Labaik Allahuma Labaik

I’m so so happy. My sister, Along, is leaving for haj this Friday. She and her husband would be reporting to Tabung Haji Complex in Kelana Jaya at 9.30pm, and they would be in Mecca for 46 days.

When I first received my letter of offer, she didn’t get hers yet. But, Alhamdulillah, her constants praying and believe that she would be the guest of the Holy Land, she was selected to go to Haj this year. She would be flying to Madinah first and would be in Madinah for few days before leaving for Mecca.

Well, almost all who received the offer accepted it. If you rejected the offer, you would then back in the waiting list again. And believe me, you don’t want that to happen because the waiting list is, not five years, but more than twenty years.

When I first planned to go to Haj, I set my target that I would go before I hit fifty years old, and I’m glad that I would be going there in my 40's.  I started saving for the trip when I started work, and in 2005, I registered to Tabung Haji through online. In 2007, I went to Tabung Haji personally to confirm my registration.

Last year, I did received the offered , but I was put on Standby list. Since I was not ready, I declined the offered. Luckily, they stated in the letter of offer that if I decline the offer, I would still be going to Haj this year. So when I received the letter in March, I have already prepared myself for the trip.

Since my husband didn’t get the offer, we made an appeal for him to be my mahram, or else I can’t go. Within two weeks, we received the reply that his appeal has been accepted. “Phew!” I said.

So from the day we accepted the offer, we becomes focus on our trip. We put aside all the plan to decorate our new house.  We were asked to select whether to go through the travel agencies or through Tabung Haji. We opted to go through Tabung Haji Travels as advised by my brother. He went for his Haj trip last year.

After choosing our prefer destination, Mecca or Madinah first, we were asked to go through medical checkup. I was worried that I might not pass the checked up. But Alhamdulillah, I passed all through with no problem. The doctor was quite surprised to see my results.

After the medical check up, we have to submit our passport for visa, attended the two days intensive course and finally the final practical training at Masjid Sultan Abdul Aziz Salahudin in Shah Alam. The final training was very tiring.

And on 30th October at 8.30am, I would be leaving my kids and fly to Mecca for 32days. I can’t afford to go for 40days or more as I do not have many leave left. I have to take unpaid leave to cover the 30days. Between now until my departure date, I would be busy planning and preparing for the trips. In other words, shopping!