A Historic Move After 125 Years!

The Hejaz Railway, first launched by Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1900 to connect Istanbul to Mecca and Medina, is being revived after 125 years!

Türkiye, Jordan, and Syria have signed a protocol for reconstruction. A separate protocol with Saudi Arabia will follow soon.

The new line will stretch from Istanbul → Damascus → Amman → Medina, aiming to provide safe, affordable travel for pilgrims and boost international trade.

Originally completed in 1908, the railway was disrupted during World War I, but now it will return as a modern link of faith, history, and commerce.

#HejazRailway #History #OttomanEmpire #AbdulHamidII #Pilgrimage #FaithAndTrade #Turkey #Jordan #Syria #SaudiArabia

The Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca performed by all Muslims, following in the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad.

All able-bodied followers of Islam with financial means are expected to perform it once in their lifetime, during the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

Here is an overview of the practices that constitute the last pillar of Islam.

Muslim pilgrims have been streaming into the holy city of Mecca ahead of the start of the Hajj, as the annual pilgrimage returns to its monumental scale.

Saudi officials say more than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims have already arrived in the country, with more expected to join them.

Coupled with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims living in Saudi Arabia, officials estimate the number of pilgrims this year to exceed that of 2023, approaching pre-pandemic levels.

The pilgrimage — one of the five pillars of Islam, and which all able-bodied Muslims with sufficient means are required to perform at least once in their lives — is scheduled between June 14 and June 19 this year.

Those partaking in Hajj view the pilgrimage as an opportunity to strengthen their faith, wipe out old sins and start afresh.

Here’s a look at how many pilgrims undertook the Hajj over the years.

Saudi Arabia has said that pilgrims can expect an average high temperature of 44°C (or 111 degrees Fahrenheit) in Mecca during the Hajj pilgrimage this month.

"The expected climate for Hajj this year will witness an increase in average temperatures of one and a half to two degrees above normal in Mecca and Medina," National Meteorology Centre chief Ayman Ghulam said during a press conference on June 4.

He noted that the forecast indicates "relative humidity of 25 percent, rain rates close to zero, and an average maximum temperature of 44 degrees."

The Hajj, which begins on June 14, is one of Islam's five pillars and must be performed at least once by all Muslims who have the means to do so.

Last year, more than 1.8 million Muslims took part in the Hajj, during which over 2,000 people suffered heat stress as temperatures soared to 48°C (or 118 degrees Fahrenheit), according to official Saudi figures.

However, the actual number of heat stress cases — including heatstroke, exhaustion, cramps, and rashes — was likely much higher, as many sufferers were not admitted to hospitals or clinics.

This year's Hajj is expected to be the last official summer Hajj in Saudi Arabia as the annual pilgrimage starts almost a fortnight earlier each year following Islamic Hijri lunar calendar, which lasts 354 days.

A record 2.5 million Muslims gathered at the Great Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, last Friday to mark the Night of Power, one of the holiest nights of Ramadan. At center is the Kaaba, a cuboid stone structure that Muslims believe to be the Bayt Allāh, or “House of God.” Ramadan, the ninth month on the Islamic calendar, concluded on Tuesday with Eid al-Fitr.

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Image by Masjid Al Haram

Kaaba - 1880s. Ottoman Empire
One of the rare photographs of Kaaba during Hajj.
#mecca#mekkah #hajj

Bird's-eye view of Mecca with the Grand Mosque and shrine of Muhammad in the centre, by Carl Ponheimer (1803)

‘The Grand Mosque and Shrine of Muhammad in the centre’ - There is no shrine to the Prophet in Mekkah. Carl Ponheimer was ill-informed about Islam. It says a lot about European understanding of Islam, then and now as well. It might be an innocent mistake or a deliberate attempt to distort the facts.

The Damascus to Medina section of the Ottoman railway network was initially intended to connect Istanbul and Hejaz, the Islamic holy city of Mecca, but construction was interrupted by World War I, reaching only Medina 400 kilometers short of Mecca. The railway aimed to improve economic and political integration of Arabian provinces into the Ottoman state and facilitate military transportation. The completed Damascus to Medina section was 1,300 kilometers (810 miles) long. The railway was a significant part of the Ottoman Empire's railway network.

Below is an old photo of the Hejaz railways.

First taraweeh prayer of Ramadan 1145/2024 in Makkah 🏽

#muslim #islam #makkah #mecca #ramadan

Malcolm X visited Gaza after his pilgrimage to Mecca! This is a painting that reflects Al-Hajj Malik el-Shabbaz