Tears of Joy as Grandmother Nuraini Meets the Kaaba and Kisses the Black Stone

Dream - Nuraini binti Ibrahim sobbed. Her eyelids could no longer hold back the tears that flowed more and more. Instantly, both palms covered her wrinkled and sad face.

That day, for the first time, she was amazed by the sight in front of her, a large square building; the Kaaba.

"Oh Allah, I am grateful for Your blessings," said Nuraini when met at Hotel al-Kiswah, Jarwal area, Mecca, Saudi Arabia, quoted on Monday, June 5, 2023.

This retired elementary school teacher grandmother registered for the Hajj in 2011. After twelve years of waiting, she was relieved that she could finally enter this year's Hajj quota.

Although her old body was crowded with thousands of other pilgrims, Nuraini was able to complete the tawaf procession perfectly without a scooter and wheelchair. In fact, she was willing to do one more tawaf in order to be able to kiss the Black Stone.

"It feels so touching, please, O Allah," said Nuraini recounting how she managed to kiss the Black Stone after the tawaf.

Initially, Nuraini was pessimistic about being able to go on Hajj considering her old age, especially since she had not received a call from the government. She was worried that she would not live long enough for the call to Baitullah to arrive.

"Thank you, Minister (Minister of Religion), we have been called. Thanks to the support of the Minister, us elderly people can be called (to perform Hajj). Subhanallah," said Nuraini with deep emotion.

Separated from the Group

Her happiness after completing the tawaf and sa'i was interrupted when Nuraini suddenly got separated from the group. She left Masjidil Haram through a different door and got on a bus with a different route.

As a result, she and two others got lost in Sector 10 in the Misfalah area, instead of going to Sector 8 in the Jarwal area, where the Hajj pilgrims from Embarkasi Aceh (BTJ) were staying.

Fortunately, the grandmother from Langsa Regency, Aceh, met Azmiadi, an Indonesian Hajj officer who also came from Aceh.

"She met the officer and was directed to Misfalah by accident, which means it was destined. If not for that, maybe we wouldn't have met. This is the will of Allah," said Azmadi, an officer from the Saudi Arabian PPIH Hajj Protection Service.

Azmiadi immediately motivated and accompanied Nuraini to the accommodation to join her group.

Nuraini admitted that she received good service from the Hajj officers. She felt very well taken care of, from rest, transportation, to meals.

She was also happy that the available food was delicious and had the taste of the archipelago. "There is only hard food because grandma doesn't have teeth," said Nuraini.