HAJ---Photos of Metro Train @ Saudi Arabia

How to do tamattu  haj

PRIMARY AIM OF HAJJ :

To remain at all times focused on the primary aim of his Hajj: to plead to

The Almighty to forgive his sins and to bless him with The Straight Path for

the remainder of his life. it is the starting point of one's commitment to

cast away one's bad ways and to begin afresh a new Allah-centred life.

A. Some useful information (Advisory) for hajj:

1. Medicines: Take medical prescription alongwith you. Most pilgrims will

suffer from one or more of the following: sore throat, coughing, frequent

sneezing, runny nose , fever, leg cramp , foot sore. Bring enough supplies of over the counter medicine on advice of your personal doctor with his rubber stamped prescription containing his registration number

. This will reduce the need to make frequent trips to the makkah medina indian

pharmacy and also lower your out of pocket expenses.

2. Take multivitamins daily as you may not be eating a balanced diet

there. You may want to consider a diet of plain water, jamjam water, dates and fruits as this will reduce the need to go to the toilet frequently. This diet may also help to keep you more alert and not make you feel 'sleepy'. You will thus

have more time to worship.

3. The Hajj pilgrimage involves a lot of walking. If you don't go for daily

walks at home, begin it well before your journey to The Holy Land. This will

reduce the likelihood of getting muscle pulls and cramps. The tawaf, sa'ee,

and the frequent daily walks to The Mosque will help to improve your health.

Do not stop this habit of walking when you return home. You must to be in

the best of health to concentrate fully on your worship wherever you are.

4. You are never more than a foot from another pilgrim when you are in

Mecca during the peak period of the pilgrimage. Cover your nose and mouth

with a mask when you leave your hotel/apartment to reduce the likelihood of

infection. You can get a good quality washable mask at the pharmacies

there.

5. If you wear glasses, bring along an extra pair, preferably one with a

plastic frame. The likelihood of your glasses falling down and being stepped

on by sudden movements of the crowd are high. As an additional cover, bring

along your glass prescriptions as well. There are optical shops near The

Mosque. It is common for those wearing glasses to remove it and place it in 

front before starting their prayer. Never do this in both mosques. The

likelihood of your glasses being stepped on by others is 99%.

6. Flatulence (passing of wind) is an important cause of the loss of wudu. In

the crowd packed Holy Mosques, this can be a big problem. Avoid or reduce

the intake of food that contribute to this problem. If this is a serious

problem for you, consult your doctor. Both herbal and other medications

[antacid antiflatulent] are now available to reduce the occurrence of

flatulence.

7. It is very important that the pilgrim wears his identification tag at all

times he/she is out of his place of accommodation

B. Location map of Kaba and medina in the brain

If I am standing facing the door of the Kaba, On my left its Hazre Aswad ,

than on my right its Hateem and on my back its makame ibraheem and

further behind its zam zam.

Tawaf starts from the black stone hazre aswad. During the peak Haj period, DO NOT attempt to kiss The Black Stone hazre aswad.
We used to sit in mataaf facing the kaaba door till all our companions gather at the same place. Similarly we used to gather near the iron gate near jannatul baqi in medina till all our companions gather. Only after that we used to go to our home together. 

Other Items You should Take Along:

1. A 20 Inch suitcase with name, address, passport no, cover no written outside.

2. A small carry bag

3. A warm bed sheet

4. A small bag for Stones to be collected at muzdalifa to throw stone at satan at mina

5. Small Torch

6. Two sets of Ihram ( one towel set and one Cotton set)

7. Towel, small, big, one each

8. Hawai Sappal

9. Watch

10. Cotton Shirts and pant

11. A sweater

12. A waist Belt

13. Tissue papers

14. Medicines with prescription
15. Mobile phone
16. tayammum earth

Common medicines required are :

Imodium(Stomach problem), Paracetamol(Fever), Ibuprofen (Pain Releif),Neosporine ointment,Vaselin (For feet), Multivitamines and your regular medicines as given by your doctor.

