In the January of year 2009, still new in Kingdom Saudi Arabia, far away from home, in absence of parents and wife's checks, traveling only means of getting rid of nostalgia and keeping my morale up, i met with a man viz. Mohammad Rasool Khan who had spent around 25 years in Kingdom, most of it in different geographically remote locations, as a keen learner should oblige i asked several questions about places to visit and how to get there. He on seeing my quest, told me about vast archaeological riches and special places to visit in Saudi Arabia, one of them was that there is point in saudi arabia, you can see three different countries and if count the soil beneath your foot 4. from that particular day, i was willing to see that point, but couldn't venture out of several reasons but kept my aspirations alive.
During the course of the time, i acquainted myself with long journeys and navigation techniques. Last week, Nov 2016 in our Mid Semester break, i decided to complete this chapter of my life as well and strived for a “pleasant journeys into faraway lands" although this title belongs to an eleventh‐century geography text by Abu Abdullah al‐Bakri. It was written around 1068 in Córdoba, al‐Andalus (present day Spain) but out of passion i have chosen it. ☺😊
Day 1: Beginning of Journey
I with my staunch friend Dr Khurram Naim Shamsi with whom i share series of national and international journeys took up this opportunity also. I prayed Friday prayers in his locality and set out for our Unknown and uncertain journey with our families in our respective cars. Al though about 7 years back i have visited "Madain Swaleh: Dwellings of Qaum e Samood" but none of us were having any idea about northern region of Saudi Arabia, nevertheless we were excited to have new explorations, till Al Qassim it was our routine route for Madina Munawwarah, from Al Qassim we detoured towards Hail. before hail we passed through very big poultry farms of Al Watania and Al Yaum companies, i wished if my friend Dr Mushahid would be with us, we could visit one of these. Till 8:30 PM we reached a point where from main highway we need to exit for Hail, which was around 60 KM. from this exit point. One of friend Dr Abrar sb has told me that we can find cheap accommodations in 'Dwar As Shams Area', and it is easy to find as well, when you enter in hail there comes a big hospital on your right hand, after this hospital at first Signal turn right, go straight, on next signal turn left after may be 1 kilometer you will reach Dwar As Shams, a lot of mafrooshah to stay and restaurants to eat, we stayed at a lodge and slept early as there was long unknown journey in the morning.
Day 2: First Milestone of journeys into faraway lands
Just after Fajr (Dawn prayer) we started packing and set out early, first thing to see in our list was 'Burj Hail', it was near to place where we spent night, then we saw a small fort and an optional place Tomb of Hatim Tai which we omitted for certain reasons.
Then we left Hail and moved towards Jubbah, our googling has showed that there are some caves in jubbah with thousand of years old engraving on mountainous walls
We exited from main highway for Jubbah town, as we were not having precise GPS coordinates for site, we have to rely upon residents of the town for our guide, after wasting our precious 1 hour, we were able to reach site but disappointed a lot after seeing a big lock on site entrance and warning signboard for trespassing.
Again we set for our next destination, Dumatul Jundal, we followed road to Al Jouf, this road was deserted, clam and from desert and ups and downs
after continuing on this highway for about 3 hours, we exited for Sakaka, further continued on this road for about 25 kms and then found exit for "Dumatul Jandal". As we enter in Down Town, right from first round about will take you to Dumatul Jandal lake but we continued to second round about and right from here took us to Historic Al Marid Castle Compound, Masjid Umar bin Khattab is located in this compound just beside the castle.
Most part of castle is preserved and open for visitors, upper storey of castle has door for castle tower which is also open and provide panoramic view of Daumatul Jundal, if you can dare to scale up...☺
this compound is about 360 kms from Hail
During the course of the time, i acquainted myself with long journeys and navigation techniques. Last week, Nov 2016 in our Mid Semester break, i decided to complete this chapter of my life as well and strived for a “pleasant journeys into faraway lands" although this title belongs to an eleventh‐century geography text by Abu Abdullah al‐Bakri. It was written around 1068 in Córdoba, al‐Andalus (present day Spain) but out of passion i have chosen it. ☺😊
Day 1: Beginning of Journey
I with my staunch friend Dr Khurram Naim Shamsi with whom i share series of national and international journeys took up this opportunity also. I prayed Friday prayers in his locality and set out for our Unknown and uncertain journey with our families in our respective cars. Al though about 7 years back i have visited "Madain Swaleh: Dwellings of Qaum e Samood" but none of us were having any idea about northern region of Saudi Arabia, nevertheless we were excited to have new explorations, till Al Qassim it was our routine route for Madina Munawwarah, from Al Qassim we detoured towards Hail. before hail we passed through very big poultry farms of Al Watania and Al Yaum companies, i wished if my friend Dr Mushahid would be with us, we could visit one of these. Till 8:30 PM we reached a point where from main highway we need to exit for Hail, which was around 60 KM. from this exit point. One of friend Dr Abrar sb has told me that we can find cheap accommodations in 'Dwar As Shams Area', and it is easy to find as well, when you enter in hail there comes a big hospital on your right hand, after this hospital at first Signal turn right, go straight, on next signal turn left after may be 1 kilometer you will reach Dwar As Shams, a lot of mafrooshah to stay and restaurants to eat, we stayed at a lodge and slept early as there was long unknown journey in the morning.
