..Pak Weil and the Haj..

..would be haji Ismail bin Ibrahim, 74..

 ..he is the bilal of our village's masjid, the masjid's muezzin, as it is...and at 74 he is slight of built, soft of voice and looked a little bit frail...but he is healthier than most, definitely healthier than most of his age...

...well-wishers who came to see him off..

 ..for the past four years he has been trying to make it to Makkah...age is fast catching up with him and he knew he has to make the trip before his health fails him...Makkah was in his doa's, his prayers and always on his mind...

..his luggage..

..several weeks ago, he got the letter...telling him that he was chosen together with his wife, Halimah binti Junoh...Flight Group 61, KT 61, the eighth last flight, with departure on the 4th at 1.30 am, from KLIA...the preparations left him breathless...the Health Department, Bachok ran out of innoculation serum...but his children rallied around him...his cucus, numbering 30 from 6 of his 8 children, kept his hopes high..

..and this morning, as he left for Pengkalan Chepa for the noon flight to Kelana Jaya, pakmat called out the azan...Allah is Great...Allah is Great...this is no God but Allah...and Mohammad is His Messenger..

..Godspeed, Pak Weil...may Allah keeps you under His care, and mabror be your Haj......