My Experience in Mekkah

2 Syawal 1432 = 31 August 2011

Assalamualaikum,

This will be my last entry concerning my experience in the Holy Land of Mecca and Medina.

Pandangan pertama Masjidil Haram di Mekkah

Ramainya manusia di Mekkah. Masing2 mahu beribadah. Tak dapat nak saya gambarkan perasaan semasa disana. Sayu, hiba dan terasa dekat dgn Pencipta. Kagum dengan kegigihan hamba2 yang beribadat tanpa mengenal keletihan. Melakukan tawaf dan Saie...tanpa melihat penciptanya...Kenapa mereka melakukannyer? Kata ibu ku "Ini lah tauhid!"

Lautan Manusia...ini pada jam 2 pagi!

We stayed in Dar-El-Iman Hotel, not far from Masjidil Haram. I think it is about 500 meters away. Berbuka puasa sama seperti di Madinah - dengan kurma dan air zam-zam. Kemudian sambung berbuka di cafe hotel. Makanan memang mewah...cuma semua makanan tu, makanan arab la - Lamb Mandy, Chicken Mandy, dan macam2 makanan yang aku dah tak ingat namanyer...

Al-Safwa Towers...pintu masuk ke Hotel Dar-El-Iman

For Malaysian...sometimes what we need is Malaysian food. Yes, Malaysian food. You can find Malaysian food in De'Saji Restaurant, or Mat'am Malaysia (Restaurant Malaysia). Right after entering Al-Safwa Towers, the restaurant will be on the 2nd floor. It's easy to find...macam-macam ada - Nasi putih, Ikan masak asam pedas, ayam masak kicap, roti canai, teh tarik dan lain2 lagi.

Mat'am Malaysia @ Restoren Malaysia

Saya beribadah dengan tekun. Seboleh yang mampu. Performing umrah - tawaf and saie, praying in congregation, trying my best to perform non-obligatory prayer, praying solat Jenazah, reading Al-Quran and doing Iktikaf in the mosque.

One of the things that strikes me was that almost after every obligatory prayer there will be Jenazah Prayer. Sometimes, event after non obligatory prayer there will be one. Ramai nyer orang yang meninggal di sini. Untungnyer mereka2 yang meninggal di sini. Cuba bayangkan, betapa ramainya manusia yang menyembahyangkan mayat tersebut hmmmm!  *Ratusan ribuuu!*

BaitulLah...ramainyer manusia...

AlhamdulilLah, our journey was fairly smooth. We departed Mecca to Jeddah at 2pm on Sunday. The flight scheduled at 5 pm initially but was then adjourned to 7 and then 9 pm. We broke our fast in the Jeddah Airport. There, one of mu wishes came true. I met one of the descendents of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. He led us during maghrib prayer and introduced himself as a 'Bani Hashim" - The family of the prophet. AlhamdulilLah!

My dad sempat ber BBM kat airport Jeddah...punya la lama delay!

Suasana yang begitu sibuk and hingar bingar di Jeddah Airport

Air Zam-Zam - satu tong setiap jemaah

Ready to go home...

Sambuatan meriah di Kuala Terengganu

AlhamdulilLah, we arrived safely in Kuala Terengganu International Airport on Monday afternoon. However, the shocking news was 2 of our luggages were misplaced during boarding process in Jeddah and were sent to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) instead huhuhu...nasib baik la yang ada kat dalam tu cuma baju busuk ajer...


We just got the luggages 3 days ago...(about 3 weeks after our arrival) hehehe... *very efficient huh*

Okay, that's all for now. Today is the second day of Hari Raya. I'm in Kuala Terengganu, just arrived at Terengganu Equestrian Resot (TER) for 2 days Raya Trip. And today is Malaysia's 54th Independence Day. Just wanna take this opportunity to wish all of you:

Selamat Hari Raya Eidul Fitri, Eid Mubarak.

TaqabalalLahu Minna wa Minkum

dan

Selamat menyambut Hari Kemerdekaan yang ke-54

Chit chatting with my daughter...

Assalamualaikum,

*This entry is in Malay*

Hari ni 23 Ramadhan...sekejap tadi aku menelefon anak ku, Nabila kat Temerloh. Nabila ni baru berumur 5 tahun. Tiba2 aku terasa rindu kat dia...

