In the recent weekend, a dear Korean friend came down from London to visit me in Madrid. Having met her last about a year ago, I felt like as if we have not met just last week.
Truly, the technology like SNS do help strengthen silaturrahim, if they are used correctly and wisely.
She only came for two days and during the wee hour of Sunday morning at 5.30 am, she took the flight back to Heathrow with Iberia Airline.
Iberia to London flight uses the shiny and bright yellow Terminal 4 of Barajas Airport. Barajas Airport has four different terminals. Do check your flight ticket to confirm the terminal before going to the airport.
Honestly, this was my first time to Terminal 4 and we use Cercanias train (Renfe) from our house at Villaverde Bajo, transit at Chamartin then take another train to Terminal 4, Barajas Airport for about 1 hour ride for 2.60 euros (Note: price may differ from your location).
We reached Terminal 4 right before the Fajar prayer at about 6.45 am. My friend needed to claim her tax refund for her shopping done in Madrid but the counter started at 7.00am. While my husband went off looking for the prayer hall at Barajas Airport, I assisted her in filling up the tax refund form.
When the counter started operating there were only about four persons queuing before us. The process was brief but unfortunately, since my friend would transit her flight at Heathrow to Seoul, she had to claim the refund at the last exit country of the European Union (EU).
At the moment, England is still a part of EU. However, the funny part was that both of the officers could not speak English! OMG!! I had to assist my friend with my very limited Spanish but Alhamdulillah the officer could understand me, with Allah's help.
After that, while she checked in for boarding pass, I snapped some pictures of the airport. There were not so many people and we said our goodbyes, anyeong and everything. After that, I rushed towards the prayer hall at Barajas Airport.
There were no ablution room but there was a small stone for tayammum at the corner of the prayer hall. The prayer hall is pretty new and well maintained. There is another room as chapel and another room for Jewish and other religions. Basically, there are three spacious room for prayer.
The prayer hall at Barajas Airport, Terminal airport is located at Departure floor, which is the upper most floor. They open at 6 am and close at 12 midnight.
More information on Tayammum: Islamqa (English), Laman Fiqh Anda (Malay) and KIAS (Malay).