Shah Alam
Our hajj Journey began when we left our house in Shah Alam on November18 ,( 1st of Zulhijjah) at midnight and go to Kelana Jaya Hajj Complex before heading to airport KLIA. My sister in law’s husband called the Azan beautifully , not many in the house came that night,only some close friends and neighbors . My heart felt sad as I really wanted my mother and my family around to witness the moment. I was so pale and speechless, it was not because the friends, family, house, nor the children that I would leave behind but it’s the feeling of being so overwhelmed with the blessings and grace of HIM that I could already feel it in the house.
Kelana Jaya (Hajj Complex)
A small test of patience began in Kelana Jaya hajj complex when we had to wait for 4 hours outside the hajj complex. Only At 4am we were allowed to get in but as we went in I had to wait for my passport which they (hajj officers) misplaced while everyone has got theirs. I kept my Dua’& zikr inside, praying that Allah will make it easy for me since I hold different passport from my husband. Finally they found it but we missed the final briefing from Hajj Committee. As soon as I got my passport we went straight in to the bus and at 6 am we left Kelana Jaya with Special police escort to make sure that we arrive at the airport on time so there wouldn’t be any delay in our flight to Jeddah (it was fun to be escorted straight to where the planes park, at least I could feel how it’s like to be VIP..he..he..). But Man can only plan, God Decides, our flight was delayed for many hours.
KLIA Sepang
We arrived at KLIA airport at 7am and rushed to pray Subuh, everybody rushed to the toilet to get ablution and it was indeed a long long long que as subuh was approaching to end, we realized that this can be our first exposure before the real long que in Mudzdalifah and Mina. After waiting and waiting finally we left Kuala Lumpur at 10am, we haven’t had any sleep since we left our house eleven hours ago, I was sleepy I though I would just sleep on the plane, but I couldn’t, I was too excited and I did not want to miss saying my Hajj “Niyyat” in Qarnul manazil which is a must thing to do when we pass it.
Jeddah
We rrived in Jeddah at 1pm, it was 9 hours flight amazingly I was not tired at all, my longing to see Ka’bah after 1998 Umrah kept me awake all day. Another 4 hours of waiting at Jeddah airport before we could get in to the Bus to Mekah Al Mukaraamah. The waiting was nothing compared to the exciment of seeing our sisters and brothers at the airport arriving from All over the world with their country’s flags, my personal excitement to see my Indonesian sisters and brothers in their beautiful Indonesian Batiks.
At around 5pm we got into the Bus leaving Jeddah and heading to Mekah, the journey to mekah normally takes 8 hours ( 400km) but we’re lucky to reach Mekah by 10pm.
I still could not sleep in the bus,along the way from Jeddah to Mekah I sit by the window and it was fun to see the city and the lights at night. The city has changed a lot since we came for Umrah in 1998, the influence of west culture in the design of houses and shops,restaurants,cafe were seen everywhere.
Mekah
We reached Mekah Al Mukarramah around 10pm and went straight to Nesma hotel near the entrance of Marwah Gate (200m) We rested and had our dinner, then at about 1 am we went out of the hotel with two ustaz helping us for our Tawaf Qudum and Sai Hajji (we chose to do Haji Ifrad which is Hajj first then Umrah later, and for 10 days we had to keep ourselves in Ihram).
When entering the Masjidil Haram and seing Ka’bah my eyes couldn’t stop crying my mouth kept saying the Talbiyah, “Here I am, my Lord, here I am ............
And after Solat Tahyatul masjid we went straight to ka’bah and do our welcome Tawaf , tears dropping, with HIS Name I started my tawaf seven times and it was early morning almost 2am, feeling so near to HIM, then I continued with Sai for my Hajj, Amazingly I did not feel tired at all although it was almost like 3.30 in the morning, Subhanallah...We went to the hotel for an hour rest then back to masjidil haram at 4.30 for our fajr prayer/subuh
