I love Ramadan as the most relaxing month of the year. If you have the means, go for umrah. I had the most fantastic experience while I was there. In Medinah al-Munawwarah we stayed at a hotel very close to the Masjid-e-Nabawi. Before breaking fast rows and rows of long plastics spread were laid out in the masjid to put food on. To see the Muslims seated down, talking only on soft voices, eating their food quietly was very touching. No rowdy voices, no shouting and no sign of being impatience.
Reminiscences. What I remembered most of my stay was lying on the bed and looking at Medinah alive at night from the reflections on the glass louvered windows. By shifting the glass position I could see more places. This enabled me to find the places I would like to go, the abaya shop or the nut stall. I managed to locate the dhobi shop this way.
In Mekah Al-Mukaramah we stayed at a hotel about a few meters away from Masjid-il-Haram. A very convenient location. Walking a few yards from the hotel to the main road there was the fried chicken restaurant at the junction. On the right was the grocery shop. Fresh vegetables and fruits were displayed right in front of it. Among others there were baby cucumbers, baby carrots, big tomatoes, brinjals, and red and green capsicums sold at affordable prices.I simply love to do my walking alone. Aloof and serene. Window shopping for gifts and at night, sampling their fresh and pure fruit juices.
Coming back from the Masjid-il-Haram around 9 am, after the Fajr prayer, the sun shone bright into my eyes. But the weather was cool and breezy. I would then prepare to go for miqat to Tana’im by bus. Jaranah, another place for miqat is rather far away. On the first day I had followed a group of 20 by van. It was so packed like sardines. The men refused to be separated from their wives. So I had to bear it and held my breath until we reached the destination.
To buy the bus ticket was not a problem. I would stand at a distance to study the situation. Then I squeezed in from the side and held my hand high to the ticket seller. ‘Tana’in, asyreen!’ I shouted. The seller held my hand, put in two tickets and took away my four rials. ‘Syukran!’ I said and squeezed back out from the crowd. Then I studied where exactly the bus would stop and waited. The moment the door opened, I climbed in without any hassle.
On certain days I would complete two umrah rituals. Our stay was limited and I had a target to achieve and a plan to accomplish.
Don’t have to worry about food. Along the way people grabbed you to give fruits, drinks and food. I used to dislike yogurt. Ironically I got none. But my sis got packets of them. Even on the first day at Medinah I refused the Arabic bread because the lady had put it under her arm. During my stay there I did not see or given any more bread. Again, from the very first day we were given a cup full of soft golden dates that melt in the mouth and tasted like butter, and two cups of Arabic tea. This had become a daily routine. There was once when we were doing sa’i and the muezzin called for the evening prayers. It was also the time to beak fast. Not aware of the time, we had nothing prepared. My sister suggested we took some zam-zam water. No, I said, just wait. Someone tapped us from the back and handed us a cup of golden dates and two cups of tea. Another handed us a cup of zam-zam water. Masya-Allah.
Lailatul-Qadar. We had set the alarm clock for 1.00 am. We had intended to do the tahajud prayers and qiamulail until Fajr. We were only awaken when by the muezzin called for the Fajr prayer. My sis was very disappointed and sad that she cried in her prayers and continued to sob. When we reached the hotel lobby someone reminded us ‘not to miss to-nite, it’s Lailatul Qadar.’ The night of 27 Ramadan. We had miscalculated. I felt that God had answered her prayers that He reversed the time.
I couldn’t remember a day when we were late for any jama’ah prayers. However far we were from the masjid we could always make it on time. I remembered on Aidul Fitri. Masjid-il-haram was packed. The sun was right overhead, that was hard to see clearly. There was an overflow of people that half the main road was already filled with Muslims ready to do the Aidul prayer. I pulled my sister towards Babul-Umar a distance away. We entered and found empty spaces. From there we can see the congregation above and hear the Imam loud and clear.
I like to pray at places of my choice. I remember praying at an isolated space under the open sky within Masjid-ilharam. It was the most beautiful, peaceful and fantabulous experience in my life. Alhamdulillah…
To buy the bus ticket was not a problem. I would stand at a distance to study the situation. Then I squeezed in from the side and held my hand high to the ticket seller. ‘Tana’in, asyreen!’ I shouted. The seller held my hand, put in two tickets and took away my four rials. ‘Syukran!’ I said and squeezed back out from the crowd. Then I studied where exactly the bus would stop and waited. The moment the door opened, I climbed in without any hassle.
On certain days I would complete two umrah rituals. Our stay was limited and I had a target to achieve and a plan to accomplish.
Don’t have to worry about food. Along the way people grabbed you to give fruits, drinks and food. I used to dislike yogurt. Ironically I got none. But my sis got packets of them. Even on the first day at Medinah I refused the Arabic bread because the lady had put it under her arm. During my stay there I did not see or given any more bread. Again, from the very first day we were given a cup full of soft golden dates that melt in the mouth and tasted like butter, and two cups of Arabic tea. This had become a daily routine. There was once when we were doing sa’i and the muezzin called for the evening prayers. It was also the time to beak fast. Not aware of the time, we had nothing prepared. My sister suggested we took some zam-zam water. No, I said, just wait. Someone tapped us from the back and handed us a cup of golden dates and two cups of tea. Another handed us a cup of zam-zam water. Masya-Allah.Lailatul-Qadar. We had set the alarm clock for 1.00 am. We had intended to do the tahajud prayers and qiamulail until Fajr. We were only awaken when by the muezzin called for the Fajr prayer. My sis was very disappointed and sad that she cried in her prayers and continued to sob. When we reached the hotel lobby someone reminded us ‘not to miss to-nite, it’s Lailatul Qadar.’ The night of 27 Ramadan. We had miscalculated. I felt that God had answered her prayers that He reversed the time.
I couldn’t remember a day when we were late for any jama’ah prayers. However far we were from the masjid we could always make it on time. I remembered on Aidul Fitri. Masjid-il-haram was packed. The sun was right overhead, that was hard to see clearly. There was an overflow of people that half the main road was already filled with Muslims ready to do the Aidul prayer. I pulled my sister towards Babul-Umar a distance away. We entered and found empty spaces. From there we can see the congregation above and hear the Imam loud and clear.I like to pray at places of my choice. I remember praying at an isolated space under the open sky within Masjid-ilharam. It was the most beautiful, peaceful and fantabulous experience in my life. Alhamdulillah…
