The Preparation.

Before departing for the Holy Land several things had to be sorted out.

1. All utility Bills had to be settled - TNB, Telekom, Syabas etc etc.
2. Sedekah to the local Mosque for the Jemaah breaking of fasting during Ramadan.
3. Sedekah to Madarasah Tahfiz Al Quraan for the family arwah arwah.
4. To ensure the welfare of the family left behind is self sustains and the declaration of wasiat in case Allah invite to go home.
5. The car got to be serviced and left behind in tip top condition.
6. Inoculation of menniggocal and influenza.
7. Ihram and jubah got to be sent to the Laundry and iron.
8. Purchasing of new sets of toiletries, soap, tooth brushes etc.
9. Other accessories – extra hand phone, phone charger, camera, camera charger, two pin electrical plug, torchlight, sandal, sandal bag, clothes hangers, small scissor, nail clipper, luggage bag straps & tags, medication pills, reading glasses, jacket.
10. Credit cards in case of extreme shortage of cash, reference books, note book, Book on collections of doa & solat. etc.
11. To the Money Changer. Had to purchase in the region of RM 500 in value of Egyptian and Saudi Arabia currency each upon arrival at destinations. For extra utilization, to be changed locally.
12. Inform the usual correspondents to stop incoming emails from 7 August to 11 September. No time to go to Cyber Café in Mekah.
13. Aquate cash in hand.
14. Focus the nawaitu on ibadah, not for sightseeing or shopping. Revisions of all umrah rites on the wajib and the forbidden.
15. “Solat Taubat” just before leaving as the destiny is the first House of Allah and the Kaabah where all Muslims face to during prayers.
16. Leave the message to the neighbors and close buddies to render assistance if necessary to my folks left behind.

Above are the petty little things, though small but it is important. A small scissor for example, if you don’t have one, the Arab boy would demand sometimes up to 10 Riyal just to snip off your hair during tahlul. Who says Mekah is clean of bribery? Torchlight for example, when you return to the room late at night when your room mate is in deep slumber, surely you don’t want to disturb them by switching on the light. Use the torchlight and that is consideration. Allah would definitely consider your consideration.

I had a very bad experience during 2008 Ramadan umrah when one of my roommate, an ex Army Captain, (not a five star General) was utter disgusting and was very inconsiderate. One of the roommates was having fever and he blasted the room air condition to the maximum. When I told him to be considerate, when someone was sick he called for a fight. I think he was a Satan in disguise and that was the last I have anything to do with him. As far as I am concern this type of character can go to hell. The last I heard from his frequent Travel Agent, now even refuse to take him along due to his absurd character and personalities. One bound to meet all sorts of characters and Jekyll & Hyde personalities in Mekah. Focus to the intention (nawaitu) and solat of repenting (solat taubat) before flying off is prime importance.

YM Pak Engku Raja Sahar and Zaaba Kamarudin who were in the Holy Land recently had passed three (3) valid sim cards to be used in the Holy Land. Upon arrival I just got to top it up. No need for me to purchase a new one. That is already a convenient to me and I think Allah had paved the way for me to be repaid. I too had passed on my sim card to someone for Haj and umrah before. The point here, Allah will make the pilgrimage very much easier if sincerity is within you.

It is about a week from now that I am going to venture into the Land of the Prophets where Prophet Adam (pbuh) started. Allah banished Adam and Hawa seperately to Earth from Heaven and they finally met at Jabal Rahmah at the Desert of Arafah after several years searching for each other. Allah built the Kaabah in Mekah for Adam/Hawa to do the tawaf to repent. I am going to climb this Jabal Rahmah again, insyaalah to seek the blessing of Allah and to honor the meeting point of Adam and Hawa. Human beings began from there on. We are all originated from Adam and Hawa.

Hotels in Mekah.

Mekah Hotels that I had stayed from 1995 to 2009. Some had gone to the ground.

2009: Ramadan - Hotel Royal Sultan.
2008: Ramadan - Hotel Zahret Kamil.
2008: Umrah Cairo – Hotel Yaseen Palace.
2007: Ramadan - Hotel Al Nadj. – demolished.
2006: Ramadan - Hotel Al Nadj. – demolished.
2005: Ramadan - Hotel Al Nadj. – demolished.
2004: Umrah Istanbul – Hotel Hijaz.
2003: Umrah – Hotel Zahret Mekah. – demolished.
2002: Umrah – Hotel Heera. – demolished.
1999: Haj – Hilton Mekah Tower, 17th Floor.
1995: Family Umrah – Hotel Aziz Khouger. – demolished.

Tentative in 2010: Ramadan - Hotel Al Joud.

Due to the demolitions of hundreds of Hotels in Mekah, accommodations at the existing available Hotels had been jacked up by the Meccan Arabs. The Hotels pass over several hand, finally the Travel Agencies themselves do not know who actually own the Hotel. In Mekah they have Brokers too and they reap profits as the Malays said “atas angin”. Umrah Travel Agencies is having a field day adjusting the cost of per jemaah and the cost are getting nearer to perform a Haj. They have no choice, take it or leave it and the Jemaah has to bear. Take it or leave it too.

Only those who had seen the scenarios at Mekah would understand. Sometimes we think the Arabs are crazy, bring down the Hotels but it take years to redevelop the area. Where are the Jemaah going to stay? Yes, they had built Zam Zam Tower and Sofwah Tower but it is a six star Hotels and beyond the means of an ordinary guy like me and the rest. Only Millionaires and Politicians can afford to stay there. Retirees like me had to satisfy with the old ramshackle no star Hotels. Whatever, it is not that important to me. The importance is whether Allah blesses the “ibadah”. Staying at six star Hotels sometimes tend to be lazy to go to the Mosque due to the comfort. No offence to any particular person alive.

2010 Ramadan – Hotel Al Joud I had seen and been to the Hotel on my way to visit Tuan Haji Faharuddin & Hajjah who was staying at another Hotel nearby in 2009 Ramadan. I have choice of the iron staircase or elevators to get to Hotel Al Joud. The more steps to the Mosque get more blessings from Allah, insyaalah.......

Confirmed.

Hotel Al Joud entrance.

The Lobby.


The room.

It is now confirmed that Al Mukminin Travel had acquired Hotel Al Joud in Mekah. It is located right in front of Hotel Hijaz and right behind Hilton Mekah and Zam Zam Tower Complex. It is about 150 meters from the fringe of Masjidilharam dataran. As far as I am concern never regret for not withdrawing from Al Mukminin Travel. I thank Allah the Almighty for giving me the patience.

I don’t care what star the Hotel is, as long as I have a decent room, I am all right. The distance from the Hotel to the Mosque is equally important and I cannot agree more that I am grateful to Al Mukminin through the hard work of his counterpart in Mekah managed to acquire this Hotel. My past experience on the night of 27 Ramadan, Jemaah will lay their sejadah right to the frontage of this Hotel. It would be so crowded and overflowing.

I had seen the confirmed air ticket and my passport with the visa stamped by the Saudi Arabia Embassy. I just got to make myself presence at KLIA on 7 August 2010 at 2230 hours. What else can I do, except to say in my prayers that Allah would grant my presence in the Holy Land for 2010 Ramadan?

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