View of the Holy Kaabah

A month after hubby and I left Mecca, the upper level for tawaf nearing completion, Alhamdullilah. 

King Abdul Aziz gate at Haram

(King Abdul Aziz gate (Gate 1))

When hubby and I did our umrah on the 4th day in Mecca, we entered via Umrah Gate.  It was quite deserted via this entrance.  So, we left our shoes at one of the pigeon holes at the shoe rack.  

After tawaf and saie, solat sunat tawaf, we decided to return to the hotel to rest, and prepare for zuhur.  So, we return to the Umrah Gate, and since the only way we knew to return to the hotel was to follow the walls along the huge Haram until we reach Gate 1 (King Abdul Aziz gate).  

It was just outside Umrah Gate when hubby wanted to donate to a cleaner who was from Indonesia.  He was so grateful.  Then he asked us where we wanted to go.  When we told him we wanted to return to Gate 1 since it was near our hotel, he grinned and told us to follow the tiny door next to Umrah Gate.  He said, if you follow this corridor, it will take you straight to King Abdul Aziz gate.  

So we did follow his advice.  We were so surprised when we reached the end of the corridor, it was Gate 94, we were next to Gate 1 (King Abdul Aziz gate).  Thus, there are 94 gates at Haram??

When we walked along the corridor, it was air-conditioned all the way.  There are women's prayer hall too (air-conditioned), comfortable, but no view of the Kaabah.  Too far away.  So, if you want prayer hall with air-con, please enter Gate 94.

View from the Women's prayer area near Kaabah

(took this pic sitting cross-legged)

(took this picture on my knees)

It was after asar prayers, and I was praying on the upper level, that I decided to go to the area near the Kaabah.  Since Haram was being renovated, the space meant for women only was greatly reduced. I managed to get a space on the first saf in front of the book rack where copies of the Holy Quran were put for the pilgrims to read.

The area was not carpeted either, so I use the prayer mat which I brought along and shared it with a sister from Nigeria.  We sat on it whilst reading the Quran. Just before Maghrib, she asked me whether I could look after her handbag and her other stuff while she get a large bottle of zam zam water.  I readily obliged.

Looking after her handbag and stuff were easy, but, saving her space next to me was difficult.  Each time a pilgrim asked me to sit next to me since the space was vacant, I had to inform them that the space was already taken.  Yet, I somehow managed to let them sit, though a tight squeeze, when we stood up to begin our prayers, there was enough space for all of us.  Allahuakbar.

Massive renovation @Haram

View from the women's prayer hall on the 1st floor at Haram.  In shaa Allah, renovation will be completed in 2020.  If I live long enough to come again in 2020, I will be 62 years old.......

Wheelchairs of yesteryear @ Haram

It was during my first hajj in 1987 that I saw these wheelchairs carrying disabled pilgrims doing their tawaf and also saie.  That was twenty six years ago.  Then, when I saw it again at Safa during my umrah 2013, it was a pleasant surprise....   Perhaps in those days, these hajjis were just teenagers pushing those ancient wheelchairs......

Tuesday 28th May (4th day in Mecca)

(hubby in his ihram)

(me with hubby)

(hubby took this pic of me and a sister from the middle east, I took a few pictures of her earlier using her camera)

(me in my Ihram)

Sunday 26th May 5.22am

These are the shoe racks at King Abdul Aziz's gate (Gate 1), Haram mosque.  I would leave my shoes here each time I entered Haram.  I would take off my shoes and put it in a shoe bag (note the green ribbon on the shelf) and put it in one of the pigeon holes.  Alhamdullilah, my shoes would still be there when I leave Haram a few hours later....... 

Saturday 25th May (Haram Mosque)

Hubby and I arrived in Mecca on Thursday night 24th May 2013.  We wanted to do our umrah once we reached our hotel, but since I was exhausted after the long journey from Medinah, by bus, hubby decided that we zzzZzZzz first.

We did our umrah Friday 24th May after midnight. By the time we completed Tawaf, Saie and then Tahallul, it was almost time for fajr prayers.  We were on our final lap from Safa to Marwah when the Azan for fajr prayers echoed throughout the mosque.  Hearing the Azan brought tears to my eyes.....  We had our solat fajr along the saie route between Safa and Marwah.

After our solat fajr, we went looking for a spot in Haram to do more solat sunat, zikir and read the Holy Quran.  I was lucky to find a spot in the women's prayer block.  From where I sat, I could see the Holy Kaabah.  Again, tears flowed.......

It was after fajr Saturday morning 25th May, and I was reading the Holy Quran, using the Quran which was given to me in Medina, I spotted this young lady (see above pictures) with a bottle on her left hand and a stack of paper cups on her right hand.  I stopped reading and watched her.  She was pouring the zam zam water into the paper cups and distributing it to the ladies who wanted to drink the zam zam water.  She was doing a good deed.  This was her amal jariah.  I salute her.  She would go back and forth, filling up the bottle at the zam zam containers outside the women's prayer block.  She was smiling all the time.....

Solat on a rooftop...@Medina

I was in my hotel room on the eighth floor, ironing, when I saw this construction worker solat asar, on the floor of the uncompleted building opposite my room. The weather was hot, yet he performed his solat.... Allahuakbar!

Me and hubby @Medina

Boys will be boys..@Medina

I was with hubby, strolling outside the mosque, when we noticed these boys hanging onto the wagon carrying zamzam containers.  They were really having fun, oblivious of the danger if one of them slipped.... I guess, the driver of the wagon knew this, and halt the wagon and chased the boys away...

Strange..but true @medina

I was returning to the hotel after asar prayers when I noticed this group in black with huge blue heads.....at first glance, I really thought they had blue heads wobbling in the distance....so, I followed, and took these pictures...

Medina - day 3

On the 3rd day at Medina, it was ziarah time.... we left the hotel, Movenpick Anwar Medina, at 7.30am and together with the other pilgrims, we went straight to Masjid Quba. We were told by the ustaz when we listened to his ceramah (religious lecture) the previous night, to have our wudhuk (ablution) ready from the hotel before reaching Masjid Quba. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said that if one prays at Masjid Quba, with wudhuk from one's abode, the pahala is like one doing one umrah. Alhamdullilah, we did that.

Medina 2nd day..

I was reading the Holy Quran, after Fajr prayer, at Masjid Nabawi, when suddenly a young girl approached me and gave me a mini version of the Holy Quran.  She told me its a gift from her and she wants me to have it. I said thank you, and then she was gone. So, I continued reading Surah Ali Imran using the Quran she gave me.

Umrah 2013

The whole family was at the airport to bid us farewell.