MAKKAH: The 1445H/2024M haj season was a bittersweet and sombre pilgrimage journey for 38-year-old Mohd Azmil Abdul Hanid and his wife Zuraida Mohd Haris.
Mohd Azmil lost his 37-year-old wife, who died at King AbdulAziz Hospital at 8.15pm on Monday.
"At the time, I managed to go in front of the Kaabah to perform voluntary tawaf and earnestly prayed for a peaceful end for my wife.
"Just as I completed the seventh circuit of tawaf, I received a call while standing in front of the Kaabah again, informing me that my wife had passed away," said Mohd Azmi, who was overwhelmed with emotions, during the interview with Malaysian press.
About a week before that, Mohd Azmil said he had accompanied Zuraida who was referred to the hospital.
"She asked me to accompany her and I was in the ambulance with her until she lost consciousness," he said.
He said that as his wife lost consciousness, the hospital decided to conduct a CT scan.
"The next day, I was informed that my wife's heart had stopped for six minutes, which left me stunned and saddened.
"The doctor had to perform an urgent surgery to remove fluid from her brain.
"Although the doctor initially indicated a 24-hour recovery period, my wife remained in a coma after the operation," he said.
Azmil said during the six days of his wife's coma, he consistently visited and prayed for her speedy recovery.
However, the attending doctor informed him that his wife's blood pressure was dropping and he should be prepared.
Mohd Azmil added that the funeral prayer for Zuraida took place at Masjidil Haram before she was laid to rest at the Syuhada Al-Haram Cemetery.
At the cemetery, Mohd Azmil was allowed to enter the grave to receive his wife and place her there.
"It was truly heartbreaking when I left the cemetery after the burial process ended. I sincerely hope to have the opportunity to visit my wife's grave someday.
"I believe my wife was a good person. She was a religious teacher and taught children Quran at night.
"I was told that when my wife was about to depart for the Holy Land, many of her students cried, and the school also held a Yasin recitation upon receiving the news."
He had married Zuraida 12 years ago and was blessed with a nine-year-old daughter.
Mohd Azmil and his wife were among more than 30,000 Malaysian pilgrims selected to perform the haj this year.