Medication during Hajj

Gastrointestinal and respiratory infections are very common during Hajj . Carry certain medicines with you for use later.

PREVENTIVE ANTIBIOTICS: Ask your doctor to prescribe a broad-spectrum antibiotic to be taken prophylactically (i.e., as a preventive measure) throughout your stay in Saudi Arabia. This writer's (saleem) doctor prescribed 250 mg of the antibiotic CIPLOX250 to be taken daily once. I never contracted any disease during my stay there but all my team members suffered this and that.

Some people were prescribed AMOXICILLIN in place of CIPLOX250 by doctors and pharmacists with good results. 

1. Take Medicines with prescription

Carry a reasonable supply of over-the-counter drugs such as :

1.Ibuprofen (for pain)

2. TYLENOL PM (as a sleep-aid)

3. BENGAY, ASPERCREME (for muscular pain)

4. IMMODIUM (for diarrhoea)

5. EMETROL (for nausea)

6. Anti Allergic like Cetzine10, Allegra120

7.Paracetamol (Fever),

8. COUGH Syrup

9. MULTI-VITAMINS,

10. ANTI-BACTERIAL CREAM (for cuts) Neosporine ointment, Vaselin(dry weather)

11.BAND-AIDS, Cotton, Dettol

b. Take multivitamins daily as you may not be eating a balanced diet

c. You may want to consider a diet of  jum jum water, dates and fruits as this

will reduce the need to go to the toilet frequently. This diet may also

help to keep you more alert and not make you feel 'sleepy'. You will thus

have more time to worship.

How to do tamattu  haj

7th zil hajj ;

do ghusl , REMOVE CAP, wear ihram, pray two rakats sunnat and make niyyat for hajj tamattu.

go to kaaba , do tawaf & SAYEE. If u do sayee now,no need to do sayee in tawaf e ziyarat ( FARZ TAWAAF on 10th zul hajj ) .

8 th zul hajj : Spend the day & nite at Mina. Pray five salaats.

we were sent to arafah from mina on the nite itself .

9 th zul hajj: Day of Arafah : From dhuhr to asr, "STAND UP" for prayers & pleadings at arafah maidan ( inside tent ). Arafah is Hajj.

after sun set at arafat ,we went to mujdalifah and stayed the nite there under open sky ( no tent ) . its too kold at nite but u cant wear anything as u r in ihraam  , collected 70 pebbles at mujdalifah.

10th zul hajj: day of Qurbaani :

on the morning of 10 th zilhaj , u offer fazr prayer at mujdalifah and immidiately move to mina with the stones in hand to stone the big satan.

Five things are to be done serially one after another on the 10th day. You cant break the series atall. or you will have to offer a dum ( a sheep ).

the series is as follows :

1. Stone the big satan ( only the big satan, not the other two) with seven pebbles . u can throw pebbles on behalf of other persons also who cant throw themselves.

2. Do the qurbani ( if you personally want to do the jawah of the sheep than u will have to go to makkah to do so, since we gave the duty of doing the qurbani to a saudi govt. bank , we did not went to makkah, instead we rested at our tent in mina and waited for the qurbaani time to be over )

3.  Shave off hair ( After the qurbaani time is over )

4. Took off Ihraam ( After shaving )

5. immidietly went to makkah to do tawaf e ziyarat ( FARZ TAWAAF ) . In tawaf e ziyarat , we have not done Ramal, Izteba, and sayee.

6. After farz tawaf ,we came back to mina to stay the nite at mina tents.

 11 th zul hajj . you stone the three satans , each of them with seven stones after dhuhr prayer ( not before noon ). stay at mina.

 12 th zul hajj . you stone the three satans , each of them with seven stones after dhuhr prayer ( not before noon ). And now, you must leave mina boundary line before maghrib to makkah. if u miss this  , u will have to stay one another day at mina and stone the satan...he he he....and nobody wants to live in mina for another nite,

You have now completed Hajj Tamattu Minus Tawaf Al Wada  ( Farewell Tawaf )

BEFORE U LEAVE :

Before coming back to Home (India) , u do Tawaf al wada .

