Life Of A Typical Malay - December 1999
Day 1 - 28/12/1999
Didn't sleep really well this morning, went to bed at 6-30 am and by
8 something I was already up and about. Did some packing, then to PKNS
Complex for some shopping. Bought some Hari Raya (Eid) cookies and
stuff for Mak, called Nuar to remind him to take the stuff back home
to Raub. Called Pak, we didn't talk long - I'm never
that close to my dad (for no particular reasons). After a few
sentences I asked him to pass the line to Mak, we didn't talk
long either, she asked me to take care of myself, pray for them etc.
Mak, that's what we have been doing, we
always pray for both you and Pak and the rest of the family. I'll be doing just that.
More harder. Trust me.
She cried. And I cried too.
Drove to Dominic's at about 1-00 pm, took him to the office and briefed him
on my market positions. Showed him how to operate my laptop and how to get connected to the internet. Gave him a few of my passwords for various websites and stuff.
Took a cab to the airport after dropping him off somewhere in Puchong. Reached KLIA just in time for breaking of fast. I was not that hungry, paid too much for a plate of fried rice that tasted like (beep). Made and received a few calls - Ida, Bahrim, Zamri, Dollah and a few others.
Ariffin could not be reached, the line was engaged.
I wanted to give him his profits for the month - he lives about 5 km from the airport. I had no choice other than to keep the money.
Ngah, Abang Ngah, Wazi, Ija and Wawai arrived just when I was about to proceed to the check-in counter. Thanked them for sending me off.
The "extra money" I had on me proved to be a problem.
It's a stupid regulations - we are not allowed to
take Malaysian
currencies
in access of RM 1000-00 out of the country. I was then asked to "dispose" the money. With 10 minutes left, I dashed to one bureau de change on the second floor.
I was the last person to board the plane. But I acted so cool. As always.
The captain said our
flight would last 9 hours (540 minutes). But it seemed like 540 days.
Minute 0: We pull out of the gate, I hear this whirring sound under my
seat. Nobody else on the plane seems to notice.
Minute 5: There's a god damn (excuse my language) traffic jam on the taxiway. We're 5th
for takeoff. Yes, just make this experience all that harder.
Minute 10: We're cleared for takeoff, the plane in front of us fires up
and departs.
Minute 12: We reach the power point and the pilot guns it. It starts
whizzing by, and I say a little prayer. I have all five fingers crossed on both hands. The plane
peels itself from the ground, he's still got the engines on full
throttle. I like it better when they just get to the beginning of the
runway and go, instead of having to sit there and think about it.
Minute 16: The stewardess says we can use electronic equipment except
for cell phones, radios, cd players, tape players and computers. Well,what else is there to use then?
Minute 19: People start moving about the cabin and the captain hasn't
even turned off the seatbelt sign.
Minute 25: The stuck-up lady sitting in the window seat says she's
gonna go get in an empty row two seats ahead. Go on,
at least I have the whole row now.
Minute 30: My hands are numb from being tied up amongst themselves. I
stretch them, then only cross one pair of fingers for each hand.
Minute 37: The captain finally turns off the seatbelt sign. "We're
expecting a smooth ride," he says. Liar. You should know that
whenever they expect a smooth ride, they're lying. "There're
some storms off to the west, we should ride south of them." We're
already 15 minutes off schedule.
Minute 40: I glance at an old Malay man 2 seats away.
Minute 41: I grab a book titled "Hajj & Umrah - Journey Of A Lifetime".
Minute 45: The captain turns on the turbulence switch.
Minute 50: We're cloud-hopping. It looks like big banks of stratus
and nimbus with a few thunderheads peeking above the surface.
Minute 55: The turbulence gets worse. The captain says "We're hitting
a little bit of chop so I'm going to turn on the seat belt sign. It
should only last about 15 or 20 minutes."
Minute 85: Dinner is served: chicken curry or spaghetti chicken
surprise. Glad I saved those two slices of cakes I had for breaking of fast.
Minute 101: My nose is bone dry, I have to piss,
and we're bouncing around at 35 000 feet over Bay of Bengal like nobody's
business. I must learn to NEVER trust pilots!! I've sprained my neck
looking on both sides of the plane to ensure that we are at least in
level flight.
Minute 120: After damn near being thrown around the cabin, somebody
says 'Good Lord'. My hands are trembling, my mouth is parched (even
after drinking that watered down soda), my heart is in my throat.
Minute 125: The captain finally turns off the seatbelt sign...again.
"We're expecting a much smoother flight, the storms are behind us
now." Prove it, man.
Minute 130: Continue my reading after deeming that it's safe to do so.
Keep two fingers crossed in case the turbulence comes back. It's hard
to read with crossed fingers.
Minute 200: Finish Chapter 3. Oh,
I forgot I have to PISS!
Minute 205: Hit the toilet.
Minute 210: Yes it took me that long.
Minute 230: Try to have a nap.
Minute 450: Where am I? Oh, I'm on my way to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Minute 460: Hit the toilet for the second time.
Minute 465: Hmm...what am I going to do now? Everyone's sleeping.
Minute 467: Continue with Chapter 6.
