Miqat Dhu al-Hulayfah

Miqat Dhu al-Hulayfah, also known as 'Abar Ali,' is one of the Mawaqit locations that those intending to enter Makkah al-Mukarramah for Hajj or Umrah must pass through to assume Ihram. It is the Miqat for the people of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah and those traveling along their route.

It was named "Dhu al-Hulayfah" as a diminutive form of the plant "al-Hulaf" (Elaeagnus) which is abundant at the site. It is also called 'Abar Ali' because Caliph Ali Ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered wells to be dug when he stayed at Dhu al-Hulayfah. The location is also known as 'Masjid al-Shajarah' (Mosque of the Tree) because the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (PBUH), sought shade under a tree at the site when he set out for Umrah and during his Farewell Pilgrimage. The Miqat Mosque is located north of Makkah al-Mukarramah, at an elevation of 640 m above sea level. It overlooks the western side of al-Aqiq Valley in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah. It is 433 km from the Grand Mosque in Makkah al-Mukarramah and approximately fourteen km from the Prophet's Mosque in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah.

Miqat Dhu al-Hulayfah Mosque was built during the era of Umar Bin Abdulaziz when he was the governor of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah from 706 to 711. It was rebuilt during the Abbasid period and was originally small in size, constructed from mud bricks and stones. Pilgrims and those performing Umrah did not find it comfortable during the seasons, so King Faisal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud ordered the renovation and expansion of the mosque.

Miqat Dhu al-Hulayfah was rebuilt over a total area of approximately 178,000 m, encompassing the mosque and its associated service facilities. The modern structure consists of two groups of arcades separated by a courtyard of around one thousand m. The arcades have arches that end in long domes, reaching a height of sixteen m above the ground. The mosque itself is built in a square shape, covering an area of six thousand m, and can accommodate seven thousand worshippers. The mosque includes around five hundred restrooms, along with designated areas for Ihram, ablution, and bathing, as well as parking spaces. Additionally, a market was built to meet the needs of pilgrims and Umrah performers, and a sixty-two-m-high minaret with a spiral staircase was constructed. It is built with a distinctive architectural design, taking into account the planting of green spaces and trees to help reduce the temperature, especially during the summer months.