Aidil Adha in Morocco - waiting for the King.

My recent Aidil Adha with Malaysian soldiers in Lebanon and a gathering with Palestinian orphans was memorable. But so was my Aidil Adha last year in Morocco .

My friend Fadzil and I spent a week in that country during the Haj season. Morocco's biggest city, Casablanca, made famous by the Humphrey Bogart-Ingrid Bergman movie of the same title was a bit of a disappointment. If it wasn't for the imposing Hassan II mosque there was not much else to see there. Situated on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic ocean, which could be seen through a gigantic glass floor the mosque could accommodate 25,000 worshippers. A further 80,000 could be accommodated in its courtyard. At 210 metres the mosque's minaret is the world's tallest.

We then spent three days in colourful Marrakesh. It was lively and interesting but I would echo every visitor’s advice not to buy anything from the souks/great bazaar Marrakesh is famous for. In fact do not even so much as show interest or ask the price of anything, for you will be hounded no end till your nerves are all frayed! The traders there were aggressive and would stop at nothing for a sale. The trouble was that they start off with ridiculous prices and then expect you to bargain to death! Still, Fadzil and I did buy a leather jacket each. We were convinced that the polite and ‘religious’ shop assistant was a true exception from the rest of them. In fact he was ticked-off by his boss for selling us at lower than the market prices. Whether that was only a drama, God only knew!

Our train ride back to Rabat was packed with travellers going home or somewhere for the Eid. The train was old and slow and made many stops. We arrived Rabat way behind schedule and decided not to go to Fez the next day as it would be the same scenario. Besides, all of Fez would have been closed leading up to Eid.

On the day of the Eid, my friend and host asked us to join him for the prayer at the Royal Mosque in the palace ground. What a treat! Of course we could not be with him in the same section as the dignitaries and the King (Mohammed VI) himself. We sat at the back section of the mosque partitioned off from the royal section.

The mosque was very cold on that sunny December morning. We were reciting the takbir for rather a long time, waiting for His Majesty’s arrival. I was worried if I needed to go to the gent’s in that freezing ambiance.

Finally after what seemed like an hour of eternity, His Majesty the King and entourage arrived. Thereafter, the rituals of prayer and sermon were conducted in what I thought was an express-train-like speed. And it was all over in about 15 minutes. I did not get a glimpse of the King either as he was whisked away from the mosque in no time.

Clearly a memorable occasion nevertheless.

Later at home, some 150 Malaysian students, from the many more studying in Morocco, joined us to celebrate the occasion. I was very pleased to be part of the gathering to meet with young Malaysians, the future of our beloved country.

That visit was in fact my second to Morocco. I must like Morocco that much for, Insya-Allah, I plan to take my brother and his wife for a holiday there next year.