11 places to visit in Makkah During Umrah

Travel

Makkah is an important city historically and religiously for Muslims. This city was discovered after settled of Prophet Ismail and his mother at that’s place of Zamzam well. Due to water sources in the desert, a different group of people started to live there and this city was called Makkah. And that’s it city where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born and he started his Islamic preaching. 

Millions of Muslims travel from all over the world to perform Hajj and Umrah each month of every year. With the passing of centuries, today visiting Makkah is the priority for every Muslim. No doubt it has many historical moments and stories but it is also a lavish city among other top cities of the world. 

Note: Non-Muslims don’t enter religious places in Makkah whether they are travelling on a tourist visa but this is a welcoming city for all Muslims. Now Muslims can get their Tourist Visas in all Umrah Packages From UK because the UK is one of those countries which inhabitants get benefits to visit Saudi Arabia. 

There are 11 places to visit during Umrah in Makkah which are making it special for every upcoming Muslim.

  1. Al-Haram Mosque
  2. Jannat-ul-Muala
  3. Auction House Makkah
  4. Mount Abu Qubays
  5. Site of Battle of Badr
  6. Mina
  7. Factory of Kiswah
  8. Makkah Mall
  9. Ayesha Mosque
  10. Cave Thawr 
  11. Cave Hira
Travel

Al-Haram Mosque

Al-Haram Mosque is the largest and most important mosque in the world. This mosque was 1st built in the age of 2nd Caliph Omar Ibn e Khattab and has been modified continuously from time to time. There are four important points in this mosque Kabba, Safa & Marwah, Maqam e Ibrahim, and Zamzam well. 

Muslims perform Tawaf around the Kabba and this is also the second qibla to offer five times daily prayers. They run (fast walk) between Safa and Marwah. Zamzam is purified water according to current scientific research. But along the purified, it is holy water for Muslims. 

Maqam e Ibrahim is such a place near the Kabba where Muslims offer 2 Rakats of prayer after completing Tawaf during Hajj and Umrah.

Allah revealed three stones from Jannah in which two sacred stones in this mosque, one are fitted in the Kabba wall and the other is fixed at Maqam e Ibrahim.

Travel

Jannat-ul-Maula

Jannat-ul-Maula is an old and historic graveyard for Muslims as some important personalities who were associated with our Holy Prophet (PBUH) are buried there. 

What special persons are buried there?

There are buried the family members, companions and relatives of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him), some of whom are named as:

  • Aminah (RA) – Mother 
  • Khadija (RA) – First Wife 
  • Qasim (RA)- Son
  • Abdul Mutalib – Grandfather 
  • Abu Talib – Uncle 

After establishing the ruling of Ibn Saud, this historic was demolished. We could see tombs in this cemetery which represented who is buried where but now is possible only in old videos and pictures. This graveyard is located on the north side of Masjid al-Haram and is surrounded by a white wall. 

Auction House Makkah

Auction House Makkah

Auction House is the most visiting place, especially for coming tourists in Makkah whether they come to do Hajj or Umrah. This Auction House is located in the Hilton tower where foreigners may be shocked to see the ancient gems and pieces of jewellery, old currency coins, and many other interesting pieces of stuff. Muslims can buy from this Auction House but here buyer fellows’ bidding system.

Mount Abu Qubays

Mount Abu Qubays is also adjacent to Al-Haram Mosque. It was that mountain on which our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) showed the miracle of splitting the moon. This mountain saved the Hajar al Aswad when the flood destroyed everything in the era of Prophet Nuh (AS).

According to Al-Tabari, the first Prophet Adam (A.S.) died at the foot of Mount Aby Qubays, and he was rested there. Governor Hajjaj Bin Yousaf fired a catapult from the top of the mountain onto the Kabba in 691 CE. Abdullah bin Zubair was killed in this battle.  

Site of Battle of Badr

Badr is a town which is located about 130km from Madinah. This was the right place where the first battle was fought between pagans of Makkah and Muslims. This bloody moment occurred on 17 Ramadan 2nd Hijri.

313 Muslims defeated 1300 pagans in this battle. This small number of Muslims was not well-trained for war, and no one had the equipment. At that time, Prophet’s army has only two horses and 70 camels. This historic place is located 334km from Makkah. This first war is also mentioned in Quran, so no one will want to miss this historic place to visit during his journey of Makkah.

Mina

Mina

Mina is a valley that is located at a 3km distance from Makkah. This valley is a very important part of Hajj. During the Hajj, pilgrims pass their 1st, 3rd and 4rth days in this valley. Ministry of Hajj and Umrah build tents there but these are fully accommodation with modern comforts. There is Jammarat place in this valley. 

Jammarat is three stone pillars where pilgrims perform the Rami ritual during Hajj, not Umrah. 

