Umrah in Ramadhaan 1432 (2011) - Part IV

So it was the Day of Eid. To get a place in the Haram to pray the Eid Salaah, you got to go for Fajr and sit and wait. So early in the morning at about 4am went outside the Hotel to get a taxi, the streets were crowded and no taxi. Ultimately decided to walk. We walked fast and reached the Haram in 15 minutes masha Allaah.

Subhanallaah it was so crowded, but managed to go to the first floor and find a place. Prayed Fajr and waited for Eid Salaah. Takbeer was going on and Maimoonah got friendly with the neighbours an Egyptian Family, they were entertaining her with their iphones showing her videos of their pet kitten, Maimoonah was thrilled.

On The Day of Eid

She also got some sweet gifts wrapped with chocolates and riyals from people at the Haram, even a Mutawwah gave her a gift of 10 riyals, she was very happy, and wanted Abi to buy some toys: )

We prayed the Eid Salaah, listened to the Khutbah and brought some breakfast and went to the hotel and fell asleep. Got up for Dhuhar and went back to the Haram. Prayed there and went to the clock Tower for lunch. Had lunch and Maimoonah wanted an ice cream treat for Eid. So all of us had caramel ice cream and it was time for Asr. Went to the Haram, prayed. Masha Allaah by now the crowd has reduced in the Haram and Maimoonah could even roll on the carpets. Most of the people leave after Eid Salaah to Madeenah or back home.

Rolling on the carpet at the Haram

We were around the Haram till Magrib. Prayed Magrib and Isha and decided to do a Tawaf as it will be our final day in the Haram before we leave to Madeenah next day. Even though the crowd has reduced tawaaf area was still crowded. We did a Tawaaf Alhamdulillaah. Now that feeling of sorrow and sadness was building up because it was time to leave Makkaah, subhanallaah, what a feeling as if you are leaving home.

On The Day of Eid

 

You can see the constructions happening for the extension!

We went back to the hotel. packed our bagages and went to sleep.

Next day at about 8 am we left to Madeenah. on our way we passed through Mina, Arafah, Jamaraat, slaughter houses, Jabalur Rahmah. Pictures are already there, so I guess you know by now what we saw. It was nice to see the places we visited 7 years ago which so much crowd and now deserted! I showed Maimoonah Jabalur Rahmah where we actually stood on the day of Arafah. She asked me is this where you cried and creid and asked Allaah to give a Maimoonah? lol, yes I have told her this before and she remembered when I showed with full of tears. Very sensitive for her age, subhanallaah!

Then another 6 hours Journey to Madeenah. We settled in our Hotel.

Hotel Room in Madeenah

 And went for Magrib to  Masjidun Nabawi. I was not allowed to go inside beacuse I was carrying a phone!!!! They told me to leave the phone with security which I did not want to do. So had to pray in the courtyard. Masha Allaah it was so nice to hear Imam Hudhaifi's voice again!

Masjidun Nabawi Madeenah

After Isha we had to go look for some toys for Maimoonah to by with the gift cash she got. So went around and around could not find anything proper that night, we were tired and went to the hotel and slept. Next day we prayed Dhuhar and went to a restaurent at Moven Pick and had a good lunch masha Allaah! Then went to Bin Dawood and got some toys for Maimoonah and we decided to go to Masjid Qiblathain after Isha. During Hajj time we walked and walked and walked finding for McDonald in Madeenah and ended up at Masjidul Qiblathain : ). Lol. This time there was Traffic and by the time we reached the Masjid it was closed for the day. Explained to Maimoonah the significance of this Masjid which was where Allaah commanded the Prophet to turn his direction towards Makkah while in Salaah as they were facing Jeruselem before. She was eager to see inside, Qadarallaah Masha Allaah may be next time Insha Allaah!.


Came back to the hotel and next day was Jummauh and after Jumuah we were to leave Madeenah and go home. That night Maimoonah had fever and was really sick. Gave her Panadol and put her to sleep. After Fajr I kept my husband with Maimoonah as she was still asleep and she needs sleep to be fit to travel back home. I went to the Rawdah. Each year I have terrible expereince in visiting the Rawdah, for those of you who do not know here is what the Rawdah is all about.

Rasulallah has said, on the authority of Abu Hurairah, in the collection of Bukhari:

“The space between my house and my pulpit is (Rawdah) one of the gardens of Paradise, and my pulpit is at my Fountain.”

And for women to visit the Rawdah is according to timings and its always crowded. Nevertheless waited there for 3 hours and entered the Rawdah area with pushing and all sorts of things happeneing there. Highly disorganized and actually no good in it subhanallaah the way the women behave there. The Rawdah is close to the grave of the Messenger of Allaah and the graves of Abu Bakr and Umar radhiyallaahu anhumah. It is not recommended for women to visit the graves so I went to the rawdah area and tried to pray two Rakah, subahnallaah I had to break my salaah as I got pushed away from the rawdah area, so crowded. And you just cannot pray there. So I left the rawdah area after 4 hours of struggle went on to a corner of the Masjid and peacefully prayed two rakahs and went back to the hotel. Maimoonah was still asleep : ) And we had planned to go to Masjid Quba the First Mosque of Islaam but there was no time and we could not. The feeling in Quba is so wonderful, it was sad not to go there after coming to Madeenah, Qadarallaah Masha Allaah. We have promised Maimoonah that we will bring her again when there is no crowd during off peak time and she can visit all the places in Madeenah and be around the Haram in Makkah Insha Allaah!

Relaxing at the courtyard - Madeenah

Woke her up, dressed her and we got ready to go for Jummah. Masha Allaah Jummuah was nice and after that we had lunch and got on to the bus to go back home!

So another 24 hours journey ahead. alhamdulillaah Maimoonah was fresh, fever has gone, but she still had cough and running nose. She was happy to go home and to play with her toys!

On our way to Qatar, we passed Riyadh and Dammaam huge cities of KSA, masha Allaah!

There were so many vehicles going towards the border masha Allaah, after about 19 hours we reached the Saudi Border at 8 am in the morning. In between they stopped for food and salaah on the way. Conditions of toilets and places were really bad and we did not use any of the toilets till we reached home. Masha Allaah Maimoonah can hold on for longer time. And if at all I used the diaper and cleaned her with wet wipes and tissue whereever we are when she needed to go. This was the case in the Haram too as toilets in the Haram are outside far away from the Masjid. But your system there masha Allaah dries up and you do not use the toilets very often, a blessing indeed.

So at the Saudi Border we stayed for about 3 hours. After stamping the passports left the Border and reached the Qatar Border Alhamdulillaah! Qatar Border is very clean and nice and masha Allaah they are much faster. The delay there was only due to too many Qataris returning from Saudi. Also we were treated very well there as they asked us to come inside air conditioned rooms and sit till they could check our baggages. So after about 2 and a half hours or so we left the Qatar boder and reached Doha at about 2 pm Alhamdulillaah!

So this ends our travel and this series of posts on Umrah in Ramadhaan. I hope this would benefit others as well Insha Allaah!

Another set of Pictures will be posted soon Insha Allaah!