Al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah and Masjid al Nabawi

It was a seven hour direct flight from Singapore to Jeddah via Saudi Airline. Allah starts testing me during the flight. The entire 7 hours flight Ny kept crying due to her fever. I could feel all these jelingan tak manja from other jemaah. She was fine before take off, once on taxi... She kept crying and crying.... Mummy feel like crying toooo.

I sang some Arabic nursery rhyme and dzikir to her. Takkan nak nyanyi Taylor swift and one direction song kan. Concurrently, I kept seeking for Allah's forgiveness. This is my test. Imagine, nursing a sick child, who only wants you, while you sneeze and sneeze and sneeze away. Wrong timing for a bad flu mummy.

Alhamdullilah the flight was not full so I can carry her and dodoi her from one end of the plane to the other end. We then lepak at the back of the cabin cause there were no passengers there, so we conquere the whole of the seats. While nyly merengek....

After that 7 hours flight, we board a coach for another six hours trip to Medina. This time, Nyla was too exhausted from her 7 hours cry that she slept the entire 6 hours bus ride. Alhamdullilah.

Al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah. Such a beautiful place. Once we alight the bus the sis comented 'Eh ni macam citer Adam dan Hawa and Nur Kasih, the same exact street'. She is so kental.

We checked in and was adviced to be ready in the next half an hour for Subuh prayer at Masjid Nabawi, that was just behind our hotel. A mere 5 minutes walk.

It was love at first sight; the Masjid al Nabawi is beautiful. I saw my two sisters (both jenis degil) with tears rolling down their checks.

At that time, Ny was asleep, and I had the most kusyuk sembayang subuh (minus the ngantokness) ever. We were separated from the male, so my dad and S was asked to enter another gate. We always ensure a meet up point after sholat. We went back to our room and visit the majestic masjid again for Zhuhur

Al-Masjid al-Nabawī (Arabic: اَلْمَسْجِد اَلنَّبَوِي‎ ) or often called the Prophet's Mosque. The mosque is built by our Prophet Muhammad saw. It is the second holiest site in Islam (the first being the Masjid al-Haram ). It was the second mosque built in history and is now one of the largest mosques in the world. It is also the final resting place of Nabi Muhammad saw and early muslim leaders.

The architecture was beyond madness. So detail, so intricate. When you enter the mosque, there will be lady guards that will search you for any camera or food (aside for snacks, that is allowed). No photography are allwoed in the Masjid. But you know lah my sisters. For the man, security is not that tight, S mention, they did'nt even check.

The gorgeous dome at the bottom left will slide open after every sholat to let sunshine in. Its really cool. The 3 of us, my sisters and I including Nyla, mendongak tengok when the ceiling slide open. We are very jakun. Once you enter the masjid, tumbler and tumbler of air zam zam are arranged for you to drink. So cooling. Fact: Its weird that you dont feel the 'payau-ness' of the zam zam. It taste just like normal water. All my life I remember that air zam zam is so payau.

There are many shelves of quran that you can read while waiting for sholat. We often wait for the crowd to subside before leaving the masjid. In the meantime, my sis and I will read the quran but at the rate that we are reading, my dad and S waiting outside boleh kering menunggu. Merangkak. Astagfirullah al azim. Malu betol.

After Zhuhur we will wait for Asar at the Masjid compound. Nyla will baring, golek golek, run around, joget joget there. Member dah baik. Sholat waktu is very short here. Kalau kita balik hotel ada chance, confirm tertido.

The mosque is filled with electrical and mechanical systems, such as retractable domes as mention above and umbrella. It even has the largest and most innovative motorist umbrella systems. What we love the most is when it retract at 6.30pm. We will lepak under the umbrella when it start to close. My bulat sejak dah tau cakap ni asyik 'Wow Mi... Look... Wow Mi...' She did that through out our 4 days at Medina.

We explore the masjid. Its my parents fifth time here so they know most of the areas. My dad brought us  to baqi and the place where our great prophet, Muhammad saw final resting place. Only man can enter, we ladies lepak luar ajer. The most notable features of the site is the green done,  originally Aishah house, where the tomb of Prohphet Muhammad saw is located.

Another must go place is the Raudhah. Raudhah is one spot in the Masjid Nabawi that is most sought after. Aside from being the exact place where our great prohet, Muhammad saw and his beloved friends beribadah, it is also the place where turunnya wahyu kepada baginda. It is also merupakan taman syurga. Muslims believe that prayers offered in this tiny spot will most probably be granted. They believe, this garden will be taken up to heaven at the end of time. 

“Ruang antara rumahku dan mimbarku adalah satu taman daripada taman-taman syurga. Dan mimbarku terletak di atas kolamku”

Kedudukan Raudhah adalah di antara rumah Rasulullah SAW dan Sayyidatina Aisyah RA dengan mimbarnya. Panjangnya ialah 26 meter jika diukur dari timur bermula dari rumah tersebut hingga ke mimbar di sebelah baratnya. Tetapi sekarang hanya tinggal 22 meter kerana telah disekat dengan pagar makam. Lebarnya pula 15 meter bermula dari Mihrab Rasulullah SAW di sebelah selatan hingga ke akhir rumah tersebut di sebelah utara mengikut pendapat yang masyhur di kalangan ulama’.

Sebagai tanda, tempat ini dihampari dengan karpet berwarna putih hijau.

Buku – Madinah Munawwarah Kelebihan dan Sejarah (Ust Abdul Basit Abd Rahman)

People worship here in droves, barging each other, sharing the small space at Raudhah. Before entering, we are divided by nationalaties, the Indonesian, the Malaysian and Singaporean are grouped together. I am amazed with all this arab ladies guard, pandai jorang cakap bahasa 'Sabar ibukkkk' 'Duduk ibukkk' 'Di sini ibukkk'

Raudhah is always full, congested & never empty. In Raudhah the male and female prayer area is separated. There are special timings for ladies to enter Raudhah. Below are info on Raudhah visiting hours for ladies :-

• After Subuh prayer until 11 am
• After Zuhur prayer until before Asar time
• After Isya’ prayer until 12 midnight

We went after Isyak. Astagfirullah, we waited close to 4 hours just to enter the Raudah. By then S and My dad dah berdengkur in the hotel. The crowd was over whelming, but once we were ushered to enter, all these people will shoved, stepped and accidently kicked other pilgrims. When I entered Raudhah, I gave salam to Prophet Muhammad saw & the 2 khalifah and find a spot to sembahyang 2 rakaat. During my prayer, I was shoved, bila sujud, ada yg tertendang, terdudukkan but I tell you, I was really kusyuk. I seek for forgiveness, ask for protection, ask for happiness, for good health, to strengthen my iman, luaskan pintu rezeki, kuatkan kesabaran, kuatkan jodoh. My goodness, I can cry my eyes out when I doa in my sujud. I know this is the only time and I feel so close to the greatest one.

This is indeed a life experience.

3 comments Travel, Umrah

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