My wonderful journey to Madinah

Assallamualaikum w.r.t. and greetings to all dear family and friends.

I believe this picture is taken at the entrance gate to raudhah for ladies -gate no. 25 Ibnu Affan

i would like to share my wonderful journey during my first umrah with my family between 23/5 - 3/6 2011.

23/5 - 12.30 pm malaysian time -me, my husband and my eldest son gather at the KLIA airport to check in with our group to perform the Umrah. Very excited. Performed solat zohor and asar (Jamak Taqdim and Qasar)

23/5 -7.30pm arrived in Jeddah Airport. The time difference between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia is about 5 hrs with Malaysia receiving the sunlight first. :)

23/5 -10.00 pm boarding the tour bus to Madinah. We stop along the way to performed the Jamak & Qasar Maghrib and Isyak prayer. The place is located in the middle of nowhere. There are a few dusty looking arabs (?) and stray dogs. There are 1 surau and roughly 2 medium size shops building surrounded by nothing.

23/5 - Journey to Madinah - 5 hours journey through nothing, nothing, checkpoint, nothing, nothing, checkpoint until we finally reach Madinah. Amazing .. there are no small towns, no villages, no trees, no grass, etc..etc along the road only strecth of barren lands, rocky hills, short very dry looking trees. I used to wonder why arabs don't develop their country as industriously as malaysian. Malaysia is always about development ..development and more development. I am begining to understand why ... there is just nothing to do. The Quran told us to perform Umrah and Hajj and to Fanzuru ie to look/see. I start to appreciate Malaysia my home country. I also kept wondering why Allah place his holy house in this barren land.

23/5 - 3.00am - Enter Madinah and start reciting prayers to enter Madinah. Madinah - my prophet Muhammad town. Then check-in to a 5 star hotel Anwar Madina Movenpick.

23/5 -3.50am - Performed Subuh prayer in Masjid Nabawi where my prophet is. The mosque was so full, i pray on the floor (no carpet) almost at the door entrance/exit. And I have people dirty looking shoes in transparent plastic bag near my head where i sujud ... mmm. This never happened in Malaysia. Nevertheless .. I am extremely Happy :). More over, pahala prayer in Masjid Nabawi (prophet mosque) is 1000x pahala prayer in any other mosque except Masjidil Haram.

To be continued ... Wassallam.

p/s - i do not wish to offend anybody or any races. If you find this article offensive ..please inform and i will stop writing.. Or i will write in malay ... :)