The Old Islamic City af Al Ula
At 7.30 am everybody was ready, so we board 45 sitter bus and off we go. On the bus, our mutawif read doa safar and followed by us, as I looked outside through the bus window there were dates palms along the way to al Ula my mind keep on thinking that Madinah and its surrounding area were very famous for dates and grapes. Especially Bruneian, they would take home the “Ajwa dates” in boxes as this dates were believe planted by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),but not only Bruneian other Asian pilgrimage too.
Amir ibn Sa’d narrates from his father that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “He who eats seven Ajwa dates every morning, will not be affected by poison or magic on the day he eats them.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 5130). ‘Ajwa dates, from Madinah, were the favorite of the Prophet. (PBUH)
There is a lot of best date produce in Madinah Six of the leading varieties from diverse regions of the kingdom: sekki, sukkari, Ajwa, dekieri, nubout sayf and khlas,
Varities of Dates
The rutab stage is when the dates are artially or fully ripened. Half or all of the date turns light brown and very soft in this category are khlas, gharr and khunaizi.Tamr is the stage when all of the date turns dark brown and sticky with its sugary syrup. Khlas is an excellent tamr .The last stage is called tamr yabis, or dry dates. At this point, the dates have turned dark brown, tough and lacking in dibs. (Dibs is a dates syrup)
We arrived Al Ula around 11.45 am, and we check in at Arac Hotel, as soon as everything clear we had lunch at the hotel restaurant, then after Zohor our tour begin to Madain Saleh and Thamud village. On the way our tour guide Local Arab starts telling the history of this area in English. Before we go to Madain Saleh we pass by through Old Islamic City the northern and southern part of Al Ula, they called it Al Deera, which goes back to the 7th century H/11th A.D. The building material was reused stone brought from archaeological site, Al Khuraiba located nearby. Many of the Lihyanite inscribed stones, alters, stone blocks can be seen today in existing houses. The houses were lined side by side to form an outer enclosure wall to protect the city against enemy attacks. We could still see the ruin houses all the way to the old city and today the Saudi government had restored the houses to maintain the existing of the Thamud tribe for historical purposes, its was amazing scenario to my life time, and I couldn’t believed myself that I am here in reality in a rare example of Old Islamic City.
At Al Ula City (Behind me)
Major renovation works to restore the Old Islamic City houses
Al-Ula is one of the most interesting Saudi Arabia Tourist Attractions., previously known by the name of Dedan but has now acquired the modern name of Al-Ula.
Al-Ula retained its importance as the center of Saudi Arabian Civilization till the 1st Century B.C. when its position was taken over by the Madain Saleh.however, the place still retains it historical significance as one of the most ancient sites in the country. The place has several evidences of primeval settlements; there are many inscriptions to be found here in Thamudic and Dedanit scripts that tell people a lot about the civilization and culture that had once dominated this region. This place is dotted with rugged mountains that have various interesting and beautiful carved tombs that have geometric designs on them. The famous among these is the Lion Tomb. Al Ula is also characterized by its attractive natural scenery marked by the reddish sandstone inselbergs carved by natural agencies into beautiful and attractive shapes. Sand dunes and inselbergs combined together to form a wonderful display of thrilling nature. During winter and spring, after the rain, the area turns into green fields attracting the inhabitants and visitors from outside the region (the tour guide told.)
Me with Hj Hashim at Old Islamic City
There are also other ancient structures to be found in this region such as forts, dams and wells. The architecture of these constructions reflects the influence of Greek, Roman and Assyrian style.
The Thamud People
The Thamud were a people of ancient Arabia who were known from the 1st millennium BC to near the time of Muhammad. Although they are thought to have originated in southern Arabia, Arabic tradition has them moving north to settle on the slopes of Munear Madain Saleh. Numerous Thamudic rock writings and pictures have been found on Mount Athlab and throughout central Arabia. The oldest known reference to Thamud is a 715 BC inscription of the Assyrrin king Sargon II which mentions them as being among the people of eastern and central Arabia subjugated by the Assyrians.
They are referred to as "Tamudaei" in the writings of Ariston, Ptolemy and Pliny.
The Tomb
In the Qur’an, Aad and Thamud are always mentioned together. Moreover, the verses advise Thamud to take warning from the destruction of Aad peoples.
To the Thamud people (We sent) Saleh, one of their own brethren: He said: "O my people! worship Allah: ye have no other god but Him" "And remember how He made you inheritors after the Aad people and gave you habitations in the land: ye build for yourselves palaces and castles in (open) plains, and carve out homes in the mountains; so bring to remembrance the benefits (ye have received) from Allah, and refrain from evil and mischief on the earth.
(Qur'an: 7:73–74)
To the Aad People (We sent) Hud, one of their own brethren. He said: "O my people! Worship God! Ye have no other god but Him. You are only forgers. "O my people! I ask of you no reward for this (Message). My reward is from none but Him who created me: Will ye not then understand? "And O my people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him (in repentance): He will send you skies pouring abundant rain, and add strength to your strength: So turn ye not back in sin!" They said: "O Hud! No clear (Sign) hast thou brought us, and we are not the ones to desert our gods on thy word! Nor shall we believe in thee! "We say nothing but that (perhaps) some of our gods may have seized thee with evil." He said: "I call God to witness, and do ye bear witness, that I am free from the sin of ascribing to Him, "Other gods as partners!"
(Qur'an 11:50-55)
This verse suggests some kind of relationship between Aad and Thamud, and Aad may even have been a part of Thamud's history and culture. Just as Nuh's, people were seen as the ancestors of Aad, it seems Aad were seen in a similar relation to Thamud. (Thamud people from Prophet Saleh PBUH)
Water reservoir (Behind me the mount were they keep water), The Thamud people
The Aad were a people living in southern Arabia. Some remains of Thamud were found in the region where Aad had lived, especially around the region where capital city of the Hadramites, the descendants of Aad, stood.
(Aad people from Prophet Hud PBUH)
Hj Hashim, Me and Pg Salleh Ab.Rahman at Diwan of the Thamud people, Madain Saleh
Mammoth Rock
Inscriptions and graffiti are widely spread on the sides and summits of Jabal Al Ula covering the prehistoric period and ancient civilizations writings: Lihyanite, Minean, Aramaic, Nabatean as well as Islamic.
The Train
Al Khuraiba, is one of the sites attributed to the Kingdom of Lihyan, which dominated the area during the period between the 6th and 2nd century B.C. Pottery shreds of different types and forms are widespread in the site area. Stone altars, incense burners, stone and statues with Lihyanite inscriptions have been found. Inhabitants in building Al Ula old city reused inscribed stones and other objects. There is a circular basin carved in one piece of sandstone rock believed to be a part of Lihyanite temple. There are also a large number of tombs, each is a room containing a number f graves or simply a single shaft for one person. Some of the tombs have inscription bearing the name of the owner. One of the most known tombs is Al Usud (the lions), which is characterized by two lions carved on the side of the tomb.
Me with the tour guide at old tarin station
Our tour end at about 5.30 pm , and back to Arac Hotel in Al Ula city, so we could catch our SolatAsar prayer before its end, Well, its very tiring , cold and dusty wind (sand) , but whatever it is, its worth what I had imagine.
At night we had nothing to do , so stayed in the hotel do solat Maghrib and Ishya at the Hotel surau and after dinner we were invited to watch a movie “ Lawrence Of Arabia” at the hotel hall, this movie is related with the Al Ula City during world war 1 and where the British empire involved in the middle east affair, I 've seen this picture many times during my school days at SOAS College Auditorium, so me and my friend didn’t watch the movie and went sleep early because we have to go back to Madinah after Suboh Prayer the next day.
TO BE CONTUNIE………………..To Makkah Al Mukkaramah
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As for Muslims Madinah is the city of the Prophet MUHAMMAD SAW, and also his burial place. It was the first Islamic city to support the Prophet (peace be upon him), and it joined him in fighting decisive battles which were instrumental in the victory of Islam and its subsequent spread. As history was told this is the city of the Ansar, or "Supporters' and their brothers the Muhajireen, or "Emigrants", who together formed the first Islamic army which entered Makkah in triumph eight years after the Prophet's Hijrah,
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