By now , by the grace of almighty Allah your tamattu haj is complete.

 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

MY OWN HAJ EXPERIENCE IN 2008

( 03.11.2008) we boarded a  plane at Guwahati Airport (The first direct flight from Guwahati to Jeddah Non Stop) noon time and reached jeddah at maghrib. And travelled by bus to makkah and at isha time we offered our FIRST prayer in life DIRECTLY infront of Kaaba. 
I just cant describe the feeling here. Seeing is only believing. Go for it man when you are young and energetic.

shaving off your head at Mina during haj

Here is one of my haj experience that you may find interesting and informative 
...
at makkah u find barbers to shave off your hairs easily. so many of them are there....shouting at you...kom here kom here...

But on the 10th zulhijjah, at mina, you will not find barbers easily. and you cant shave yourself or your male relative cant shave you if he has not shaved his hair .We want to take off Ihraam fast , so, i searched and searched frantically but could not find any.

nobody there take chances with unknown people . But I asked one boy whether he will shave me, he said yah yah, why not. and now listen how he shaved me. i gave him my razor. he opened the razor set and took out the blade. holding the blade by hand he shaved me in 10 minutes flat. and my head was red here and there with cuts.

my mom was not worried about the cuts , she was worried about the unknown boy and probable infection. i Told mom that I carried the blade from Delhi. (MY OWN BLADE)

After that , i shaved my father and took almost one hour to shave him, isko dekh kar shamim bhai dar gaye and he took a round of the tents at mina aur shamim bhai ko kisi ne kar diyaa ganja,

Summery of the story : Take your own blade with u when u go there. and dont take unnecessary risks.

I think the book "HOJOLOI OLAOK " in assamese compiled by syed sayeedur rahman is the most easy to follow and step by step haj guide book I have ever found. email: sayeedbinjamal@gmail.com

Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR) Vs. Fluidised Media Reactor (FMR)

Membrane Bio Reactor : (MBR)

The treatment trains for conventional treatment and MBRs are substantially different. For example, the conventional treatment train may consist of screening, grit removal, aeration basins, secondary clarifiers, and UV disinfection.

The MBR treatment train consists of screening, grit removal, fine screening, flow equalization, and membrane bioreactors. Fine screening down to 2-mm openings is required to remove fibrous material that has proved problematic to membrane operation.

.

DISADVANTAGES

1) The primary disadvantages of membrane bioreactors include capital costs for the membranes and operating costs associated with routine membrane cleaning . The membrane modules will need to be replaced somewhere between five (5) and ten (10) years with the current technology. While the costs have decreased over the past several years, these modules can still be classified as expensive. (The membranes "dry out" due to the flexible polymers leaching out, the closing/plugging of the pores, and the membranes becoming somewhat hard or brittle.) These costs are often offset somewhat when life-cycle costs for comparable technologies are examined. If the costs for the membrane replacement task continue to decrease then over time, then this process is even more financially viable.

2) In most sales pitches the MBR technology is stated as an option of replacing the secondary clarifier. Usually these clarifiers are operated with a single, very low horsepower motor, usually less than 2 HP. The electrical cost for this simple motor is significantly less than the filtrate pumps, chemical feed pumps, compressors, etc., of the MBR system. While this energy cost is significantly higher, the MBR system produces a significantly higher quality effluent that most clarifiers could never achieve.

3) Fouling is troublesome, and its prevention is costly. Several papers and research endeavors have concluded that up to two-thirds of the chemical and energy costs in an MBR facility are directly attributable to reducing membrane fouling. While this is costly to be sure, future advances into this area will continue to reduce these costs.

Biofouling is a serious problem for the operation of membrane bioreactor systems because it results in decreased transmembrane fluxes. Biofouling involves the synergistic effects of biological, physical, and chemical clogging of membrane pores. Clogged pores result in: (a) reduced transmembrane fluxes, (b) a need for higher operating pressures, and (c) deterioration of the membrane

4) There may be cleaning solutions that require special handling, treatment, and disposal activities depending on the manufacturer. These cleaning solutions may be classified as hazardous waste depending on local and state regulations.

