Family Iftar...

“The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that's the essence of inhumanity…” - George Bernard Shaw

 

 

When I woke up from sleep, my head was spinning. When I checked the clock, for a while I lost my bearing. Pukul 3 pagi ke 3 petang ni? I have slept like a log since after subuh. It is as though my body is having its revenge on me. I slept like I have never been before…

I rushed to take a quick shower and wake Sara up. Tonight we were having the family dinner and it’s my turn to cook. And the fridge and pantry were literally empty. We drove to Plaza Damas and bought loads of provisions which can last us till end of Ramadhan. In a jiffy Sara helped me cooked chicken curry, sambal sotong and mixed vege with button mushrooms. And of course, crispy fried fish and kicap with cili padi…

By 6.00 pm we had already finished with cooking. Iwan and Ella came from Mandy Villa with a bowl of sliced water melon. We started the breaking of fast with kueh-mueh and fruit juice. After solat Maghrib berjemaah we had buffet dinner as the dining table is too small to fit all of us. By 8 p.m. we cleared all foods and fruits and got ready to go to Mesjid Wilayah for the Solat Terawih. We completed Terawih around 10.30 p.m. and were stuck in a jam for quite a while as there were irresponsible people double and triple parking along the road.

I am happy to have the family for iftar and solat terawih together on the first day of puasa. I wish that my beloved Ja is here with us.....

Dubai/Abu Dhabi Holiday...

“…By travelling I know I have possessed the world, more completely, more nicely than if I had captured the whole world by buying it or conquering it…”

8th Umrah Trip: The Holy Journey...

“There is no moment of delight in any pilgrimage like the beginning of it...”

6 Sep 2006 (Wednesday)

(KL-Dubai-Jeddah-Madinah)

"Ya Allah,

we seek virtue and piety from You

in this journey of ours

and the act which pleases You.

Lighten this journey of ours

and make its distance easy for us..."

Eight of us departed from KLIA at 0055. Transited in Dubai for 4 hours. Departed for Jeddah at 0800. Ustaz Shamsul Bahari, from Triways Travel was already waiting for us. Took a van to Madinah and reached the holy city after Asar. Checked-in at Madinah Hilton Hotel. Went to Masjid Nabawi for Magrib and Isya' prayers.

7 Sep 2006 (Thursday)

(Madinah Al-Munawwarrah)

After the Subuh prayer, got ready for ziarah at historical places around Madinah. Visited Masjid Quba’, Masjid Qiblatain, Masjid 7, Jabal Uhud and the Tamar Souk. All along the journey, we were enlightened with interesting stories and tazkirah by Ustaz Shamsul. After the ziarah, visited makam Rasulullah to say salam from family and friends.

"Salaam upon you Ya Rasulullah
from me and from the one who has requested me
to convey Salaams to you."

At the Raudhah recited the dua'.

"Ya Allah,
fulfill our needs,
and make our affairs easy,
and open our hearts
and accept our visit
and remove the fears
and grant us safety
and conceal our faults
and forgive our sins
and remove our difficulties
and let our end be with our good actions
and count us with Your pious servants
who do not fear or grieve by Your mercy..."

.

8 Sep 2006 (Friday)
(Madinah al-Munawwarah - Makkah al-Mukarramah)

After the Friday prayer, we doned our ihram and went for ziarah wida’ to bade goodbye to Rasulullah with a promise that we will come to visit again, Insya-Allah... Departed Madinah for Makkah at 1530 together with Ustaz Shamsul. Stopped to miqat at Bir Ali. Performed the sunnat-al-ihram, recited the dua' and talbiah.

"Ya Allah,
We intend to perform the Umrah,
render it easy for us, and accept it from us."

.

Reached Makkah at 2130 and checked-in Zahret Makkah Hotel. Had dinner and later entered Mesjid-el-Harram. With tears of longing, we entered and walked towards the kaabah...

"Ya Allah,
open for us the doors of Your mercies,
and make easy for us the means of livelihood"

.

Completed our 1st Umrah at 0100. Alhamdulillah... I thank Allah for allowing me to fulfill my promise to bring my two sisters to this Baitul-Haram.

.

9 Sep 2006 (Saturday)
(Makkah al-Mukarramah)
. 

After Subuh prayer and breakfast, we went to Tannaim for miqat.

"Ya Allah,
Give us contentment in that which You have provided for us
and bestow us with Barakat therein,
and be a successor of all whom we have left behind... "

.

Completed our 2nd umrah at 1000. After Asar went for shopping. Bought a few jubah, sejadah and other buah tangan. After dinner slept soundly after a good foot massage.

10 Sep 2006 (Sunday)
(Makkah al-Mukarramah)

After breakfast, went for ziarah to some historical places around Makkah. Visited Jabbal Thaur, Jabbal Rahmah, Mudzalifah and Minna. We did not have the opportunity to visit the Jamrats because of the on-going construction works. Miqat at Mesjid Ja’aranah.

"Ya Allah,
grant us goodnness in this world,
and goodness in the hereafter
and save us from the punishment of the fire..."

.

Completed our 3rd Umrah around 1230 and in time for solat Zuhur. Slept whole afternoon till Asar.

11 Sep 2006 (Monday)
(Makkah al-Mukarramah)
'

After breakfast, we took a van to Tannaim to miqat. Everytime we drink air zam-zam we recite the dua'

"Ya Allah,
We ask You for beneficial knowledge.
and abundance in provision,
and cure us from every ailment..."

Completed our 4th umrah around 1030. Went for a shopping spree after Asar prayer. Slept tightly at night.

12 Sep 2006 (Tuesday)
(Makkah - Hudaibiah)

After breakfast rented a van to go to Hudaibiah to miqat. Met the Imam of Mesjid Hudaibiah, a Malaysian from Melaka. On the way back stopped at a Camel Farm to drink and buy a few bottles of camel milk. Visited Makkah museum. Completed our 5th Umrah around 1230 in time for solat Zuhur.

