A traveller's reflection: 2019 14th Umrah Trip

My Travel Journal

"There isn't much I haven't shared with you along the road and through it all there'd always be tomorrow's episode" - Elton John

I started traveling around the world since early 80s when I had the opportunity to combine business trips with vacations. Then later when my rezeki is in abundance, there were numerous other trips along the way for vacations, most of the time with hubby and the kids when the timing is right. I have also started to compile the journal and photo-pages covering almost more than 45 years of world wide travel. Some destinations I visited just once, others many times. Many of those places are the obvious famous places people would like to visit but some, the casual traveler doesn't even think to try. I have placed links to my travel at the side bar of my personal page, My Life Reflections, and will be updating them from time to time.

My wish is to continue my travel and complete circumnavigate the globe, insyaAllah…

Saturday 6 April 2019

2019 14th Umrah Trip - Makkah al-Mukarramah...

“Never have I dealt with anything more difficult than my own soul, which sometimes helps me and sometimes opposes me...” - Imam Al-Ghazali

(Full house in Masjidil Haram)

Makkah al-Mukkaramah

(6 - 12 April 2019)

In Makkah we stayed in The Hera Hotel, a decent budget hotel about a kilometre from Masjidil Haram. A good twenty minutes of walking each way, five times daily to perform our prayers.

(Makkah sky is covered with clouds)

(Isya Prayer under clear sky at Masjidil Haram)

(The three domes on the rooftop of Masjidil Haram)

We performed our Umrah almost every day. The travel agent had arranged for two visits to Jaaranah Mosque and Hudaibiyah Mosque where we would have our miqat for the Umrah. The rest of our Umrah, we had our miqat at Saidatina Aishah Mosque, Tana'eem which is the closest miqat location from Makkah.

(The fare had doubled)

(Clean and reliable SAPTCO bus)

(The marker for the miqat border)

We had the option of taking the taxi or the bus to Tana’eem and we preferred the later. There were more than enough SAPTCO public bus to ferry pilgrims to and from Saidatina Aishah Mosque, Tana'eem for miqat for those performing the umrah. The SAPTCO buses are clean and efficient. We miss the older nostalgic double deckers though. And our young kids loved the upper decks then. The fare is almost double now. We pay RS3 each now. Wasn't it RS1.75 some time ago?

(Completed the tawaf)

(Performing the Sa'ei on the upper floor)

(The crowd after Zohor prayer)

On the way to have our miqat in Jaaranah we visited some historical attractions around Makkah including Jabal Nur where Gua Hira’ is situated, the Jamrats in Mina and Jabal Rahmah in Arafah. Jabal Rahmah is not just where Nabi Adam AS was reunited with Siti Hawa but Padang Arafah is the location of the defining Wukuf, where believers are challenged mentally and physically during their hajj. We used to climb up Jabal Rahmah to the peak in our younger and stronger days. Then after had a cone of yummy ice-cream. The perfect complement for the hot blazing Arabian sun.

(A visit to Jabal Rahmah at Padang Arafah)

(An ice-cream indulgence)

(A group photo of our entourage at Jabal Rahmah)

The Ja'ranah Mosque is another miqat point in the Saraf Oasis, twenty-five kilometres from Makkah. Imam Shafie scholars mostly agree this miqat is the most afdal. Rasulullah SAW performed his miqat for his third umrah and encamped here for almost two weeks. The new Ja'ranah Mosque, easily can accommodate a thousand worshippers.

(Miqat at Masjid Jaaranah)

On the day we were scheduled to miqat at Hudaibiyah, the group visited the Haramain Museum. Divided into seven sections, the Haramain Museum offers guided educational tours. But most visitors simply amble along taking in the artifacts and photos of Masjid Nabawi and Masjidil Haram. Though there are no information pamphlets or brochures available, most of the exhibits are well described or self-explanatory.

(A visit to the Museum of Two Holy Mosques)

(One of seven exhibition halls)

In Hudaibiyah, we performed sunat prayers in Hudaibiyah Mosque. We later visited the remains of the old Hudaibiyah Mosque situated behind the new mosque. In Islamic history, the pivotal Hudaibiyah Treaty was enforced here affirming a ten year peace and removing hostilities between followers in Madinah and the Quraish of Makkah. In this treaty, muslims were allowed to perform their first hajj pilgrimage.

(The remains of the historical old Masjid Hudaibiyah)

On the last day before we leave for the airport, we performed tawaf wida'. This is off peak season but Masjidil Haram was packed with pilgrims from all over the world. Thousands more will descend here during Ramadhan and millions during the Hajj season.