Mama's first plan was to go for DIY-Umrah with her friend that would cost us about RM5k/person. But then my cousin who studied in Egypt (at the time) shared with us about this package which he and his friends were doing some collaboration with Malaysia travel agency for Umrah trip with a special rate.
Maybe the hotels selection weren't fancy and luxury but it was worth the price considering the services, comfortability and distance between hotels to Masjidil Haram/Masjidil Nabawi were really close!
And I am so grateful to have Ustaz Amzari as our Mutawwif. He's very responsible, hospitable and au courant with the historical places mentioned in Quran. I've learned a lot from him and from the trip itself.
Anyways, I'm not going to share all the details of the journey since I have already posted in my Instagram account.
But here, I just wanna share about those experiences that I haven't shared publicly yet. Those memorable experiences that I hope could benefit others.
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Medina
I still remember that feelings on my first day set foot in Medina. Our bus stopped right in front of the hotel and as I stepped off the bus I could feel a cool breeze touched my face in that morning. Motionless, soothing and so refreshing..
I honestly don't have any expectation. I am practically has cleared and set my mind that I'm just gonna utilise all the time by worship, cherish and seize every moment there.
As we were entered the gate of Masjidil Nabawi, my eyes could easily caught the green dome - the mark of our Prophet's (pbuh) tomb. MasyaAllah.. that feelings was ineffable. I lost words.
I got a little teary-eyed, mixed feelings - it's like a dream.. I can't believe that I was there.. Standing in the middle of busy, crowd people walking around the Prophet's courtyard mosque. I was exteremely happy and touched at the same time - thinking and talking with myself, "what good deed did I do to deserve to be here?"
Looking at the green dome, gave Salam to our beloved Prophet really warmed my heart. I felt like I just reunited with my long lost sweetheart. It felt surreal even I've never met him. 💓
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We all know, the only place that we really wanted to be and sit for as long as we can is in Raudah. For women, we hardly get a five-peaceful-minutes. There's always pushing and battling to even get a spot since there's time limit for every session. So, it is advisable to get in there in group so you could protect and look for each other while taking turn to perform sunnah prayers.
Alhamdulillah, I managed to get in there three times; two times in a group, one time just by myself, alone.
Alhamdulillah, I managed to get in there three times; two times in a group, one time just by myself, alone.
There's a story behind it how I got in there alone.
Of course the first night we were led by a mutawwifah while for the second time, we went there all by ourselves in a group which include my mom, aunt, cousin, mom's friend and I. I got a chance to perform sunnah prayer in our first time but sadly, not in the second time. If I could simplify, it was all chaos inside there and I was protecting my group members to pray that we're running out of our time where I lost my chance. But still, I managed to make du'a.
However, I couldn't deny it was heart wrenching that I lost a chance to perform sunnah prayer inside Raudah. Of course, it's not really a big deal.. Ain't neccessary to perform sunnah prayer as we also could just make du'a - whatever that suits the current state/situation. But.. for a person like me who never knows when would I get the chance to go there again, I was really looking forward to grab any opportunities to do my best.
So, that little sadness in the corner of my heart that I kept to myself surely wasn't a secret that I could hide from Allah. HE knows.
As we're in our second last day in Medina, we've planned to go in Raudah again after Isya'. We came a bit late during Maghrib that we only managed to pray around the courtyard. After done praying and as we walked into the mosque to secure a spot for Isya' prayer, my mom realised that she left her niqab outside in the courtyard earlier.
I asked them to wait for me at the gate while I go find it. It was only like 5 minutes walk-distance but as soon as I came back, they weren't there anymore. So I thought, they've must be left to the loo. I waited outside the loo for a couple minutes before I went inside and searched for them. Unfortunately, they weren't there too. It's almost Isya' and I thought they probably went inside the mosque already. I looked around carefully, searched for them but failed. So I just took a spot for myself quite in front of the mosque's door. With a thought of that in case they came in late, they could still see me.
note: We were all wore niqab when we want to get in Raudah as we've discovered we could easily elapse between jamaah from other countries as compared to when we wore 'telekung' which really synonym to M'sia/Indonesia. If we wear telekung, the police female security would keep you in a big group of Asia and hold us to be the last group to enter Raudah. The logic behind it? Asia jamaah is more patience than other countries (which really give the police a hard time to handle).
I was at first contemplating to enter Raudah by myself cause I was afraid there's no one to protect me while I'm praying - people could step on me while I'm sujood. But then, I told myself that I probably won't get any chance after this since we're leaving for Mecca tomorrow. So, I brace myself went there alone.
Miraculously, it was an easy, fastest trip for me. I went there slip past between other jamaah and suddenly I already stood on the green carpet *green carpet is an indicator that you're in Raudah zone. It was a free, clear spot for me! And NO ONE pushing me! I immediately took my chance and performed sunnah prayer. Alhamdulillah, I was totally fine - no one hit me, pushed me neither stepped on me. I was definitely protected by Allah. 😇
Masha Allah...
"And put all your trust [in Allah], if you truly are believers." (Quran 5:23)
Now it's all make sense when people say, when you're in tanah haram, be careful with your heart, what you wish for, it might come true. Allahuakbar. So always always fill your heart and mind with all positive thoughts. In shaa Allah, you'll get everything you want.
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💢Post-missing incident
My phone was out of credit when the incident happened and that was the reason why I couldn't call/text them to tell my whereabouts.
I've reload my phone on my way back to the hotel. When I got into the room, my mom and others weren't in there yet. And I've received lots of messages came from the Umrah group including the male jamaah during my 'MIA'. They were all worried and afraid if I've gone missing. Sooo cute! 😅
And another surprise that I've learned after my mom and the rest came back into the room was the fact that they've never left the gate! They were there all the time waiting for me until Isya' prayer. They are 4 of them looking for me but none of them noticed when I walked or past them. Ditto! I didn't see them too! I know it sounds impossible and fictitious. But it is what it is and I believe that's Allah's miracle work. 💗
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| From left: My mom, me, cousin and aunt |
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