THE powerful stories of British Muslims who have made the annual Hajj pilgrimage will be shared in Bradford next week.

An exhibition of photographs and souvenirs from pilgrims' journeys will be in the city as part of The Muslim Women's Council's ambition to promote greater understanding and confidence between Muslims and the wider society.

Tuesday's event will also include speakers, including the group's event co-ordinator, Fatima Ayub.

Fatima, who works in Diversity and Cohesion department at Bradford Council, travelled to Mecca for the Hajj last October.

She volunteers with Islamic Relief and made it on to the Independent on Sunday's Happy List 2014, but despite her profile, she feels apprehensive about sharing such personal experiences of a life-changing, heart-pounding event.

Preparation, both financially and spiritually, began a year before the trip.

The 43-year-old also attended Hajj seminars and read about other people's experiences.

"But no matter how much you read and prepare, nothing can really prepare you for this journey. It's a very personal journey between you and God," she said.

Fatima travelled with her husband, Javed Bostan and sister-in-law Taslim Ahmed, on the 16-day trip.

"When you arrive at the airport in London, it's quite emotional. You're leaving your children behind and it becomes to become realise you're actually on this path to fulfil one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It's that special journey you're embarking on."

About 2.5 million people from around the world travel to Saudi Arabia each year for the Hajj.

"As you enter Jeddah airport, you see all these thousands of people embarking on the same journey for the same reason as you and, for me, that was quite overwhelming," Fatima said.

Rituals started with the Umrah, a lesser pilgrimage, when people visit Kabah, or the Sacred House, in the centre of Islam's most sacred mosque Al-Masjid al-Haram.

"When you arrive you keep your heads down because you want to feel that overwhelming feeling. You walk in with your head down, then you reach the point where you can raise your eyes, then when you look up at this majestic building that brings you to oneness with God, that's when you become very tearful" Fatima said.

"At that point the Muslims will pray for anything and everything.

"People are crying like babies, beseeching and begging of God. It's very uplifting because that connection with God is there."

They must walk around the structure seven times, before running between two points which represents the wife of Prophet Abraham's desperate search for water.

Despite the huge crowds of people, pilgrims must not push or argue.

"It's all about being at service to other people," Fatima said.

Two days later the group travelled to Mina, where despite having fallen and injured her leg, Fatima was determined to continue with the experience.

A ritual here includes three days of stoning, where pebbles are thrown to represent stoning the devil.

Then came the day of Hajj when Muslims, dressed in white, pray from noon to dusk on Mount Arafat. Hundreds of thousands of people are gathered in searing heat, but Fatima said the experience was truly personal.

"This is a very emotional time because its when pilgrims will stand and ask for God's forgiveness. It's like a new beginning, a new start," Fatima said.

"You're completely detached from what's happening and how hot it is.

"When you're saying all these things, you're actually sobbing like a child because it's so overwhelming."

That night pilgrims sleep in the desert at Muzdalifah.

Fatima's journey was completed with the ending of the stoning ritual in Mina, before returning to Haram after an animal is sacrificed, and repeating the circumambulations of Kabah.

After that men must shave their heads and women cut trim their hair.

Fatima said the Hajj experience make Muslims want to be better people and help others more to help maintain the sense of spiritually found on the Hajj.

"It's a very fascinating and beautiful expedience. It's an experience that will stay with you forever through the rest of your life. When you come back, you want to be there again," Fatima said.

"I just think it's such a magnanimous feeling you get in your heart, words just can't describe it. Your heart's racing because your faith has been reinvigorated and affirmed and you just want to try and stay at their level.

"My message to anyone wanting to do this, would be to do it whilst you're young and fit because it's a hard journey with a lot of sacrifices and it's not easy."