Alhamdulillah, I have returned from my
trip to Meccca and Madinah one week ago. The trip lasted about 2 weeks and
within those periods, many significant events happened in Malaysia.
First was the massive flood that involves
multiple states in Malaysia. My hometown was also not spared from the disaster
and even my own parent has to relocate as my house was next to Sungai Perak.
Half of my hometown was flooded for more than one week.
Second was the crash of Indonesia Air Asia
aeroplane. Until today, they are still looking for the dead passengers and the
black box. This event will have significant impact to the future of budget
airlines in Indonesia.
Back to my umrah journey. This trip was
planned for few months in advance. This is my first time visiting the Holy
Land. Alhamdulillah, there were few surprises and lots of nice memory that I
have collected throughout the journey.
Preparation
1.
Travel
agent
Many Malaysians used to go to perform umrah via travel agents
albeit few will go independently. In my case, I follow the majority and arrange
the entire trip using a travel agent. There are many travel agents available in
Malaysia and it is up to you to choose which agent suits you the best
2. Knowledge
In order to perform umrah while hoping that it will be blessed by
Allah, we need to increase our knowledge and learn the best way to perform this
act of worship. In this matter, I read few guides of umrah and explore hundreds
of blogs regarding their experience at Mecca and Madinah.
3. Physical
The journey at Mecca and Madinah requires lots of stamina. Umrah
is a physical form of worship. During the trip, I used the pedometer app in my
smartphone and on average, I walked about 20000-25000 steps per day which
translates to about 18-23km per day!
4. Spiritual
This is a journey to cleanse a soul and a time for self-reflection.
This is not a journey of shopping, photography or any worldly matter. Prior to
the trip, it was advisable to perform night prayers and frequently asked
forgiveness from Allah for any wrongdoings, whether intentional or
unintentional. Personally, I always check regarding my nawaitu of visiting the
Holy Land. It is best to go there with an open, sincere heart and willing to
prepare for any tests that we will encounter during this journey.
