Mina is intense.
Staying together with a lot of people for days,
No proper space,
Zero privacy,
Long day to late night noise,
It starts so early and ends so late
Bright light,
Intense heat during the day,
Freezing cold at night,
Wearing proper hijab all day,
Endless queues for bathroom and meals,
No options to hangout outside.
It amazes me that people can really talk from early day to late night,
Close to none the moment of silence.
I pray wholeheartedly for months about this and promise I won’t complain about anything, because this time, I have done my best ikhtiar for everything. Choosing the tour travel is actually choosing who you travel with. Not only the service, but also the flock.
When Mina really happens, I managed to get my own space, enough privacy, charging station. My room is also closed to proper toolet and the buffet.
Hang out with my roommate is a bit tricky in Mina. No space and unfavorable weather to stay outside.In return, Allah sent me people who adopted me kindly. Simple funny interaction turn into long conversations. Taking care of each other from simple things to significant ones.
One next to me put a blanket all over my feet thinking I was cold. Another brought me ice cream thinking I might want it too. Another lady catched me during the Jamarat walk to give me ice cream knowing I would have it with bread. Little kindnesses that hit close to the heart.
I learned to share my space too. Since I got all the best features; it became a hangout spot. It’s easier to do it when the people are not entitled and tau diri.
Instead of being grumpy, I am doing it happily.
When many said bathroom is Mina’s hardest struggle, not for me personally in this trip. Not because I am more patient but I had been through worse so expectations are set and managed.
In reality, bathroom queue in my camp is actually decent. The bathroom is real clean until there’s no problem doing business number two. Queuing system is clear and people follow the rules.No real problem other than moderate to a bit long queue at certain times.
The camp is also smoking free. No smoke of cigarettes around, Alhamdulilah.
Sleepless in Mina turns out to be my struggle that is really hard to overcome with bright light and constant clacking noise from the sliding door. From early to late night.
Alarms ring early, convos end so late.
No amount of magnesium and melatonin help. Not even the exhaustion from long walk to Jamarat. What works is one tablet of panadol arab to keep me sleep a bit up until 1.30 am.
Intense and continously overstimulated all day make me stay awake all night.
When Arafah asks us to be sit still in silence with ourselves, vertically with Our Creator, Mina demands us to deal with the pressure and problems horizontally between ourselves and the other human beings.
Arafah is peaceful because we deal The Most Merciful. But, human doesn’t always do. That’s why the training in Mina takes three times longer than one in Arafah.
Hajj is truly a well-rounded, well-designed rituals and sequences where our faith, akhlaq and character are all tested in all aspects. Masya Allah.
Wrote this inside my blanket at 2 am with wide eyes open, trying to calm down hearing endless clacking noise, before heading to bathroom queue before subuh.
I surely gonna miss this experience so much.
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