Unforgettable experience

Assalamualaikum w.b.t and hi,

I'm sure many of the readers quit peeping this blogpage. No update for more than 2 months. Always busy with office work during the day and with the kids once at home. Starting last week, its Umrah season again. Few people that I know will be visiting Makkah & Madinah , either 1st time or again.

Eversince we left Makkah, the feeling being in Masjidil Haram always something that we missed. I can never forget how I felt when I was 1st time in ihram, 1st journey to Makkah from Madinah, first time when witnessed Kaabah. Heart pounding just like each time I was taking exam or going for my ceasarian. We went inside Masjidil Haram with our Mutawwif (somekind like tour group leader appointed by Tabung Haji) and the other jemaah. The moment when I first sighted Kaabah with my very own eyes, I felt so small. How a person like me who is full of sins as long as I lived was given the chance to be there, witnessing Kaabah. I can never described my feelings but the scenary is just like in a dream. It was after Asar and the weather was just nice. Completed our first umrah just before Maghrib.

It was our rezeki indeed and with Allah permission that we had the chance to go during less crowd. There met Muslims from all around the world. When we were there, group from Turkey just arrived, so there were many of them. Of course the ladies were all very nice people.

My husband & I considered ourselves as lucky as we went there with my mom & sis-in-law who have been there. They shared a lot of their experiences on what should/shouldn't be done.

A lot of new things that I discover over there which I would like to share with you. Allow me to out in points form.

>Preferbly kalau ada rezeki, if you are 1st timer, try to go during the 1st 3 months after Hajj season because according to our Mutawwif, that is the best time with less crowd. It was our rezeki that it was still winter at that time although it almost ended.

>You can see the difference in crowd between weekdays & weekends. On weekends, families prefer to spend their weekend at either Masjid Nabawi or Masjidil Haram. Hearing kids/babies crying during prayers is normal.

>Every Monday and Thursday during Maghrib prayers, don't be surprised people bringing in food to the mosques and offer you food/drinks because they break their fast there.

>Some of the lady guards can speak English,many of the cleaners/some of the guard are Indonesians (in full face-hijab of course) so you can always ask question if you need to know anything. Separate entrance for ladies & men in Masjid Nabawi but same entrance for both in Masjidil Haram. There are a lot of entrances, will be good if you can remember the number of the entrance if you wish to meet your family members after umrah/prayer.

>Make sure your ihram is free from any kind of fragrance,even if its without alcohol. Bring 2-3 telekung which fabric is not that thin. Wear full-head head serkup so that your hair won't be seen if you wear the telekung.

>After each prayer, for sure there will solat jenazah. The men will always take the chance to at least hold/carry the jenazah. Besar ganjarannya...

>Occasionally the roof of Masjid Nabawi will be opened. My experience was usually in between Maghrib & Isya' prayers where we usually just wait the Masjid.

> There is no doa Qunut also during Subuh prayer and doa in on our own. Remember, no solat sunat after Asar.

>There's a lot of al-Quran in every corner of the Masjid. Some of them are with Bahasa Melayu tafsir. You can wakaf al-Quran but only al-Quran bought in Madinah/Makkah is allowed.

>Both Masjid Nabawi & Masjidil Haram is huge, but just imagine, jemaah have to pray outside the masjid compound during Hajj season. In Masjidil Haram, there were quite major construction work going on especially at the Saie' area and outside the mosque.

> Do not bring any form of camera handphone inside Masjid Nabawi,the lady guards are very strict. In Makkah, we had the chance to snap pictures in Masjidil Haram :)

>Bring a 5-6 days clothes (day and night) if you'll be there for more than 10 days. Bring along hangers/softener if you wish to wash your own clothes. Hang in your toilet and it will dry fast because of the dry weather.

All in all, take the chance and opportunity to spent as much time in either Masjidil Haram/Nabawi.. Always be patient with whatever test you'll face there and remember that doa is the most powerful weapon, not only there but anywhere.

That's one of the way we will feel very close to HIM..
ALLAHUAKBAR


View from 1st floor of Masjidil Haram