For five years, Egyptian expatriate worker Mohammed Ismail feels life has a different taste. The 35-year-old works at a private company and was at first reluctant to make the move to Madinah. He wasn’t sure that he would be able to get used to the new atmosphere. “Unlike my expectations, I was filled with joy to live in this holy city,” he told Arab News with a huge smile on his face, adding that Madinah has a special and distinguished flavor.

One of the best features of the city, according to Ismail, is that one can’t feel boredom. “I have set a schedule for myself to see as much as I can in Madinah,” he said. First on his list, is the Prophet’s Mosque. “I feel serenity, calm and comfort when I visit the mosque,” Ismail explained, pointing to the large expansion projects at the mosque to develop the place.

The touristic and archaeological sites as well as the continuous projects in the city makes Madinah an attraction for expats from different nationalities. The city awaits the finalization of The Haramain High Speed Rail as well as tens of multiple projects of roads, bridge and other schemes. “This attracts workers to come live in this area, and you can see the large numbers of expats who live here,” Ismail said.

The man also praised the government of the Custodian of the two holy mosques for its role in advancing Madinah and giving it the utmost care. “If it wasn’t for this care, Madinah wouldn’t have become the capital of the Islamic culture in 2013 where it hosted numerous numbers of important activities and conferences,” he said referring to the two important educational venues in the city, Taiba University and the Islamic University.

“I sincerely wish I will be able to stay in this city all my life,” Ismail concluded.