DHAKA: When he was at university, Mokarrebur Rahman was planning to perform Hajj — a dream his friends laughed at, as he struggled to afford even one meal a day. Little did they know that the opportunity would soon come, and that he would make sure not to miss a single pilgrimage thereafter.
Rahman, who was born in Nator, about 200km north of Dhaka, in the family of a madrasa teacher, saw his father spend everything he could earn on educating his children. No one in the family thought that they could ever afford to travel to Makkah and Madinah.
But in 2004, when he was 29, the owner of a Hajj travel agency asked Rahman to find prospective pilgrims in his area. When he did, he was offered a role as their guide.
“The owner of the agency, Marvelous Air Travels, Saleh Akbar, told me to prepare for the Hajj journey ... Recalling those days still brings tears to my eyes,” Rahman told Arab News.
“My parents constantly prayed for me. They wept in prayer, asking Allah to grant me the opportunity to fulfill my dream of performing Hajj. As the eldest of six siblings, my journey was a moment of joy and pride for my younger brothers and sisters.”
What made the journey even more special was that he could also take his father along. He remembers how his eyes were filled with tears throughout the whole journey.
“I could hardly speak as emotion overwhelmed me. When I finally stood before the Kaaba, I was speechless. I was overcome with joy that Allah Almighty had granted me the opportunity to perform the holy Hajj, which remains the greatest achievement of my life,” he said.
“With tears in my eyes, I completed all the Hajj rituals. Words still cannot fully express what I felt in those moments.”
The pilgrimage also defined his future.
After first working with other Hajj agencies, Rahman now runs his own and each year guides pilgrims through the spiritual journey while performing the rites himself. Since 2004, he has not missed a single Hajj season, except in 2020, when coronavirus travel restrictions were in place.
Remembering how he was given the opportunity to perform his first Hajj, he makes sure to pass it on to others.
“I sponsor one or two pilgrims every year. I do this privately ... I also performed Hajj on behalf of some of my relatives and friends, as the pilgrimage is obligatory only once in a lifetime for those who are able to undertake it. In later years, I performed Hajj in the names of my paternal and maternal grandfathers, my uncles and other relatives who had passed away,” he said.
“I decided to dedicate my life to serving pilgrims, hoping Allah would accept my efforts in helping those who traveled to the holy land seeking His blessings.”
