What Do Pilgrims Truly Carry To Arafah?

From Amirul Mohd Sajadi

MAKKAH, May 23 (Bernama) -- On a bed in a room at the Abraj al Tayseer hotel, there lies a small black bag that has been left open since early morning.

Several items are neatly laid out around it. There is high blood pressure medication, a small prayer book frayed at the edges from constant use, a bottle of water spray, prayer beads, wet wipes and a carefully folded thin prayer mat. 

To an outsider, this might look like ordinary preparations before setting off on a long journey.

But for the millions of haj pilgrims who will head towards Arafah in two days, that small bag becomes a trusted companion on the most important journey they will ever undertake.

SMALL BAG, BIG HOPE

In the hotel rooms of Malaysian haj pilgrims in Mecca, the atmosphere ahead of wukuf is slowly beginning to shift.

If many pilgrims had previously been taking the opportunity to buy souvenirs or walk around the holy city, most now spend time in their rooms, packing essentials for their journey to Arafah, Muzdalifah and Mina.

Some write names on their medication to avoid mix-ups later inside the tents. Others check their travel documents and identification wristbands repeatedly, worried about losing them among millions of people.

This correspondent witnessed firsthand how some pilgrims pack their belongings with great care into a small bag.

A pilgrim from Kuala Selangor, 62-year-old Abdul Manaf Sulong, showed each item in his sling bag with a small smile.

"You can't bring much. But when you think about being outdoors for a few days, everything feels important," he said.

A QUEST FOR PEACE

A female pilgrim from Kuantan, Pahang, Salmiah Sulong, said she had started packing a week earlier because she was so worried about forgetting something. Yet beneath the medication and clothing, she admitted that the most important thing she carries is the prayers she has held close to her heart for years. 

"We come here not thinking only of ourselves. In our prayers, we remember our children, husbands, siblings, even our friends back in Malaysia," she said, showing a small notebook containing the names of those she intends to pray for at Arafah.

As night approaches, the atmosphere in the hotel rooms grows quieter and more serene.

Some pilgrims sit reading the Quran on their beds, others call their families in Malaysia, and some simply sit gazing at their bags already packed and waiting by the door.

Perhaps this is the final mental preparation before departing for Arafah.

In the hotel lobby, the sound of the talbiah is heard more frequently than on ordinary days, its echoes stirring the heart. "Labbaikallahumma Labbaik…"

Some recite it softly while walking towards the lift, others repeat it over and over after finishing their congregational prayers.

PRAYERS, TEARS AND A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

The scene reflects a deeper truth: the journey to Arafah began long before the buses rolled out of Mecca. It started the moment the pilgrims' hearts chose to set aside worldly concerns and turn fully towards worship.

In just a few days, millions will move as one towards the Plain of Arafah to perform wukuf, the pinnacle of the haj pilgrimage, the moment that perfects a Muslim's haj. 

When those small bags are finally lifted onto the buses bound for Arafah, the pilgrims carry far more than clothes or medicine.

They carry their deepest hopes, quiet regrets, whispered prayers and lifelong dreams—all to be laid before Allah SWT on the holiest ground Muslims will ever tread.

There, beneath the scorching desert sun and in the humblest of conditions, they will raise their prayers, weep, and pour out their supplications.

They will stand shoulder to shoulder with millions of others, each carrying their own life story, all gathered to complete the fifth pillar of Islam.

-- BERNAMA