Double blessings in Mecca
WHEN Ishaqah Canthitoo and his six-months pregnant wife visited Mecca on their first holy pilgrimage, they had no idea what was in store for them.
Canthitoo, 59, a taxi fleet owner from the Bluff in Durban, and Amina, 37, set out for hajj for two months on September 20. Amina left with the blessing of her gynaecologist.
A few weeks into the trip, Amina developed an infection and was admitted to the Maternity and Children Hospital in Mecca where she gave birth naturally to twins on October 15. The girl, Mina, weighed 1.9kg and Arafah, the boy, 2.1kg. The babies spent 10 days in the hospital.
“People say when you visit Mecca and perform your first duas [prayer] at the Kaaba [Islam’s most sacred site], what you pray for comes true. I asked that our twins be born in Mecca — and my prayer was answered,” said Canthitoo.
“But I was worried about Amina — whether she would cope with the babies away from our families. But our tour group and hospital and hotel staff did all they could to assist us,” he said.
Both Amina and Canthitoo have been married before and have three children each.
Canthitoo, who was paralysed in a car accident in 1981, said they planned to have another child after their got married three years ago and were gobsmacked when they found out they were expecting twins.
Amina said giving birth to the twins in Mecca was a “beautiful gift from God”.
The couple returned to South Africa last week.