FROM COMPLAINTS TO GRATITUDE: HAJ MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH SAVINGS

By Durratul Ain Ahmad Fuad

KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 (Bernama) -- As children, Anis Syamimi Mohd Hanip and her three siblings often grumbled when their parents deposited their duit raya into their Tabung Haji (TH) savings instead of letting them spend it like their friends.

Little did they know that those childhood sacrifices would turn into a priceless reward. On Jan 17, Anis Syamimi, her siblings, and their parents received haj offer letters at the same time, allowing them to embark on the sacred journey together this year.

Now 25, Anis Syamimi appreciates the wisdom behind her parents’ decision.

“We were overwhelmed with gratitude when we received the offer. That moment made us realise just how much our parents’ discipline in saving had shaped our future.

"If not for their foresight, we might not have had the chance to perform haj at a young age,” she told Bernama.

Anis Syamimi will be performing haj with her parents, Shuhaina Mohammad and Mohd Hanip Maah, along with her elder sister, Aisyah Afifah, and brother-in-law, Mohammad Faris Fitri Mazlan.

However, two of her other siblings had to defer their pilgrimage due to work and study commitments.

Reflecting on her savings journey, Anis Syamimi said she began setting aside her duit raya in TH at the age of eight in 2008, a practice that continued every year.

"After turning 21, I started saving between RM100 and RM200 monthly. Alhamdulillah, with consistent effort, I now have the means to perform haj with my family,” she said.

Currently working as a robotic process automation (RPA) developer at Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet), she credits her parents for instilling the habit of early financial planning.

To equip themselves for haj, Anis Syamimi and her family have been actively attending haj courses, watching educational videos on YouTube and TikTok, and reading about past pilgrims’ experiences.

She explained that her primary motivation for saving in TH was to ensure she was financially prepared when her turn came.

"TH offers good returns, follows syariah principles, and has automatic zakat deductions. This means we don’t have to worry about paying zakat separately,” she said.

Her elder sister, Aisyah Afifah, 28, shared how their parents opened TH accounts for all their children from a young age and ensured their duit raya was deposited without fail.They were also taught the importance of saving consistently every month to build up enough funds when their haj turn arrived.

"Saving in TH provides multiple benefits, including protection from inflation through annual dividends and the convenience of automatic zakat deductions," she explained.

Aisyah believes that parents should prioritise saving for their children’s haj, even if it starts with small amounts, as early registration increases their chances of securing a spot sooner.

Echoing this sentiment, civil servant Nasihah Rashid, 36, said she has been saving for her daughter, Zulaikha Ashadi, since she was a baby.

"I opened a TH account for her as soon as she was born in 2020 and deposited RM1,300 to meet the minimum haj registration requirement.

"Every month, I allocate RM50 from my salary to her TH savings," she said, adding that beyond being a long-term savings plan, the goal is to make haj more accessible for her daughter in the future.

For Anis Syamimi and many like her, a simple childhood habit of saving duit raya has turned into a life-changing opportunity - proof that disciplined financial planning can bring blessings beyond imagination.

-- BERNAMA