Towards Haramain

CHAPTER 3 - The Blessed Journey

Today is the last day before we could leave for our journey. It was afternoon and all of us are doing our final packing. My brother Fazal began ironing our suites while me and my sister are arranging the suite cases. Mother dear is preparing some food or snack supplements to carry. ''Dear please wash these boxes, they need to dry up as well and then later we can pack and store things in them'' said mom to me.''Right Mamma!'' I responded cheerfully.
Just when I had finished washing we heard a knock on the door. It had to be one of the guests. This was the 4rth knock of the day, many relatives friends and neighbors were visiting us and requesting to remember them in our prayers. My mother opened the door and it was one of the neighbors in the building, we spoke to her and her children and she presented some sweet bun for our journey. After some talking she said her final salaam and hugged us and went.

My sister nudged my shoulder and I woke up with a startle. " Wake up! It's Tahajjud time, there is only half an hour left for Fajr" she said. I stood up rubbing my eyes, headed to the washroom, freshened up, did my Wudu and offered salah. By the time I finished praying Tahajjud, I could hear Abbu began doing the Dua'a. Myself, sister and brother joined my parents. ''Ya Allah, You are our one and only Lord, we worship only you and pray to be in your path forever. You are Ghafoor, Kareem, Raheem. We have no words to thank you enough on how you have blessed us immensely. Ya Allah you have accepted us once again to your house. This is a honour Ya Rabbi! Ya Allah, you are indeed merciful. Ya Moula, make this journey easy for us and make it acceptable. Ya Allah, make our Umrah easy for us help us in every step we proceed. Ya Haadi, make our Tawaf and Sa'ee blessed and accept it all. Allah! Please forgive us for our short comings. Ya Khuda, bless us with that which we asked, and also bless us that which we should have asked but failed. Ya Allah, accept our Dua in the name of Muhammad Mustafa صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Walhamdulillahi rabbill alameen والحمدالله رب العالمين

All of us had performed Ghusl before we could leave. This is an important Arkaan to be done before doing Niyyah for Umrah. We sat in the Car bidding goodbye to our home, progressing on an auspicious journey, as we head towards the Airport with feeling of happiness, Love for the House Of Allah, fear but which was authorised and licit. Abbu and Mamma was getting calls frequently on where we had reached and when we would be reaching Airport. We were reciting Talbia all the way. When we reached finally, Fazal Bhaiyyu began unloading the luggage out of the car. Abbu had already sorted the passports and other papers back home and now began handing over to us respectively, each of us had our own satchels, were we had kept our essentials required for the journey. All our relatives had gathered to one place as my family began greeting everyone. My Nani asked my mother if she had kept all the essential things she had told her and handed her the box of pickle which my aunt had brought. Myself, my dearest sister Tehreem and Fazal brother were having a good talk with our cousins. ''People, how about we all go that coffee shop and get some?'' my cousin sister said pointing towards Hatti Kaapi. We headed to the shop after we asked our elders if they needed something, with there list we purchased some cups of coffee and tea along with biscuits and chocolates. While we were coming back we met my paternal relatives, Abbu's brothers and there families and my paternal Aunts and her families who all had just reached.
After a while, it was time to do Dua before we could leave. All of us gathered towards Abbu as he did the Dua. Once we finished, everyone were exchanging their final hugs, salams and duas. ''please pray for me and my family's acceptance for Umrah and Hajj." My Aunt said sobbing under her Niqab. "Definitely Inshallah Lala." I replied teary eyed hugging her. "I'm longing to have a daughter, please pray for that my dear!" my other Aunt said to me and my sister. ''May Allah bless you" Sister replied. Meanwhile there were lot more requests given to my mother as well. My paternal aunt requested again to pray for barakah in life. As we head towards the immigration door, pushing our trollies looking back once again to all the relatives and waving them, my paternal aunt came hurrying and requested to pray for her daughter's good alliance. We entered the immigration area after showing our passport and tickets to the officer. This feeling was just inseparable and amazing. We were going to the house of Allah. Alhumdulillah! Abbu and Brother Fazal said they were going to the luggage counter to finish the process and we females prayed Asr. After my prayer, I still see them standing in the counter and head toward them and the counter was taking up our luggage, after sticking the seal stamp they were gone. Now the man began finding the right ticket number where he could give us seats in one place. Once the tickets were issued we began looking at them enthusiastically. "Four seats in one place except for yours." My brother said to me. My siblings gave a highfigh to eachother. "That's not fair, I always get an odd place" I protested.
"Well do not worry, it's not like we are making you sit there. We will make some arrangements possible." Abbu said.
After getting our passports sealed and completing a little more process,we put our bags into the scanning machine. Immigration was over. Our departure was at 7:30PM and we were waiting in the lounge. Mom began interacting with the other Hujjaj and after roaming in the lounge and other areas we prayed Maghrib and freshned up and perfomed Wudu once again. As we stood in the queue with tickets in our hand we were constantly reciting Talbia. We entered the Airplane found our seats, rearranged with permission and convenience of our fellow passengers, we sat down in the seats. We three siblings sat in a row whereas our parents were one row ahead of ours. It was comfortable, Alhumdulillah! The captain gave his instructions and the Airhostess showed their excellent safety measures. We read our Dua'as, and slowly the plane took its flight. Now it was time to rest after the meal we had. Our family had obviously chosen nonveg for the fact we that it is halal. They served us Biryani, Gulaab Jamun, salad, brownie, juice, sweet bun, tea and the other toppings. Traveling is a big deal. But this journey was blessed. It's every move had the Rahmah of Allah, Love, happiness and compassion of Allah. These words could be repeated more than a fortune times but every step ahead towards the journey its greatness and glory increased infinitely.

