1987 - The Pligrimage.
July 1987 - at the age of 18 years old I had the oppurtunity to travel to Mecca to perform the Hajj & accompany my mom as well. I was still pretending to enjoy my youth at that time. Still listening to the rock musics with Search - Fantasia Bulan Madu & so on. Duting that time the hajj only cost RM5K per person with basic amenities unlike the hotels stays like now. We took penerbangan (flight) DC-10 that MAS leased from World Airways to be used during the Hajj season KT2 - KT stands for kapal terbang I guess (one of the first flight in that season) from Penang to King Sultan Abdul Aziz Airport in Jeddah.From Jeddah we travel to Madinah by air-conditioned bus. The journey took us around 8 hours. During the journey, the first time in my life I saw a lot of hills with no trees! I just imagine how the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) travels from Mecca to Madinah by walking & using camels during the Hijrah.!
I still remember when we arrived in Madinah at night; the first time I saw the green dome of the Prophet's mosques, my heart become so sad & felt like crying.We stayed in Madinah for around 8 days. One day I was so stubborn & disobeyed my mum & against tabung haji advice - I when to perform solat Zohor at the mosque although it is only advisable for us to perform the prayers at night time only in the mosque as the weather there during day time is extremely hot. After the Zohor prayer, I felt so dizzy & vomit. Well, believe me I vomitted on the expansive carpet in the holy mosque! I felt so regret about it, though for not following the advices. That costs me to admit in Tabung Haji ward for one day.
One day, after the Friday prayers, Yazid (the Madinah Islamic University student - who temp volunteer for Tabung Haji) who I befriended there & the person thatwe hired to perform the hajj for "arwah ayah", wants to bring me to see "Hukum Pancung" in front of Babuus Salam of the prophet mosque - but I declined the offer, I don't have the guts I guess to see the execution. Well in that country, they really mean business. I also had a chance to visits Jabal Uhud & maqam Saidina Hamzah. My heart so sad & touching - felt for the braves who get the syahid in fighting for Islam. We had also visited the first mosque - Masjid Quba' & Masjid Qiblatain (the mosque with 2 qiblat's).
After 8 days in Madinah, we travel to Mecca to perform the Hajj. We arrived late at night. We stayed in Level 7 on one of the buidings near the Holy Mosque. I can see The Yemen Arabs were very strong, who carried all of our bags by using stairs. They were damned fast. But they usually requests "bakhsis" (tips) as well form us.
The next morning, after dawn I had my first visit to the holy mosque. Only God knows how I felt when the first time I saw the holy Kaaba'. We performed the "tawaf selamat datang" & saie'. Right after that I had to chance to go underground to the place that we can get the "zam-zam" water. Felt so cold & so comfortable in that place.
During the 1997 Pilgrimage - one important events happened when Iranians pilgrims want to march into the holy mosque but meet with resistance with the Saudis Armed Forces. The center of events happened right in front of my eye during that fateful evening. The force imposed curvew on all of us, resulting we are unable to go the mosque that night.
The time has come - for the main event. After stayed 1 day in the Arafah, we traveled to Mina on the eve of Aidil Adha. After we arrived, I do something terribly wrong. I lose my temper on my mum. After that I went to Jamrah Aqabah through the Muassim' tunnel alone for "melontar" event. Right after that, I am totally lost (sesat). I am unable to see any jemaah from Malaysia or any Malaysia flags at all altough it is quite a lot before that. I guessed it is a lesson God gave me for my sins. Only right after dawn I managed to find my way back. It's quite strange, as it's actually got Malaysian flags near the place that I lost but I can't see it at all earlier.
After completing the tasyrigs days in Mina we traveled back to Mecca to perform the tawaf & saie' to complete the Hajj ritual. The mosques was very pack then. After completing the Saie', on the end of the Saie' path (from Bukit Safa to Marwah), I was been performed the "bercukur" event that means that I was finally become a Hajj at the age of 18 years old. Unlike others, I didn't use the Haji title at the front of my name. This resulting only a few persons known that I had already perform the Hajj.
