The Perfect Way To End The Year

After 7 years of wanting to perform Umra I finally had the chance to on Monday. We took off from Oman on Friday night after lots of drama from my part as mom didn't agree about me hitting the road with my uncle and aunt without my parents. Her only reason was that she'd worried sick about me. I tried to talk her into it but she'd refuse to answer my requests so I got frustrated and left her room, my heart shattering into pieces: After all the planning and when everything was all set for us to leave that night she says no. My older sister then asked me to pray 9alat elisti5ara and ask Allah if it was good for me, then he'd let me go and vice versa. I prayed and when mom woke up that afternoon she told me to start packing. I was overwhelmed and started doing what she asked. She then went shopping for me and resumed the packing dilemma while I went out to say good-bye to my close family and relatives.

We took off that night at 10 PM with tears welling in my eyes to be parting from my parents but knowing that I'd finally be able to do what I've always wanted to experience, I let the drama pass. We stopped occasinally to use the restrooms and for prayers. At 2 AM, we stopped at a mosque in AD so that my uncle (the one who drives) could rest for a while. And boy! It was freezing cold. I slept for a mere of 30-45 minutes due to my non-stop shivering.

Then time flew by really fast and we reached AlMadinah at 10 or 11 PM on Saturday. My aunt pointed out AlMasjid AlNabawi to me and I was speechless. The dazzling lights that englightened the mosque's minrates didn't leave words for me to utter. We then took out our bags and chose a hotel to settle in for the next two day. Early the next morning we visited the mosque and it was HUGE, mashallah. My aunt and I headed to the women's praying section and visisted the place near the Prophet's grave which is call the raw'9a. We prayed and made du3a and left the mosque. On our way back to the hotel, a little farther than the mosque entrance was a souq called Aswa8 AlHaram and I did a lot of shopping for my cousins that day and the next.

After 2 chilly (yes, I had to wear my sweater at all times) days, we packed and got ready to leave AlMadina and head to Makka to perform Umra. A 10 minutes distance then we reached the Mi8at and did abultion with the intention of being on our i7ram for 3umra. And on the way we met a group of monkeys (who didn't say to bits of cakes)

At 8 or 9 PM we reached Makka and I was even more astonished by the sight of the HUGE alharam almakki. We then checked in at a hotel, left our baggage there and walked to Alharam to perform Umra. The moment my eyes set upon the Ka3ba I silently made du3a for myself, my family and the rest of Muslims worldwide. The ka3ba is literally larger than the size we're used to see on TV obviously and then we did the 6awaf which was easy given the quite reasonable amount of people. Afterwards, we did the sa3i 7 times which was harder than the latter due to the distance but I kept praying and thanking Allah for this valuable opportunity.

On Thursday, I came back home to be welcomed by my whole family for it being my second time. They kept calling me half 7agiya and I took the gathering as a chance to distribute the gifts I've brought along for every single person.

What a great way to end the year! InshAllah tkoon 3umra ma8boola.