Just came back from Umrah

[h4mza]

:salam2:

Just wanted to say that i have experienced the best moments in my life ever visiting Saudi Arabia. There is so much to say that i don't even know where to start. I didn't want to make a thread because it would be too long, but then i couldn't resist and really wanted to share my story with everyone.

So i went for two weeks and came back last Tuesday. I went with my family and my cousins family, few people from my town also went and many others from other towns also went. The imam from my town goes there every three months, so he also went and was leading us. We all grouped together and did Umrah on the same day we arrive at Makkah.

We set off from Manchester airport to Abu Dhabi and waited 7 hours for next flight to Jeddah. So when we got to Makkah, we rested in our hotel for a while as it was a long journey. I was excited about going to Masjid Haram, i really was looking forward to see it. The Masjid was only 2 minute walk away from our hotel. So when we left our hotel around 11pm, and when i set my eyes on Masjid Haram, i couldn't really believe that i actually was there. I felt like i was dreaming, you could feel that there is peace and happiness everywhere and you and you are coming close to Allah. There were so many people out there, they all were happy, you would feel we all are family.

So then i got inside the Masjid, it was so clean, posh and very bright. There were so many people in there. The people were so friendly and polite. There were people from all over the world such as many from Turkey, Iran, Pakistan etc

So we did our Umrah which took about 2-3 hours and then went to local restaurant and had some very delicious food, the rotis were the best i have ever had in my life. We would almost eat from the same place everyday.

The next day i was just videoing the beatiful sights of Masjid and a few minutes later, azaan started, the azaan voice was so beautiful it almost made my cry, i managed to video all of it.

The other day i was trying to touch the Black Stone, i was so close to touching it, everyone was pushing and trying to touch it, there was just one person infront of me, but i was unsuccesful because my hat and scarf were pull off and fell, my sunglasses were about to break so i gave up and thought ill come again without bringing these things but sadly the next day i felt ill and didn't get a chance to do tawaf and then the next day we had to move to Medinah. I was lucky to touch the Kaaba and pray inside the small space near it.

Makkah is such a beautiful city, with very friendly people, there is lots of construction going on at the moment so it is under development, the city has almost anything you want, food, electronics, clothes etc. I was fond of wearing arab scarfs and many would think im arab and would speak arabic with me but i just nodded and said errr no.

So the following week, we stayed in Medinah. Medinah was also a very beautiful city, it had improved roads and buildings than Makkah. Our hotel was near Medinah Masjid and there weren't many shops nearby, we had to walk quite a long way to eat and most restaurants were quite far from our hotel. It took 5-6 hours from Makkah to Medinah, we went by coach and the driver was driving like crazy, about 120mph. In fact there is lots of crazy driving in Saudi Arabia and you need to jump in the road to stop the cars so you can cross the road.



So anyways, i think ive written long enough and should stop now. I really enjoyed my Umrah trip and wish to go again, in fact i would like to settle in to Makkah and do business there, hope Allah makes my dreams come true. I also prayed alot for all of us, i prayed for all Muslims to stay strong and be protected from the evil. I also prayed alot for the Palestinian brothers and sisters, i hope Allah accepts my prayers so we are at peace and i could get a chance to visit Palestine and see Al Aqsa Masjid. I also met one Palestinian lady when i was leaving my hotel in Makkah last day, she was crying and kept saying Palestine.. Palestine.., and something in arabic, i wish i had more money in my pocket but i dont normally carry much money, so i gave her two riyals as that was was all i had.

So anyways, thanks for reading i appreciate your time, and please keep me in your prayers.

 

[Salem9022]

Masha'Allah good to hear. I also did Umrah last Year during Ramadan. I was surprised to see so many cute cats in Makkah and also was surprised to see so many Turkish people in Medina. Medina seems like a city which was built yesterday. SO many hotels which were built around Masjid Nabawi the same size. I did Tawaaf around the Kaabaa I think 11 times. it was amazing.

 

[alf2]

Masha Allah, I love hearing about Hajj & Umrah trips. I cant wait to go!! Insha'Allah.

Wow you did Umrah same day you got there? lol! I think I'd want to wait 1 day, jet lag and everything. I also think going in a large group is smart. I think when I go (insha allah!) I will do Hajj Pro's or some professional group...

Can someone tell me more about how to get the visa?
Like you send in an application, and there is a sort of "lotto" Like they choose random visas? I heard it's like that.

@ Salem:

Awww, cute cats?! I love cats. I may want to bring home a Saudi cat

 

[Asja]

:salam2:

Mashallah dear brother that you had oportunity to visit Makah and Madina and to preform Ummrah.