Sacrifice ritual is also performed there. Due to tents, it’s known as the “city of tents”. Muslims don’t need to go to Mina for performing the Rami ritual in Umrah. But this place is recommended for tourists to visit only imagine of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) scarify and patience of Prophet Ismail (AS). So, this is also another historic place for tourism.

Mina

Al Kiswah Factory

Al Kiswah Factory is a single Factory that made a special curtain which we see around the Kabba building. According to a tradition, it was either Hazrat Ismail (SAW) or the grandfather (Abdul Mutalib) of the Prophet (PBUH) who first placed the cloth curtain on the Kabba building that is called Kiswah. Over the centuries, the fabrics and colours used to cover the Ka’bah have changed.

Today, the task of designing, dyeing, weaving, printing and embroidery Kiswa falls on a specialized government factory in Makkah that’s called Al Kiswah Factory. 

The factory is located just 10 minutes’ drive from the Al-Haram Mosque, adjacent to the Kiswah Factory Museum, known as the Exhibition of the Two Haram Buildings. Tourists can visit this factory for around 1 hour, and the ticket price is free.

Makkah Mall

Makkah Mall is a home to find a different variety of almost local and international brands items. This house is equipped with almost all the human needs that are the purpose of a Mall. To visit the whole of it, you need to a couple of hours. If you are enthusiastic about shopping or spending money, this is a great place to find everything you need.

Some Important information about Makkah Mall:

Location:  King Abdullah Rd, Al Jamiah, Makkah 24246, Saudi Arabia. 

Timing:  12:00 am – 12:00 am 

Time required to visit1:30 hour (If you don’t stop at every outlook or restaurant as a cursory)

Tip: The best source to reach it is a rented car but you can get this option in your Umrah Packages 2022 by advanced booking transport.

Mina

Ayesha Mosque

Ayesha Mosque is also known as Al Taneem Mosque. This name was given by an incident that was happened with Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)’s wife Ayesha (R.A.). 

A Prophet’s companion (Jaabir) reported that incident:

During Farewell Hajj, Ayesha (R.A.) faced a menstrual cycle then she asked her husband – Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) what do I do now? Then Prophet of Allah said her to perform all rites of Hajj except Tawaf. And Prophet’s wife performed all rites except Tawaf. Again Ayesha (R.A.) said, “O Rasulullah! While you have performed Hajj and Umrah, I have performed only Hajj”.

The Muhammad (PBUH) told her brother to take her to Taneem. Upon reaching this place, she purified herself and entered ihram again intending to perform Umrah. So in this way, Ayesha (R.A.) completed her Hajj and Umrah. 

Here, we do not use these words to describe this event as stated in the hadith, but to know the correct words of the hadith, go to this source: https://www.islamiclandmarks.com/makkah-other/masjid-aisha

It is the closest point for each of them who want to perform Hajj and Umrah whether they are locals or foreigners. Muslims often select this mosque for starting their second Umrah. 

The distance from Makkah to Taneem mosque is about 6.5 km, so, you can easily find any transport like bus or taxi to reach Ayesha Mosque there.

Cave Thawr

Cave Thawr

This cave reminds us of a great event that took place during the migration of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions from Makkah to Madinah. This point is one of the Ziyarats where pilgrims go after performing Hajj and Umrah.

What happened at Migration time to Madinah from Makkah?

Makkah polytheists were making a plan to assassinate Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). Because they were constantly failing to stop the preaching of the Prophet of Islam. But Prophet and his companion left the Makkah before reaching polytheists with the help of Allah.

They took refuge for 3 days and 3 nights in this cave during migration. A troop of polytheists reached but they didn’t enter the cave after seeing a huge spider web. Thereby, Allah saved his Prophet from enemies of Islam. This cave is located about 4km south of Makkah.

Cave Hira

Cave Hira

Cave Hira is the second important cave after Cave Thawr. Cave Hira is the second important cave after Cave Thawr. But you can say it 1st than Thawr. Because that is the place where Allah revealed his first verses of the Quran upon Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) through Gabriel Angel. 

Muhammad (PBUH) was spent more time in meditation and finding the grace of Allah in this cave. When Grace of Allah revealed that was a night of Ramadan. So, Quran and Hadiths are mentioned that night with the name of Laylatul Qadr. The location of this cave is at a height of 634 meters in the Al Nour Mountain. The distance of it from the Kabba is only four km. 

So, this cave is so significant Ziyarat among pilgrims.

Definitely, there are more places except described 11 to visit that directly relates to our faith and Islam. But that’s all upon us what is significant for us and not. There is a tip for every foreigner if he wants to explore it then try to get a Tourist Visa than an Umrah Visa, because it offers more periods to stay in Saudi Arabia.