Every year, hundreds of thousands of people visit Makkah, which is known as the House of Allah, to perform the fifth pillar of Islam. The number has multiplied throughout the years, now surpassing two million pilgrims. The government of Saudi Arabia seeks to develop the sacred sites in Makkah in order to welcome more and more pilgrims with the utmost hospitality and warmth, and to offer the best services and arrangements. Discover these sacred sites with the Shaza Makkah Hotel.
Mina
Mina is known to be the location for performing Hajj rituals, and it is the place where pilgrims spend the night on the day of Tarwiyah, the day of Eid Al Adha, and the days of Tashreeq, as it is the site for throwing pebbles at the Jamarat, and where sacrificial lambs are slaughtered. Due to the importance of this site, the Saudi government has renovated the foothills of the mountains in order to increase the level areas that can accommodate the largest number of pilgrims and facilitate traffic. While it was completely devoid of water in the past, Mina now enjoys water pipes and distribution points that offer two million cubic meters of water. The Saudi government also expanded the area for throwing pebbles at the Jamarat and added elevations in order to accommodate the increased flow of pilgrims.
Arafat
Although its name is associated with Mount Arafa, the Prophet assured that the sacred process of standing in Arafat does not have to take place on top of the mountain and instead can be done anywhere in the spacious valley, saying: “I am standing here, but all of Arafa is the place of standing.” Located 25 kilometers from Makkah, Arafat is where pilgrims gather on the ninth day of Dhu Al-Hijja. There are no inhabitants in Arafat except on the days of Hajj, when many services and facilities are offered to fulfill the needs of pilgrims. Almost 100,000 trees have been planted at the site to ease the weather conditions and provide the pilgrims who stay there until sunset with shade. Pilgrims at Arafat pray to Allah and call to him with the mesmerizing chant: “Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner.’”
Muzdalifah
Located between Mina and Arafat, Muzdalifah is of great importance as pilgrims gather pebbles from its land when they visit it on the eve of the ninth day of Dhu Al-Hijja after a day on Mount Arafa. Pilgrims then spend the night until the next morning, which is the day of Eid Al Adha. Although many women, children, and elders leave Muzdalifah with their male companions after midnight to Mina, the Saudi government expanded this site and prepared the areas where pilgrims spend the night in order to ensure their comfort and ease their Hajj journey. The site has been equipped with all their needs, including sanitation facilities, clean water, and overnight accommodation in order to facilitate traffic.
Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro Line
The train was established in order to facilitate the transportation of pilgrims to the sacred sites. Now there are 16 trains passing by nine stations, with each train comprising 12 carts and accommodating 3,000 pilgrims. Thanks to this train, the south of Arafat and the south of Mina are now connected in the Jamarat area through Muzdalifah via a 20-kilometer path. Pilgrims can reach the train platforms through ramps, elevators, and regular and electric stairs. The automatic gates separate the train, loading, and waiting areas, and they also feature remote sensors able to identify those with tickets sold to companies
