“From one Umrah to the next is an expiation for the sins between them.”
— Prophet Mohammad (SAW)
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- EDD K. USMAN | Twitter: @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 |Facebook: SDN – SciTech and Digital News
Part II of Umrah Journey 2024
MADINAH, THE CITY OF THE PROPHET, Saudi Arabia, November 22, 2024 (SDN) — After a grueling more than 10 hours of flying time, 33 Filipino pilgrims landed here on Thursday at the Prince Mohamed bin Abdulaziz International Airport, eager to visit and pray at the Prophet’s Mosque.
Actually, 33 of the 39 Filipinos being hosted by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and his son Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman or MBS, for a sponsored Umrah pilgrimage, left the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal I in Pasay City, Metro Manila, a day earlier.
The Filipino group with six others arriving on Friday took the 11:25 p.m. Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) SV871 jumbo jet NAIA on Wednesday for the 10 hours flight to the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, then connecting to Madinah, another 50 minutes cruising in the warm, sunny skies of the Arabian Peninsula. Jeddah is gateway to the holy sites in Mecca and Madinah.
Upon the group’s exit from the Immigration section of the airport, Saudi staff managing the Umrah tour this year for 1,000 pilgrims coming from various countries, immediately met the Filipinos, given the necessary briefings and ushered into a waiting bus.
Read: 39 Filipino Umrah group in Saudi Arabia
Tired, yes exhausted but happy and thankful they reached Madinah on a journey of faith, they went along as the amir, Shaikh Nasroden Ibrahim Alamada, the leader of the group, spoke with the Saudi staff from the offices of the King Salman, the Custodian of the Two Mosques in Mecca and Madinah (Grand Mosque (Masidil Haram) and Prophet’s Mosque (Masjidil Nabawi).
To understand better the significance of visiting the two mosques and praying here in its expansive prayer halls, Alamada said abundance of rewards await those who are able to worship at the Masjdil Haram and Masjidil An-Nabawi.
“Worshippers at Masjidil Haram, for one salah (prayer) is equal to 100,000 rewards compared to praying at a regular mosque, and at Masjidil Nabawi, 1,000 rewards,” the Filipino group’s amir emphasizes.
On behalf of the 2024 Filipino Umrah delegation, Alamada again expressed the group’s abundance of thanks to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohamad bin Salman as well as to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
He said the graciousness and kindness of the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and also shown by Saudi Ambassador to the Philippines Hisham bin Sultan Al-Qahtani makes the group’s journey an experience of a lifetime.
National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Director Ceazar Maranda put into context the difference between performing Umrah on you a personal basis — own expenses, travel arrangements, transportation — and sponsored like by the King of Saudi Arabia.
“Performing Umrah on a sponsored journey is orderly, has formal itinerary, there’s a welcoming committee that is on hand to meet the invited pilgrims like us from the Philippines, you can see and feel the special treatment, and very convenient,” the NCMF official explains.
For an Umrah that is sponsored, Maranda said everything is arranged by the host through the Saudi Embassy in the Philippines, flight, transportation, hotel, and the itinerary, and every little thing that revolves around the religious journey.
“This is a grace of Allah (Arabic for God), there are thousands around the world applying for this, over 300 applicants from the Philippines, but only few from each country is accepted,” he points out.
The experience of being hosted by the King of Saudi Arabia has left Gafur Kanain, director of the Bangsamoro Liaison Office (BMLO) in Manila, sobbing and in tears.
SDN – SciTech & Digital News is lucky to have been one of the lucky ones to have been a part of the sponsored Umrah and witnessed the emotions from the pilgrims — including Kanain.
A reception team was awaiting the groups of pilgrims as they alighted from the bus that transported them from Madinah’s international slowly glided beside the five-star Sofitel (Shad Al-Madinah) Hotel, where thousands of sponsored Umrah beneficiaries are billeted are staying for four days before proceeding to Mecca (Makkah) for the Umrah rituals.
Queenie and Princess all-out grateful for the rare opportunity
As they Filipino group walked slowly to the hotel lobby, the reception team spread flowers in the air as they sung the Arabic song “Al-Badro Alayna”.
The reception, the kind treatment, hearing “Al-Badro Alayna” was too much for him. He broke into tears inside the lobby, sobbing, his face showing the emotions he was not able to process and contain.
