Every year, many Muslims go to Makkah to perform the annual pilgrimage. During this stay, they performed a lot of rites, including in the City of Mina. Mina is located in a low-lying valley, which is about 5 miles (8.05 km) away from Makkah province. It’s also called the “City of Tents”, which has more than one lac tent.
Every year, roughly three million pilgrims stay in Mina tents during the Hajj. This is due to the fact pilgrims stay there on the night of the eighth, eleventh, and twelfth of Dhul Hijjah. Most pilgrims use Hajj Packages to visit Mina as well as other Islamic places during Hajj. The size of the tents is 8 square meters, which is approximately 6 by 8 or 12 by 8 meters. Furthermore, the place is also an important symbol because of the location of the three stone pillars of the Jamarat.
Throughout the Islamic history of Mina City
If we talk about Islamic history, like everything, Mina city also has a back story.
According to Muslim beliefs, the Valley of Mina is associated with Prophet Ibrahim (A.S). In a dream, the Prophet was instructed by Allah Almighty to sacrifice His son in the Mina. He decided to accomplish the guidelines of God. By following that, He takes His son Ismail (A.S) to the valley. Prophet Ibrahim (A.S) was stopped by the devil while performing the sacrifice. Then Allah (SWT) ordered the Prophet to stone the devil. As a result, the location was named “Mina” which implied “the place where he was tested”. The act of stoning the devil during Hajj is a tribute to the practice of Prophet Ibrahim (A.S).
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The Saudi government installed long-term cotton tents in the 1990s. After that, in 1997, more than 100,000 permanent tents were built, each measuring 8 by 8 meters. Each of these has its exterior walls and is divided according to the nationalities of the pilgrims. Millions of pilgrims can temporarily stay in the camp of tents. Inside each tent, there are many facilities like kitchen, toilet, and ablution facilities. The Saudi government has established a specific number of signs to identify the tents. The Saudi Ministry also enhances the location of Jamarat pillars.
Note: Mina is a popular site during the annual pilgrimage. Moreover, you can visit this by reserving Hajj or Umrah Packages 2023.
Facts about Mina
The following are a few little-known facts about the city of tents:
- Mina is home to the “Cave of Mursalaat”. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) received Surah Mursalaat in this location.
- It is believed that al-pledges Aqabah was preserved in Mina when a group of men accepts Islam.
- Mina is situated between Mount Arafat and the Grand Mosque of Makkah.
- It holds Jamarat Bridge where the stoning of the devil ritual is carried out.
- At Mina, it is forbidden for men and women to share a bed.
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Conclusion
By summing, Mina is a famous place in Makkah enclosed by Mountains. This city becomes desired and crowded during Hajj days. It contains three pillars of Jamarat Bridge, where pilgrims performed the rites of stoning. The pilgrims seek forgiveness for sins and stone these pillars as they swear allegiance to God.