I wish Allah also bless me to preform Hajj and Ummrah soon Inshallah. Alhmadulilah it is wish of heart for every Muslim, which can not be described in words, SubhanAllah.

May Allah subhan wa teala accept your Ummrah dear brother and accept all your duas, especialy your duas for our Ummah. Ameen Ya Rabby.

 

[Perseveranze]

Asalaamu Alaikum,

Reading that makes me want to go there so bad... It's like one of the top things I have a great desire for. Just looking at the Mosques from pictures is overwelming. Hope to go Hajj/Umrah and one day visit Al-Aqsa aswell!

Inshallah I will get my chance.

 

[h4mza]

Thanks for replies everyone

@ alf2 you can get umrah form free from internet and fill it in and then send it in to saudi arabia embassy, im not sure how it works as the imam saab sorted everything for us.

And yeah the cats are very cute in saudi arabia, i wanted to take one home too

 

[ayesha.ansari]

MashAllah my brother congratulation for this all... and this was really good you shared your lovely story over here, one thing it came into my mind, that your story can impress other Muslims to and can motivate them to go for umrah really, as i feel this with me,,

 

[twas19]

As salam alaykum dear brother

Feel like asking you that when you see the Holy Ka'ba and than when you pray for your wish does it really feel that Allah is answering deep inside your heart and it will just come true as you know that any thing is possible for Allah.I know my question sound a bit silly but i m just curious because i have never traveled in Makkah or Madinah.

walaykum salam and congratulations for completing your umrah
remember me in your Du'as
Your Brother
TaHa

 

[ShahnazZ]

Alhamdulillah, I LOVED my Umrah!

Yeah, we also did Umrah literally the SECOND we got to Makkah. There are literally no words to describe it. Did you do yours during the daytime or the nighttime, Akhi? SubhanAllah, doing it at night is so breathtaking there are no words to describe how AMAZING it is.

Regarding the Hajr al-Aswad, I don't think I'll ever forget trying to touch it. It's funny because I did it right after Fajr when my mom told me to go kiss it. Unfortunately, she said to kiss it in Urdu and since my Urdu isn't exactly best I got confused with the Urdu terms for "touch" and "kiss" which sound almost the same if you're not listening too closely. So while she was telling me to kiss it, I thought she meant to touch it and I went and did just that. Ironic thing was, there was barely a crowd there. Lo and behold I come back and she gets mad at me and tells me the hasanat of kissing it and makes me go back and do the whole thing over again.

THIS time, I was a wreck. The crowd was so bone-crushing and massive I thought I was going to die. Alhamdulillah, one of the security guards nearby helped me reach it. But I was traumatized lol. Oh well, I was a teenager, these things happen.

Congratulations on your Umrah, akhi. Make dua that we all get to go again soon! (I'm aiming for this summer inshAllah )

 

[al-fajr]

Assalamu'alaykum,

May Allaah accept your 'Umrah and cause you to return many times, Ameen.

THIS time, I was a wreck. The crowd was so bone-crushing and massive I thought I was going to die. Alhamdulillah, one of the security guards nearby helped me reach it. But I was traumatized lol. Oh well, I was a teenager, these things happen.

Congratulations on your Umrah, akhi. Make dua that we all get to go again soon! (I'm aiming for this summer inshAllah!)

Noway. The security guard helped you ..last time I was there, the Secuirty guard told me off in some very fast Arabic, much to my surprise. (I went and cried for about 20 minutes after that because I had been reprimanded so harshly!)

Worst of it was when my brother asked whats wrong, I couldn't tell him why because he had already categorically told me not to go pushing myself to the front and touch the Hajr al Aswad due to the crowds, having disobeyed that, I didn't want to give him a 'Well, I told you so!' moment. I learned my lesson thoroughly though, I got what I deserved. Painful memory.

I hope to return there sooner rather than later, inshaAllaah.

 

[ShahnazZ]

Noway. The security guard helped you ..last time I was there, the Secuirty guard told me off in some very fast Arabic, much to my surprise. (I went and cried for about 20 minutes after that because I had been reprimanded so harshly!)

That's funny because he actually started off by hollering something in Arabic. Since I didn't understand Arabic at the time, I blew him off. Actually, I think I was so annoyed I started screaming at him in English and Urdu as well as the people around me lol. Poor guy was just being helpful I guess. I later found out he was indicating that I was in danger of rushing into all the brothers and should stick with the women.