Nabila yang petah...dan gedik...

Aku: "Assalamualaikum Na.."
Na: "Waaikumussalam Papa"

Aku: "Na puasa tak hari ni?"
Na: "Na puasa".

Aku: "Ada tak kawan2 Na kat sekolah yang puasa macam Na?"
Na: "Ada.... Papa tau,....ada seorang budak tu kan, dia puasa, pastu dia terlumpa (terlupa ni maksudnyerr)... dia bawak air manis...pastu dia minum air dia...dia terlumpa..." *hahaha*

Aku: "Mana Na tau air dia manis? Na minum jugak ker" aku saja test anak aku ni...
Na: "Na tak minum... Na kan puasa. Hanya kawan Na tu terlumpa... *hahahaha* aku tergelak2 dalam hati aku ni....klakar betul la...(Nabila suka guna perkataan 'hanya', tapi out of context)


Aku: "Ni dah pukul 3 petang ni...Na puasa lagi ke?"
Na: "Puasa...Na tak makan apa2 pun..." Bagus kan Na Papa, Na 5 tahun pun dah puasa, kan Papa? Dulu Kak Long umur 5 tahun tak puasa pun tau Papa....Na dah puasa, hanya Na 5 tahun..."


Aku: "Bagus sangat Na ni.... Na dah minum susu?"
Na: "Daahhh....tadi balik sekolah Na dah minum satu botol..."  *Laugh*



Bertuah punya anak...*Confused* #%^&$#@$...puasa separuh hari la ni....lagi separuh hari puasa makan ajer...susu boleh minum...

Ulnar artery and nerve repair

Assalamualaikum,

*This entry will be mainly in Malay*

Hmmm...rasanya sebelum ni hanya 2 kali saya menulis mengenai perkara yang related dengan kerja saya. Pertama mengenai Elastofibroma Dorsi dan kali kedia mengenai CPT ataupun Pseudoarthrosis of Tibia. Kali ni rasanya saya nak berkongsi mengenai satu perkara yang semakin kerap berlaku di Hospital Sungai Buloh ni...


Dalam tempoh 1 bulan ni saya telah 2 kali terlibat dalam merawat pesakit yg terlibat dalam pergaduhan...kebanyakkan kes melibatkan kena tetak dengan parang. Hari rabu lepas pun ada 1 kes...lelaki Melayu kena tetak dek Indonesian...katanya lelaki melayu tu kacau awek Indon tu...aduyaii...takde kerja lain ke??...*sigh*


So, apa lagi, boyfriend minah tu tetak la si lelaki ni...luka kat belakang badan ada la dalam 20cm panjang, dalamnya sampai ke paru2...yang kat tangan kanan pulak dalam 10cm, sampai terputus otot, nadi dan urat saraf (ulnar nerve dan ulnar artery).


Memang rezeki halal betul aku oncall hari tu dengan Abu Hurairah...antara houseman paling glamer kat Ortho department sekarang (yang kebetulan graduate dari University of Otago jugak). Sebelum kes ni sampai, memang dah sehari suntuk buat kes kat bilik bedah, dari 9 pagi sampai 1 pagi, siap ada plating femur lagi pukul 12 malam. Keluar aje OT (operating theatre) terus ke bilik oncall untuk letak kepala...


"Doktor Mahyuddin, ada satu kes yer, baru masuk dari Resus terus ke OT, assaulted with profused bleeding from his back and right forearm". Suara Dr. Norafida, houseman ortho yang oncall di Emergency department terngiang2 kat telinga aku yang dah kuyu ni...


"Patient dah hantar ke OT dah...combined dengan surgical team, tapi diaorang nak buat dulu"...mahu tak mahu...aku bangun, basuh muka dan terus kembali ke OT... "bertuah betul la...yang kau pergi kacau awek orang tu apahal??"

Combined case: Surgical + Ortho team

Jam menunjukkan pukul 2:30 pagi...masuk aje OT, surgical MO, Dr. Ashok sedang menjahit bahagian belakang pesakit...."boleh tahan jugak lukanya ni, mahu satu jam baru siap". Aku pergi bukak balutan tangan kanan pesakit...apa lagi...memancut-mancut darah keluar, "Ni artery ni!!"

Darah penuh atas lantai...(ni dah lap separuh ni...)

