I have the tools to navigate and find my own way to Makkah. I rode through the desert, the sun guides me by day and the stars are my companions at night. Travellers have told me to keep an eye out for dangers that may come in each corner and all I can think of is seeing the magnificent and respected Kaaba. I set up a fire at night to keep me warm before I go to sleep until my horse began to sense danger and jump around whining, I ran to my horse to comfort it. I slowly stroked it's neck until it quietened down while doing that I looked to the sky and saw the moon shaped as the Kaaba and the stars looked like pilgrims doing tawaf (circulating around the Kaaba).
As the sun appeared I began my journey on a plain desert, no buildings, no trees, no nothing, just sand.
As I was resting, I saw a strange man, who's face was covered with a black scarf behind me with his white horse then saw another man above rocks I then knew it was time to go. I cut the rope which was attached to the donkey and quickly jumped onto my horse as soon as I escaped the two men chased me from behind on their horse but another man with a black scarf stopped me and I flew off my horse, getting up onto my two feet I instantly grabbed the man who stopped me and threw him off of his horse to the ground, the other two fought me with their swords, I fell to the ground and hit my head on a rock. A forth man came and stopped them, he walked slowly and took my gold from my sack which was attached to the horse and gave it to his thieves, he took another look into my bag and took the map Hamza gave to me and looked at me again suspiciously; he looked again and saw my Ihram. Stumbling onto my horse I got away from the man who was looking at me from behind, no longer chasing after me.
I began my journey again on the desert but this time with no water left "If I die let it be on the road to Mecca" these are the words I said to Hamza before I left. I saw water on the desert floor and fell off my horse to drink it, it was only my imagination, the water disappeared and I was still left thirsty, I saw it again and ran to the puddle of water but it was only my mind playing tricks on me. Laying on the ground thinking I was going to die the strange man who saved me before came again, my white turban had blood on it and my tongue was dry as a raisin, he helped me and took me to his tent where I was accompanied by a small boy. The boy then saw that I had woken and ran out of the tent.
I walked out of the tent and saw a man and the little boy sitting around the fire, I joined them as I watched them smiling at me and nodding there heads. A man who had a shaved head came and joined us.
"You need to return home" he said
"I will not return home until I reach Mecca and perform hajj" I said making sure he understood
The man sighed and said "well then you will need protection"
"From you? And your gang of thieves? You must take me for a fool" I said laughing
"I make no judgements, I simply offer you my protection and you will repay me when we reach Cairo"
"You have stolen my money" I said
"I gave it to the poor" he replied
"How would I pay you" I said while putting my hand on my knee and leaning forward
"You have rich friends in Cairo"
"I would rather die in the desert" I said determinedly
"Peace be with you" he said while walking off
I then put my hand out to signal him to sit back down as he sat he sighed and looked at me smiling
"Tell me what does a young man such as yourself find in Mecca? "He said while drinking his water that was given by a woman.
"The hajj is a way to see new lands, to reach Makkah and do hajj is the greatest of journeys" I said gulping my last sip of water
"And for this you risk your life" he said while shaking his head
"It is written in the Quran 'If God helps you, then no one can overcome it'
"And if he abandons you, who can help you then?" asked the man
"Much wisdom can be found in the Quran" he said getting up again and walking off. Dropped a bag on me, he then added "We leave when dawn breaks"
YOU ARE READING
Journey to Mecca
AdventureA man names Ibn Batutta travelled to Mecca to make his dreams come true but will the dangerous corners stop him from going? This book is based on a true story