"Ya Allah!
We ask You to exhalt our fame
and to ease us of our burdens,
to set right our affairs,
to purify our heart
and to appoint light in our grave,
to remit from us our sins
and to bestow unto us the highest of degrees in Paradise..."

.

Received sms from Linda who gave birth to a baby girl named Aqilah. Both mother and daughter are ok. Alhamdulillah...

13 Sep 2006 (Wednesday)
(Makkah al-Mukarramah)

After breakfast took a van to Tannaim. Completed our 6th Umrah around 1030.

"Ya Allah!
Let not any of our sins go unfogiven,
nor any of our worries undispelled,
nor any of our needs unfulfilled.
Ease our task for us,
relieve our hearts and minds,
and end righteously our deeds..."

.

Slept till Zuhur. After Asar went to the bazaar for last minute shopping.

14 Sep 2006 (Thursday)
(Makkah - Jeddah)

After breakfast took a taxi to Tannaim to miqat for our 7th Umrah. After Solat Zuhur, performed the tawaf wida’ and recited the doa at the Multazzam.

"Ya Allah,
set right for us our religion
which is the safeguard of our affairs.
And set right for us the affairs of our world
wherein is our living.
And set right for us our Hereafter
on which depends our after life.
And make the life for us
of abundance for every good
and make our death of comfort for us,
protecting us against every evil..."

After lunch packed our bags and departed Makkah for Jeddah. Visited the Mesjid Terapung at the Red Sea. Checked-in and had dinner at Jeddah Airport.

Our flight to Dubai was delayed for almost 2 hours. Although dead tired, everyone was excited and looking forward for our short holiday in Dubai and Abu Dhabi...

My Travelogue: munmus.blogspot.com

My Hajj & Umrah rites

“The traveler who has once been from home is wiser than he who has never left his own doorstep...” – Margaret Mead

"And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men; they will come to you on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways; That they may witness the benefits (provided) for them, and celebrate the name of Allah, through the Days Appointed, over the cattle which He has provided for them (for sacrifice): then eat you thereof and feed the distressed ones in want. Then let them complete the rites prescribed for them, perform their vows, and (again) circumambulate the Ancient House.” (Al Hajj: 27-29).

Looking at the amount of time and money spent on my travel each year, a lot of people, especially close friends asked me a typical, mocking question:

“kau gi jalan round dunia ni tak simpan duit sikit untuk buat haji ke atau umrah ke? Kalau duit lebih tu sedekah le pada parents ke … adik beradik ke… anak-anak ke.. kekawan ke... bla bla bla… he he he…”

Hubby and I usually will just smile and ignore those remarks. Our parents, siblings and kids know us better to pass judgments...

When we started work in early 80s, we opened a deposit account with Tabung Haji. A monthly salary deduction of RM20 was a heavy burden to our pockets. Then, with our general degree our salary was a meager RM880. At end of each month the money was barely sufficient to pay for house rental, car loan and utilities. Eating out on Saturday nights was a luxury treat to the kids…

Over the years with each yearly increment, we increased our deposits. Over 5 years our tabung haji deposits were enough for us to perform the Hajj. It didn’t take us long to decide. In 1991 we registered and in 1992 we were offered to join the muasasah group.

In May 1992, we severed all ties with our family and home and started our journey for the Hajj Pilgrimage. Leaving our small kids behind, my late youngest son, Ja was 7 then. We performed the various duties of the pilgrim at all stages of the Hajj and completed the fifth and last of the rukun Islam. Alhamdulillah… In front of the Ka’abah we prayed for Allah to endow us with wealth and health, for us to be able to visit the holy lands again.

November 1994, we brought our 3 kids, my Mak and Abah and my MIL to perform the Umrah and after the Umrah we stopover in Amman, Jordan for a 3-day ziarah.

December 1996, joining a big group, together with our 3 kids we went to perform our Umrah again. This time we transited in Istanbul, Turkey for a 3-day ziarah.

December 1998, together with the kids, my parents and MIL we went for ziarah in Cairo and Alexandria in Egypt. Over there we were accompanied by my nephew, Abu Dzar, who was then studying in Al-Azhar U and be our tour guide. We then flew to Madinah and later we entered Makkah on the first day of Ramadhan.

November 2000, only the two of us went to perform the Umrah during the last week of Ramadhan. After the Umrah, when we reached KL, we had already completed 30 days of fasting and celebrated the Eid-Fitri. People in Malaysia were still fasting then.

September 2002, together with another 2 couples we went to perform the Umrah. On the way back to KL our flight was stranded in Sana’a, Yemen and we were made to stay for 3 days before the next flight. The 6 of us enjoyed our stay so much. And all expenses were paid for!

September 2004, we joined a group of a dozen people to perform the Umrah. After the Umrah the two of us transited in Dubai for a 4-day holiday. There, we met with my nephew, Nor Azhar, a Captain with the Etihad Airways.

We have always planned to perform our Umrah every other year and Alhamdulillah, Allah has granted us our wishes. And this year, Sara, my Mak and Abah, my MIL and my 2 sisters will be joining us.

Now, it’s time to go again...

My Overseas Travelogue: munmus.blogspot.com

Happy 27th Anniversary...

From him:

There’s no way I can ever thank you

Or repay you for even one beautiful minute,

But there’s one thing I can do…

I can love you forever, and I know I will…

Because something inside just let me know

Our love story has no end…

p.s. Happy Anniversary, yang. I love you so very much tau. Sampai bila2 tau…

From me:

I want to walk

with you

hand in hand,

across all the

years to come…

p.s. I love you so very much too, yang…