MAKKAH : Ascending the uneven steps leading to Jabal Rahmah (Mountain of Mercy) requires much patience.
The old and young, women and men make the climb up the hill claimed to be a good spot to doa (supplicate) for one to find a future wife or husband.
When I came to this place 14 years ago, I remember there were camels with their colourful saddles.
Now, they have been replaced with colourful ice-cream trucks. One has to fork out only SR3 (RM3.30) for a cone of ice-cream and it is money well-spent after making that climb under the intense heat.
Mercury readings here can hit as high as 43°C.
In 2005, I did not make the climb. Instead, I kept the camels company while waiting for others to come down from the hilltop.
I later learnt that the visit to Jabal Rahmah was more about allowing pilgrims to see and experience for themselves how the situation would be like there since it is located in Arafah, the wuquf site for haj.
Being in Arafah, it is an obligatory act of haj and pilgrims to prepare themselves mentally and physically for it.
Whoever misses standing on Arafah has missed haj because Prophet Muhammad once said: “Haj is Arafah.”
The day of Arafah has many virtues as narrated in many hadith.
One of the hadith narrated by the Prophet states: “There is no day in which Allah sets free more souls from the fire of hell than on the day of Arafah.
“And on that day, Allah draws near to the Earth and by way of exhibiting His Pride remarks to the angels, ‘What is the desire of these (servants of mine)?’”
Our guide Ustaz Zulkefli Ahmad, who is also Abraj Al-Janadriyah imam, said wuquf would be the best time for pilgrims to make supplication to Allah.
The Abraj Al-Janadriah Hotel is where Tabung Haji Makkah headquarters is located.
“Do grab the chance during wuquf to make your doa (supplication),” said Zulkefli.
After Jabal Rahmah, we went to visit a campsite for Malaysian pilgrims in Arafah.
Work was already in full swing to welcome all the 30,200 pilgrims, who would be staying in the air-conditioned tents.
Zulkefli shared some interesting facts, including involving the Mindi trees that provide shade for pilgrims during the peak of the haj in Arafah.
“The people here call the Mindi trees Soekarno trees because the idea to plant trees in Arafah was mooted by the late Indonesian president.”
There is another type of tree that could be found in Arafah, which is the neem tree.
The media team was later taken to Muzdalifah where pilgrims are usually given time to collect their 70 pebbles.
In Mina, the sight of a sea of white tents as far as the eye can see is breathtaking. This is where over three million pilgrims will gather for the stoning ritual.
After visiting these places, I will certainly do a checklist of what to pack for the masha’er.
Masha’er refers to the massive movement of pilgrims from all over the world, starting from here to Arafah for wuquf, continuing to Muzdalifah for half a night, and then Mina.