MAKKAH: They not only look very similar, and share the same interests, but are here on the journey of their lifetimes together the same year.
Two of them even have the same jobs and graduated from the same university.
Twenty-seven year old triplets Muhamad Zaini Fikri Mohd Yusop, Muhamad Zarif Fikri and Muhamad Zazali Fikri have caused some confusion among Malaysian haj pilgrims staying at Abraj Al-Janadriyah, also the Tabung Haji (TH) headquarters.
It took some time for their roommates to be able to tell them apart but they are now all settled in and a familiar sight along the corridors of the ninth floor of the TH accommodation building.
Here with their elder brother Muhamad Faizul Fikri, 34, and his wife Siti Naqsya Mohamad, the trio, from Batu Pahat, Johor feel very blessed to have been given the opportunity to perform the haj at a young age.
Muhamad Zaini, who is doctor in Klang Hospital, said their parents registered them with TH for the haj when they were still in primary school.
"All our duit Raya were deposited into our Tabung Haji accounts from when we were in Year One. We are very grateful to our parents for this even though we did miss our duit Raya then," he said with a smile.
Muhamad Zaini, who just got married eight months ago, hoped to be able to come back to Makkah one day with his wife.
The youngest of the three, Muhamad Zazali, said they were all called to perform the haj in 2015 by TH with their parents but could not make it then for various reasons.
"My brother Muhamad Zaini and I were then in our final year for our medical degree in Mansoura University in Eqypt so we requested for a postponement together with Muhamad Zarif," said Muhamad Zazali, who is working in Batu Pahat Hospital.
He said two other siblings had also performed their haj thanks to their parents' efforts in registering all six siblings with TH from when they were very young.
He said it was more meaningful for him to perform the haj now when he was already working as he was using his own money for expenses.
"I appreciate it more when the money is from my own sweat and toil."
Muhamad Zarif said all three of them share the same interests - bowling and ping-pong and was in the same class until Form Three.
"In Form Four we went our separate ways as I was not interested in the science stream."
Muhamad Zarif took a diploma after completing secondary school, worked for three years, then registered to get his degree in hotel catering at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia.
He is happy to be "reunited" with his brothers here in the Holy Land.
They arrived in Madinah on July 14, and departed for Makkah after eight days.
Pilgrims traditionally visit Madinah to pray at the Prophet's Mosque, either before they begin the haj rituals in Makkah or once they have completed it.