Soeharto on 'umrah' in Mecca
By Kornelius Purba
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (JP): President Soeharto and his family completed Thursday their minor pilgrimage umrah in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Soeharto, his six children, five sons- and daughters-in-law, 12 grandchildren and one great grandchild, took it in turns to kiss the Hajarul Aswad (black stone) in the Kaaba. Tears streamed down some of their faces.
King Fahd Abdul Aziz granted the First Family the very rare opportunity of entering the Kaaba for about 10 minutes to pray.
Soeharto and his family spent one night at the Royal Guest House in Mecca Thursday where they said a special prayer for the late First Lady Tien Soeharto who died in April last year.
"This is a private religious visit for the President and his family," Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said last week.
Soeharto flew to Jeddah after attending the fifth Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, on Monday and Tuesday.
He met his family at King Abdul Aziz Airport Wednesday night.
After resting one night at a hotel near the Red Sea in Jeddah, Soeharto traveled to Mecca, arriving in the Holy City at about 3 p.m.
Wearing ihram (two lengths of seamless white cloth special to the pilgrimage) Soeharto and his family walked from the Royal Guest House to al Haram Mosque a few hundreds meters away.
There they joined hundreds of other international pilgrims.
Family members included eldest daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana and her husband Indra Rukmana; eldest son Sigit Harjojudanto and wife Elsye; second son Bambang Trihatmodjo and wife Halimah; second daughter Siti Hediati Prabowo and her husband Maj. Gen. Prabowo Sugianto.
The other children were Hutomo Mandala Putra and his wife Ardia Pramesti Regita Cahyani; and youngest daughter Siti Hutami Endang Adiningsih. Hutami's husband Pratikto Prayitno was absent.
The grandchildren included Ari Wibowo Harjojudanto and his wife Maya; Danti Indra Rukmana; and Panji Trihatmodjo.
The President was also accompanied by Moerdiono, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas and Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher.
In the cool weather (about 22 degrees Celsius), Soeharto walked with his small grandchildren to his left, and Bambang and Indra to his right. Hutomo and his sisters walked behind.
Soeharto began the pilgrimage with the thawaf, circling the Kaaba inside the mosque seven times. He started from the black stone and continued anticlockwise while reciting verses from the Holy Koran.
Soeharto went on his haj pilgrimage in 1991 and made his first umrah in 1995.
Soeharto was guided by Moslem scholar Quraish Shihab. His presence did not distract the other pilgrims because security was relaxed.
After a rest, he said the Ashar (afternoon) prayer. Then did saiy, walking and running seven times between the Shafa and Marwah mounds, which he carried out in 45 minutes.
"He was very fit and very serious in carrying out his religious duties," officials said.
After the saiy, Soeharto was obliged to cut at least a strand of his hair.
When he turned his head so Quraish could do the honors, the Moslem scholar said: "Please not me Pak, it's better that your hair is cut by your son Mas Bambang."
Quraish agreed to cut Bambang's hair first before the latter cut Soeharto's hair. Soeharto cut the hair of the other family members and they drank Zamzam water from a well inside the mosque compound.
Soeharto and his entourage continued to Medina yesterday for the Friday prayer at the Prophet's Mosque.
"The Friday prayer was more crowded than usual because it coincided with Isra' Mi'raj (Prophet Muhammad's Ascension) Day," an Indonesian diplomat said.
Soeharto and his entourage left Medina last night to fly home on a special flight.
He is expected to arrive this afternoon at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta.