Mina: Mina stands as one of the most revered sacred sites intricately tied to the rituals of Hajj. Deeply rooted in Islamic history and spirituality, this valley remains a living witness to the continuity of worship from the time of Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him, to the present day.
According to Saudi Press Agency, located between Makkah and Muzdalifah, approximately seven kilometers from the Grand Mosque, Mina is encircled by mountains and comes alive with faith during the days of Hajj. Pilgrims spend the nights of Tashreeq here, performing essential rituals such as the symbolic stoning of the Jamarat, animal sacrifice, and the shaving or trimming of hair.
Mina holds a unique spatial identity, shaped by its geography and sanctified by the acts of devotion performed on its land. The rows of white tents that now define the valley have become a signature feature of the modern Hajj experience. These tents, designed with the highest standards of safety and comfort, accommodate millions of pilgrims in an organized, secure, and climate-controlled environment.
In earlier decades, Mina's tents were temporary structures made from cloth, wood, or felt, lacking basic safety or comfort, and dismantled after each Hajj. Today, Mina is equipped with over 100,000 permanent tents made of fire- and heat-resistant fiberglass. Covering nearly 2.5 million square meters, these air-conditioned units follow a systematic numbering system that improves organization and ensures quick access.
This transformation has turned Mina into a fully functioning temporary city supported by integrated accommodation, healthcare, security, and logistical services. Central to this system is the Jamarat Bridge, a 950-meter-long, 80-meter-wide, multi-level structure capable of handling over 300,000 pilgrims per hour. Built to streamline crowd movement, the bridge features multiple entry and exit points, escalators, emergency corridors, and advanced surveillance systems that utilize artificial intelligence to monitor crowd density in real time.
The bridge also houses a range of supporting facilities, including first aid and civil defense stations, shaded rest areas, and cooling canopies designed to mitigate heat stress during peak hours.
Nearby, Al-Khayf Mosque has received special attention from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance as part of broader efforts to enhance services at the holy sites. The government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, continues to invest in the development of Hajj infrastructure. These initiatives include expanding services, improving transportation and accommodation systems, and deploying smart technologies to manage the growing number of pilgrims efficiently and safely.
Such efforts are central to achieving the goals of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which seeks to elevate the Hajj experience by enabling pilgrims to perform their rituals with ease and tranquility.
Mina is a sacred space where the meanings of sacrifice, devotion, and obedience come to life. It remains deeply etched in the collective memory of the Islamic nation, a place of tranquility and reverence where the earthly and the divine meet during the most sacred days of the year.