UMRAH (1999)

Medina

Okay, to tell you the truth I am a bit embarrassed right now because I can't find a record of the exact date we went to do our Umrah (a pilgrimage to Mecca performed by Muslims that can be undertaken at any time of the year). But I do remember we went there in the middle of the year because it was the school's mid-year holiday (I was in standard four then). This time we went to do our Umrah with my aunt and late grandmother. We went for two weeks including two days in BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei.

                                                                        

Brunei was just a pit stop for us that took one whole night. We were only able to do a little sight-seeing of the small country which includes the Water Village which is a kampong that stood above water, their Museum and the famous castle of the Sultan, Istana Nurul Iman that has two thousand rooms (and a few of those were underground).

 

 

After the short time in Brunei we head off to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia which took us eight hours of flight time. I'm not bad-talking the Arabs but anyone who goes there can testify that they're not the most polite people on earth. If you think Malaysian public workers are bad, wait till you go to Saudi Arabia. It was an experience I wish not to repeat but I know I have to one day when I do my Hajj :) A bus was waiting for us outside the airport to take our whole group to Medina for a week. The travel was also eight hours of a very uncomfortable journey in the hot weather through rough roads. But hey, that's what they call challenges.

 

In MEDINA we went visiting historical and also holy places in Islam. We went to the various mosques in the city and also those scattered outside Medina. This included the first mosque in Islam, the Qiba' mosque. The tour guide also took us to Mount Uhud where a lot of fallen soldiers' body are buried there. On the last few days before heading to Mecca to do our Umrah we made a stop at the Dates Market where they sell many types of dates. But of course the height of the visit to Medina was the time spent at Masjid An-Nabawi (the Prophet's Mosque) where the architecture was magnificent especially at the Raudah area. The other thing that is so special about the mosque is the fact the the Prophet's and two of his companions' bodies are buried there. Al-fatihah.

                                                                         

We then changed our mode from visiting to performing the Umrah. Our group stayed at a hotel quite near to Masjid Al-Haram but for us to walk from the hotel to the mosque we had to go through markets, beggars, and cars that I'm not sure how they were able to pass their driving test. We spent a lot of time at the mosque when not performing the Umrah. I remember my feeling when I first saw the Ka'abah right in front of my eyes. I welled up because I can't believe how gracious He has been to allow me to come to His beautiful house. One of those days our guide took us to Mina and field of Arafah where people who do their Hajj need to stop by these places. Even though I was not there for Hajj the experience was just amazing. On a more secular note, we did went shopping too at a shopping complex nearby :p I shopped quite a lot and there is a story of me buying two cyber pet over there. If you want to know more of the whole story feel free to ask me :) We even had a taste of Arab's KFC.

And then during the last few nights there I started to fall ill. I don't know why but maybe it was the Bali effect that I had to fall sick oversea. But unlike the Bali experience, the hospital in Mecca did not charge us AT ALL. The doctors gave me an injection and medicine and then let us go with a smile. Nice people, huh?

 

It was sad to leave the house of God but it was inevitable. We left for home and stopping by only to enjoy the beautiful panorama of the Red Sea at dusk.  After we did our Umrah, my family and I stayed home for three more years because no where else could compare to Mecca and Medina after that...