Mada'in Saleh
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Coordinates: 26°48′51″N 37°56′51″E / 26.81417°N 37.9475°E
| Al-Hijr Archaeological Site (Madâin Sâlih)* | |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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| State Party |  Saudi Arabia |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iii |
| Reference | 1293 |
| Region** | Arab States |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2008 (32nd Session) |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO. |
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Mada'in Saleh Arabic: مدائن صالح , madāʼin Ṣāliḥ, "Cities of Saleh"), also called Al-Hijr ("rocky place"), is an ancient city located in northern Hejaz (modern day Saudi Arabia), around 22 km from the red-cliffed wadi town of Al-`Ula (Arabic: العلا). In ancient times the city was inhabited by Thamudis and Nabateans and was known as Hegra.
Some of the inscriptions found in the area date back to the 2nd millennium BC. However, all the remaining architectural elements are dated to the period of the Thamudi, Lihyan and Nabatean civilizations, between the 1st millennium BC and the second century AD.[1]
In 2008, UNESCO proclaimed Mada'in Saleh as a site of patrimony, becoming Saudi Arabia's first World Heritage Site.[2]
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[edit] General Information
The city of Al Hajr or Madain Saleh is an archeological site in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, located in the of Al Ola sector within the Al Madinah region. It occupies a strategic position linking Mesopotamia with Syria and Egypt. It was the land of Thamoods in Wadi Al Qurah "Valley of Villages", between Al Madinah and Tabouk. They say that, Al Hajar was known as Madain Saleh or Saleh Quarh. Ref. [3]
[edit] Quoted in the Qur'an
وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ أَصْحَابُ الحِجْرِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
The people of Al-Hijr disbelieved the messengers.
وَآتَيْنَاهُمْ آيَاتِنَا فَكَانُواْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضِينَ
We gave them our revelations, but they disregarded them.
وَكَانُواْ يَنْحِتُونَ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا آمِنِينَ
They used to carve secure homes out of the mountains.
فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ مُصْبِحِينَ
The disaster hit them in the morning.
فَمَا أَغْنَى عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ
What they hoarded did not help them.
Al hijr-15(Verses 80-84) (translation by Rashad Khalifa)[4]
وَإِلَى ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَالِحًا قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ هَذِهِ نَاقَةُ اللّهِ لَكُمْ آيَةً فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِي أَرْضِ اللّهِ وَلاَ تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوءٍ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
And to Thamûd (people, We sent) their brother Sâlih (Saleh). He said: "O my people! Worship Allâh! You have no other Ilâh (God) but Him. (Lâ ilâha ill-allâh: none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh). Indeed there has come to you a clear sign (the miracle of the coming out of a huge she-camel from the midst of a rock) from your Lord. This she-camel of Allâh is a sign unto you; so you leave her to graze in Allâh's earth, and touch her not with harm, lest a painful torment should seize you.
وَاذْكُرُواْ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ مِن بَعْدِ عَادٍ وَبَوَّأَكُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِن سُهُولِهَا قُصُورًا وَتَنْحِتُونَ الْجِبَالَ بُيُوتًا فَاذْكُرُواْ آلاءَ اللّهِ وَلاَ تَعْثَوْا فِي الأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ
"And remember when He made you successors after 'Ad (people) and gave you habitations in the land, you build for yourselves palaces in plains, and carve out homes in the mountains. So remember the graces (bestowed upon you) from Allâh, and do not go about making mischief on the earth."
قَالَ الْمَلأُ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ مِن قَوْمِهِ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ لِمَنْ آمَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَالِحًا مُّرْسَلٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ قَالُواْ إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلَ بِهِ مُؤْمِنُونَ
The leaders of those who were arrogant among his people said to those who were counted weak - to such of them as believed: "Know you that Sâlih is one sent from his Lord." They said: "We indeed believe in that with which he has been sent."
قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ إِنَّا بِالَّذِي آمَنتُمْ بِهِ كَافِرُونَ
Those who were arrogant said: "Verily, we disbelieve in that which you believe in."
فَعَقَرُواْ النَّاقَةَ وَعَتَوْاْ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِمْ وَقَالُواْ يَا صَالِحُ ائْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
So they killed the she-camel and insolently defied the Commandment of their Lord, and said: "O Sâlih! Bring about your threats if you are indeed one of the Messengers (of Allâh)."
فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُواْ فِي دَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ
So the earthquake seized them, and they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes.
فَتَوَلَّى عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَةَ رَبِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ وَلَكِن لاَّ تُحِبُّونَ النَّاصِحِينَ
Then he (Sâlih) turned from them, and said: "O my people! I have indeed conveyed to you the Message of my Lord, and have given you good advice but you like not good advisers."
Al-Araaf-7(Verses 73-79)Translated by Mohsin Khan[5]
[edit] Traditions
Within Saudi society it is considered a cursed place.
According to their personal opinions, many well-meaning Saudis will discourage the casual Muslim or non-Muslim visitor, despite the government's official encouragement of tourism. However, the Quran doesn't discourage this, to the contrary ; to take a hint on the precedents in history is a duty upon the believers.
[edit] Tourism
Mada'in Saleh is now one of the little known tourist jewels of Saudi Arabia. It is considered second only to the famous Petra in Jordan in terms of Nabataean architectural remains. Nabatae.net states "It has 131 tombs spread out over 13.4 kilometers than take several hours to visit with a guide. The city proper (h)as a siq, walls, towers, water conduits, and cisterns."[6]
A tourist visa to Saudi Arabia is required. These are usually only given to pre-arranged tour groups. Although individuals working in the kingdom have little more to do on arrival, than to obtain an official permit from the Al-`Ula police office with a fee of about 100SR.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Personal website on Hegra (Madain Saleh) (picture, text, map, video and sound) at hegra.fr
- Photo gallery at nabataea.net
- World Heritage listing submission
- Photos from Mauritian photographer Zubeyr Kureemun
- Historical Wonder by Mohammad Nowfal
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