5) MBRs use more electricity than conventional systems. High biomass concentrations require more air because oxygen transfer is less efficient, additional blowers are required for membrane cleaning, and permeate pumps are required.

6) MBR sludge have been found to be more difficult to handle than conventional sludge

 

So, we rule out MBR for the time being till membrane costs come down, otherwise it is the best technology for water reuse and zero discharge conditions.

 

 

Fluidised Media Reactor (FMR) vs. submerged fixed film process (SAFF)

The FMR works on the same principle as the submerged fixed film process (SAFF) with only one exception - the media is not fixed and floats around in the aeration tank. The main advantage of this system over the submerged fixed film process is that it prevents choking of the media. Compared to conventional technologies the FMR is compact, energy efficient and user friendly. It also allows flexibility in design of the reactor tank. The advantages of the FMR are many –

• Attached growth process, with specially designed moving media.

• Compact and modular design. Requires less space
  

• Minimal pumping and chemical cost, low operating cost.
  

Fixed media in SAFF is very costly. Its called Bio Deck and sold at a rate of Rs.4000 per cu mtr at Delhi. So replacement or repair is a costly issue.

FMR is an advanced version of the SAFF which uses a floating media to avoid the practical choking problem of media in SAFF.

So, SAFF is also ruled out.

 

 

WE OPT FOR DEWATS as DEWATS is an advanced version of the FMR.

In the DEWATS, the waste water/sewage is let through a multi stage low maintenance system to treat it and recycle it for flushing, gardening and other non potable end uses.

The train of units are : Anaerobic Reactor, Anaerobic Settling tank ,FMR Aeration tank, Secondary Settling Tank, Chlorine Contact Tank and Activated Carbon Filter for odor removal

As the BOD load is reduced by installation of anaerobic system prior to FMR, the capacity of the blower to be installed in the FMR tank is reduced thereby Electrical consumption.

And if by any chance, the FMR portion is not working due to human negligence, even than the anaerobic portion is enough, which acts like a simple septic tank.

So, DEWATS is cost effective and easy to maintain.

WE OPT FOR DEWATS for smaller capacity (upto 300 KLD).

Membrane Bio Reactor MBR---Operators notebook

SOURCE:http://www.wrights-trainingsite.com/WWT%20MBR.htm
Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) in Wastewater Treatment

Description of MBR technology

The Membrane Bioreactor is a simple, but very effective combination of the activated sludge treatment process and the membrane filtration process. Imagine an activated sludge aeration basin, with sets of micro- or ultra-filtration membrane filtration modules submerged in the aeration basins, and you now have MBR.

The wastewater enters the wastewater treatment facility and passes through the usual Preliminary Treatment, and Primary Treatment processes. Some facilities then place fine screens (opening are less than 2mm in diameter) prior to the MBR reactors to remove small suspended particles such as human hair. This step is designed to reduce the potential fouling of the membranes with these fine particles. The dissolved BOD (sugars, starches, carbohydrates, etc) that is in the wastewater is then consumed by the microbes in the aeration basin, and subsequently converted into additional microorganisms, or becomes attached to the biological floc. The Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (MLSS) is usually fairly high in MBR units, around 10,000 mg/L. (I have seen installations as high as 20,000 mg/L, and). This high MLSS concentration allows for lower hydraulic retention times (HRT) which equates to smaller aeration basins. This also equates to an activated sludge that may be fully nitrifying, as the Mean Cell Residence Time (MCRT) is usually well above 10 days. (I have seen installations with MCRT's up to 45 days. Talk about "extended aeration ashing!") The microbes are larger than the very small "perforations" or "holes" in the membranes. Pumps are attached to the membrane modules, and pull a slight vacuum that pulls water from the tank through the perforations in the membranes leaving the microorganisms behind in the tank.

