Holy Land of Mecca .Here we come.

Today 26th.October or rather 27th.October 0130 hrs. we ( my wife and I )are to report ourselves to the Tabung Haji Complex at Kelana Jaya to begin our piligrimage to the Holy Land - Mecca . I am very excited and very much looking forward for the journey . This would be our second pilgrimage .Our earlier pilgrimage was in 1991 , 19 years ago . I have resolved that this time I would want the pilgrimage to fulfill all my obligations to the Almighty so that all my good deeds is accepted by Him . I am determined to leave all my bad habits and be a better person when I come back in December . In know that this journey is not an easy one . I would have to undergo all challenges, trials and tribulations be it from fellow pilgrimage mates or from God itself . I have to be resilient all the time . I hope and pray so that we will be strong and that Allah would always protect us in facing all these challenges .I also hope and pray that our loved ones whom we are going to leave during this pilgrimage would be as strong as we are . I hope they would also pray for us . I would certainly miss our grand daughters . I am sure they would miss us too . Any way we would be contactable via our handphones .

Till we come home . Bye .

6 more days of fasting and I did with ease.

Just 3 days after Hari Raya ( eid ) , I continued my fasting for the non cumpulsion ( sunnah ) ritual which we normaslly do during the month of Syawal ( Muslim Calender ) . I am glad , I did it with ease . I was also quite busy then with having to go up and down to the Tabung Haji office to prepare for our trip to Mecca .

This would be our second Haj . Our first Haj was about 18 years ago , although in between we did go to Mecca to perform the ' umrah ' ( the small Haj ) a few times . Our purpose in going for our second Haj is to rectify whatever mistakes we could have done during our first Haj . Secondly my wife would want to perform the Haji Badal ( ie. to perform the Haj on behalf of her deceased mother ) . Actually we had planned this trip a few years ago and originally my sister in-law was to follow us .The trip was postponed a number of time because my sister in-law was not ready to make thr trip . This year I told my wife that with or without her sister we have to go before we get too old and health would not allow us . It is true as said my the religious scholars, that if you not are ready bodily and spiritually you would not be able to make it . Although she is quite well off , she would give all sorts of excuses not to make the trip .As such I had given up hope on her .

Our trip would be on 27th. 0430 hrs via KLIA and would go straight to Mecca via Medina . No overnight stay in Madina but instead we would be taken straight to Mecca . However we would be in Medina after the Haj .

There was quite a lenghthy preparation - like the health inspection procedures , getting ourselves innoculated with meeningitis and H1N1 influenza injections , to get ready with the right clothings etc and Haj courses/seminars to attend .

I hope and pray that we would be able to perform our Haj successfully .