Can you really get some wisdom in a day of flight from the other persons you met either at the airport or inside the plane? Can it get much better than that?
Have you ever give it a thought about the power of du'a or do'a or prayer of a traveler and how in a day of travelling, I have been asked not once but twice by strangers to make du'a for them? Allahu Akbar.
Well, I find that my whole journey this time was quite an interesting one and just cannot wait to write it down for myself to reflect on for years to come.
Let's hear it, my soul.
I took an Etihad flight from Kuala Lumpur to Madrid with a short 2-hour transit at Abu Dhabi. It took me approximately an hour to reach Kuala Lumpur International Airport by car from my brother's home and I gave myself an ample 2-hours before the boarding time at 1920 hours.
The first person
Well...right before taking the shuttle train to the other terminal for my flight at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, I met an old lady around the age of my mom, maybe mid 60's. She was lost, left by her group, alone, to find her boarding gate. She was going for umrah, not with a travel agent but rather on their own.
She told me that, this is definitely a test from Allah. Hmm...it made me think. Why?
Because she told me that she has done this so many times before, meaning going for umrah without a guide but just see at herself now, she was lost! Plus, right after we alighted the shuttle train, I definitely brought her to the wrong gate or so I think!
I thought I was heading for the right direction but I missed the 'correct' arrow for the boarding gate. My eyes were focused only at the numbers but not the arrow hence I unintentionally gave her unnecessary fatigue to her old self. Pity her.
She told me that she will not complain as she has found her guide (albeit towards the wrong direction and I was really sorry for that!) and she was grateful to Allah for that. She told me umpteenth times that she was definitely being tested by Allah!
At that moment, looking at her; my heart instantly prayed for her. O Allah, make it easy for her.
The second person
I purposely chose the seat 19C, aisle for both of my flights which is situated before the wing and a few rows behind the seats where the babies are usually seated.
When we started boarding the flight, I thought this time the flight was quite empty with plenty seats available if I decide to move behind later. Even the couple behind me said, "They (the airline) told me that the flight is full but it is clearly not!"
But...a few minutes later, throngs of umrah group started boarding and true to the airline's statement that the flight is indeed full.
Initially, the person seating next to me was the leader of one of the umrah groups - Juara Travel & Tours. I sensed his uneasiness and a few minutes later he asked the stewardess for a change of seat. Alhamdulillah, a lady agreed to exchange the seat with him.
This lady (under the same umrah group) made me tip my hat off to her. She's a widowed mother with seven kids. When she was 40 years old, her husband died of a sudden heart attack.
Masha Allah, she continued her life with her kids with perseverance and supporting them by selling foods from the van. She is closed to 60 now.
When she told me that was her first time boarding a flight in her life EVER, I was brought back to my experience of taking my first flight alone.
She was clearly anxious and full with questions about her first flight experience. Subhanallah, Allah gave me this opportunity to assist her. A guest of Allah to Masjidil Haram and I pray that I will step my feet there one day too. Amin.
I showed her how to use the monitor installed at the back of the seat, how to leverage her seat, how to use the restroom, what food to choose from the menu given by Etihad, so on and so forth.
The moment the flight started its engine, she trembled slightly, was clearly anxious but smitten by the gorgeous light display on the land once it took off. After taking numerous flights, I find my experience is only like a dull cycle but looking at her beautiful self, I am just so so grateful to Allah for giving me this chance to calm and guide her.
As she was going for umrah, I asked her to make some dua for me and my husband. She asked me what I want and I said just the best things in this world and in akhirat. We exchanged phone numbers
and said our goodbyes when we departed for our transit flight. Mine for Madrid and she for Jeddah.
and said our goodbyes when we departed for our transit flight. Mine for Madrid and she for Jeddah.
The third person
My flight has about two hours transit in Abu Dhabi airport. Since my flight from Kuala Lumpur started at 1920 hours, I was not able to perform Maghrib prayer in Malaysia, hence I decided to perform jamak takhir and qasar at Abu Dhabi prayer room.
There, after I finished my prayer and reading Al Quran, a lady who sat behind me said,"Miss, could you please make some du'a for me?" I was quite surprised initially but with a smile, I asked her name and
what she would like me to ask Allah. She needs guidance from Allah as of that moment she is at lost.
Right after our conversation, I stood up for a hajat prayer and in my du'a I asked Allah what she requested for. By the time I finished my prayer, she was no longer there, in the prayer room.
I was deep in thought. A stranger asked me to make du'a for her.
It reminds me of the recent book that I have read:
Title: Dua, the weapon of the believer.
Author: Abu Ammar Yasir Qadhi
Author: Abu Ammar Yasir Qadhi
You may download the book for FREE, here.
In his book, Chapter 8, Page 138 - Conditions during which Du'a is answered - The Traveller.
A traveller has been guaranteed that his du'a will be answered for the Prophet SAW said:
"Three are the du'as that are responded to, there is no doubt concerning them:
the du'a of he who has been wronged, the traveller, and the du'a of the father for his son"
the du'a of he who has been wronged, the traveller, and the du'a of the father for his son"
Narrated by Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhi and Ahmad and authenticated in Sahih al Jami.
The fourth person
The most interesting person, so far. He is from Pakistan, married with two kids. The moment he sat down beside me, he said:
Are you Malaysian?...and from that moment until the plane touched down in Madrid we just kept exchanging ideas about our family life and how we both want Islam to be the guidance.
He comes from a well to do family with an acclaimed business in Pakistan but finds himself a slave to the material rat-race. He told me about his plans to change all that and his goal of 2016 is to bring all of his family members to live in Madinah. Allahu Akbar. What a noble intention!
Right before our flight touched down to Madrid, he gave me his business card and told me,"Please... do not forget to make a du'a for me and my family in your prayer".
Yet again, another stranger asked me to make a du'a for him. Ya Allah, please guide me, my family and all the people around me to the right path. Amin.
Madrid Central Mosque, Estrecho.
The power of du'a. A du'a, a simple plead to Allah with a sincere intention. May Allah accept our ibadah. Amin.