Although visiting Madinah is not part of the rituals of Haj, the city is the second destination that pilgrims visit either before or after Haj to pay homage to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and pray at his mosque. The Saudi authorities have completed all preparations to receive pilgrims in the city to make their stay not only comfortable but also memorable.

There are a number of centers in the city to receive pilgrims. These centers are at Prince Muhammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport, Al-Hijra on the express road, the Land Pilgrims’ Station along the Jamiaat Road and at Al-Hufairah along Tabuk Road.

Pilgrims will be grouped at these centers once their papers are checked. They will then be guided to their accommodation via a computerized network system. After praying at the Prophet’s Mosque, pilgrims can visit a number of historical places around Madinah, including Quba Mosque, which was the first mosque to be built in Islam. The Prophet (pbuh) built this mosque when he first arrived in Madinah from Makkah. They may also visit Baqi Al-Gharqad, the cemetery that contains the graves of the Prophet’s companions and the graves of many of the 70 martyrs of Uhud. The other historic places in Madinah include the Jumaa and Al-Qiblatain Mosques.