my first umrah part 3

--------------------- continued from the second part -------------------------

Mecca Day 6

So today we went to the museum of two holy mosques to see the architecture of Masjidil Haram and Masjid Nabawi, and Hudaibiyah another place of miqat for anyone who wanted to perform the 4^th umrah. This time around I went alone, my parents were too tired from yesterday’s saie, they just stayed in the hotel rest a bit as their legs had worn out, besides they have been to this place last time. Along the way to the museum, we passed through a house without windows and doors. The windows and the doors were covered by bricks. Located in the middle of Mecca, it is called as Rumah Jinn. There were stories that whoever lives there will never survive, families after families died mysteriously in tragic way. They tried to destroy the house but never succeeded.  Hence, in order to keep the spirit from going out the house, they sealed the doors and windows with bricks so that the devils stay inside. I don’t know whether the methods working or not. Should have asked the mutawwif.

Exhibition of Two Holy Mosque 

Masjidil Haram 

how telaga zam zam once look like

The two holy mosques refer to Masjidil Haram and Masjid Nabawi. The museum is situated just beside a place where the Kaabah black covers were made. Inside, there were replicas and pictures related to the mosques. I am amazed with the revolution of telaga zam zam. Back then, our ancestors can take it from the well, can even use it for bath, they could see the well by their naked eyes, over time the well had been closed, and the taste also different. Dulu air zam zam rasa pelik. I remember when I was young, I cannot finish it because of the taste, macam payau, maybe they have put something in it, now rasa macam air mineral. I am dying to know who’s behind the architecture of Masjidil Haram, the way they designed the air zam zam system is amazing.

Hudaibiyah. Sound familiar right? How many times have you cross this name during high school? Many times especially during exam preparation. List out the content of perjanjian hudaibiyah. Come on, google pat! Haha. Despite being a famous place for miqat, it is not well taken care hmm. Around the masjid, banyak orang berjual-jual. Dekat sini pun murah. Henna here is the cheapest. Tak tipu. 10- 20 Saudi Riyal depends on the sizes lah, the smaller one 10 SR, the larger one the later. Jubah also quite cheap.  So Hudaibiyah was the last place visited before going back to Masjidil Haram for the 4^th umrah which is optional. There was delayed in the schedule. We should have been back before Zuhr prayer, we ended up arrived during the 2^nd rakaat of Zuhr. Biasalah bila ramai-ramai ni, sorang lambat orang lain affected hmm. So tak dapatlah nak solat Jemaah dekat masjid. First time I saw something that would never happen in Malaysia, I think I have mentioned it in the previous post, here in Mecca as long as you can hear the Imam, wherever you are, you can be his makmum even when youre not in the masjid. Amazing isn’t it? Dekat jalan raya tu penuh orang solat. Bentang sejadah je dah cukup. Luar hotel, depan kedai, everywhere, submit to The One.

Used to be the kaabah door 

The first Resm Usthamani Quran 

the remaining of Masjid Hudaibiyah

 

Mecca Day 7

Our final day in Mecca happened to be Friday. I was informed that every Friday there will be solat sajadah in the morning, since this was my first time, I prepared myself for it the night before, it has 3 rakaat with one salam. My dad showed me the way to perform it so I would understand better. This was my last subuh in Mecca. For the first time in my life, I got to experience rainy day in Mecca. It was raining heavily.  I didn’t even know it was raining until we finished praying. That explained why the imam just read surah lazim and not performing solat sajadah. As some parts of the mosque is still under construction, the rain get inside the building.  From the first floor, I could see people still performing tawaf. They didn’t even care of the rain, because it is where our prayers are readily accepted. 

We performed tawaf wada’ few hours before leaving Mecca for Medina.  I witnessed the great  kaabah for the last time, hoping it won’t be the last in my whole life.

The distance between Mecca and Medina is about 400km.  It takes about 8 hours by bus. When we arrived, it was already 9 pm. The weather in Medina was so cold that I needed to wear 2 layers of clothes with a sweater. Even in the afternoon it was 16-17ᵒ C. Macam dalam bilik ada aircond. Our hotel was 50 metre away from Masjid Nabawi. Like Masjidil Haram there were many gates around the masjid, we were close by Gate 15.

last subuh in Mecca 

Masjid Nabawi 

Medina 24-27 Nov 2018

Medina Day 1

One of the attractions of Masjid Nabawi is the big umbrellas. Last night when we arrived, they were already closed. I hoped I could witness and record the moment they were opened and closed however till the last day in Medina, I didn’t manage to get it. Every time we reach masjid either it already closed or opened. Sedih okay.  We were late for our first subuh prayer, so we didn’t get to pray inside the mosque. Need to come really really early to get inside, unlike masjidil haram even if you get there 15 mins before subuh you still get to pray inside the building provided it is not hajj season I guess (?) I was so cold in the morning. Imagine at 12ᵒC  with blowing wind we prayed at the masjid compound. I couldn’t concentrate, the only thing in my mind was “when this gonna end?” ya ampun teruk betul.

Going to Raudhah

In front of Usman Affan Gate 

In front of Raudhah, That is the green dome I'm talking about 

Okay, so our first day activity was a tour to Raudhah which means the garden in heaven. One of the places in which prayers are readily accepted, this is the place where our prophet Rasullullah SAW, his companions Saidina Abu Bakar As- Siddiq and Saidina Umar Al Khattab were buried. From the outside, it is marked with a green dome. I read and heard many stories of Raudhah, being able to be here was such a blessing  for me. How to know that you already inside raudhah? When you stand on the green carpet means youre already inside, unlike the other parts of the mosque which is red. It is a crowded area, too small to equip tens of people. So memang kena gilir- gilir untuk solat. There will be impatient people, pushing you here and there, you really need to be patient.  Don’t get tempered easily. One of the tips from the book I read and also from people who had been there, do pray behind any pillar. Pastu jaga sesame sendiri. For example macam when your mom is praying, you watch after her, then when it is already your turn, the other way around.

I don’t know how to describe my feelings at that moment. It feels like a miracle. It is not something that you can have every day. One thing that shot my heart, made me moved was when I got to know during our stay in Medina:

1. it is like we berjiran dengan Rasullullah SAW

2. when we say salam to him, he knows it and he actually answers it. Unlike us, the prophet when they die, they were not really dead.

3. when you pray, then you insert his name I mean macam Ya Allah berkat bumi madinah ini, dengan aku berjiran dengan kekasihmu Rasullullah, makbulkan permintaanku… the prayers is easier to be accepted.

4. whoever visit him, he will search for you to give syafaat soon in the hereafter. (this actually same goes to kaabah and bukit uhud cause this two will be in heaven)

Behind the green curtain Makam Nabi

Penuh sangat dengan orang 

Subhanallah. Maka beruntunglah orang yang memang tinggal di Madinah. This points are based on what the mutawwif had told us, correct me if I’m wrong. I was hoping that this is the final part of my first umrah, but rasa macam too many information in one post and it will be very long pulak, so I will continue the final part soon enough when I got time and ideas inshallah.

Till then,

J