Secondly, when I say I was a wreck, I mean I WAS A WRECK. I was hysterically crying because I was stuck in this ridiculous MOB and all the women had their mahrams helping them to get to the stone and I only had my sister, who basically kissed the stone and then left me to fend for myself lol. Plus, my hijab pin had snapped and my hijab had come loose and so my hair was loose and some Arab woman kept putting her hand up my disarrayed scarf to convey to me that my hair was about to start showing. On top of all that, I felt like my ribs were being crushed and I thought no matter how hard I tried I'd never get to the stone. I was scared that I was going to A). Never get the chance to touch the stone ever or B). Die. Funny thing is dying didn't bother me as not being able to touch the stone did. The crowd was basically stagnant. Like it didn't seem like I was being propelled forward, but I felt like there were just enormous waves going throughout the crowd and we weren't moving. This sweet Somali woman grabbed my hand and tried to help me go forward but she ended up going down. She came back up though alhamdulillah but the gap between us was too big.

Oh and I was also upset because I kept getting pushed into all the men and I felt like I was disrespecting Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala by doing that in His House. I didn't stop crying for a good half hour afterwards since I was so traumatized from that crazy mob. I swear you would have thought it was Judgment Day. I was later hanging onto my mother, bawling my eyes out and she actually told me I was being ridiculous and that everyone was too busy concentrating on their ibaadah to notice me falling onto them.

Lo and behold, that very security guard apparently had been watching me from his position dangling on the Kaaba (that's what it looked like lol). I think he took pity on me because it was just me and my sister and all the other women had their mahrams with them. Anyway, I somehow managed to get propelled to the front. The guard started yelling something to me and he was gesturing with his hands for me to come towards the Stone. He also started yelling at some of the others around me to move.

Anyway, by the time I got to the stone, he pushed my head in lol.

Now that I think about it, I guess I should send some dua his way.

 

[likeali4life]

Mashallah, Thanks for sharing you experiences, I wish to go there one day Inshallah

 

[al-fajr]

That's funny because he actually started off by hollering something in Arabic. Since I didn't understand Arabic at the time, I blew him off. Actually, I think I was so annoyed I started screaming at him in English and Urdu as well as the people around me lol. Poor guy was just being helpful I guess. I later found out he was indicating that I was in danger of rushing into all the brothers and should stick with the women.

Secondly, when I say I was a wreck, I mean I WAS A WRECK. I was hysterically crying because I was stuck in this ridiculous MOB and all the women had their mahrams helping them to get to the stone and I only had my sister, who basically kissed the stone and then left me to fend for myself lol. Plus, my hijab pin had snapped and my hijab had come loose and so my hair was loose and some Arab woman kept putting her hand up my disarrayed scarf to convey to me that my hair was about to start showing. On top of all that, I felt like my ribs were being crushed and I thought no matter how hard I tried I'd never get to the stone. I was scared that I was going to A). Never get the chance to touch the stone ever or B). Die. Funny thing is dying didn't bother me as not being able to touch the stone did. The crowd was basically stagnant. Like it didn't seem like I was being propelled forward, but I felt like there were just enormous waves going throughout the crowd and we weren't moving. This sweet Somali woman grabbed my hand and tried to help me go forward but she ended up going down. She came back up though alhamdulillah but the gap between us was too big.

Oh and I was also upset because I kept getting pushed into all the men and I felt like I was disrespecting Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala by doing that in His House. I didn't stop crying for a good half hour afterwards since I was so traumatized from that crazy mob. I swear you would have thought it was Judgment Day. I was later hanging onto my mother, bawling my eyes out and she actually told me I was being ridiculous and that everyone was too concentrated on their ibaadah to notice me falling onto them.

Lo and behold, that very security guard apparently had been watching me from his position dangling on the Kaaba (that's what it looked like lol). I think he took pity on me because it was just me and my sister and all the other women had their mahrams with them. Anyway, I somehow managed to get propelled to the front. The guard started yelling something to me and he was gesturing with his hands for me to come towards the Stone. He also started yelling at some of the others around me to move lol.

Anyway, by the time I got to the stone, he pushed my head in lol.

Now that I think about it, I guess I should send some dua his way.

Lol that gave me a really good laugh, mashaAllaah, thanks for sharing that; you're a fighter! I was a goner straight away.

I can empathise with the crushing mob and thinking you're going to die, then thinking 'ah so what? why not die here of all places?' and just ploughing on through it. May Allaah grant us the honour of returning many times, Ameen.

Wa-alaykum assalam wa rahmatullaah

 

[ShahnazZ]

:salam2:

Yeah subhanAllah, there were actually so many times I thought I was going to die in Makkah, but it was amazing how I DID NOT CARE. For me, it was a win-win situation.

Either I
A). Get the pleasure of worshipping Rabb al-Alameen in the Holiest of Cities and have the ultimate iman boost to last me a lifetime in the dunya

or

B). Get the pleasure of dying in the Holiest of Cities and hopefully get a one-way ticket to Jannah.

Win-win