Going on Hajj, of course, is a dream for everyone, not only in Indonesia but also across the world. This year, the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, invited as many as 1,300 people from almost 80 countries to become guests of King Salman for the Hajj And Umrah Program.
In Indonesia, 50 citizens received a free Hajj invitation from King Salman. They hail from various levels of society and regions in Indonesia. Their journey took place from June 8 to June 24 as King Salman's Hajj guests.
The number of guests for King Salman's Hajj is not included in Indonesia's national quota but rather an additional quota from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Indonesia, Faisal Abdullah H. Amodi, stated that the government and people of Saudi Arabia always offer convenience to Allah's guests.
The ambassador also prayed for the Indonesian congregation.
"Hopefully, you will be a Mabrur Hajj and receive forgiveness and also return to your homeland safely," Amodi stated at the event of Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims Send-off, Guests of King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Jakarta, Saturday (July 6).
Meanwhile, the Head of the Religious Attaché of the Saudi Arabian Embassy, Sheikh Ahmed bin Essa Al Hazmi, stated that more than 50 people from various circles took part in the Program of the Guest of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for Hajj under the Ministry of Religion of Saudi Arabia.
In Mecca
King Salman's group of Hajj guests from Indonesia departed from Soekarno Hatta International Airport at 11 p.m. local time after the event of the Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims Send-off and Manasik, accompanied by Attaché Sheikh Ahmed bin Essa Al Hazmi. In the airport, they received fast-track service.
Fast-track service is a swift Hajj pilgrim document-checking facility provided by the Saudi Arabian Government Immigration in Indonesia.
This service can save the pilgrims' time upon arrival at Medina or Jeddah airport. In Indonesia, fast-track service has been implemented at three airports in Jakarta, Solo, and Surabaya.
After a nine-hour flight from Indonesia to Saudi Arabia, the group arrived at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Mecca City at 5 a.m. local time on June 9.
In Mecca, Indonesian Hajj pilgrims and other guests from across the world were accommodated in two five-star hotels about 5 km from the Grand Mosque Masjidil Haram. Free shuttle buses were provided for the guests, making it easier for them to visit the Grand Mosque as often as possible.
At the hotel, they received three meals a day featuring a variety of Middle Eastern dishes and Western food in quite elaborate.
In addition, the guests received several facilities for hajj. During their nearly week-long in Mecca, King Salman's Hajj guests also visited the historical place Al Wahyu Museum in the Hira Cultural District located at the foot of Mount Jabal Nur.
The cave of Hira in Jabal Nur is the place where the Prophet Muhammad SAW received the first revelation from Allah SWT. Using the latest technology and modern visualization, the Al Wahyu Museum displays an animation of the journey of revelation.
On June 11, Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Da'wah, and Islamic Guidance of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Awad Bin Sabti Al Anzi, met with several Hajj guests from King Salman of Indonesia and ensured the best service for them.
"We want to ensure that the guests receive the best service," Sheikh Awad stated during a meeting with Indonesian Hajj pilgrims on Tuesday (June 11) in Makkah City.
Sheikh Awad was Chair of the Guest King Program for Hajj 2024, organized by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Da'wah, and Guidance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Ahead of the peak of Hajj
On June 14, all Hajj guests of King Salman prepared to conduct the Hajj pilgrimage. Gradually, they headed towards Arafah aboard special buses to do Wukuf.
At Arafah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia provided a tent complex for King Salman's guests. There were several large tents, each accommodating dozens of pilgrims from various countries. The men's tent was at the front, while the women's tent was at the back. All pilgrims received sofa beds, blankets, and pillows. Toilet facilities, restaurants, clinics, and cafes were also available.
During Wukuf, all pilgrims prayed fervently, made dhikr, and read the Quran, both within and outside the tent. At that time, Indonesian women Hajj pilgrims also held prayers together outside the tent.
Tears rolling down their faces while praying was a testament to the congregation's sincerity in seeking forgiveness and goodness from God.
The next day, all pilgrims headed to Muzdalifah. Upon arrival, they immediately collected 49 pebbles for the three pillars in Jamarat. After spending the night in Muzdalifah, they continued the journey to Mina.
