Pilgrim in Jordan – The Dead Sea Controversy
My trip to the Dead Sea was nothing short of a breathtaking experience – and a controversial one.
Standing at the lowest point of the Earth may not mean anything to anyone – I mean it is just the Dead Sea, right? Probably. But just like those who climbed Mt. Everest, their difficult journey to the tallest peak does have its merits to bragged about. While descending to the Dead Sea is an effortless journey (bar the difference in pressure that made my ears explode), it is what the Dead Sea represented that made it such a remarkable and majestic place.
If you’re not into religion or myths or anything spiritual then this might not mean anything to you. But standing at the lowest point on Earth and a miracle site (while cracking a joke or two about it with Hamza) does make you rethink a LOT of things.
Describing the texture of the water and the mud cannot be explained with simple words. You have to go down there and experience it for yourself for you to ever know what it feels like. I didn’t find it filthy or disgusting, but it was weird and the whole place was eerie enough for me to understand where the “Dead” part came from.
And yet in this Death there is a lot of life, ironically.
I updated my Facebook status and that sparked a heated 25 comment debate rendering it the most controversial Facebook status ever written!
So here I ask you: Is it haram/forbidden to visit the Dead Sea? If so… why? What’s the “permitted duration” of visiting “areas of punishment” (mawaqe3 el 3athab)?
I can’t help but feel that there IS something wrong with this place (although personally I have not dug deep into the Qawm Lot story) but even from a non-religious point of view the whole place freaked me out completely.
We went up to the mountains to watch one of the most beautiful sunsets ever experienced. The air was beautiful, cold, and strong. I remembered Safita with such a sunset, when a couple of friends and I would go watch it set over the sea of Tartous (if the horizon clarity permitted) and the weather and the clouds were as breathtaking as ever.
I felt rejuvenated, and engrossed myself in deep thought (which were completed in Wadi Rum, more on that in the next post).
I didn’t want to leave that place while at the same time I was so glad I did.
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Finally u posted !!!
will be back for a real comment b3den lol
the pics look kinda fake lol :S
LostWithin -
the technique is called HDR it’s supposed to give a surreal feeling 
Hahaha, of course they’re fake
You described the Dead Sea in such a poetic that I am eager now to visit it. The pictures are gorgeous. Thanks for being sharing this experience.
for me it’s amazing how you can describe a tourist trip in such deep meanings ..
and attach such religous conotation to it.
however it seems like lots of fun ,I am jealous:(
7aywan..how dare you compare safita to dead sea?
I hate u !
I wrote a looooooong comment with fatwas and quraan and 7adeeth and now it is gone !!! X(
um not writing it again !
u read for ur self !
ma khasnee ana !
Bakeer 3al post lol
i don’t know about the religous part wish I could help you there, but all i have to say is I am BAFFLED by those pictures they are so pretty and the way you described the whole thing made me say “Oooo” lol can’t wait for the next post!!
Wallah ahsan min ayee Tour Guide :p
Rebellious Arab Girl -
It was wonderful
yaser -
No need to be jealous, try to go there!
It was a lot of fun
hamza -
Metel ma we compare you with ahem ahem a donkey ahem
LostWithin -
LOOOOOOOOL awwwwww come Onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn be a nice girl and write it again on a textpad and copy paste hehe
Suha -
I’m glad you liked the photos!
Sorry am really busy
Ali -
El barakeh fi Mwaffa2 Qabbani
http://alidahmash.blogspot.com/2008/10/kj-qabbani-i-guess-i-know-amman-after.html
,, First of all ,, Nice pictures indeed , they attract me
…
– its so cool how you describe ur visit to
Dead sea ,, every word .. etc .,.
Have anice Day
vagueraz -