Hj. Zulheimy Ma'amor: DOWN MEMORY LANE: MEKKAH AL MUKARRAMAH

Tuesday, 21 April 2026

DOWN MEMORY LANE: MEKKAH AL MUKARRAMAH

Mekkah or Mecca (officially Makkah al-Mukarramah) is the holiest city in Islam, located in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia. The birthplace of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w and the site where the first revelations of the Quran occured.

The city is centered around Al Masjid Al Haram (The Grand Mosque), which encloses the Kaaba, a cube-shaped structure that Muslims worldwide face during their five daily prayers.

Every year during Hajj Season, Mekkah welcomed 19.3 million international visitors for Hajj Pilgrims, making it one of the world's most visited cities.

Mekkah is considered a sacred sanctuary, only Muslims are permitted to enter the city.

Mekkah in 2012 (during Umrah)

Areej Al Falah Hotel where I and my Umrah group stayed in 2015. Sometimes spelled Arij Al-Falah, was an active economy accommocation for pilgrims in Mekkah, situated on Ibrahim al-Khalil Road in the Ash Suhubaikah district.

The hotel was approximately 200 to 400 meters from the Masjidilharam, roughly a 5-8 minute walk.

Mekkah in 2015 (during Umrah)

Abraj Al-Janadriyyah in 2017 (during Hajj)

During my Hajj in 2017, I stayed at Abraj Al-Janadriyyah, a primary accommodation and the headquarters for the Malaysian Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) during the Hajj season. In 2017, it housed multiple maktabs (accommodation groups) for Malaysian pilgrims including Maktab 74,75 and 87 (my group).

Mekkah in home to several iconic landmarks, primarily centered around the spiritual heart of Islam, Masjid al-Haram,but extending to historical mountains, cultural districts and modern architectural marvels.

Kindly refers to my blog on my Journey of Faith (Hajj 2017)