On the road
Dhul Hulayfah, the miqat at Abyar Ali
- Madinah to MakkahFrom SAR 4004 to 5 hrs, Whole vehicle, one direction
- Madinah to Makkah via BadrFrom SAR 550Whole vehicle, one direction
Overview
Before you reach Makkah for Umrah, you put on ihram, the state of Umrah. A man’s ihram is two plain white cloths. You must be in ihram by the time you pass a miqat, a fixed point on the roads into Makkah. Dhul Hulayfah is the miqat for people who set off from Madinah. Today it sits inside Madinah, in the area called Abyar Ali.
Dhul Hulayfah, also called Abyar Ali, is the miqat on the road from Madinah to Makkah. By road it lies 12 to 14 km from Masjid an-Nabawi, the Prophet’s Mosque. Makkah’s Grand Mosque is 430 km further on. Drivers we book for this road stop here so you can put on ihram. Your group pays per vehicle, from SAR 400.
What Dhul Hulayfah is
There are five miqat points around Makkah. Dhul Hulayfah is one of them. It is reported in hadith that the Prophet, peace be upon him, set it for the people of Madinah. It also serves others who come to Makkah by way of Madinah.
Of the five, it is the one farthest from Makkah. So the stop comes early, before the long drive south.
A large mosque stands here now. The first mosque on the site was built between 706 and 711 CE, when Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz was governor of Madinah. It has been rebuilt since and made much larger. Today it holds about 7,000 people at prayer.
Who must enter ihram here is a religious question. Ask a scholar, or ask your group leader what your group does.
Where it is, and how far
The mosque is on the south west side of Madinah. It stands on the west bank of Wadi al-Aqiq, a valley at the edge of the city. The road beside it is Umar ibn al-Khattab Road.
- From Masjid an-Nabawi: about 12 to 14 km by road. On empty roads you are there in some 20 minutes.
- On to Makkah: roughly 430 km by road, as far as the Grand Mosque.
- From a Madinah hotel to a Makkah hotel: about 450 km. Allow 4 to 5 hours, with the miqat stop.
The fast train called the Haramain links Madinah and Makkah, but it has no stop here. Going by rail instead? Check with your group leader where your group puts on ihram.
Why it is also called Abyar Ali
You will hear three names for this place.
- Dhul Hulayfah. The name comes from al-hulaf, a plant that grows well here.
- Abyar Ali. It means “the wells of Ali”. Many people call the whole area by this name today.
- Masjid ash-Shajarah. It means the Mosque of the Tree. The Prophet, peace be upon him, rested in the shade of a tree here when he set out for Umrah. He did the same on his Farewell Hajj.
Who was the Ali of the wells? Saudipedia, the Saudi national encyclopedia, says the Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib had wells dug here. A Madinah historian, Dr Tunaydib al-Fayidi, says the true reason for the name is not known. The name is old in any case. Abyar Ali and Dhul Hulayfah are the same miqat.
How the stop goes
- Leave your hotel. The driver is at reception at the time you chose. Many groups set off after Fajr, the dawn prayer.
- Reach the miqat. The car parks at the mosque.
- Change and pray. You get ready for ihram, then make your intention.
- Drive on. Once everyone is back in the car, you head south to Makkah.
The site is built for this. It has about 500 wash rooms, with places to change into ihram, to wash for prayer and to bathe. There are car parks and a market too.
The fare does not set a fixed number of minutes for the stop. The driver stays with the car until everyone has changed and prayed. Older people and small children often need more time. Mention it in your booking message, and the driver will expect a longer stop.
Good to know
- Ihram cloths in the car. Pack them in a small bag you keep with you. You will not want to open a big case at the stop.
- Changing at the hotel. Some people put on the two cloths at the hotel. Then they make the intention at the miqat. Your group leader knows which of the two your group does.
- Leaving at night. After Isha, the night prayer, the stop is in the dark. You then reach Makkah late at night.
- Wheelchairs. A folding wheelchair rides in the boot of a Staria or a Hiace. Mention it in your booking (wheelchairs and child seats).
Which trip includes it
The Madinah to Makkah taxi stops at Dhul Hulayfah on the way, and the stop costs nothing extra. For the whole vehicle, prices begin at SAR 400.
On the drive via Badr, the same stop comes first, before the road turns off to Badr. Going via Badr is priced from SAR 550. See the Badr page for that road.
Already in Makkah and want another Umrah? See miqat trips from Makkah. To visit the mosque only, book a car by the hour (hourly hire).
Questions about Dhul Hulayfah
Yes. Abyar Ali is the common name for the area. The miqat mosque there is the miqat for people coming from Madinah.
About 12 to 14 km by road. With no traffic it is about a 20 minute drive.
The road from the miqat to Makkah’s Grand Mosque is roughly 430 km. Hotel to hotel, with the stop, plan on 4 to 5 hours.
The name means “the wells of Ali”. Saudipedia links it to wells dug for the Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib. A Madinah historian says the true reason is not known.
Please put that question to a scholar or to your group leader. We take you to the miqat and wait while you get ready.
No. The fare sets no fixed number of minutes, and the driver waits until your group is ready. A group that needs longer should say so in the booking.
From SAR 400 for the whole vehicle. The stop at Dhul Hulayfah is in that fare.
Still have a question?
Ask on WhatsApp in Arabic, English, Urdu, Punjabi or Saraiki, at any hour. Voice notes are fine.
Other trips outside the cities
Other places on a day trip or on the road between cities, each with its own page.
On the road
Badr
Badr ziyarat on the Makkah and Madinah road: the battlefield, Masjid al-Arish, the martyrs’ cemetery and Jabal al-Malaikah, and the via Badr taxi fare.
On the road
Taif
Taif ziyarat from Makkah: Masjid Abdullah ibn Abbas, Masjid Addas, Al Hada cable car, Al Shafa, rose farms and Shubra Palace. Day trip from SAR 400.
Ask for the Madinah to Makkah fare
Message us with both hotel names, your travel date and the number of people. Say that you want the miqat stop. You get the price back as a written message.