Adnan Abdul Rahman

Muslims all over the world aspire to come to the holy sites in Saudi Arabia to perform Haj or Umrah, but only a few thousand are able to actually make it every year.

Some are not able to come because of health and financial reasons, while for many others, it simply remains a dream.

For Moroccan Adnan Abdul Rahman, his Umrah trip was an unforgettable spiritual experience.

“It’s not easy to come to Saudi Arabia for Umrah these days. It is very difficult to get seats on flights as a result of the increasing number of Umrah performers,” he told Arab News.

“I am extremely happy today for having gotten the opportunity to visit the Grand Mosque at Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah,” he said while commending the remarkable efforts being made by the Saudi government to develop the two holy mosques and the holy cities.

Abdul Rahman has visited Saudi Arabia several times in the past, especially to perform Haj and Umrah.

“I will come over and over again, God willing, as long as I get an opportunity to do so,” he said.

Along with other pilgrims, he also visited the historical mosques in Madinah, including the Quba mosque, the oldest mosque in the world, and the Qiblatain mosque, where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) changed the direction to which Muslims face for prayer. He also visited the Uhud battle ground and the location of the famous “battle of the trench.”

“I spent most of my time here praying at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah,” he said.

Abdul Rahman said he did not face any major difficulty during his Umrah trip, as everything has gone smoothly.

However, he said the accommodation arranged in Makkah was far from the Grand Mosque.
He was all praise for Saudis for extending assistance to make their stay in the Kingdom a memorable one. He had paid SR8,000 for the trip, which included airfare, other forms of transport, accommodation and food.