Aidiladha.

Aidiladha…..what it mean to me? It reminds me of the Aidiladha I spent in 1999 when I performed the Haj. I was in Mina, holding up in a tent, air cooled and cramped with the other Jemaah. I just had enough space to lie down and sleep. There was no comfortable mattress and pillow. My pillow was a cushion cover stuffed with my extra set of ihram. I was prepared for it. The carpet was my mattress and the space was so very limited that I could not even turn to my sides. I slept like a mummy. Sacrifice was the theme and be grateful what Allah had bestowed upon thee.

I arrived in Mina from the Desert of Arafat at the break of dawn before subuh. In the tent of about sixty Pilgrims was eight of my Mekah roommates and the other eight were accommodated in the neighboring tent. My first rite was throwing of the seven pebbles at the Al Aqabah jamrah. Once completed, I scissor off some strain of my hair and I could redress in my normal attire. Mina was packed with about three million Pilgrims. It was Haji Akbar where the ukuf fell on Friday.

For the next three days I hibernated in Mina. I dare not take the risk of entering Mekah early to complete my Haj rituals due to the over populated city and adhering to the advice of Tabung Haji. Transportation was limited and if I wanted to do it, I must walk about eight kilometers under the blazing desert sun back and forth. I was still obligated to complete the three days pebble throwing of the Satans at the three Jamrah in Mina. Living in the tent complex was chaotic, however tolerable and the highest degree of tolerance and patience required. Hundreds of Pilgrims have to make do with about twenty toilets. The shower and the toilet hole were in the same cubicle. You dropped an object it was impossible to retrieve as the drain ran through all the toilet cubicles. Pilgrims queued to enter the toilet and if at extreme emergency, no one could assist. One has to find the best hidden alternative somewhere to release. To pee, some Pilgrims make do with a bottle somewhere hidden. I had to sacrifice and very particular with the food I consumed. I avoided hot chilly stuff and eggs. To shower off, I normally chose around three or four in the morning where the crowd was at its minimal.

The moment I arrived back in the Hotel in Mekah, I enjoyed the bathroom cold shower and the comfort of the porcelain throne. I forgot it was mid afternoon and I was showering gleefully. After I came out from the shower, disaster struck. I was chilled to the bones and immediately I felt so cold that my roommates covered my near frozen body with seven blankets to warm me up. My roommates thought my time had come. I thought so. They wanted to summon the Medic but I was still at conscious stage. By Asar, I was up and about. Alhamdullilah. My roommates laughed at the stricken hero. That was the craziest thing I ever did in Mekah. Never have a cold shower during midday. The centralized air condition contributed to my misery. My wife was unaware what was happening as she was staying in a different suite and when I told her after Asar about my misadventure to the North Pole she reprimanded me for being too careless.

I accompanied my wife to perform the last Haj rite, the Haj tawaf and saie the following morning and we completed at 0845 hours. Those who complete the last Haj rituals were congratulated by fellow roommates and me too, now a Haji and my wife a Hajjah.

That’s the Aidiladha that I would never forget.

Note: With my description of Mina, those who have not perform the Haj, please don’t deter you. Without any sacrifice and hardship, the Haj is meaningless. You can have all the comfort in the world but you have to pay through your nose. Whatever, I still recommend Tabung Haji. Your well being would be taken care; insyaalah with the grace of Allah provided the nawaitu is sincere for the sake of the Almighty the Holy Creator.