BBC : news coverage on Islam ?

[Ambiorix]

BBC : does everything to promote the idea of a peaceful Islam.
 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7149424.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7144222.stm

I must confess. I'm feeling quite anxious at the moment.
On Saturday morning I fly out to Saudi Arabia to report on the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

While I'm excited at the prospect of reporting on a global news story, I'm afraid I'm in over my head.

It'll be my first time performing Hajj.

   

 Have I memorised the right Koranic verses? Will I perform the right actions? Will my Hajj be accepted? 
I can't tell you how many sleepless nights I've had wondering whether I'll be able to do it properly.

Have I memorised the right suras (Koranic verses)? Will I perform the right actions? Will my Hajj be accepted?

With only a few days to go, I'm still not sure...

Luckily I'll be with colleagues who have performed Hajj. They say it's hard. And I believe them.

On Sunday the team and I will do the Umrah, the "lesser" pilgrimage.

To do that we'll have to enter a state of Ihram - which has strict codes on what to do, how to dress and how to behave.

Women can wear any form of clothing in line with the rules of Sharia, but men can only wear two pieces of unstitched cloth.

It symbolises equality - all men and women are equal in God's eyes.

Being in Ihram means not whinging about people, not intentionally harming anyone and if you're married, no sexual relations with your spouse.

The act of Umra itself should be fairly easy...

After the Tawaf - walking around the Kaaba, the cube-like structure at the centre of the Great Mosque in Mecca - we will offer two rakaas or units of prayer, followed by drinking water from the holy Zam Zam spring.

We must then walk between the hills of Safa and Murwa, seven times.

Finally, to end the rituals of Umra, men must then either shave their hair or cut it short and women must cut off a lock of hair.

I think I got that right. At least I hope I did, and will do when the time comes.

And while I'm still unsure about the days to come, one thing is for certain.

I can't wait to go to the Great Mosque in Mecca that houses the Kaaba.

Every prayer that a Muslim performs is offered in the direction of the mysterious building, draped in black silk, forever surrounded by pilgrims.

Muslims believe the structure was built by Abraham and his son Ishmael.

I'm still not sure how I will feel once I see it for myself.

Something tells me it will be worth all the sleepless nights. 

Hajj Diary 2: Answered prayers
The BBC's Imtiaz Tyab is performing the Hajj this year and writing a diary of his experience for the BBC News website.
Today I saw the Kaaba, the building towards which Muslims pray, for the first time.

I must admit, I was expecting it would take my breath away at first sight.


Muslims all over the world pray towards this revered building
Strangely, it didn't. What I did feel was this overwhelming sense of familiarity. As if I had been here before.

Any nerves or jitters I had about whether I'd be able to perform my Hajj properly or whether it would be accepted by God instantly disappeared.

All that mattered was that I was there, in front of the Kaaba, declaring my intention to perform the Hajj.

As the majority of pilgrims had already begun the journey from Mecca to the tent city of Mina in preparation for the second and spiritually most important day of Hajj, it was relatively quiet in the Haram or Great Mosque in Mecca.

As I performed Tawaf - when pilgrims walk around the Kaaba seven times - I managed to get very close.

I was surrounded by men and women of every race and nationality, desperately trying to touch any part of the building they could.

Some wept out loud begging God for forgiveness, others muttered prayers to themselves.

   
 As I placed my right hand on the glistening golden archway I was instantly reduced to tears 
As I made my way around the Kaaba, I inched closer and closer until I was near enough to touch it.

Somehow I found myself in front of the Kaaba's golden doorway.

It's believed that anyone who touches it will have their prayers accepted by God

I'll be honest, I didn't know that at the time. But as I placed my right hand on the glistening golden archway I was instantly reduced to tears.

I felt no shame as I stood there, tears streaming down my face.

I can't tell you what exactly I was crying about - I just was.

As I finished my Tawaf, offered my prayers and drank from the well of Zam Zam, I walked away from the Great Mosque feeling like a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

Whatever happens over the next few days of Hajj one thing is for certain; I will never forget today. 

Is the BBC covering other religions EQUALLY??

[kahaneloyalist]

it would be ironic if this reporter was one of the muzzies killed during the Hajj