The long school term breaks are the only time available for teachers to go on holiday or perform certain religious obligations, said Pengiran Anak Puteri Hajah Masna Secondary School teacher Hajah Jusnani binti Haji Taha.
“Whenever I perform umrah in March or December, I always see children and teenagers with their parents and families. So I think it’s the most popular time for Bruneians to perform the umrah pilgrimage.”
Hajah Jusnani was among the hundreds of umrah pilgrims joining Straits Central Agencies’ (B) Sdn Bhd (SCA) package who left the country yesterday.
Having performed umrah several times before, this time, she is joining a group of 21, which includes her 26-year-old niece.
“I decided to go on umrah again this year after hearing my colleague’s plans to go with her family this month. Our group is made up of family members and close friends with some performing umrah for the first time.”
While her group was on the afternoon departure via Kuala Lumpur, 251 SCA umrah pilgrims left the country earlier in the morning on a direct Royal Brunei Airlines chartered flight to Jeddah.
Pengiran Haji Mohd Jaafar bin Pengiran Damit from Kampong Mentiri was among the chartered flight pilgrims along with his family of five.
Pengiran Haji Mohd Jaafar said he prefers to go on umrah in December as it is the winter season. “It is cooler to go out during the day and during the walk to the mosques as well as other places as part of the umrah rituals.” – Lyna Mohamad