After completing all the rituals, we had more relaxing days ahead before going back to Malaysia. Mom performed all the shoppings buying dates (buah kurma), carpets & all the souvenirs stuffs; and I do the exploring around the holy city. I managed to found a long tunnel right in front of the holy Mosque that actually connnects Mecca straights to Mina! I still remember the imams recite of Al-Fatihah during the prayers in the holy mosques, it's the most "merdu" & the best I've ever heard. I also ate my best ever ice-cream in Mecca. After each night, after performing the Isya' prayer at holy Mosque' during the journey back to our flats, I will stop over at 1 kebab stall right in front of Masjid "Kucing". It's the best kebab ever that I've ever taste. Nothing beats that in this wide wide world......
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
The Enigma of the 80's
1981 - I went for a trial for the school soccer team. Of course I was not choosen for that team as in my school the competion was very stiff - there were so many young Pele's & young Maradona's then.The teacher that were in-carge of our soccer team is Mr. Gun. He was a non-nonsense person & was so "garang". He was also our displinary teacher as well. During our BM lesson, I once got punished by him for spelling "ayur-ayuran" instead of "sayur-sayuran". Don't mess with him, or you will get to paid for it. Hahahaha.
I went to Langkawi for the first time with my family. This would be the last time we travel with dad around. We travel with a small Cessna plane, that will flop down when it hits the clouds. When we approaching Langkawi, the scenery was so beautiful with a lot of groups of small islands. The airport was so small then, with only a field like a soccer field & a small tent for passengers to wait for a plane just like the bus stop. W e stayed in the Langkawi Holiday Resort - now known as Sheraton Langkawi near the Kuah jetty. The places in Langkawi was a lot more original then. We went to Tanjung Rhu during that time, it was one othe beautiful places I've ever seen.
This is also the year that I first completed my full month fasting of Ramadhan. On the raya eve, all of my family member able to gather together for the very first time including my estranged brother. That raya also we are able to decorates our house a lot including hanging the hari raya greeting cards. Of course now is the moments of e-mails, e-cards etc etc & the original hari raya greeting cards are nowhere to be seen. My mum also able to make & sells a lot of Hari Raya biscuits then in resulting we have quite a lot of money to spends then. That is my best Hari Raya ever. One of the defining moments in my life.
The following year - moments of sadness....
1982 - I first enter secondary school - Penang Free School. Traditional trend of my family indeed. During my time there, the school is very good in Hockey, Soccer & Rugby. For rugby we are even 3rd in the whole country. My best friend, Izham Che Amat is the captain of the rugby team. I heard he is once the best student in ALAM (Akademi Laut Malaysia) & worked in Japan. But he is arwah now, may ALLAH bless him. He is the pure example of a poor kid from small fishing village in Kuala Muda, Seberang Perai, Penang who make it big. Masya-ALLAH times do fly so fast. For hockey, my class mate, Musthapa Ariffin once played for the country in the 90's.
My sports house in the Penang Free is Cheeseman - the offical colour is red.
The annual cross country event (merentas desa) needs us to runs across the chinese cemetry in Batu Lanchang. Luckily I don't have bad dreams at night after that:).
On the 4th.day of Ramadhan this year, my father passed away due to asthma. He was 73 years old then. He was ill a few days before. But on the morning on the day he died he was so healthy & even performed the oil change on the car. But after breaking fast, he complaining of pain. Mum try to convince him to go to hospital. He refused to go maybe he knowed the time has come. It's not really the same you know, when you growing up - your father is not around. My sincere advice - to all that still has his dad, just valued & earn your life. Life is just not the same without them.
1983 - during the fasting month, I fell down when running & broke my right hands that needs to be cemented with plaster of Paris.That is the time that I need to sit for my form 2 mid-year exam. Luckily I write with my left hand but I fair badly in that exam. Finished among the last in my class. But my defining moments came during the final year exam - I just don't know why. But sometimes miracle do happens. Everything was right for me. I was in the right frame of mind. I studied so hard. It's quite strange as usually I am the lazy type.The result shows immediately - I managed to be among the top in my class. I jumped from No.28 to No.5. It is a record during that time!The thing that I cannot forget up until this day is when my form 2 class teacher Miss Anna Tan called the pupils who excel in the exam in front of the class. I was called last, I guess the best is saved for last.The word that she says about me later, flourishing in my mind forever -that my achievement was so special, unbelievable & urged others to set me as a role example. It was so special to me - coz' I rarely tastes success again in my life, ever.
