I spent 10 days in Makkah, followed by 4 days in Medina.
I performed umrah during the last ten days of Ramadan. Before my trip, I was worried because of the escalating war. But once I arrived in Makkah, those worries faded away as my heart focused entirely on worship. Praying alongside Muslims from around the world, I realized we were never strangers, we were brothers and sisters in Islam. The kindness I experienced, from warm smiles to generous iftar shared by strangers, was one of the most beautiful parts of my journey.
Tarawih and i'tikaf at Masjid al-Haram, surrounded by thousands of worshippers from around the world. We were united in prayer. Every moment there felt deeply humbling.
Makkah
09 March - 20 March / 19 Ramadan - 1 Syawal
Medina
20 March - 23 March / 1 Syawal - 4 Syawal
Al Quds
Palestine is always in my heart
This was the closest I've ever been to my brothers and sisters in Palestine, sharing the same time zone, the same land, and the same air. Watching birds soar freely, I prayed that the people of Palestine would one day experience that same freedom. Standing in the holiest place, I felt deeply grateful to make du'a for peace, safety, and freedom for them, from the river to the sea.
Masjid al-Aqsa
Masjid an-Nabawi
Masjid al-Haram
Time • Math • Pattern
I love math! During my umrah journey, I became even more fascinated by the rich legacy of Islamic civilization in timekeeping, mathematics, and geometric pattern design. The innovations that continue to shape our world today.
I saw Islamic geometric patterns used not only in mosques but also as part of the city's visual identity, appearing on street borders, signage, and other design elements throughout the city. It's fascinating to know that these intricate patterns were created long before modern measuring tools, such as rulers, existed.
Praying fajr here means my family in Indonesia finished theirs hours ago. As the sun rises across the world, fajr moves from one place to the next. It feels like a never ending pattern wrapping around the globe.
Indeed, We have created everything in due measure -— Quran 54:49 —-
THE MAKKAH CLOCK TOWER SEEN FROM AFAR
ABRAJ AL BAIT
During my time in Makkah, I performed Umrah three times. The second one was during the daytime, in the heat and dry weather, while fasting in Ramadan. I carried a backpack and a tote bag for my phone, sandals and sajadah. After finishing the sa'i and tahallul, I took my sandals out of my tote bag and walked away, completely forgetting to pick up the bag. :( I realized it a few minutes later, but by then I couldn't remember exactly where I had left it.
MARWAH EXIT GATE
M ASJID AL -HARAM
MY FRIEND’S CELLPHONE
I TOOK MY SANDALS OUT OF MY TOTE BAG, THEN WALKED AWAY AND LEFT THE BAG AT THE EXIT GATE OF MARWAH.
SOME OF MY RECENT WHATSAPP CONTACTS
RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM MY PHONE SAYING THAT SOMEONE HAD FOUND MY BAG. THE PERSON WHO FOUND IT WAS AN EGYPTIAN WOMAN WHO SPOKE ARABIC. HER DAUGHTER USED GOOGLE TRANSLATE TO SEND A SCREENSHOT OF THE MESSAGE TO MY CONTACTS.
MOST OF MY FRIENDS DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE MESSAGE AT FIRST, BUT WHEN THEY SHOWED IT TO ME, I WAS SO RELIEVED. A KIND STRANGER HAD FOUND MY BAG AND KEPT MY PHONE SAFE :’).
Special thanks to:
•Isra's mother, Isra & their family, for keeping my bag & phone safe
•Pak M. Nawir, for helping me locate the muthawif
•The Askars who kindly lent me their phones
•Itikaf 26 & Seduluran Selawase
VISITING MY BAG FINDER'S HOTEL
I HAD JUST REALIZED THAT I HAD LOST MY TOTE BAG, SO I RETRACED MY STEPS AROUND SHOFA - MARWAH, HOPING TO FIND IT. AFTER A WHILE, I BEGAN TO LOSE HOPE. AN ASKAR TOLD ME TO CHECK THE LOST & FOUND OFFICE THE NEXT DAY, AS THERE WAS A GOOD CHANCE SOMEONE WOULD TURN IT IN.
