KOTA BHARU: Undeterred by his physical limitations after his left leg was amputated due to bone cancer and he has to rely on crutches, a tahfiz teacher here is all set to embark on his spiritual journey to the Holy Land to perform the haj pilgrimage this year.
Azaha Ahmad, 55, from Kampung Wakaf Zain Tawang, Bachok and his wife were among prospective pilgrims from the state who were selected to fulfil the fifth pillar of Islam.
He said his left leg had to be amputated up to the knee level to prevent the cancer from spreading.
“It is not a problem for me to perform hajj as I am assisted by my wife,” he said, adding that he had been suffering from bone cancer from the age of 25.
Azaha said that he is now free of cancer and expressed his gratitude to Allah for being chosen to perform the hajj for the first time.
“I received an offer to perform the haj last year but I could not go as I didn’t have time to take the Covid-19 vaccine booster dose then.
“Alhamdulillah, I was offered again to go to the Holy Land this year and I can’t possibly express my happiness in words,” he told reporters at the Kompleks Islam Jubli Perak Sultan Ismail Petra in Panji, last night.
Meanwhile, a Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) student in Shah Alam, Aiman Suhaimi, 25, said he was also performing the haj for the first time and did not expect to be able to go to the Holy Land at his age.
“I am very grateful to be chosen to go there (the Holy Land) and I would like to thank my parents who set aside money for me to perform the haj since I was a child,” he said, adding that he will perform the pilgrimage with his uncle.
The second-year PhD student in Environmental Chemistry said that he had done various thorough preparations including a health check-up.
“Alhamdulillah, I have completed courses related to haj, besides having a good level of health,” he said.
He is one of 141 prospective haj pilgrims, the second group that departed for the Holy Land from the complex.
Last night, Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud distributed assistance amounting to RM300,000 to the state Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) management to facilitate the journey of 2,360 prospective haj pilgrims from the state. – BERNAMA
