I WILL never forget the emotions that overwhelmed me two months ago as I stepped out of the Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in the Madinah region of Saudi Arabia. For a fleeting moment, I thought, “I am in Madinah – the land of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)!”
I am grateful for that moment. Performing the Haj was a memorable, yet challenging, experience for us as a family, since it was our first experience of the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.
Under the care of Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd, we departed from Bandar Seri Begawan to Madinah on the fourth Haj flight of this year.
We arrived in Madinah after a 10-hour flight and were received warmly by Saudi immigration officers who greeted us with “Brunei! Haji mabrur!” to which we responded with “Amin”.
Warm wind blew into my eyes, as I immediately felt the humidity and dryness of the climate. On the way to our hotel, we were introduced to one of the ‘mutawwifs’ (Haj guides), Ustaz Abdul Rahman from Indonesia, who gave us a brief introduction about Madinah and its history.
Madinah is where Masjid Al-Nabawi (the Prophet’s Mosque) is situated. It is a special place for Muslims worldwide, being the resting place of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and that of Prophet Muhammad’s best companions, Sayyidina Abu Bakar as-Siddiq and Sayyidinia Umar al-Khattab. Next to their tombs is a tightly-secured praying area known as the ‘Raudhah’ (Garden), which pilgrims are keen to visit, as it is considered the best place for prayers to be heard by Allah the Almighty.
In Madinah, Brunei pilgrims under Darussalam Holdings stayed at the Dallah Taibah Hotel, which is approximately five minutes away (by foot) from Masjid Al-Nabawi. Since the hotel was packed with thousands of pilgrims, mostly from Brunei and Indonesia, we had to wait patiently for an hour outside the lift in the lobby area, to get to our rooms.
My first prayer session inside the mosque was at Zohor (noon). From the gate, we walked through the spacious open area outside the mosque, admiring the stunning structures around the area. Under the canopy-like roof attached on each of the many pillars, pilgrims sat in a rope-marked area waiting for the call for prayer.
Inside the mosque, the first thing I noticed was the huge space despite the presence of thousands of pilgrims. The call for prayer (Iqomah) was broadcast, and the pilgrims rushed forward. Hearing the beautiful recitation of Al-Quran verses by the Imam was a most blissful, peaceful and surreal feeling.
The Prophet’s tomb is situated inside the mosque, but is accessible through a different entrance. We were escorted by a mutawwif to a different side of the giant mosque, which took us about 12 minutes from our hotel. Before visiting the tomb, we prayed inside the Raudhah, which is marked by green carpets, fenced and guarded.
We were only allowed a brief 10 minutes there, while the pilgrims who had already completed their prayers were gently asked by the security guards to leave and make way for others.
Exiting the Raudhah, I felt wistful as we walked past the tombs in a line, reciting ‘salawat’ for Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
During our six-day stay in Madinah, I also met and socialised with pilgrims from Indonesia, Pakistan, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and the United Kingdom, engaging in mostly casual conversations. It was a pleasant experience.
I remember having mixed feelings as we prepared to leave for Makkah, as I was saddened to leave Madinah and the beautiful Masjid Al-Nabawi, the resting place of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Travelling from Madinah to Makkah is considered as ‘Umrah, since we had to put on our Ihram and adhere to all the conditions. In Ihram, men are required to wear only two pieces of white unsewn clothing covering most parts of the body; the same applies to women, except that they can wear stitched clothing.
Our group took off from Madinah as early as 7am. Along the way in the bus, we were encouraged to recite the ‘Talbiah’, led by Pengiran Haji Ibrahim bin Pengiran Haji Bakar, the Head of Operations of Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd. It was my first time seeing the desert during the eight-hour trip.
“Alhamdulillah, we have reached Makkah,” said Pengiran Haji Ibrahim, jolting me awake from my light sleep. I looked and there it was – the majestic Makkah Clock Tower, with the Grand Mosque, Masjid Al-Haram, underneath. I could hardly wait for a closer look.
Our bus took us to our accommodation in Makkah, Dallah Ajyad Hotel. We were told to gather at the lobby at 4.30pm to perform the Tawaf and Sa’ie – obligatory rituals during ‘Umrah. However, these were re-scheduled to 8pm, because of the pouring rain.
We were not allowed to shower and change, as we had not completed the Umrah yet. But it occurred to me that performing the Tawaf and Sa’ie at night should be better and cooler than during the day. It was a blessing in disguise!
