“When I get toward the end of my life, I want to look back and see that I’ve lived not only the length of it, but the width of it as well…”
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| (A visit to Jabal Rahmah, Padang Arafah) |
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| (Completing our daily Umrah in the morning) |
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| (The old Mosque of Hudaibiah, another Miqat place) |
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| (View of Kaabah during tawaf Wida' on upper Mataf) |
The Prophet SAW stated, “A prayer in the Masjid al-Haram is akin to a hundred thousand prayers, a prayer in my mosque to a thousand prayers, and a prayer in the Bayt al-Maqdis to five hundred prayers...” - Sahih Bukhari/Muslim
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 working in early 80s, we opened a deposit account with Tabung Haji. A small monthly salary deduction was a heavy burden to our pockets. Then, with our general degree our meager salary was barely sufficient to pay for house rental, car loan and utilities. Eating out on Saturday nights was a luxury treat for 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, Mirza 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 good health and abundance of wealth, for us to be able to visit the holy lands again.
In November 1994, we brought our 3 kids, my Mak and Abah and my Mother-in-law to perform the Umrah and after the Umrah we stopped over in Amman, Jordan for a 3-day ziarah and tour.
In December 1996, joining a big group, together with our 3 kids we went to perform our 3rd Umrah trip. This time we transited in Istanbul, Turkey for a 3-day ziarah and tour.
In December 1998, together with the 3 kids, my parents and Mother-in-law 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 was our tour guide. We then flew to Madinah and later we entered Makkah on the first day of Ramadhan. This was our 4th Umrah trip.
In November 2000, only the two of us went to perform the 5th 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.
In September 2002, together with another 2 couples we went to perform the 6th Umrah. On the way back to KL our flight from Jeddah was delayed and we were stranded in Sana’a, Yemen. We were made to stay for 3 days before the next flight. The 6 of us enjoyed our stay so much and had the opportunity to visit historical and interesting places in Sana'a. And all expenses were paid for!
In September 2004, we joined a group of a dozen people to perform the 7th 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.
In September 2006, Sara, my parents and Mother-in-law, my two sisters, Zai and Amah joined us for another Umrah trip. We transited at Dubai and spent three nights in my nephew’s place in Abu Dhabi.
In July 2008, we brought Sara, Iwan, my daughter-in-law Ella and my besan Normah for another Umrah trip and we transited in Dubai and stayed a few nights in Abu Dhabi.
Our planned Umrah trip in December 2010 was postponed to 2011 when the Saudi stopped issuing the ziarah visas until early 2011.
In April 2011 together with Sara and my son-in-law Fitri, we went for our 10th Umrah trip via Amman, Jerusalem and Damascus. In this trip we had the opportunity to visit the three holy mosques, Masjidil-Haram, Masjidil-Nabawi and Masjidil-Aqsa. We celebrated Sara and Fitri's first Anniversary in Madinah.
In April 2013, with a group of 20 jemaah, we performed our 11th Umrah and transited in Adis Ababa, Ethiopia for a two day visit of historical places.
In April 2015, the two of us went for our 12th Umrah trip. Our original plan for a ziarah trip to Oman after performing our Umrah was cancelled by the travel agent when Oman Air changed their routing.
In March 2017, We joined a small group of jemaah to perform our 13th Umrah Trip. We had the opportunity to visit and tour the beautiful highland town of Taif.
This April 2019, we performed our 14th Umrah and had a half-day tour of Muscat, Oman during a 9-hour transit, Alhamdulillah.
We have always planned to perform our Umrah every other year and Alhamdulillah, Allah has granted us our wishes.
Insya-Allah, we will visit the holy lands again...
In November 2000, only the two of us went to perform the 5th 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.
In September 2002, together with another 2 couples we went to perform the 6th Umrah. On the way back to KL our flight from Jeddah was delayed and we were stranded in Sana’a, Yemen. We were made to stay for 3 days before the next flight. The 6 of us enjoyed our stay so much and had the opportunity to visit historical and interesting places in Sana'a. And all expenses were paid for!
In September 2004, we joined a group of a dozen people to perform the 7th 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.
In September 2006, Sara, my parents and Mother-in-law, my two sisters, Zai and Amah joined us for another Umrah trip. We transited at Dubai and spent three nights in my nephew’s place in Abu Dhabi.
In July 2008, we brought Sara, Iwan, my daughter-in-law Ella and my besan Normah for another Umrah trip and we transited in Dubai and stayed a few nights in Abu Dhabi.
Our planned Umrah trip in December 2010 was postponed to 2011 when the Saudi stopped issuing the ziarah visas until early 2011.
In April 2011 together with Sara and my son-in-law Fitri, we went for our 10th Umrah trip via Amman, Jerusalem and Damascus. In this trip we had the opportunity to visit the three holy mosques, Masjidil-Haram, Masjidil-Nabawi and Masjidil-Aqsa. We celebrated Sara and Fitri's first Anniversary in Madinah.
In April 2013, with a group of 20 jemaah, we performed our 11th Umrah and transited in Adis Ababa, Ethiopia for a two day visit of historical places.
In April 2015, the two of us went for our 12th Umrah trip. Our original plan for a ziarah trip to Oman after performing our Umrah was cancelled by the travel agent when Oman Air changed their routing.
In March 2017, We joined a small group of jemaah to perform our 13th Umrah Trip. We had the opportunity to visit and tour the beautiful highland town of Taif.
This April 2019, we performed our 14th Umrah and had a half-day tour of Muscat, Oman during a 9-hour transit, Alhamdulillah.
We have always planned to perform our Umrah every other year and Alhamdulillah, Allah has granted us our wishes.
Insya-Allah, we will visit the holy lands again...
My Overseas Travel: munmus.blogspot.com
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