"Labbaik Allahumma labbaik" (Here I am, O Allah, here I am)...
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| (The holy Kaabah in Makkah) |
This year, hubby and I chose to begin our travels early. Instead of chasing new cities or familiar comforts, we felt drawn to start with a spiritual journey of an Umrah trip, a return to the Holy Lands. It felt right to place our hearts first before anything else, to realign our intentions before the year unfolded further.
Though we have performed Umrah many times before, the preparations never seem to grow easier. There were documents to check, bags to pack, prayers to memorise, and quiet worries of faltering health that crept in between moments of excitement. I realised that experience does not always bring ease; sometimes it brings deeper awareness of responsibility and purpose.
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| (Masjid Nabawi in Madinah) |
In those moments, I reminded myself to pause, to breathe and to soften my heart. This journey was not only about arriving in Makkah and Madinah, but about learning to let go of control, of haste, of unnecessary anxiety. I hoped that with a calmer heart and sincere spiritual readiness, the ritual of the pilgrimage itself would be fulfilled with ease.
Our Umrah Itinerary:
(21 - 31 January, 2026)
Day 01: KL - Makkah
Day 02: Makkah - 1st umrah
Day 03: Makkah - Jaaranah 2nd Umrah, Jabal Khandamah, Hira Cutural Village
Day 04: Makkah - Hudaibiah 3rd Umrah, Souk Jumlah Kak'kiah, Nasi Unta
Day 05: Makkah - Tanaim 4th Umrah
Day 06: Makkah - Madinah
Day 07: Madinah - Mosque Tour, Raudhah Visit
Day 08: Madinah Tour
Day 09: Madinah - Ziarah Badar
Day 10: Madinah - KL
Perhaps this Umrah, once again inviting me to begin not only with steps taken on sacred ground, but with peace nurtured quietly within.
