The Challenging Road to Blessings

The Challenging Road to Blessings

          I am neither a frequent flyer nor an avid traveller to be honest. So, when I planned to take a trip out of Malaysia last March, I was visited by many kinds of feelings that made me rethink about my decision. At the end of the day, I still needed to thank God for giving me a chance to finalize a right decision as I actually proceeded with the plan to go to Saudi Arabia. The original plan was actually laid out by my third sister and later, my parents and my youngest sister came into the picture. As we were preparing ourselves for the pilgrimage, my paternal grandmother finally joined our family trip of six to the holy land, Mecca.

The writer believes that a beautiful camaraderie makes life a wonderful journey

          It’s indeed every Muslim’s dream to reach Medina and Mecca especially to get closer to God as well as to dear Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. But nothing is made easy. There will be great challenges that come and go throughout the process and everyone is given different ones to face and to bear. Since it is crucial and necessary for everyone to be mentally, physically and emotionally prepared for any future circumstances, I was following the crowd in this case. I tried my best to be a better servant of God by remembering Him more and being kinder towards others. I kept my patience and positivity close to me and believed that God only tested the ones whom He really loved.

          Six weeks before the day of departure, I was stunned by my unexpected sickness that challenged me in every way. I had never felt this painful and torturing before and I knew that my time and turn had come. The test was so great that I almost cancelled my Umrah trip and if I were to do so, all other five family members would have to follow suit. The sudden illness had really affected my routine and career as a teacher. The effects were gradually felt day by day till the point that I needed to stop staying at hostel since my condition got worse. I went across districts just to seek for treatment to at least reduce the pain with the hope that one day I would be fully recovered. I began to take medical leaves for the first times in my teaching career and it was frustrating to accept the fact that things didn’t get any better. I wasn't even able to drive and my energy was slowly washed away as days passed. I was a helpless young man who was stuck and speechless in a world no one would want to venture into.

          After a few weeks, I finally made the decision to still go on with the original plan in spite of having to struggle with my health condition. I had no choice but to fight it till we finished our 12-day trip to the holy land. With my family members by my side, I tried to be strong and left the rest to God. It was difficult at first but I believed that He would never test His servant something unbearable so I kept my faith stronger.

          The journey to the Kuala Terengganu airport was a tough one. I suddenly lost my confidence but I didn’t mention to anyone. The airport was indeed full with family members and relatives including ours who waved us goodbye and wished us a smooth sailing journey. I couldn’t respond much as my head was not in a good state. The headaches came back and I lost my focus, again. All I could do was smile and they seemed to understand my uncomfortable condition. I just couldn’t stop praying that everything would be fine and God would welcome us to be His guests.

At the airport with my grandmother

          The journey finally began when we boarded the plane to Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) before taking the flight to Dubai on the next day. When we reached Dubai, we took a connecting flight to Jeddah and the real adventure was awaiting us there. The airport was crowded with people and the check-in procedures were slower than a moving tortoise. Everyone was forced to line up accordingly as they provided special lines for women and the elderly. A young man like me was instructed to stand in different lines for five tedious hours before I was allowed to pass through the first station. Some chose to be angry but I decided to be patient, miraculously. God sure had mercy on me that He gave me the strength I never knew I had. That unbelievable moment made me hope for the best and prepare for the worst even more.

          Before heading to Mecca, we spent three days in Medina as part of the overall plan. I was quite overwhelmed with the place as it was beautiful and peaceful in its own way. Masjid Nabawi or the Prophet’s Mosque was truly amazing in every aspect. People from many countries around the world filled in the area but you could still feel the calmness and tranquility deep within your soul. That made the place special and extraordinary.

After performing our first Umrah

          After three days, we continued our journey to Mecca to perform our long-awaited Umrah for approximately 8 days. We were lucky that the temperature wasn’t as high as it would be in May or June. But the place was a bit crowded with many devotees coming in big groups. Here, we had to be extra careful with our personal belongings as anything could happen when we were stuck in the ocean of people especially on our way back from Masjidil Haram to our hotel. Interestingly enough, it was quite a rare view for me to observe thousands of people of different races, skin colours, nationalities, ages and personalities to gather in one place to complete one similar mission. There were a million and one stories written on every strange face I came across. Some prayed in desperation while others stayed calm appreciating the golden opportunity only selected ones received.  

In front of Masjidil Haram

          Our days in Mecca were made more intriguing with the visits our group leaders planned beforehand. We had been given a priceless chance to witness many historical places especially the ones that told great stories about the lives of Prophet Muhammad, his family and his loyal companions. We were touring the city while sparing a moment to pay our respect to the great people who had gone before us. On our way back to the hotel, we passed by a few places where wars and fighting took place. It was like a dream for me to capture the moment with my own eyes as before this, I could only imagine the settings when I read the books and listened to the stories.

          After 12 days of travelling around the country, we were ready to go back to our dearly-missed motherland with the hope that we could slowly change into becoming a better person. The journey was fine until I slipped in the toilet in the Dubai airport that caused some uninvited cuts and bruises on the arms and backaches on the back. The challenge seemed to still continue and I was subconsciously blaming myself for committing too many mistakes previously to experience these ordeals now.

Aren't those camels adorable?

          Despite the injuries, I still enjoyed my flight with Emirates that provided the best service to their customers. The food was nice and the movies on the personal screen were not bad too. The long flight was indeed a treat and I hope I could board on it again in the future.

          After some ups and downs in the dark and bright sky, we eventually landed at Sultan Mahmud Airport, Kuala Terengganu on a Friday afternoon and there everyone was. The faces we saw and the hands we shook before our departure were all there again for our arrival. They heaved a sigh of relief as their loved ones had returned safe and sound.

Standing between my father on the right and my roommate on the left

          The memorable journey has left its significant footprint behind and it sure has taught me new lessons to live this life feeling grateful each day. It was a long read but there were still missing details I excluded on purpose just because some truths are better left untold.

"The writer learns that some lessons in this world need to be earned before they are to be learned."