27,000 Steps for Gaza!

 

On the 6th of January 2024 I took part in a challenge that I decided to do. Walk 27,000 steps in support of the people of Gaza. Gaza has been bombarded since the 7th of October, with more than 20,000 martyred, more than 50,000 wounded and missing. These are not just numbers, but each and everyone is an oppressed, by none other than Israel and it's allies.

We woke up early for Fajr. We had prepared two sets of wraps for lunch. Falafel and Tuna with sweetcorn. We also made tea for the journey and packed some nuts and snacks.

Our starting point was at the East London Mosque, in Whitechapel. It was a cool day. We headed towards Central London. We had come to Leadenhall St. An interesting fact is that nearby, one of the scenes from Harry Potter had been filmed. 

We walked on. We passed a few old churches. One can only admire at the architecture. Another building had caught our attention. It was the Guildhall, a 15th century building. Used as a town hall for the City of London co-operation. 

We then walked on and came across the St. Paul's Cathedral, a 17th century building, known for it's dome, famous for the funeral of Winston Churchill and wedding of Prince Charles and Diana. (A little bit of history won't hurt!)

We saw other interesting places such as the Central Criminal Court, various blue plaque spots, coffee shops etc. 

Whilst at Holborn, we saw a shop with Palestinian flags decorating the front. We made a mental note of the location, intending to come back and support the business (as it opened at a later time). Some cyclist passed by, all donning the Palestinian flag. 

We decided to take a quick break at Russel Square. A plaque on a bench caught my eyes, This is what is read:

"To Hayati and to the memories we created here together. To many more, with you. Love, Yours"

I don't know who put it there, but that was beautiful! 

We walked on and came to the famous west end, that includes Oxford St, Tottenham Court Rd, Bond St etc. A shopping hub. 

Wife and niece were busy checking their maps for something. I wasn't sure what.. but they had discovered a hot chocolate shop! It was delicious mashaAllah.

Our next stop was at the London Central Mosque also known as the Regents Park Masjid. It's one of the oldest Masjid in London. We took the opportunity to refresh, have a quick look around and get back on the challenge. At this point we had done roughly 12,000 steps, Alhamdulillah.

We passed a building with the Saudi Arabia flag. Assuming it was the embassy, I asked the guard anyway who confirmed it. 

We had to pray Zuhr, so popped into the Mayfair Islamic Centre that was nearby. Alhamdulillah we had 10 minutes to go for the Jamat. After a much needed spiritual boost, our next aim was to head towards Buckingham Palace. 

It was our first time at the Palace, despite being born and bred in London! It was full of tourists. 

We headed into St. James' Park. I've always wanted to come here. We'd like to come again during the Spring or Summer time to explore the park. As we walked into the park, we could hear some chanting. We decided to go see what the fuss was about. Lo and behold it was a pro-Palestinian march. So after a spot of lunch, we joined the march. We didn't spend too much time in it and carried on with our walk.

We walked along the riverside and then completed the walk Alhamdulillah.

It was a cold day, but we got through Alhamdulillah. I can only imagine the struggle and horrible conditions the Palestinians are encountering every single minute in Gaza. We were blessed not to have a missile fall on us, nor the fear of a sniper, nor the ever presence of a tank. Guaranteed a Palestinian wouldn't be able to survive walking the full length of Gaza.

We pray Allah accepts this little effort of ours. Please continue to donate generously. 

https://campaigns.givebrite.com/gaza-bleeds