Brother Fazal and Abbu wore their Ehram before the arrival of Miqaat. Miqaat is a place where one does the intention to do Umrah. The captain announced us on it's arrival in some time.
We made our Intention.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّىْ اُرِيْدُ الْعُمْرَةَ فَيَسِّرْه‍َا لِىْ وَ تَقَبَّلْهَا مِنِِّىْ
"O Allah! I intend to do Umrah. Make it easy for me and accept it from me"
The Talbia recitation had increased now. Before we completed our intention I had changed my niqab to the one which does not touch my face.

We had finally landed to Jeddah. The Airplane was running smoothly on the runway, after a few minutes it came to a stop. Everyone started gathering their belongings from the racks and we stand in a queue and slowly head towards the exit door and descend the stairs. Standing on the ground, we turned back to the Airplane. "SAUDIA" It said. After a while, we finished our immigration, found our suitcases and after freshening up, eating some snacks we sat in the bus. It was 3:25AM in the morning when the bus began to move. Everyone fell asleep eventually as we head towards the holy city Makkah! We woke when it was Fajr and prayed and began looking outside the window with constant Talbia on our heart and mouth. We see desert and camels walking around. Just a moment later, The huge Rihaal Gate appearing from far. It is beautiful and we were entering the land of Makkah now. I'm so happy would be an understatement. We feel overwhelmed. As the bus run through the civilized area we see childern walking to school, people walking around, all shops opened, a little further we go to see Hujjaj walking in the streets of Makkah. We finally see the magnificent minarets of Masjid Al Haram filled with Noor and Rahmah. This is so facinating. We also see Sehn or the verandah of Haram and worshippers. Subhanallah! We reached our hotel after sometime and took a tour of the hotel and our Room. Beautiful place we would reside. After arrangments and refreshments we hit to bed. We would perform Umrah after some rest. We had reached the holy land. How more wonderful could it be!
"شُكْرً يَا رَبِّىْ"
"Thankyou Allah"

"Now that we're here, feeling so good
About about all the things that went through
Feeling the peace all around
It's not a dream, this is so true!"

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Jazakumullahukhairan
Loads of Love