You just don't know what it's like. It's so hard to be me, so hard....
George Lucas released the 3rd installment of the Star Wars franchise - The Return of The Jedi. With my father no more to accompany me, I watched the movie alone in the Cathay Cinema, Penang Road (the place now occupied by Mydin Wholesales). I have just no idea, what are the things that I will face through out my life. It's never the same when you're alone.
In the music scene, Alleycats still managed the chart with M.Nasir's compose Sekuntum Mawar Merah & Setahun Sudah Berlalu so on...
I went to Langkawi for the first time with my family. This would be the last time we travel with dad around. We travel with a small Cessna plane, that will flop down when it hits the clouds. When we approaching Langkawi, the scenery was so beautiful with a lot of groups of small islands. The airport was so small then, with only a field like a soccer field & a small tent for passengers to wait for a plane just like the bus stop. W e stayed in the Langkawi Holiday Resort - now known as Sheraton Langkawi near the Kuah jetty. The places in Langkawi was a lot more original then. We went to Tanjung Rhu during that time, it was one othe beautiful places I've ever seen.
This is also the year that I first completed my full month fasting of Ramadhan. On the raya eve, all of my family member able to gather together for the very first time including my estranged brother. That raya also we are able to decorates our house a lot including hanging the hari raya greeting cards. Of course now is the moments of e-mails, e-cards etc etc & the original hari raya greeting cards are nowhere to be seen. My mum also able to make & sells a lot of Hari Raya biscuits then in resulting we have quite a lot of money to spends then. That is my best Hari Raya ever. One of the defining moments in my life.
The following year - moments of sadness....
1982 - I first enter secondary school - Penang Free School. Traditional trend of my family indeed. During my time there, the school is very good in Hockey, Soccer & Rugby. For rugby we are even 3rd in the whole country. My best friend, Izham Che Amat is the captain of the rugby team. I heard he is once the best student in ALAM (Akademi Laut Malaysia) & worked in Japan. But he is arwah now, may ALLAH bless him. He is the pure example of a poor kid from small fishing village in Kuala Muda, Seberang Perai, Penang who make it big. Masya-ALLAH times do fly so fast. For hockey, my class mate, Musthapa Ariffin once played for the country in the 90's.
My sports house in the Penang Free is Cheeseman - the offical colour is red.
The annual cross country event (merentas desa) needs us to runs across the chinese cemetry in Batu Lanchang. Luckily I don't have bad dreams at night after that:).
On the 4th.day of Ramadhan this year, my father passed away due to asthma. He was 73 years old then. He was ill a few days before. But on the morning on the day he died he was so healthy & even performed the oil change on the car. But after breaking fast, he complaining of pain. Mum try to convince him to go to hospital. He refused to go maybe he knowed the time has come. It's not really the same you know, when you growing up - your father is not around. My sincere advice - to all that still has his dad, just valued & earn your life. Life is just not the same without them.
1983 - during the fasting month, I fell down when running & broke my right hands that needs to be cemented with plaster of Paris.That is the time that I need to sit for my form 2 mid-year exam. Luckily I write with my left hand but I fair badly in that exam. Finished among the last in my class. But my defining moments came during the final year exam - I just don't know why. But sometimes miracle do happens. Everything was right for me. I was in the right frame of mind. I studied so hard. It's quite strange as usually I am the lazy type.The result shows immediately - I managed to be among the top in my class. I jumped from No.28 to No.5. It is a record during that time!The thing that I cannot forget up until this day is when my form 2 class teacher Miss Anna Tan called the pupils who excel in the exam in front of the class. I was called last, I guess the best is saved for last.The word that she says about me later, flourishing in my mind forever -that my achievement was so special, unbelievable & urged others to set me as a role example. It was so special to me - coz' I rarely tastes success again in my life, ever.
You just don't know what it's like. It's so hard to be me, so hard....
George Lucas released the 3rd installment of the Star Wars franchise - The Return of The Jedi. With my father no more to accompany me, I watched the movie alone in the Cathay Cinema, Penang Road (the place now occupied by Mydin Wholesales). I have just no idea, what are the things that I will face through out my life. It's never the same when you're alone.
In the music scene, Alleycats still managed the chart with M.Nasir's compose Sekuntum Mawar Merah & Setahun Sudah Berlalu so on...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)