History may never cease to ink its stories on our minds and hearts, but there is no history more precious and fascinating than the history of Umm Al-Qura (Makkah) and its holy valley by the Grand Mosque.



The social life that the people of Makkah had as well as their rituals and traditions have been of great interest to historians. The people of Makkah (known in Arabic as Makkawis) took it upon themselves to serve pilgrims during the Haj season. For the rest of the year, Makkah is filled with prosperity and the spirit of dedication.



There are some Makkawis who believe that it is the spirits of the first and last wives of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, that make up the city’s soul as both are buried in Makkah, the Arabic-language Makkah daily reports.



Almilah graveyard, nicknamed paradise by the locals, is considered one of the most welcoming and relaxing areas in Makkah due to the presence of the Zamzam water well. The height difference between Sheibah Gate (the oldest gate in the Holy Mosque) and Almilah graveyard is 1,042 meters.



According to the Dutch Orientalist Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje, Makkawis live to serve their God, then themselves. “They go to Almilah not to mourn but to celebrate as they have turned it into a park where people can gather and spend the day,” he said.



The Orientalist converted to Islam and entered Makkah in 1885 and stayed there for six months to document the daily lives of the locals. Dr. Miraj Nawab Mirza, professor of geography, and Dr. Mohammad Mahmoud Al-Siriany translated and edited two of Hurgronje’s books for the King Abdulaziz Foundation in 1999.



Dr. Samir Ahmad Burqah, an expert in Islam and history, said Almilah graveyard, which is located to the northeast of Makkah, is still considered the biggest and most important graveyard in Islamic history. “All of the pilgrims who are blessed to be martyred during the Haj pilgrimage are buried here along with some renowned personas such as Sheikh Mohammad Safar and Fowziyah Bint Ibrahim Al-Juffali, may Allah bless their souls,” he said.



The Prophet’s first wife, Khadijah Bint Khuwailid, was buried in Makkah but there is no evidence that pinpoints the exact location of her grave. Some historians, however, believe her grave must not be too far away from Almilah graveyard. Details about the whereabouts of Khadijah’s grave were only available to historians around five centuries ago. Khadijah was married to the Prophet for 25 years before passing away at the age of 65 while the Prophet was 50.



Maimuna Bin Harith was the Prophet’s last wife and historians and religious scholars are mostly in agreement about the location of her grave. Dr. Samir Barqah said Maimuna’s grave is located on the left of the new Alhijrah road in Makkah. It is only 16 kms northwest of the Grand Mosque.



The area surrounding the grave is known as Saraf valley where the famous Alfatih Alshaheer Mosque lies. Historically, the Prophet and his army stayed overnight at the Mosque right before conquering the city of Makkah. Makkawis call the area Al-Nawariyah, a neighborhood that has been named after rock sediment found in the area. The neighborhood has gone through renovations but Maimuna’s grave remains intact and guarded with steel bars.



In the 1980s, the grave faced destruction due to plans to construct roads linking Makkah and Madinah, but King Khalid Bin Abdulaziz complied with the requests of the Makkawis and fortified the grave instead. Moreover, Dr. Barqah talked about an initiative, in which he is a founding member, called Muad, which works on liaising with the authorities to restore and maintain the grave as a means of preserving Islamic history and architecture.