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A Pleasant Umrah Journey with Hanania – Part 1

Author: Agus Budi Harto, 2025-05-07 02:10:15

There is a unique kind of happiness when one is destined by Allah to set foot in the holy land. Traveling to the sacred cities is not solely a matter of financial capability—it is a deep calling from the heart, a divine invitation from Allah SWT, reflected through various circumstances that align in one's life. My wife had long expressed her longing to return to the holy land; after all, our first pilgrimage in 2014 felt like it had been ages ago.

Finding a reliable Umrah travel agency, however, was not an easy task. The worry was real—news stories abound of unfortunate cases involving irresponsible travel agencies, resulting in financial losses for participants and even legal consequences for the organizers.

We turned to the internet in our search for the best agency—one with a solid track record, credible documentation of previous trips, a physical office presence, and positive reviews from past pilgrims.

Eventually, we chose Hanania. This is not an advertisement, as we have no business affiliation with Hanania. But their reasonable pricing, sensible travel duration, attractive itinerary, reputable airline and hotel partners made them a trustworthy choice for us.

We began our journey on January 15, 2025, heading to The 101 Jakarta Airport Hotel for the pre-departure briefing (manasik). That morning, fellow pilgrims gathered in the hotel’s spacious hall, arranged with round tables to allow everyone to start getting to know one another. The schedule was compact but well-planned, with breaks for Dhuhr prayer, lunch, and snacks throughout the event.


In the afternoon, buses transported us to the airport. Our suitcases had been taken care of by Hanania’s staff, so we only needed to line up for check-in and proceed to the waiting area. Our passports, already stamped and distributed earlier during the briefing, were presented at immigration before we entered the departure lounge.

The first leg of our journey was a flight to Dubai, on Emirates Airlines. The aircraft was large, with a 3-4-3 seat configuration per row—spacious enough for a long and comfortable flight. The calm ambiance of the cabin made the journey peaceful. We took turns sleeping, praying, eating, and occasionally getting up for a walk or to use the restroom.

We landed in Dubai at night. The hotel was luxurious and spacious for two people. We managed to get a few hours of sleep before waking up for Fajr prayer. Stepping outside, we were greeted by the cool and dry desert breeze. This didn’t stop us from walking to the nearby mosque. After prayer, we returned to the hotel and enjoyed a delightful Arabic-style breakfast.

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