Aku balut kembali dan apply firm compression. Nasib baik berhenti. Doktor bius (anaesthetist) dah mula transfuse blood. "Kena cepat ni..."


Aku pergi ke pantri..."Ni kalau tak makan sekarang ni, alamat tak sahur la aku ni". Aku berbisik dalam hati. Nasib baik ada bubur yang aku terlebih beli untuk berbuka. "Bubur pun bubur lah". So, bersahur dengan bubur lah aku pagi tu...


Pukul 4:30 pagi baru aku dapat mulakan pembedahan bahagian aku. Repair balik ulnar artery dan ulnar nerve serta semua otot2 yang dah putus. Masa aku buat exploration, mencari kat mana hujung2 ulnar artery dan  nerve (proximal and distal ends) tersengguk-sengguk si Abu. Kesian betul aku tengok. Yer la, kitaorang langsung tak tidur malam tu. Lepas aku bagi dia jahit kulit pesakit tu baru la dia segar sikit hehehe...Siap2 semuanya pukul 7 pagi. "AlhamdulilLah, rezeki halal". Apa yang jadi lepas tu tak payah tanyer...

Abu Hurairah sedang menaip operation note

So, pengajarannya...jangan la memandai-mandai kacau awek orang kalau tak tahu self-defence....hehehe. Kesian kat doktor2 dan nurse2 ni...kesian jugak kat pesakit2 lain kat wad yang menunggu pembedahan tu...elok2 boleh buat kes2 lain, kena pulak buat kes2 manusia gatal ni...


Dah la tu...dah melalut dah....wassalam.

Memorable Journey to Mekkah

Assalamualaikum,


After spending 4 days in Madinah, on Tuesday, we departed for Makkatul Mukarramah for the our main purpose...UMRAH. Most of the jemaah from Zahafiz Travel boarded a bus to Mekkah. My family and I and a number of close friends traveled in six units of GMC MPV.

My lovely mum...

4WD, 8 cylinder GMC MPV

We stopped at Bir Ali Miqat, which is about 20km out of Madinah, for half an hour to say our intention and prayed 2 rakaah of solah.


Barely 76km away from Mekkah, we heard an explosion!! *Pommpp!!!* Our back tyre punctured in the middle of the road.  Luckily, another GMC trailed us from behind and both drivers managed to change the flat tyre. We experience unique moment of breaking our fast by the road side that evening with a couple of dates and a glass of water!!  haha  *Laugh*

"Pomppp!!!!"

Unloading the spare tyre...thank you sheikhs!!

Sempat ambik gambar lagi hehe

Masjidil Haram in Mekkah...SubhanalLah!!

We arrived in Mekkah at 9:00pm...and we can see the crowd, mostly in black and white....in their thousands flocking to Masjidil Haram!!!


They were preparing for terawikh prayer...Because the mosque was soooo full, many of them prayed outside the mosque, even on the road, in front of the hotels...on the stairs....Magnificent moment!! I wish all of you can view it for yourselves one day!! SubhanalLaH!!

My Fasting Experience in Madinah

Assalamualaikum,

Just wanna share more pictures and also the beauty of the City of Madinah during my spiritual journey...We arrived in Madinah on friday nite, around 10pm and after some delay in boarding the buses, we finally arrived at our hotel at 1am on Saturday.

Dengan my dad kat depan pintu King Fadh (sebelah belakang masjid)

 

 

 

We were so lucky to have the chance to fast in Madinah, as well as in Mekkah. The first day of ramadhan this year fell on Monday, on my 3rd day in Madinah. We fast from 4:30am to 7:00pm everyday. The weather was so hot and dry, up to 50 degree celcius....*memang mencabar!!*

The scenery was amazing...whenever you hear the azan, you can see everybody walk to the mosque...so many of them, I guess all of them...they were like ants....

During iftar (bukak puasa), many of the wealthy people provide food to the jemaah. Mereka berlumba-lumba untuk memberi makan untuk berbuka puasa...yang menariknya...takde orang yang tak dapat makan, semua orang dapat tempat duduk...all of them. *aku kagum*

Deretan makanan yg disediakan untuk jemaah wanita

Close-up view: Roti, Apple dan Yogurt

 My dad and I managed to sit inside the mosque...AlhamdulilLah.

