Okaz/Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage will establish a tourists center at Mount Al-Nour in Makkah.

The commission is running several projects to preserve significant sites in Islamic history. The center will have tour guides and documentations on the history of the mountain and its significance in the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The area has 230 projects that are funded with a budget of SR5 billion. The projects are greatly supported by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman.

The architectural design of the center is complete. According to historical records, the mountain is in the northeast of the Holy Mosque on Al-Adl Road. It was called Mount Al-Nour because the word Nour means light in Arabic. It signifies the light that befell the Prophet (pbuh) when he used to worship at Ghar (Cave) Hiraa in the mountain.

The mountain is 642 meters high with a slope 380 long meter reaching 500 meters in height. The area of the mountain is 5.2 sq. meters. The mountain looks like a camel’s hump. The Cave of Hiraa is one of the most significant holy sites in Islam. It is where the Prophet (pbuh) heard the angel Gabriel for the first time and where the prophethood was bestowed upon him.

The commission has already worked on renovating several holy sites in Makkah and Madinah and documented its history. The projects have been launched to organize Islamic tourism in the two cities. The projects are supported by public and private companies and directorates to ensure their sustainability.