 

Most all of the MBR facilities utilize fine bubble aeration in the aeration tanks, except for those areas that will have the MBR modules. These membrane module areas will usually have coarse bubble diffusers installed beneath them.

 

Some facilities may use the single tank MBR process, or the double tank MBR process. In the single tank the filtration modules are placed near the opposite end from where the primary effluent enters the tank. In a double tank configuration, designers may have an aeration tank without a filtration module in it, followed by an aeration basin with the membrane filtration unit in it. The treatment process goal in both designs is to allow for suitable time for the conversion of BOD/COD into microbial cells or at least be absorbed/flocculated with the cellular masses prior to being placed near the membrane filtration units. (We obviously do not want to have dissolved organics pass through the membranes.)   

In other installations, anoxic selectors or even anaerobic selectors may be placed prior to the MBR aeration units to achieve nitrification goals, control filamentous microbes, etc. (See the Selector's, Part 1 & Part 2 in our Operator Notebook).

 

In "traditional activated sludge facilities" a secondary clarifier(s) follows the aeration basin which allows for the microbes to settle to the bottom of the tank, and a "clarified effluent" to leave the clarifier. The MBR process obviously does NOT use a secondary clarifier, as the effluent is far cleaner than that which would be produced by a secondary clarifier. In fact, the membranes produce an effluent (filtrate) that should be given "disinfection credits!" The membrane filtration process produces an effluent extremely low in suspended solids concentration and turbidity units. The quality of this water, when the process is properly operated, is amazing. Even when it is used in wastewater treatment applications, it rivals the best potable water I have seen!

 

I have personally inspected in depth one MBR facility that operates its disinfection process just because "it's there, and our discharge treatment permit requires that we do so." This facility routinely samples and tests for coliform bacteria immediately after the MBR process PRIOR to the disinfection process, and it has without fail MET the disinfection requirements PRIOR to disinfection! Of course, it also disinfects the wastewater and samples/tests after the disinfection process, and has always met their disinfection requirements there also. This is an example of how effective the membrane filtration process is!

 

It appears that the MBR process works best if it is a fully nitrifying process. As such, one of the benefits of nitrification is the lower sludge production that results from keeping the microbes under aeration for a longer period of time, which allows them to consume almost all of the BOD, convert the BOD into microbes, and have the microbes start consuming each other (endogenous respiration.)

 

The Membrane Bioreactors

In the one membrane bioreactor installation I am familiar with, thousands of long microstrands are bundled together in modules. The strands are set vertically, with the end of end single strand connected either to the top or to the bottom header. Each strand has millions of "pores" (small openings) that open into the hollow center of each strand. The nominal pore size is 0.04 µm.

The fiber diameters are: inside 0.9mm, outside 1.9mm. If you have ever seen fly fishing line, the floating type, then you will have an idea of what these fibers look like. With a nominal pore size of 0.04 µm, it is easy to see how microbes like the "Paramecium" with a size of 200 µm, and a bacterial cell whose size between 0.5 to 1.0 µm is "filtered out" by the membranes. For reference a fine human hair 30 µm. (The symbol for micron or micrometers is "µm."

The pores in the membranes are kept open by installing coarse air bubblers beneath the modules, which help scour the membranes, and by the injection of timed back-blows of air and/or treated water inside the membranes. A routine schedule of backwashing and chemical treatment (usually injection of a chlorine bleach solution) is also incorporated into the routine maintenance of the modules. This is all designed to reduce the potential fouling and plugging of the pores within the strands.

 

There are also "plates" that are being manufactured that perform in much the same manner.

 

 

Module in the tank without Mixed Liquor

In operation with Mixed Liquor

Collection header above the tank and modules

(Please click on the above thumbnails for full-sized pictures. Please use your browser's back arrow to return here.)

 

 

DESIGN NOTES: Energy cost's also need to be accurately compared between MBR and the traditional treatment process train when evaluating a particular facility. Is the operations and maintenance staff capable of operating and maintaining this more complex treatment process given the additional training and support that is required for this process? (That is a nice way of saying, is the agency or company willing to support this effort financially?) In summary, one also needs to consider more than "just the cost." What is the "value" of this cost? In other words, "What does the MBR process, in terms of consistent effluent quality, predictable outcomes, etc., that conventional treatment trains do or do not?"