ISRA’S MOTHER
WHEN I ARRIVED, SHE GREETED ME WITH A BIG BEAR HUG BEFORE HANDING ME MY BAG. I WISH I COULD SPEAK ARABIC FLUENTLY SO I COULD HAVE PROPERLY TOLD HER HOW GRATEFUL I WAS. SHE TOLD ME THAT THE BAG HAD BEEN LYING ON THE PATHWAY AND THAT PEOPLE HAD BEEN STEPPING OVER IT BECAUSE NO ONE HAD CLAIMED IT.
SHE WAS INCREDIBLY KIND. SHE EVEN INVITED ME TO VISIT EGYPT AND ASKED ABOUT MY FAVORITE FOOD SO SHE COULD COOK IT FOR ME. AT THAT MOMENT, I FELT LIKE I HAD MET AN ANGEL IN HUMAN FORM.
THE WALK
The distance from my hotel to Masjid al-Haram was about 1 km, so I didn't perform every fardu prayer at the Masjid. I usually prayed Dhuhr, Asr, and Maghrib near my hotel. Then I would go to the Masjid for Isha and stay there in i'tikaf until after Dhuha the next day.
THE KING ABDULAZIZ GATE
To break the fast, many people handed out dates, snacks, candy, and all kinds of drinks before Maghrib. Since I'm not a heavy eater, I usually had a snack and a drink until after the first night prayer. If you preferred a full meal, such as rice and chicken, there was plenty of time because Tarawih didn't begin until around 10:00 p.m. (10 rak'ahs followed by 3 rak'ahs of Witr). Tahajjud started at around 1:00 a.m. I recognized the beautiful voice of Abdurrahman As-Sudais. He led my Maghrib prayer three times, and I was also blessed to pray behind him once during Tahajjud on the night of Nuzulul Qur'an.
Many people hand out dates, yogurt, snacks, and water along the way.
So many birds here
For sahur, I could either go back to my hotel or stay at the Masjid. If I chose to stay, I would pick up my meal before heading to the Masjid. Rice and other wet or heavy foods were not allowed inside the Masjid, but bread, fruit, and bottled water were permitted. So whenever I had rice for sahur, I usually ate it in the courtyard in front of toilet No. 9 (see photo on page 2). The people around me were incredibly generous and often shared their food with me, along with coffee and tea.
This is where I stayed during my time in Makkah.
When the walk to the Masjid felt too far and I didn't have much time, I prayed in the front yard here.
On this side of the road, I could buy a variety of meals, fresh fruit, ice cream, and medicine.
I have never taken the miqat to enter ihram by bus even though I passed this terminal quet often. A cup of coffee before the night prayers is perfect
There's an ice cream stall called Al Asemah nearby.
This was a popular meeting point for visitors. I noticed that many of them (perhaps especially Indonesians?) would meet here if they got separated around the Masjid.
The gate I usually use to enter the Masjid is this gate number 1. Another gate I often use is Gate 79 because the women's section nearby has a place where we can charge our phones.
Preparing your heart before, during, and after umrah is highly encouraged. Purify your intentions, guard your heart, and remain fully devoted throughout every stage of the journey.
I learned an important lesson about sincerity of intention when I became separated from my group during Tawaf. The best thing to do is to continue your tawaf until you complete it. After all, you are standing before the Ka'bah, the direction of prayer for Muslims around the world, a place where supplications are especially accepted. Your focus should remain on worship, not on searching for your group.
The prayers during tawaf are simple, and you can also make your own personal du'a, so there is no need to worry. It's a good idea to arrange a meeting point with your group before starting tawaf. That way, if you become separated, you can complete your worship with peace of mind, knowing you'll reunite afterward.
