Sapura Group Tour De Mecca 2010

On the 16th August 2010, I got an opportunity to perform my Umrah. A generous and noble call by my employer.

Every year Sapura Group sponsors some 100 employees for Umrah cum Tour De Mecca. This time it was during the month of Ramadan from 16th ~ 30th August ’10. Initially I was reluctant to go and my excuse was that I’m not ready, but I got a message that my MD wants no excuse this time as I have declined it twice before. Furthermore I realized that this could be my calling, through the management of Sapura.

My employer nominated Andalusia Travel & Tours to manage our pilgrimage and they certainly delivered and excellent job. Two weeks before departure Andalusia, headed by Dato’ Ustaz Haji Md Daud debriefed all participants of the Umrah proper and the Do’s and Don’ts for a successful trip and a sucessful trip we had.

Came the day to fly off, I was rather stressed thinking how would I survive the trip in the month of Ramadan in a hot climate country. The flight took about 8 hours including transit in Riyadh. As soon as I walked out from the Madinah Airport, I was hit by a gush of hot breeze. My throat became dry rather quickly and I was not enjoying my ‘buka-puasa’ cigarette from inhaling the hot air. I noted a signage that indicated the local temperature. To my shock, at 8:00pm local time it was showing 44 degrees Celsius. OMG! I slapped myself out and affirmed that it’s going to be OK; I’m in the holy land to do a good thing. No harm will come to me and I’m going to enjoy my pilgrimage here (and that’s exactly what I got on the day we flew home).

We checked-in into Dorrat Al Fayroz Hotel, Madinah at about 10:00pm. The room was good but the food was somewhat unexpected (at least for me) as they were Indonesian dishes. But hey, my purpose here is not as a food critic so I managed with what I can swallow. Most of the cooks were Indonesians and there were also more Indonesian guests here then we were. They are very polite and friendly people.



I went to the Masjid Al Nabawi to catch up with the remaining round of Tarawih and my god, the sheer size, design and jemaahs at this mosque was an awe, simply amazing with a guesstimate of 500,000 people in prayers, from every race of every country.
We spent a good five days here visiting historical site like Masjid Quba, Masjid Qiblatain, Masjid Tujuh, Jabal Uhud, Dates bazaar, and the IN and OUT of Masjid Al Nabawi including the Raudhah and pay respect to the resting place of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).



On our last day in Madinah, it was so sad to leave the place. I can’t explain why I felt in peace here and my fasting seemed so easy despite the day time heat of 47 degrees C. After our Wida, we changed to our Ihram and boarded the bus to Makkah. We stopped at place called Wadi Gudaik to break-fast. Had the Arab rice, good refreshment and lighted up a dizzying cigarette.

As we reached Makkah at around 8:30pm, our baggage was sent off to Abeer Garden Hotel (about 500 meter from the Mosque) as we walked straight to Masjidil Haram to perform the Umrah (Tawaf Baitullah), walked the Sa’ie and Tahlul. As soon as I set sight of the Kaabah, I could not control my emotion. What I used to see on TV, magazines, calendars, etc since childhood was there right in front of me. I thanked God for giving me the opportunity to be here amongst 2 million Muslims.

Having completed the Tawaf Baitullah, we were free to move about. I spent a good three more hours in remaining Tarawih and walking around the Mosque, enjoying every sight of the sheer magnificence of the mosque, and sipping the free flow Zam Zam water. It must be around 2:00am when I returned to the hotel after shaving my head. Had a shower, my meal (the food here was very much better than that in Dorrat Al Fayroz), change and went back to Masjidil Haram at 3:30pm just to sit there and watch the thousands of Muslims performing their Tawaf.

In the following nine days in Makkah, we visited several places in-betweens four more Tawafs to places like Jabal Thur, Arafah, Jabal Rahmah, Jabal Nur, Muzdalifah, Mina, the slaughter house, etc. Our days were filled with trips to historical site, Ceramahs, Tahlil, Tarawih and of course - shopping.

I must elaborate on the trip up Jabal Nur, to the Hera cave where the prophet received the first message from God. Located some 30 kilometres from Masjidil Haram and about 270 meters above sea level. The steep staired climb was good. I must have stopped to catch my breath about ten times. As I got higher, the interval to stop got shorter. All the nicotine that I have accumulated since school days must have flushed out. My heart was pumping overtime and anyone could have spotted the blood veins swelling all over my face. But it was worth it, the site of Makkah town from the hill top was fantastic and not the mention I was standing where our prophet stood more than 1432 years ago.



We performed our Tawaf Wida on Sunday afternoon 29th August ’10, the last duty before leaving Makkah. It was a very sad day for me and the rest of the group members. Despite the excuses no to come, I now dont want to leave. I wanted to stay, learn more about Islam, our prophets and indulge in more prayers. Yet something tells me that I will be back here again in the future and should make room for others.

I was happy to have been here despite many of my opinions of the religious leaders here and what they try to procure which I don’t agree much. I found the need to institute the true teachings, the righteous of the Quran contrary to what our demogogue leaders have brought upon.

Nevertheless, I am happy and in gratitude to the management of Sapura, the experienced and obliging Mutawifs from Andalusia and the excellent group of people I came with. I prayed that God shall bestow enlightenment amongst our leaders, teach what they should, bring happiness, good health, wealth and abundance to me, my family, my employer, the tour agent, the Mutawifs, the group I came with, my relatives, friends, colleagues, Malaysians and the whole world – Amin.