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I can't even imagine the amount of planning and behind the scenes work that must happen yearly [or even how long it takes]... but I can assure you one thing: I would recommend Dar el Salam for anyone planning on going for hajj.
Logistics wise, we pretty much registered with one of their programs, paid... and showed up. They took care of everything else. Even during the trip, they would ask for our luggage [the night before traveling or the morning of depending on our travel times] and they took care of its transportation. They provided us with a carry-on for Mena, a backpack for Arafat and Muzdalifah, a drawstring bag [which made storing items at the masjid very easy], a prayer rug [for women], ihram [for men], dua pamphlets, etc.
Their seminar before hajj? Informative. Their online forum to ask questions prior to leaving? Beyond helpful. I can't forget the nightly seminars/lectures plus the Q+A sessions we had throughout our trip. And Sister Naz? I can't even begin to tell you how helpful she was throughout the trip. And I absolutely loved the little tidbits of islamic knowledge she passed on to us throughout the trip at random times.
Mid-trip, I was quite surprised to find out that a lot of the group leaders [including the imams] are, in fact, volunteers. Dar el Salam simply pays for the travel expenses [tickets, food, accommodations, etc.]
A few more specific people to mention? Qari Basit [also our group 19 leader], Shahid Uncle, and Basant.
The proximity of Dar el Salam's camps/hotels, etc. can not be beat [for its convenience]. Many make smart remarks about the premium we supposedly pay for the "luxurious hajj"... but how many stop to think about how much more time we got for ibadaat because of said proximity? Not to mention that the price differences weren't even that much in comparison.
One of the things I found most helpful, in hindsight, was the Dar el Salam staff in the yellow shirts I have mentioned a handful of times. They traveled with us by bus, helped with some of the logistics, and just guided us. They were so helpful in times where the crowd was intense-- not only were they easy to spot in their yellow shirts with tall orange signs... but they were everywhere.
I have mentioned this before too, that one of my biggest worries were the bathroom situations [as many had scared me with their stories... I didn't even know what to expect]. Dar el Salam exceeded my expectations as they had hired help around the clock to clean the bathrooms in Mena and throughout the day we spent in Arafat. I don't ever remember not seeing the cleaners present.
Did everything go smoothly? Of course not. Did they try their best? Absolutely. And for that, I sincerely thank them. All of their help, especially for us, did not go unnoticed.
May Allah SWT reward them for all of their efforts.
Click here to read my final hajj-related post -- what you need to pack!
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