Middle East

Pilgrims stay on after Hajj to visit historical monuments, museums

Sun, 2018-08-26 22:23

MAKKAH: Many pilgrims who are still in the Kingdom after the completion of Hajj are reportedly taking the opportunity to visit sites of historical interest in the two Holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.

Dr. Fawaz Al-Dahas, director of the Center for the History of Makkah said that such visits are of cultural significance as they enrich pilgrims knowledge. He stressed the need to preserve Makkahs rich historical value, adding that tourism companies had to share that responsibility.

Researcher Saad Al-Joudi said many people — particularly researchers and students — are very interested in the history of Makkah, which is regarded as the heart of the Islamic world and visited by millions of pilgrims every year during Hajj season.

Al-Joudi noted that there are dozens of important historic sites that should be visited to fully appreciate Makkahs cultural value, and that the companies which organize tours of such sites do so in several languages, including English, French and Urdu.

He explained the need to keep up with the expected increase in pilgrim numbers — predicted to reach 30 million by 2030 — and stressed the importance of giving these pilgrims the opportunity to learn about Makkahs cultural heritage.

Rich history

Al-Joudi said Makkahs and Madinahs rich histories and cultural treasures deserve to be promoted by tourist developments of the highest quality, stressing that such developments would also create new job opportunities for history and language teachers.

Al-Joudi suggested that all locations related to the Prophets life should be identified, preserved and developed, citing Makkahs mountains, entry points used by Prophet Muhammad, as well as souks, libraries, and mosques as examples of sites that would be of interest to visitors.

Madinah, too, is home to several religious monuments and historic locations that are much-visited, especially during Hajj season, including Uhud Martyrs Square, which commemorates the Battle of Uhud in the third Hijri year. Seventy of the Prophets companions killed during the battle are buried there.

The square and its surroundings have undergone many improvements in recent years, the latest one being the development of Sayed Al-Shuhada Square which houses the Sayed Al-Shuhada Mosque, inaugurated last year and can accommodate 15,000 worshippers. It is the second-biggest mosque in Madinah after the Prophets Mosque.

The Mosques of Al-Jumaa, Quba, Al-Qiblatain, Al-Ijabah, Al-Ghamama, and Sayed Al-Shuhada are, according to the Saudi Press Agency, the most-visited religious landmarks in Madinah.

Main category: Saudi ArabiaTags: HAJJ 2018MakkahMadinah WHO praises Health Ministrys exceptional work during Hajj

[contf]
[contfnew]

Arab News

[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]

Related Articles

Middle East

Israel PM ‘flew to Saudi Arabia for secret talks with crown prince’

bbc– Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly flew to Saudi Arabia on...

Middle East

Lebanon’s unfinished revolution: One year after protests, change has yet to come

Issued on: 21/10/2020 – 12:18Modified: 21/10/2020 – 14:28 It's been one year...

Middle East

Israel lauds UAE delegation visit as ‘making history’, Palestinians deem it ‘shameful’

Issued on: 20/10/2020 – 14:27 In an historic first visit by a...

Middle East

Iran rules out weapons ‘buying spree’ as UN embargo is set to expire

Issued on: 18/10/2020 – 07:42 Iran said it was self-reliant in its...