This is my juadah bukak puasa masa 1st day Ramadhan di Madinah

Air Zam-zam...bertong-tong

Lepas solat maghrib...balik hotel utk makan nasi pulak

Stall dibiarkan tanpa penjual bila azan berkumandang...takde siapa berani mencuri...

Pengalaman di Madinah memang menakjubkan. We went to Jabal Uhud (Bukit Uhud) where the battle of Uhud took place. And we visited the graveyard of the uncle of the prophet Muhammad PBUH, Saidina Hamzah aka AsadulLah or the 'Lion of God'.


We also visited the first mosque in Islam, Masjid Quba' and the magnetic field (medan magnet). Our bus moves up to 90km/hour on free gear!!             *SubhanalLah*


I'll share my experience during the trip to Makkah soon...

Annual Orthopaedic Iftar in Hospital Sungai Buloh

Assalamualaikum,


AlhamdulilLah, last monday on the 15th August 2011 we had an iftar event for the orthopaedic department, Hospital Sungai Buloh. It was the 5th occasion of such event organised by the department. The turn out was good, everyone in the traditional costumes - baju kurung and baju melayu. *So colourful!!*


We broke our fast with some dates and kuih muih and then performed maghrib prayer together. Then we had lamb mandey as the main dish!! *Deliciousso!!*


The whole event was smooth. The MC of the nite were well-dressed in the traditional costumes and well-articulated. Speeches by Dato' Zamyn, the head of Orthopaedic department and the State Health Director were also full of inspires.

I left early after makan coz kena attend a fracture tibia case in the Emergency department. I was oncall!! *nasib baik sempat makan hehehe*

Flanked by 2 photographers - Dr. Sabaruddin (was he the guitarist...?) and Dr. Saifuddin

MC of the nite - Soft-spoken Malinny and David the German

Some of the guests of honour

Haji Sharawi (left)...the head of the Assitant Medical Officers

Congratz to the organizing committee led by Mr. Hazrin for the successful event!!

That's all for now...time for another iftar!!

The Forbidden Land of Medina!

Assalamualaikum,

AlhamdulilLah, I've safely arrived in Malaysia on Tuesday after having to endure a six-hour-flight delay. How would l described the journey? It was personally spiritually enlightening, there were many lessons that I've learnt from it and I've became more intimate with my parents, especially to my father. The whether in Madinah was mind boggling, reaching up to 52 degree C during daytime and 40 degree at nite. It was a little warmer in Makkah.


Departure
I would like to thank the State of Terengganu for providing specially chartered flight in association with the Malaysian Airline System (MAS) that enable the people of Terengganu to go for umrah with a more affordable budget. We left Terengganu International Airport at 7pm on 29/8/2011. Thanks to my dad for the business class ticket! "Terima kasih Aboh!"

First time fly in a business class cabin...seronok!

Arrival in Madinah

We landed in Madinah at 10pm local time (3am Malaysia Time) after 8 hours of light. "Mengantuknyer" . Jet lag. The first trial...bas lambat datang...we waited for one hour before our buses fetched us. "Sabar...sabar... cubaan ni..."

First day: Ziarah ke Perkuburan Baqi' dan Makam RasululLah, Saidina Abu Bakar dan Umar Al-Khattab

Berpusu-pusu nak masuk ke Raudhah: salah satu dari taman2 syurga!

AlhamdulilLah, aku berjaya masuk ke dalam Raudhah, dan menunaikan solat sunat, solat hajat dan solat dhuha, disusuli dengan doa.


I paid a visit to RasululLah saw, Saidina Abu Bakar and Saidina Umar Khattab. Too many people, can't even recite the du'a in front of the tomb. The security force officers were very strict in keeping the order. *sigh*

Permadangan di siang hari...laksana kelopak daun yang meneduhi

Air Zam Zam...free flow...

Starbuck pun ada?? kat belakang masjid jer ni!

Terjumpa Khalid, sahabat SHAMS yang juga suami kepada sepupu ku, Nisa

Torres pun datang solat!

Permandangan malam...macam dalam cerita StarWars di Jedi City

Hotel Mubarak Medina: Kami menginap selama 3 malam di sini

That's all for now...my first day in the forbidden land of Medina. Bye and Wassalam.