MAKKAH: Mazidah Azmi's lifelong dream of performing the haj nearly slipped through her fingers as she encountered a series of obstacles along the path of her pilgrimage journey.
From almost missing Lembaga Tabung Haji's (TH) invitation to facing financial constraints and navigating personal issues stemming from her long-distance relationship with her husband, everything seemed to conspire against the 50-year-old Sarawakian's quest to perform the haj.
Mazidah, however, persevered, as she believed that everything will fall into place with Allah's blessings.
Recounting the events leading up to her pilgrimage journey, the former bank employee from Miri said TH sent her a letter in February to inform that she has been selected to perform haj for the 1445H/2024M pilgrimage season.
"I was unaware of it since I had already moved to Kuching alone due to work commitments. I also hadn't checked my email until I received a call from TH," she said.
Mazidah said she was given two weeks to confirm her attendance for the current pilgrimage season.
"I felt lost due to the financial constraints I was facing at the time. Like every Muslim who receives the invitation to be the 'guest of Allah,' I, of course, had a strong desire to go," she said.
Although her savings were low at the time to fund her pilgrimage expenses and time was running out, Mazidah proceeded and informed TH that she wanted to accept the invitation for the 1445H/2024M haj season.
Then came the second hurdle in her pilgrimage journey when Mazidah was told that she needed to obtain permission from her husband since there was no mahram to accompany her to the Holy Land.
The requirement seemed difficult at first, as Mazidah had not been in contact with her husband for almost a year since she moved to Kuching.
"Every day, I prayed to Allah to ease my pilgrimage journey. Each of us has our own problems, so I thought positively because Allah is the best planner who provides answers for every question.
"My husband initially did not give his permission for me to go when I reached out to him. I became even more worried until he said if I wanted to go, I had to go with him.
"We then proceeded to make a mahram appeal. Alhamdulillah, it was approved. My husband even paid for all the expenses," she said.
Mazidah and her husband, who requested anonymity, have three children aged between 13 and 25.
After leaving her job, Mazidah tried her hand at business, but had to close down due to restrictions and economic challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
She later found a job in Kuching, which required her to relocate and living apart from her husband and the rest of her family.
Despite all the hurdles, Mazidah expressed gratitude for not only being invited to become a duyufurrahman (the guest of Allah) but also for reuniting with her husband in the Holy Land.
Her husband, who is performing haj for the third time and had just returned from umrah, said this was the perfect opportunity to bring his wife, who had never been to Makkah.
"At first, I didn't allow my wife to go alone because I know how crowded it can get during the haj season.
"I couldn't bear the thought of her going alone. If she wants to perform haj, it has to be with me," he said.
Mazidah and her husband were among more than 30,000 Malaysian pilgrims selected to perform the haj this year.