My Umrah experience

[MysticRiver]

Assalam alaikoum wa rahmatouhou wa ta'ala,

It's been a year that I've been dreaming of performing a Umrah. It was so dear to my heart that, to the very last moment, I couldn"t believe I was really going to the holy land. Al Hamdoullah, Allah made it possible for me.

I keep some amazing memories in my mind. I'll never forget the first time I saw the Haram Ennabawi and the Ka'ba. I cried each time. Listening to the Muezzin calling for the prayer gave me goose bumps.

However, there are a few negative aspects I noticed in Makkah. People (not all, fortunately) were eating everywhere and throwing dirt on the ground when they leave. I was shocked at seeing so much dirt. The poor persons in charge of cleaning were overwhelmed. I saw families sitting on the ground eating a complete meal and when they were done, they just got up and left. Come on! It's not even about religion, it's about education. Even in the holy Haram, women threw used handkerchiefs, plastic bags and soda cans. And when it came to praying, ladies in wheelchairs cut their ways in the tightest places (in front of me) and when doing the sujood, I was bumping my head to the wheel. When the prayer was finished, the lady leaves the chair there and when I told her to take it back to its place, she says things I prefer not to understand. Of course, there are the mothers who bring their toddlers who spend all the time crying and shouting. The same mothers who sleep in the Haram and snore and wake up to pray without wudu.

There's something else, there were so many buses but none was showing the destination. People were wandering everywhere asking for information and the people there were not helpful at all. We found no one to give us instructions. My mom fainted on our way back to the hotel. She was so weak. I called a cab to bring us to the hotel which was at about 200 meters and the cab driver looked at how desperate we were and he said 50 Ryals!

I loved being in the Haramains (the places), but the people who work there or the ones who do the Umrah need to revise lots of things. The authorities tend to focus on the Haram (in Makkah) but what surrounds it looks like a third world country scenery.

If I look like exaggerating, please forgive me. What do you think?

Nahla

[abdussattar]

wake up to pray without wudu.

:X i never knew that.

But the rest of it is not exaggeration, as I myself have been there for Hajj. But it is quite a peaceful place if its not ramzan or dhul-hajj.

IN all the rest of the months, there is a clean atmosphere and people are more friendly when compared to ramzan and dhul-hajj, as in these months, theres just too much people and they find it difficult to handle it...

[manaal]

I loved being in the Haramains (the places), but the people who work there or the ones who do the Umrah need to revise lots of things. The authorities tend to focus on the Haram (in Makkah) but what surrounds it looks like a third world country scenery.

If I look like exaggerating, please forgive me. What do you think?

Nahla

The authorities are doing the best they can, considering the crowd that gathers there. The workers too are doing an excellent job. Did you notice how fast they clean up the place after Iftar? it's amazing, Masha Allah. They are well trained to do their jobs. A lot money is spent on keeping the holy mosques squeaky clean.

I haven't been to the interior of Makkah city, but I have heard that the Municipality isn't doing much about the cleanliness there. But the immediate area sorrounding the holy mosque seems to be clean enough. Also Kudai carpark is kept in very good condition.

Madinah, from what I have seen is a very beautiful, peaceful and clean city. I would really love to love their. The Saudis living there still consider themselves to be Ansaris and are very nice to the pilgrims as are all the expat residents of Madinah.

[Life_Is_Short]

:sl:

I was disappointed with the enormous hotel next to haram. :hmm:

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[syed_z]

Thanks brothers and sisters for sharing experiences.

[manaal]

:sl:

I was disappointed with the enormous hotel next to haram. :hmm:

I too am specially disappointed that the fairmount hotel clock tower is so close to the haram. If the wanted to put up such a large structure in Makkah, fine. But why there, right opposite Gate No. 1 of Masjidul Haram?