MAKKAH — A Palestinian mother met one of her sons here for the first time in five years, Al-Hayat daily reported. Reda from Gaza Strip did not see his son, who has been studying and working in Germany, for five years ever since he left Palestine to study medicine in Germany. Reda is one of the pilgrims invited to perform Haj under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Mothers of Palestinian Martyrs. She lost one of her sons in Israeli shooting. Reda has brought up 11 children, taught them, took care of them, and given them everything she can so that they grow up to develop their society and country. Sadness and sorrow over the death of one of her sons still wrenches her heart. When the news was broken to her, she collapsed but stood on her feet again and prayed to Allah the Almighty to grant her son paradise. When she learned that she was selected to perform Haj through the Saudi program for mothers of the martyrs, she felt overjoyed. This selection means that she can perform Haj free-of-charge because she will be treated as a guest of King Salman and will stay in a hotel and be provided with everything she needs to perform Haj comfortably. Reda said the Haj trip has alleviated her pain over the death of one of her sons. In fact, this is the aim of the program: to alleviate the suffering of bereaved Palestinian mothers who have lost their own flesh and blood because of the random killing of Palestinians at the hands of Israeli soldiers. The first time she set her foot on Egypt, she and other mothers traveling with her were received by some young Saudis, who speeded up the process of finalizing all travel procedures for them. The next thing Red knew she was on board a flight heading for the two holy cities. At King Abdulaziz International Airport, the arrival procedures were completed quickly and the guests were taken to the bus that would drive them to Makkah. When asked about her feeling the first time she saw Makkah and the Grand Mosque, Reda said it could not be described in mere words. It was a feeling of relief, a feeling of piety, a feeling of strong faith, she said. At the hotel, the guests were received by a team of employees who welcomed them and gave them Zamzam water. This is not the end of Reda's surprises. The next day her phone rang. She picked up to hear the voice of her son who had been studying in Germany for five years and had not seen his mother throughout this time. “Mum, it is me. How are you? I am closer to you,” he said. Reda did not understand and assumed he was saying figuratively that he was closer to her by heart.
“Mother, I am in Makkah too to perform Haj.” The time stopped for a minute while Reda was trying to believe what her son was saying. She did not believe him. He ended the phone call and headed for the hotel where his mother was staying. When she saw her son entering the door of the hotel's hall, she could not believe her eye. She cried with tears of joy in her eyes. After a profoundly moving family reunion, the mother lifted her hands up toward the sky and thanked Almighty Allah and whoever helped her to travel to Makkah perform Haj and see her son.
