Umrah Video

a video trailer of our Umrah

This video trailer is just a preview of part of our Umrah. In fact I have filmed quite a lot of footages while I had the chance to do it. The full version might be ready in a few weeks time only on DVD. Too large for the blog.

When you are armed with a videocamera in Makkah and Madinah you have to be extra carefull to avoid encounters with the authorities. A phone camera or a small digital camera might not be a real threat to them, but it is different when you are filming it like a pro. These people sure know the differences.

I couldn't get much footages in Masjidil Haram nor Masjid Nabawi because guards were almost everywhere. In fact I was lucky when I had the chance to shoot the Ka'abah from the roof top of Masjidil Haram. The next day onwards access doors to the roof top were closed.

I hope this simple video would bring some real knowledge on what Umrah is all about to my family and friends. It is a very small contribution from me and amoiglam.

Too Much To Tell, Yet Too Lazy

Salam to everybody. Dah lama tak berblog, lama-lama jadi bollog!!! kata orang Terengganu... Memang too much to tell. All these while I have been to Makkah with my beloved amoiglam and after I got home had to fly to Sabah for official duties.

I should thank my beloved amoiglam much too much because I also love her much too much for making the Umrah trip a reality for us. Jangan cerita kat dia ya? In Makkah and Madinah I had such a wonderful experience getting closer to Allah and learning more about the international Muslim community. Seronok, memang seronok especially when U see them from a different perspective. If not for the Umrah, Hajji or Makkah and Madinah I don't think I would consider having another trip there just for a tour. I have my own personal views about that.

At first I thought I would not have been accepted in neither Makkah nor Madinah for all my wrongdoings throughout my life and for not being a good Muslim, but Alhamdulillah everything was quite smooth for both of us.

Being to Madinah and Makkah armed with a videocamera was quite an experience to me. I am still working on the post production but till now I could not concentrate yet due to some health reasons. However I managed to cut a very short preview of 3 minutes which I will post in this blog soon.

I had never imagined the real size of the Ka'abah until I saw it right in front of my very eyes. I thought it was a huge structure, but to my surprise it was not that big and the size is just right for us to perform the tawwaf 7 times around it without gasping for air. However kaki I sempat juga kena gelek dengan wheelchair dengan Arab or Turki kurang ajar yang tak ikut rules (Wheelchairs are only allowed on the 1st floor of Masjidil Haram for Tawwaf). Lepas tu kaki I bengkak sampai susah nak buat Sa'ie. These Arabs, Turks, Slaviks, Afghans and Pakistanis are totally different from us. No wonder they are always at war with each other.

Maybe I am not that ambitious, but I only did 3 Umrahs because of my health reasons. My very first Sa'ie almost failed because my heart just could not bear and my face turned blue. The next Umrah I did better at my very own slow motion pace.. hehehe...macam film special effects pulak..

I always thought that Gua Hira' was just situated at the foot of the hill, but to my surprise it was high up on the rocky hill and you have to climb the hill for 2 hours just to reach it. Just imagine a 10 year old boy climbed it every day just to bring food to Nabi Muhammad. Kalau anak kita macamana agaknya ya?

If u wish to see the pictures, just visit amoiglam.blogspot.com. Dia lagi rajin tulis blog... hehehee....

Another experience is that there are lot of difference between the Makkah and Madinah folks. I still prefer the Madinah folks... sopan sikit lah...