Minute 520: We make a hard bank to the left. What's going on?
Minute 523: We start heading west again. I envision us being diverted.
Minute 535: First sight of the desert area. Great.
Minute 540: We make another bank to the left. What then now?
Minute 544: We turn north and west again for final approach. The
captain turns on the seat belt sign.
Minute 552: We're 5 miles from the airport.
Minute 570: We touch ground. Not beautifully, I might add.
Day 2 - Wednesday, 29/12/1999
Reached Jeddah at 5-00 am local time. It was fortunate that the immigration clearance at the Saudi airport ran very smoothly without any hitches. That really surprised me .The process that was said to take at least three hours to complete was done in less than an hour.
The only flaw was that we had to wait for 3 hours to get out from the Hajj terminal.
The bus that took us (our group consists of 25 pigrims, 11 men and 14 women; I'm the only one traveling alone. The rest are either with spouse or family members) to Madinah broke down a few times. We made at least 3 stops, I was half-asleep, and the journey seemed to last forever.
By then I felt fresh enough as my fatigue was overwhelmed by excitement. We reached Medinah at 10-00 am, the city was quiet, a bit too early I guess.
After checking in at the hotel, I wasted no time in visiting the Masjid-an-Nabawi (the Prophet Muhammad’s Mosque). The mosque is one of the three special mosques in Islam apart from Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, and Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was quoted, as saying that praying in any of the three mosques is equivalent to one thousand times of praying in other mosques.
The mosque also housed the grave of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Thus, visiting and praying in the mosque would make one feel that he was visiting the Prophet (SAW) while he was alive.
Masjid an-Nabawi played a very significant role during the early introduction of Islam. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) built the original mosque on the same site after he arrived in Madinah from Mecca. It provided the role model of how a mosque should be utilised by an Islamic society far beyond the traditional or general perception that activities in mosque should be restricted to ritual purposes.
Instead, a mosque should also function as a community centre for Muslims to gather and administer their affairs.
Apart from the grave of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), there were also the graves of his loyal friend the First Caliph Saidina Abu Bakar as-Siddiq, as well as the Second Caliph Saidina Umar al-Khattab. Their graves are located directly under the famous green-coloured dome.
Adjacent to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) grave is the original site of Saidatina Aisyah’s (RA) house, the Prophet’s wife, and also the site of Saidatina Fatimah az-Zahra’s house, the Prophet’s daughter.
The rest of the day was spent in the mosque, I managed to say my Asar at Raudhah, next to Prophet Muhammad's grave. And for the first time in my life I broke my fast in this Holy Land. That was enough to make me cry.
Day 3 - Thursday 30/12/1999
The Madinah visit was not entirely confined to ritual activities. Since Madinah was the first Islamic administration centre established by Prophet Muhammad (SAW), there are a lot of historical places around it worth visiting.
About 9-00 am, we were taken to various places of interest. We visited Jabal Uhud (Hill of Uhud) where 70 Islamic syuhada (martyrs) were laid to rest including Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) uncle, Saidina Hamzah bin Abdul Mutallib.
We also visited Masjid al-Qiblatain (Mosque of Two Directions). The mosque obtained its name from an event where Prophet Muhammad (SAW), while performing the ‘Asar pray, was given instruction to shift the Kiblat (direction) from Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem to the Ka’abah in Mecca. The shift served as a testimony of Ka’abah as the oldest holy site first marked by Prophet Adam (AS) and later built by Prophet Abraham (AS).
In verse 96 of Soorah al-Imran of al-Quraan, it is stated that Ka’abah is the oldest structure built for the purpose of ritual.
Masjid al-Aqsa on the other hand is recognised as a sacred place in Islam as it was the place where Prophet Muhammad (SAW) made a brief stopover during his journey enroute to heaven in the Isra wal Mi’raj.
Our last stop for the afternoon was the market where I bought a few kilos of dates, Najwa, Kurma Mekah/Kurma Nabi.
Day 4 - Friday 31/12/1999
We were suppossed to leave for Mecca this afternoon but the agent
had some bad news for us. The tour bus had to be sent for service.
Everybody was fuming mad.
We paid RM 5540-00 each for this tour, which is damn expensive,
and this is the kind of excuse we get? blurted
Haji Husin.
Went to the mosque a bit early for Friday prayer. It finished at 1-15 pm and it took me about 20 minutes to get out from the mosque only to find my sandals were gone. Had to walk barefooted to the nearest shop and bought a new pair for 10 riyal.
The evening was spent having a long walk to the "posh" side of the area, somewhere near Oberoi Hotel. Bought a few robes for myself, Mak and Pak.
I did the thing I always wanted to do this evening. Bought a few kilos of bananas, apples, breads and a few dozens cups of yoghurt. Rent a trolley for 10 riyal and made one round distributing them to the poor (and to the not-so-poor). It was a bit embarassing at first, partly because it was my first time doing it and I was all alone. In less than 15 minutes everything was gone. I was so happy. Wanted to buy and donate more but it was nearing Maghrib and I had to dash to the mosque.
There everybody was busy giving and donating foods, I broke my fast together with a group of people from Albania.
Day 5 onwards....
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