Led by a mutawwif, we formed a group of 12 with other pilgrims, walking 750 metres downhill from our hotel along the congested roads. The long walk did not seem quite pleasant at first, but gradually we grew used to it. My eyes combed the surroundings, keen to learn more about this new environment. Thus occupied, I hardly realised that we were already close to our destination until I saw the bright, majestic, gigantic Clock Tower looming before us. It was a breathtaking sight.
Entering the compound of Masjid Al-Haram, we saw thousands of pilgrims going about their respective ways. Some were sitting, some were praying, some taking pictures; a very harmonious sight.
Nevertheless, nothing can ever surpass the glorious feeling of seeing the Kaabah for the first time. I can never describe the extraordinary sensation that came over me at the time. One has to be there to really know and understand it.
Humbled, we moved towards the Kaabah compound to perform our first Tawaf, which is an obligatory Islamic ritual to be performed during the Haj and Umrah where pilgrims circle the Kaabah seven times.
As crowded as it was, our first Tawaf as a family went well. Although we became separated from our group and mutawwif, I managed to keep hold of my family members in the midst of a great sea of people. The rounds around the Kaabah were a spiritual experience.
After the Tawaf, we performed the Sa’ie , where we walked seven times back and forth between two points – Safa and Marwah – which is approximately 300 metres each.
Finally, the day arrived for Wuquf, which is the day when pilgrims receive their Haj titles. Known as ‘Wuquf in Arafah’, the ritual required us to travel to Arafah and spend one night there.
Pilgrims stay in camps provided by the government of Saudi Arabia. In Arafah, we slept side-by-side in one camp on mattresses, which can be folded into floor cushions.
I roamed the camp area, getting a first-hand experience of the surroundings and ambience. My father, brother and I spent our first night mostly in the praying hall. We stayed in the hall until Subuh prayer, and immediately went back to the camp to get proper sleep.
At noon, came the ultimate moment for pilgrims from all over the world – the Wuquf. Right after performing a mass Zohor prayer and sermon, Brunei pilgrims stayed where they were while the Imam recited prayers thanking Allah the Almighty for that moment.
Midway through the prayer, his clear voice slowly broke into static-like sounds through the speaker, which I thought was a technical glitch at first. As he continued to lead the prayer, it became obvious that the Imam was weeping while praying to Allah the Almighty. It was very emotional and wistful moment for everyone, as we hugged and congratulated one another after the profound experience.
On the same day, I remember we were in our Ihram as we began our mass Asar prayer. My fellow pilgrims going in and out of the prayer hall caught my attention. I went to see what was happening. As I stepped out, it was cloudy. The blazing sun earlier was mostly blocked by thick clouds and pilgrims from other nations’ camps started to step outside as well. We were told that our prayers will be heard and granted by Allah the Almighty, as angels descent from Heaven to visit pilgrims in Arafah and listen to our prayers after Asar the prayer. Suddenly, strong but calm wind blew all over the camps as if angels flew above us. I believed it. My eyes were attracted to the sky as rays of the sunlight shone through the clouds. It was very peaceful.
Another obligatory ritual that we performed was a three-night stay in Mina, where pilgrims throw seven stones or more at three tall pillars known as ‘Jamrah’.
To get to the camp area in Mina, we went through a one-kilometre walk in a tunnel, and another two-kilometre to reach our camps. Unlike Arafah, our camps in Mina were open, with pilgrims under the same travel agent staying under one camp. Most of us had shaved heads.
During our stay in Mina, we helped one another to set up ropes above our sleeping areas to hang towels and clothes.
We performed the first stoning of the Jamrah on the first night. My family and I only stayed in Mina for two nights. On our final night, we performed the last stoning of the Jamrah together with officers from the Embassy of Brunei Darussalam in Saudi Arabia, who were also returning to Makkah.
As we were by ourselves, we had to walk to the nearest city centre, which was about four kilometres from the camp area, where a driver from the Brunei Embassy was waiting. In the bus, I spent a few minutes conversing with an officer, sharing our experiences of the Haj.
We were dropped just outside the vicinity of Masjid Al-Haram as the roads were closed, and we walked for another two kilometres to reach our hotel. Feeling relieved and grateful, we rested peacefully knowing we had completed all the compulsory rituals for Haj.
The Haj is no easy task. One should be prepared mentally and physically to perform the fifth pillar of Islam, which demands most of our physical strength and fitness, in addition to mental endurance.
I would have loved to stay on for much longer in Makkah, as my heart was heavy at the thought of leaving it. I still cling to that surreal, sombre moment when we left the city and bid farewell to the Kaabah.
Source: http://borneobulletin.com.bn/a-pilgrims-journey/