Taking photos and videos with your phone is perfectly acceptable during Umrah. There are so many beautiful moments and meaningful details throughout the journey that are worth preserving. However, try not to let photography distract you from your primary purpose: worship. It's also important to be mindful of others and avoid getting in their way.
Looking back, I actually wish I had taken more photos. Once I returned home, I realized how precious those memories were. One memorable moment was when an Arabic-speaking woman politely asked for permission to take a photo of my group using her phone. Perhaps it was because we looked different and had traveled all the way from the far east.
USEFUL REMINDERS
AVOID ARGUMENTS while in ihram, even the smallest argument should be avoided. Keep your heart at peace and make the most of your time in prayer throughout your Umrah and while in the Haram.
PRACTICE LONG WALKS is highly important before your trip. Umrah involves a lot of walking, so building your stamina beforehand will make your journey more comfortable.
PACK EXTRA FACE MASKS crowded areas can increase the risk of catching a cough or the flu. I caught the flu during Umrah and didn't fully recover until I returned to Indonesia.
BRING EXTRA MEDICINE it's always better to have more than you think you'll need. I caught a bad cough during umrah, and alhamdulillah, my friend had extra medicine to help me.
SANDALS AND SHOES wear comfortable, well-worn ones. Avoid wearing a brandnew pair for Umrah, as they may cause discomfort or blisters during the long walks.
PERSONAL CARE ESSENTIALS sunscreen, bandages (band-aids/ plasters), nail clippers, small scissors, cotton buds, and a mini sewing kit can all come in handy.
The last Friday of Ramadan is extremely crowded! I wasn't aware of this when I performed my third umrah. I started in the morning but was only able to complete two circuits of tawaf because of the overwhelming crowds. Since many local residents were on holiday, they also came to perform umrah, making it one of the busiest times of the year.
As a petite person, I felt unsafe in the crowd and was afraid of being knocked over or stepped on. I saw sandals, bags, and even pieces of ihram cloth being trampled. One of my friends was injured when her bag was accidentally pulled by the crowd, causing her hand to be hit by passing pilgrims.
ELECTRONICS KIT such as power bank and travel adapter can be very helpful. Charging is available inside the mosque, but I found the queues at Masjid al-Haram during the last days of Ramadan to be very long, even for a short 20-minute charge.
POCKET CAMERA is not allowed inside Masjid al-Haram or Masjid an-Nabawi. However, you may take photos and videos with your cellphone.
FAVORITE COFFEE & SAMBAL are essential. They can make meals feel more like home. Most of the food I had wasn't very spicy, so my Indonesian sambal was the perfect addition, even the biryani with a whole green chili wasn't as flavorful as the sambal I was used to.
GIFTS FROM INDONESIA I received so many candies, dates, chocolates, and snacks from kind people that I wished I had brought more uniquely Indonesian treats to share in return.
A SMALL NOTEBOOK & PEN can be surprisingly useful, especially if you lose your phone like I did. Write down important phone numbers so you can borrow someone's phone if needed. Knowing a few basic Arabic phrases is also helpful, although many people understand English.
For my own safety, I continued my tawaf, sa'i, and tahallul the following day. Once you have made the intention (niyyah) for umrah, it must be completed. If you make a mistake, it can be compensated for by offering dam, but you should not leave your umrah unfinished. I was relieved to learn that I could continue the remaining rituals the next day, when the crowds were lighter.
My advice: If you plan to perform umrah on a Friday, consider doing it after tarawih prayers when it is usually less crowded. Even better, if your schedule allows, choose a day other than Friday.
MAKKAH 2026
POSTCARD
from Saudi Arabia
FROM : TO :
Intan Cheria You
This is my first time experiencing Ramadan in Makkah, and it’s been an incredible experience! I've met remarkably kind strangers from all over the world, sharing prayer mat, food, and even throat lozenges despite most of us not speaking the same language. Sending you a prayer from here, I hope we can come back here again soon. May all Muslims be united, and may the world be at peace.