SDN comforted him, tapped him on the shoulders. He later told this journalist why he could not contain himself, like pent-up emotions that suddenly burst into a well of joy and happiness.
“You know why I cried? Kanain explains. “I remember the Prophet Mohammad (SAW) when he first came to Madinah, escaping persecution from the Quraish in his native Mecca. The ‘ansars’ (native inhabitants of Madinah) welcomed him the Prophet with open arms, threw flowers, and sung ‘Al-Badro Alayna’.”
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) official said that made him very emotional remembering the experience of the prophet of Islam.
He thanked the King Salman and the Crown Prince as well as Al-Qahtani and Hameed Al-Shammari for the opportunity to be part of a journey that is huge for every Muslim.
Another member of the Filipino Umrah group, Hashim Umba Jammasari was also very emotional when he spoke with SDN while awaiting Fajr (dawn prayers) at the Prophet’s Mosque this morning.
“This is an experience that I cannot forget. What we are provided for, the treatment is beyond words. There are 10 million Muslims in the Philippines and only 39 of us were chosen for the Umrah sponsored by the Kingdom,” he notes.
A member of the women’s group, Queenie Padilla, also relayed her feelings to SDN as she was having breakfast at Sofitel’s restaurant. Remember that she completed already the Hajj, the major pilgrimage, over 10 years ago.
“I am so grateful to be back again, Alhamdulilllah (Praise God), to be back. It’s a heartwarming feeling to have been nominated and to be amongst other kind-hearted Umrah pilgrims. I couldn’t help but cry tears of joy as we approached Masjid An-Nabawi. Since I’ve done hajj before back in 2011, I thought I wouldn’t cry, but subhana’Allah, Madinah and Makkah touch your heart like no other place. You will really feel revitalized spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. I’m so grateful, Alhamdullillah, for this invitation and for the opportunity to worship in the holiest of places,” says Queenie Padilla, one of the daughters of Sen. Robin “Abdulaziz” Padilla.
Umrah invitees’ itinerary include visits to historical sites, meetings with Grand Imams
Princess Habibah Sarip-Paudac, another journalist in the Filipino group, is also with the women’s group with Queenie Padilla.
“Alhamdulillah,” the experience is overwhelming. Upon arrival, I was teary-eyed because I wasn’t really thinking to be back again soon after, especially being invited again by Allah (SWT) to be back here after years. Knowing this program is from the mercy and kindness of of King Salman bin Abdulazis, the more I can’t process yet the luxurious experience and utmost hospitality we’ve received. Part of my dua’a (supplication) here, I prayed that a lot more people will experience this beautiful journey, In shaa Allah (God willing),” Princess Habibah, who works for the government’s People’s Television (PTV) 4 Channel.
A first timer in Umrah, Bado Padoman Aliso, 65, also gave his testimony for the rare journey to the Islamic holy sites.
He said that coming from Barangay Lomopog, Midsayap, North Cotabato, it is a truly rare experience for him, hoping his family was here with him to feel what every pilgrim feels.
“Mana surga den” (like Paradise),” he blurts out. “I am very grateful that at my age I was able to be included in King Salman’s invited Umrah pilgrims. I wish more Filipinos would be able to do this sponsored Umrah.”
Two of the men’s group are from the Philippine Muslim Judges Association (PMJA) — Regional Trial Court Judge (RTC) Judge Abraham S. Marcaban of Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte, and 4th Shar’iah Circuit Court Presiding Judge Osop M. Ali.
Two others in the Filipino Umrah group are Akrimal A. Jukuy of Tawi-Tawi and Carlos Karim Bangasin of Davao province.
The itineray for Madinah will cover visits to Shuhada and Mount Uhud, King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Qur’an, Quba Mosque, and at the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization, and a meeting with the Grand Imam of Masjidil An-Nabawi.
In Mecca, the pilgrims will be brought to the King Abdul Aziz Factory for the Covering of the Ka’aba, Al-Wahy Gallery, and a meeting with the Grand Imam of Masjidil Haram.
The Prophet Mohammad (SAW) said that: “From one Umrah to the next is an expiation for the sins between them.” (/)
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This article is being updated every now and then for more information. Like today, Friday, the six who members of the Philippine group arrived from Manila via Jeddah.