Muzdalifah & Mina

and so we were on the bus to Muzdalifah at 2:10am.
Reached Muzdalifah for mabit 3 hours later.
It is actually not that far, but given that the driver is not a local, he doesn’t seem to know his way. And none of us in the bus could quite converse in Arabic with him. Anyway, I was fast asleep all the way anyway.
Mabit in Muzdalifah is to be in the boundary of Muzdalifah between midnight and fajr on the 10th of Zulhijjah, even for momentarily.
Alhamdulillah, we were 5 minutes before time when we reach Muzdalifah. And so we waited for a little while for solat fajr.

6:00am
Off to Mina. Reached Mina some 4 hours later. Again, the distance is not too far. Circumstances are that the roads are all congested with vehicles – cars, trucks, vans, buses. Also because of the driver not well versed of the route and us not well versed in communicating with him.

[We are in Mina for stonethrowing (melontar) – at jamrah aqabah. Its is one of the rukn for hajj works. Complete two out of three rukns (stonethrowing and cut at least three of one’s hair) and the person performing hajj is then free of ihram, except for three of which concerning marriage and sex. He can then wear normal clothes, etc. This is called tahallul awwal]

10:20 ~ 10:50am
½hour walk from main road to our tent. There are very, very many people. I’ve never seen such a huge crowd of people, all of them clad with white ihrams. It is such a good feeling seeing all these men and women, our brothers and sisters in Islam.

10:50 ~ 11:30am
Stonethrowing - jamrah Aqabah.
went with ridhuan & wife, rahim & bakari.
came back alone but safely.
quite easy to get to the edge of jamrah. fiiling the void left by a group of jamaah leaving the jamrah when they're done.
alhamdulillah. in a seemingly impossible crowded place, there's always a spot for you. never lose faith. keep on thinking positively.
gunting rambut sikit - tahallul awal.

[a note about the new jamrah design. it is now widen out and elliptical-like. used to be only a straight pole at the center of a well. take a look of the photos - it tells you more]

11:30 ~ 12:30noon
rest. settle down. Took a bath.

12:30 ~ 3:20pm
zuhr, lunch, rest (nap)

3:20 ~ 7:30pm
Asr, free, maghreeb

7:30 ~ 8:00pm
Isya

8:00 ~ 8:30pm
Lead the ladies – mak, naza, akak - to lontar jamrah aqabah

8:30pm
Dinner, relax, tido