GENEROUS INDIVIDUAL MAKES 69-YEAR-OLD WOMAN'S HAJ DREAM COME TRUE

JOHOR BAHRU, May 15 (Bernama) -- After 14 years of patiently waiting and praying for the chance to fulfil her dream of performing the haj, Rohaya Abdul Kadir never expected she would finally be granted the opportunity to go to the Holy Land - sponsored by a kind-hearted individual.

Rohaya, 69, said her entire pilgrimage to the Holy Land was sponsored by a generous individual as an expression of gratitude after she recovered from a 25-day stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) due to COVID-19.

She said the sponsorship was the most meaningful gift she had ever received. However, she declined to reveal the name of the generous individual.

“I was admitted to the ICU at Sultanah Aminah Hospital for 25 days due to COVID-19 in 2020.

“The generous individual was overjoyed at my recovery and expressed her gratitude by sponsoring my pilgrimage to the Holy Land,” she told reporters at the haj pilgrims send-off ceremony at the Senai International Airport here today.

Also present were Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, state Islamic Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid and state Youth, Sports, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Committee chairman Mohd Hairi Mad Shah.

Rohaya, who has been performing the bathing and shrouding of female Muslim bodies at Masjid Pulai Utama since 2017, said testing positive for COVID-19 was a deeply challenging experience - one that ultimately strengthened her sense of gratitude for life.

“After testing positive, Allah granted me the blessing of life and allowed me to return to my normal routine. On top of that, a kind-hearted individual came forward to sponsor my pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I am truly grateful. Even during my illness, people continued to offer support and donations,” she said.

Rohaya, who is travelling to the Holy Land with her husband, is among the 142 pilgrims from Johor who departed for Makkah today.

Meanwhile, Mohd Fared said a total of 3,800 prospective haj pilgrims from Johor will be performing the haj this year. This includes 500 individuals travelling under the state government delegation via 14 scheduled flights starting yesterday.

--BERNAMA