On June 16, the group arrived in Mina and stayed for three days. The special tent for King Salman's guests was only about a kilometer from Jamarat, making it one of the closest tents to Jamarat. The service at the Mina tent was also as satisfying as in other places.
While in Mina, groups from each country head to Jamarat based on their schedule to prevent the crowding of pilgrims.
In the Mina tent, male pilgrims were placed separately based on national origin. However, women pilgrims can also occupy large tents with pilgrims from various countries.
On the second day in Mina, King Salman's guests were surprised by the sudden arrival of the Minister of Religious Affairs, Da'wah, and Islamic Guidance of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Dr Abdul Lathif bin Abdul Aziz Al Syaikh.
During the visit, he was accompanied by his deputy, Sheikh Awad Bin Sabti Al Anzi. At that time, Minister Abdul Lathif was keen to ensure that King Salman's guests received the best service. The pilgrims appeared enthusiastic and were pleased with the Saudi Arabian government's attention.
Furthermore, on the last night in Mina, the female congregation received a simple farewell party from the committee. All members of the congregation from across the world then recited Salawat together. The committee also held a quiz game about religious knowledge and handed out prizes of roses and prayer mats apart from providing a large tart cake.
All female pilgrims welcomed the event. They were united without distinction as servants of Allah. In Mina, there were many "heart-warming" moments marked by several miracles, acts of kindness, help, and struggles.
Finally, on June 18, King Salman's group of guests left Mina and returned to the hotel in Makkah. Upon arrival at the hotel, the guests immediately performed Tawaf, Sai, and also Tahalul to complete their pilgrimage. For Indonesian pilgrims, the last Hajj activity started at 1 a.m. local time and concluded at 4 a.m. local time.
In Medina
After completing the Hajj pilgrimage, King Salman's guests continued their journey to Medina, which took around five hours by bus. In Medina, they stayed at several hotels near Nabawi Mosque.
The next day, the guests were invited to visit several historical places, such as Mount Uhud, King Fahd's Al-Quran Printing, and the Quba Mosque.
First, they visited Mount Uhud, which is around 1,077 meters high and located to the north of the city of Medina. Mount Uhud is one of the most important mountains in Islam. After almost 20 minutes there, the guests continued their visit to King Fahd Al Quran Printing.
The King Fahd Al-Quran Printing (Majma Malik Fahd Li Thiba'ah Mushaf Syarif) is the largest al-Quran printing house in the world. It has been operating since 1984 and has printed hundreds of millions of al-Qurans. Here, King Salman's Hajj guests received information about the production of the Quran, witnessed up close the place where the Quran is printed and also got souvenirs of several al-Qurans in various versions.
They then paid a visit to Quba Mosque. This was the first mosque built by Prophet Muhammad in the year 1 Hijriyah or 622 AD in Quba, which is located about 5 km southeast of the city of Medina.
Here, King Salman's guests prayed two rakat. Prayers offered in Quba Mosque are considered to be equal to performing one Umrah.
In Medina, the guests also visited the International Museum of Biography of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, located just south of Nabawi Mosque. This visually sophisticated museum presents miniatures of the cities of Mecca and Medina, depictions of the furniture used by Prophet Muhammad, and other historical objects.
The Indonesian pilgrims also visited Raudhah, the garden of paradise on Earth, at Nabawi Mosque via the Nusuk application.
After five days in Medina, the Indonesian Hajj group returned to the homeland via Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport at 10 p.m. local time.
Return to homeland
A few days after arriving in Indonesia, Ambassador Amodi held a welcome event for King Salman's Hajj guests at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Jakarta, on Friday (July 5).
On that occasion, the ambassador stated that the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had provided the best service to Hajj pilgrims from across the world, including Indonesian pilgrims and King Salman's guests.
Another event participant was Yenny Wahid, the second daughter of the 4th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Abdurrahman Wahid (Gusdur), who also received an invitation for Hajj from King Salman.
"Thank you for the invitation. The Hajj experience was truly extraordinary. Everything was very easy and served with full respect so that we could worship solemnly," she stated.
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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