Sinai, Here I Come!

On 6/2/2006 (First Day)

2.00 am
- Departed from el-Mansoura.
6.00 am
- Arrived at Suez City for Morning Prayer.
8.00 am
- Went under the Suez Canal tunnel.
- Had our breakfast before visited prophet Musa’s fountain at Oyun Musa.
- Visit once-an-Israeli Camp (Bar-Lev Line).
- Stopped at Pharaoh’s sauna (Hammam Firaun) at Moon Beach, Gulf of Suez, Red Sea.
2.00 pm
- Had our lunch near Abu Zneima. We also met Bedouin tribe and explored the oases & desert.
4.00 pm
- Arrived at St Catherine Protectorate and visited Prophet Saleh’s tomb. Later, we visited Wadi Muqaddas (refer al-Qurân, surah an-Nazi’at: 016) and walked to Wadi Arba’en. There is a stone which is mentioned in al-Qurân surah al-Baqarah: 60 and surah al-A’raf: 160. Some historian experts believe that the stone is the one mentioned in al-Qurân and some of them said it is referring to the fountain at Oyun Musa.

Prophet Saleh’s tomb

9.00 pm
- Took a rest at Fox Camp. Preparing for Mount Sinai climbing expedition.

On 7/2/2006 (Second Day)

2.00 am
- We climbed the snowcapped Mount Sinai (Jabal Musa - 2285m). It is the second highest peak in Egypt where prophet Musa (was believed) talked directly to Allah and received revelation (refer al-Qurân Surah Maryam: 52).

On the top of Mount Sinai - 2285 m above sea level

5.45 am
- Arrived on the peak during Fajr.
- Watched the beautiful sunrise.
- Took a nap inside the moque.
Note: There are a mosque and a Greek Orthodox church on the peak. Also, there is a place which is believed to be prophet Musa’s (Biblical: Moses) praying site beneath the mosque.
8.00 am
- Began to descend from the mountain.
9.00 am
- Stopped for while at prophet Ilyas’ (Biblical: Elijah) village. It is believed that this village was once where prophet Ilyas’ lived.
10.00 am
- Arrived St Catherine Monastery. Took a rest while waiting for the bus.
12.00 pm
- Had our lunch near Samiri’s calf (read the story in al-Qurân surah Ta-Ha 20:85-98) and prophet Harun’s (Biblical: Aaron) tomb. Visited both site.
4.00 pm
- Arrived at Dahab (situated at Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea).
10.00 pm
- Wandering around Dahab. Bought some souvenir. Ust Nazri treated us with firakh mashwee (roasted chicken).

On 8/2/2006 (Third Day)

1.00 am
- Sleeping time.
8.00 am
- Had our breakfast.
10.00 am
- Began our journey to Taba.
11.00 am
- Stopped for a while in Nuweiba (port to Jordan & Saudi Arabia)
12.30 pm
- Arrived at Taba.
- We took a look at Israel-Egypt border and Taba Hilton Hotel where it was being attacked by terrorists in October 7^th, 2004.

At Egypt (Taba) -Israel (Eilat) border

1.00 pm
- Went to Pharaoh Island to visit Salahuddin al-Ayubi’s Fort. Dated back during Ayyubid period, Salahuddin seized this fort from the crusaders during Seventh Crusade (Psst! I don’t really know whether this information is correct or not… Hah!). From this fort, we could see 3 countries from Egypt - Eilat at Israel, Aqaba at Jordan (if you have binocular, you might see a huge Jordanian flagpole) and Saudi Arabian mainland.

Fort of Salahuddin al-Ayubi

4.00 pm
- Returned to home.
- Passed through Tīh mountain range (refer al-Qurân , Sûrah Al-Mâ’idah 05:26).
5.00 pm
- Stopped at Mamalik’s Rock Inscription.
7.00 pm
- Prayed Jama’ at Dhoyuf ar-Rahmân Mosque at Nakhl. Had our dinner there.

On 9/2/2006

1.00 am
- Arrived at Zagazig.
2.00 am
- Finally, arrived at el-Mansoura.
2.30 am
- Sleep. Ready for a new day.