Our Tabung Haji Travel's Hajj Group KT85 left Kompleks Haji
Kelana Jaya, near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 10 buses on the night of 29
October 2011, with Police escort, heading for Kuala Lumpur International
Airport (KLIA). As our destination was Makkah, all male hajj pilgrims
were already dressed in their ihram attire. The plane took off at about
3:15 a.m. and we landed in Jeddah about 7 hours later. We then traveled
to Makkah by bus and finally reached our Dar Al-Eiman Royal Hotel
located in Al-Safwa Towers just before 5:00 p.m. For Muslims, performing
the hajj is the fifth and the last pillar of Islam.
We performed
the umrah on that same night, led by mutawif or religious guides.
Several compulsory rituals need to be performed. Firstly, we need to
utter our intention in our heart to perform the umrah; this we had done
earlier in the plane, while it was flying above Qarnul Manazil, Saudi
Arabia, about 2 hours before the landing.
The second ritual was to
perform the tawaf umrah. We entered the Masjidil Haram, the holy
mosque, through King Abdul Aziz Gate or Gate Number 1. Upon seeing the
Kaabah, I said to myself: "Thank you Allah for allowing me to be your
guest". Before performing the tawaf, the hajj pilgrims must recite the
intention just before Hajar al-Aswad or the Black Stone at the wall of
Kaabah. We then walked around the Kaabah in anti-clockwise direction
seven times, passing by Makam Ibrahim and Hijir Ismail.
Performing
the sa'ie umrah at Safar and Marwah was the third ritual. At Safar,
with our face facing Kaabah, we recited our intention to perform the
sa'ie umrah and started to walk towards Marwah, about 420 metres away,
and back. We did this seven times thus we should end at Marwah. At
Marwah, we finished our fourth and the last ritual of umrah by cutting
our hair (called tahallul); reciting our intention to part from wearing
the ihram. Men were required to cut at least three strands of their
hair, about 2.5 cm in length, while it will be longer for women. It is
very important that all the rituals must be performed in sequence.
For
several days that were left before we performed the hajj proper, we
dressed in normal manner. We spent the time upgrading our religious
activities, much so performing the prayers, five times per day, reading
the al-Quran as well as reciting the numerous doa at the Masjidil Haram.
It was made known that a prayer done at this mosque is 100,000 times
better than anywhere else. We took every opportunity to drink the zam
zam water after every prayer.
On 5 November (9 Zulhijjah), clad in
ihram attire again, our group left for Arafah. The time was about 12:50
a.m. We uttered our intention to perform the hajj while in the bus and
also recited talbiah during the journey. We must be present physically,
or called wukuf, at Arafah as this is the first ritual activity for
hajj. Our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, had once said: "Hajj is
Arafah". In terms of timing, all the hajj pilgrims must be at Arafah,
even for a second, from zohor (afternoon) of 9 Zulhijjah till subuh
(dawn) of 10 Zulhijjah. At about 12:05 p.m., we started our wukuf with a
sermon, followed by zohor congregation prayer.
At Arafah, my wife
Dr Rokiah and myself raised our hands high and prayed to Allah for the
well- being and betterment of ourselves and our daughters, Dr. Sarah and
Syazana; family members and friends. It was during this time that tears
running down from our eyes. At Arafah, our minds were not thinking of
anything else but just asking for the forgiveness from Allah. After
isyak (night) prayer, we left for Muzdalifah. Here, we collected enough
stones for melontar or 'stoning-the-devil' ritual activity at Jamarah in
Mina.
We reached Mina at about 4:00 a.m. on 10 Zulhijjah (6
November 2011). Pilgrims were required to be in Mina from 10 to 13
Zulhijjah by virtue of melontar activities. As we planned to go
back to Makkah for the night, we performed the molantar on the 10
Zulhijjah at Big Jamarah (Jamrah Aqaba) at about 11:50 p.m., followed by
cutting our hairs. Again, by cutting our hairs, we can then part with
our ihram attire. We then walked towards Makkah with four other friends
and reached our hotel about one hour and ten minutes later.
The
next day, my wife and myself went back to Mina as pillion passengers for
100 Saudi Riyal each. We stopped at Jamarah and performed the melontar
at Small Jamarah, Middle Jamarah and Big Jamarah. The rituals were
repeated on the next two days. We left Mina for Makkah by bus in the
afternoon of 13 Zulhijjah. To complete the hajj rituals, we still need
to perform the tawaf haji and sa'ie haji. I did this with my wife on 12
November 2011, after Isyak prayer.
After performing tawaf wada',
we left for Madinah on 1 December, reaching our hotel at about 10:00
p.m. While in Madinah, we prayed at the Masjid Nabawi which was 1,000
times better than anywhere else. We also prayed at the Raudhah as well
as passing by and performing the doa in front of the magnificent tombs
of Prophet Muhammad, Saiyidina Abu Bakar and Saiyidina Omar.
I did
also convey my friends' greetings to the Prophet. For the next few
days, the organizer brought us to visit the surrounding areas such as
Masjid Quba, Masjid Kiblatain, Bukit Uhud, Khandak and date farm.
During
our free time, usually before afternoon prayer, my wife and I did a
little shopping for dates and other items at Taiba Complex and the
surrounding areas.
On 10 December 2011, we performed the wada'
ritual at Masjid Nabawi before we left for Madinah Airport. The plane
took off at about 8:25 a.m. local time and landed at KLIA at about 9:25
p.m. Truly enough, the experience gained once in a life time when
performing the hajj was just something which stays in the mind forever.
Thank you Allah for making it possible for me and my wife.
Every year, about 2.5 million Muslims from all over world
converge to Makkah and surrounding areas, in the month of Zulhijjah, to
perform the fifth pillar of Islam, i.e. the Hajj. They conducted the
rituals in peace.
