Hajj Walid, Yaffa-Aaqer-Salfit-Gaza, USA

When I return to Palestine, I will insha’Allah have my wife and children with me and pray a thankfulness prayer upon entering Palestine then go straight to Gaza and unite with my mom and relatives and take them all to Masjid el Aqsa. We will all wear modest Palestinian clothing and have Palestinian flags on our caravan cars.

We will make wodou’ (ablution) in the crispy, cold water within the precincts of Al-Aqsa, then pray and pray and pray. I will read surat al-Isra’ (surat 18), which Allah blessed me into memorizing by heart, in masjid al-aqsa. I will keep praying until I finish all the qur’an I have dedicated to memory, repeating prayer inside the mosque, in the open air under the olive trees, and in the Dome of the Rock Mosque-especially under the rock.

I will take pictures by the mosque, the solar clock between the mosque and the Dome of the Rock. I will pray under the rock and thank Allah the almighty. I will touch the hair of the prophet in the Dome of the Rock, I will walk barefoot in hopes that my feet will touch sand that prophets have stepped on.

I will take my children to every spot in Al-Aqsa and especially the sites where prophets have prayed, Boraq was tied, and Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven.

I will take my children to the sites that Jesus (peace be upon him) was born, and where he and Mary lived, and where he and Yahya and Zakaraya lived and preached.

I will visit my birthplace in Rafah, my mom’s birthplace in Jaffa and visit Majid Hassan Bek. I will visit Aqer and Salfit where my father’s family came from.

I will float on the Dead Sea and take a glass-bottom boat in the Red Sea. I will visit hot springs and mountains and all the parts of Palestine that I grew up in from Gaza to Birzeit to Abu Dis to Jenin to Golan hights to Natanya to Aqaba.

I will laugh at every crossing where check points used to be and curse all those who manned them, supported them or financed them!

I will pray at the graves of prophets and relatives and martyrs. I will eat Palestine oranges, almonds, figs, grapes, pears, apricots, jommaiz, kharrou, khobbaizeh,and on and on.

I will secure my Mon’s home in Yaffa for us to live and buy or build a flat in Al-Quds and live in it for the rest of my life.