Before Umrah: Our Journey in Madinah

 By Awliya

My family and I woke up early in the morning to head to KLIA 1 because our flight was at 10 AM. My father chose an agent under Andalusia Travel & Tours, so everything such as the boarding passes had already been arranged for us. We only needed to check in our luggage and wait for the flight.

The journey to Madinah took around 8–9 hours. We arrived at the airport at around 4 PM Madinah time, which is 5 hours behind Malaysia. After collecting our luggage, we went straight to the bus assigned by our travel agent.

Our hotel was only about 5 minutes away from Al-Masjid an-Nabawi. Since the check-in had already been settled by the agency, we quickly took our room keys, showered, and got ready for congregational prayers at the mosque.

The moment I first stepped into Masjid Nabawi, I felt extremely emotional. Being there made me feel so close to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. After Maghrib and Isyak prayers, we returned to the hotel to rest.

The next morning at around 3:30 AM, my family and I walked to the mosque for Subuh prayer. The weather was freezing, around 12°C, and we prayed outside because the mosque was already crowded. Even though it was cold, the atmosphere felt peaceful and calming.

Later that morning, our group joined a guided tour around the mosque area. The agent shared many stories about the history of Masjid Nabawi, the Prophet’s tomb, and the sacrifices made for Islam. Listening to the stories made me emotional because it reminded me of how much Prophet Muhammad ﷺ went through for his people.

After the tour, we spent some free time exploring the area and shopping for abayas and souvenirs. Before leaving the mosque, my family and I took several photos together as memories. We also tried local food nearby, including Indonesian cuisine, kunafa, and the famous rose ice cream, which tasted sweet like sirap bandung.

                          

At night, my mother and I entered Rawdah through our booked Nusuk slot. Security there was very strict to avoid overcrowding. Inside, we prayed and made dua. Seeing the Prophet’s tomb with my own eyes made me cry uncontrollably. I felt overwhelmed with gratitude and emotion. We were only given around 15 minutes inside before leaving, and as we exited, the guards handed us Zamzam water.

On Friday, my family and I experienced Friday prayers in Madinah for the first time in our lives. We arrived an hour early because the mosque gets extremely full. Listening to the khutbah and hearing the imam recite the Quran was one of the most beautiful experiences I have ever had.

That night, our group visited Quba Mosque, the first mosque built in Islam. The mosque looked stunning with its white architecture and beautiful design. I prayed sunnah prayer there, knowing the reward is equivalent to performing an Umrah. Outside the mosque were cafes, shops, and the famous mirror spot where people take photos with the reflection of the mosque behind them.

The next day, we visited a date farm and later stopped at Mount Uhud. Seeing the mountain reminded me of the history lessons I learned in school about the Battle of Uhud and the sacrifices of the Muslim warriors, including Saidina Hamzah.

One evening, I arrived early at Masjid Nabawi just to watch the sunset. It was breathtaking. For the first time, I also had the chance to pray inside the mosque. I was amazed by the beautiful interior and the iconic retractable roof that looked like giant stars when opened.

                             

During our final days in Madinah, my family and I bought a bench to donate to the mosque as waqf, hoping it could help elderly people who needed a place to sit while praying. I also waited after Subuh prayer one morning just to watch the giant umbrellas outside the mosque open slowly. It was such a beautiful sight that I recorded videos and timelapses to keep as memories. 

On my last day in Madinah, I felt extremely sad because I did not know when I would be able to return again. Before leaving, I prayed one last time at Masjid Nabawi and took a few final photos to keep whenever I miss the place.

At around 10 AM, we left for the train station to continue our journey to Makkah. As the train moved away from Madinah, I quietly looked outside the window, feeling grateful that I had once stepped foot in such a blessed city.

I truly hope that one day Allah will invite me and my family back again to visit the beloved Prophet ﷺ