My Umrah Experience - Part 2

We arrived in Makkah around 10pm. The entrance to the Zam Zam Grand Suites was underground so I didn’t see what the streets of Makkah looked like and it was quite dark while we were driving as well. We checked in and got something to eat from the food court in the Abraj al Bait shopping mall which was in the basement of our hotel.



Because my daughter was sleeping, my mother and father in law went at around midnight to perform their Umrah and they came back at 2.30am. My husband and I left at 3am to perform our Umrah. The outside of the Haram was beautiful and I could feel a change in the air, Makkah was busy even at that time in the morning. I walked towards the King Abdul Aziz entrance and then took my shoes off, made my dua and kept my eyes to the floor.


My husband guided me towards the mataaf area and then told me to look up; I could see the Ka’bah in front of me, like I have never seen it before! I was taken aback, I felt like I was in a dream, all these feelings rushed inside of me, it was confusing, was this real or wasn’t it. All these emotions were overtaking me and I broke down into tears, sobbed like a baby, it was so surreal to be standing there, even now as I write this my eyes are filled with tears. It is the most amazing feeling, and it is difficult to put into words. The first dua I made was for Allah ta’ala to accept all my duas and ibaadah then I continued making all my duas which I wrote down on a very long list, May Allah accept all of my duas, inshallah. Ameen.


The Haram was empty, only a few people still performing their Umrahs and making Tawaaf. We started making our Tawaaf, I imagined it so many times before, but here I was finally making tawaaf.


Someone who was in our tour group who was quite learned told me that she compares going round the Ka’bah as to being in a big washing machine (I know that sounds funny). She said that to her the first few rounds are like your soul is being washed, your sins are being washed away, then the next few rounds is the rinse cycle where Allah ta’ala is cleansing you, then the next few rounds is like the spin cycle, where you can make a fresh start and do a 360 degree turn of your life and your heart and then the drying which is when you are done making tawaaf and then you contemplate what you have just accomplished and ask Allah ta’ala to accept it from you.


I thought it was beautiful. I performed my tawaaf and felt peaceful and content and in a world of my own, in my own thoughts while I was reciting. Really contemplating what I was reciting. It was amazing. Even when I was finished making tawaaf I still had the tasbeehs reciting in my head. I made my two rakaahs and then went to drink Zam Zam water. Thereafter we proceeded to the Sa’ee. It was amazing seeing the rock from the two mountains which were still preserved. Kept thinking how Hajar (RA) managed to run between these rocky hillocks! What perseverance!


The sa’ee was long but at the end of it I felt sad, I had completed my Umrah. My husband shaved his hair and then cut off a small bit of mine.


The next few days in Makkah were lovely, the Haram was so quiet, we managed to make lots of tawaafs. Went for ziyaarats around Makkah.


We also went to Taif for the day and was fortunate enough to perform another Umrah on our return. Alhamdulilaah.


There is such a lot of construction taking place near the Haram and around Makkah. Hotels being built and hotels being demolished but once you step into the Haram it is so peaceful.