 

Make sure you have a method of controlling the dissolved oxygen concentration in each cell with an automatic air balance in each aeration cell, so that electrical energy is optimized and not wasted.

 

Insure that you have a method of controlling the treatment process flow rate between banks or trains by automatically controlling weirs, valves, or gates. Often the loading rates vary among parallel treatment trains.

 

Insure that the methods of cleaning the MBR membranes to minimize chemical and biological fouling are proven technologies. (This is not the time to be a company's R&D pilot study.)

 

ADVANTAGES

1) The effluent is of very high quality, very low in BOD (less than 5 mg/l), very low in turbidity and suspended solids. The technology produces some of the most predictable water quality known. It is fairly easy to operate as long as the operation has been properly trained, pays strict attention to the proper operation, corrective maintenance, and preventative maintenance tasks.

 

2) The "simple filtering action" of the membranes creates a physical disinfection barrier, which significantly reduces the disinfection requirements. 

 

3) The capitol cost is usually less than for comparable treatment trains.

 

4) The treatment process also allows for a smaller "footprint" as there are no secondary clarifiers nor tertiary filters which would be required to achieve similar water quality results. It also eliminates the need for a tertiary backwash surge tank, a backwash water storage tank, and for the treatment of the backwash water.

 

5) Generally speaking it produces less waste activated sludge than a simple conventional system.

 

6) If re-use is a major water quality goal, the MBR process will be a major consideration. This process produces a consistent, high water quality discharge. When followed by a disinfection process, it allows for a wide range of water re-use applications including landscape irrigation, non-root edible crops, highway median strip and golf course irrigation, and cooling water re-charge. When Reverse Osmosis (RO) water quality is required, the MBR process is an excellent candidate for preparing the water for RO treatment.

 

 

DISADVANTAGES

1) The membrane modules will need to be replaced somewhere between five (5) and ten (10) years with the current technology. While the costs have decreased over the past several years, these modules can still be classified as expensive. (The membranes "dry out" due to the flexible polymers leaching out, the closing/plugging of the pores, and the membranes becoming somewhat hard or brittle.) These costs are often offset somewhat when life-cycle costs for comparable technologies are examined. If the costs for the membrane replacement task continue to decrease then over time, then this process is even more financially viable.

 

2) In most sales pitches the MBR technology is stated as an option of replacing the secondary clarifier. Usually these clarifiers are operated with a single, very low horsepower motor, usually less than 2 HP. The electrical cost for this simple motor is significantly less than the filtrate pumps, chemical feed pumps, compressors, etc., of the MBR system. While this energy cost is significantly higher, the MBR system produces a significantly higher quality effluent that most clarifiers could never achieve.

 

3) Fouling is troublesome, and its prevention is costly. Several papers and research endeavors have concluded that up to two-thirds of the chemical and energy costs in an MBR facility are directly attributable to reducing membrane fouling. While this is costly to be sure, future advances into this area will continue to reduce these costs.

 

4) There may be cleaning solutions that require special handling, treatment, and disposal activities depending on the manufacturer. These cleaning solutions may be classified as hazardous waste depending on local and state regulations.

 

REFERENCES:
Crites, R. W. and Tchobanoglous, G, (1998) "Small and Decentralized Wastewater Management Systems," McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, NY

 

Daigger, G.T., Crawford, G., Fernandez, A., Lozier, J.C. and Fleischer, E. "WERF Project: Feasibility of Membrane Technology for Biological Wastewater Treatment B Identification of Issues and MBR Technology Assessment Tool." Water Environment Federation 74th Annual Conference & Exposition, Atlanta, GA, CD-ROM, October 13-17, 2001.

 

Johnson, W.T. "Recent Advances in Microfiltration for Drinking Water Treatment." AWWA Annual Conference, Chicago, IL. June 20-24 1999

 

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