Day 2: First Milestone of journeys into faraway lands
Just after Fajr (Dawn prayer) we started packing and set out early, first thing to see in our list was 'Burj Hail', it was near to place where we spent night, then we saw a small fort and an optional place Tomb of Hatim Tai which we omitted for certain reasons.
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| Burj Hail |
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| Towards Jubbah |
We exited from main highway for Jubbah town, as we were not having precise GPS coordinates for site, we have to rely upon residents of the town for our guide, after wasting our precious 1 hour, we were able to reach site but disappointed a lot after seeing a big lock on site entrance and warning signboard for trespassing.
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| What we expected |
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| This is what we met with: Barbed fence and locked gate |
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| crest and trough |
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| Silence is only partner available |
I personally was very much exited and amazed to see the Masjid Minaret, and we have achieved first milestone of our journey.
Dumat al-Jundal (Arabic: دومة الجندل) is an ancient city of ruins located in North Western Saudi Arabia in the Al Jawf Province; it is located 37 km away from Sakakah. The name Dumat al-Jandal means literally "Dumah of the Stone", since this was the territory of Dumah, one of the twelve sons of Ismael. The city's ancient Akkadian name was Adummatu. (extracted from wikipedia)
From long rich history of Dawmatul-Jandal, this castle has a lions share, most notably, besieged by byzantine forces which this castle dwellers had thwarted and then after about 600 years by Hzrt Khalid bin Waleed raz. during the Wars of Apostasy, to defeat Judi and al kindi.
Most part of castle is preserved and open for visitors, upper storey of castle has door for castle tower which is also open and provide panoramic view of Daumatul Jundal, if you can dare to scale up...☺
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| Castle of Marid Compound, Minaret of Umar bin Khattab (raz.) Mosque |
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| Ruins of fort walls |
this compound is about 360 kms from Hail
GPS coordinates for compound are: Latitude: 29.811381 | Longitude: 39.867325
Masjid e Umar is one of the oldest mosque of islam and arabian peninsula. made up of stones. most prominent part of this mosque is it's Minaret, unique square shape base slanting walls, windows in between and stairs for Muezzins...unique in short
Masjid e Umar is one of the oldest mosque of islam and arabian peninsula. made up of stones. most prominent part of this mosque is it's Minaret, unique square shape base slanting walls, windows in between and stairs for Muezzins...unique in short
few kilometers from this site, is a natural lake surrounded by mountains, locally known as Buhayrah al Jundal
GPS Coordinates for lake site:
Latitude: 29.812207 | Longitude: 39.911528
After spending some time near lake we again set out for Tabuk, Sun has started declining and with more than 400 kms to travel on unknown path we were in hurry to cover as much as possible before sunset.
Olive orchards: we passed through a number of olive orchards, this was the first time i have seen blessed olive tree. i stopped near a orchard and rushed to it's fence to capture a glimpse into my mobile camera.
Day 3: Fajr@Masjid e Tawbah
We slept early last night, I decided to offer morning prayer at Masjid e Tawbah (Mosque where Prophet PBUH stayed for 10 days during conquest of Tabuk), because at prayer times we can see mosque from inside as well. We reached to site easily. At first Khalifa Waleed bin Abdul Malik had made a mosque at this site then Khalifa Sulaiman the Magnificient, present structure was made by King Faisal bin Abdulaziz.
We have seen a small Castle near to mosque built by Khalifa Sulaiman the Magnificient for safety of Hajj pilgrims and there was a spring also near to the castle which has dried now.
One unique monument, although not so old, we have come across was Al Hejaz Railways Museum, which was actually railway station and locomotive workshop for Historical Al Hejaz Railways, connecting the Holy city of Al Madniah Al Munawwarah to Ottomon Capital, Istanbul. during the course of the time it has been converted into Railways Museum. The compound has one steam locomotive and a goods and passenger wagons and few rare snaps; specially the snap of feast held when first train arrived tabuk from istanbul.
Jabal al Lawz: Jabal e Tur
From tabuk we set out for the resort city of HAQL, it could be reched from tabuk by two ways, we adopted the one which passes through Jabal al Lawz or Mountain of Almond. although at the time of visit i just want to see it as a mountain which some times forms snow canopy in winters, later searches on google revealed that it is one of the strongest possible site of Jabal e Tur also, where Taurat was revealed on Prophet Musa PBUH. now i repent for not having insight.
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| Panoramic view of Dumatul Jandal Lake |
Latitude: 29.812207 | Longitude: 39.911528
After spending some time near lake we again set out for Tabuk, Sun has started declining and with more than 400 kms to travel on unknown path we were in hurry to cover as much as possible before sunset.
Olive orchards: we passed through a number of olive orchards, this was the first time i have seen blessed olive tree. i stopped near a orchard and rushed to it's fence to capture a glimpse into my mobile camera.
 |
| Olive Trees |
Day 3: Fajr@Masjid e Tawbah
We slept early last night, I decided to offer morning prayer at Masjid e Tawbah (Mosque where Prophet PBUH stayed for 10 days during conquest of Tabuk), because at prayer times we can see mosque from inside as well. We reached to site easily. At first Khalifa Waleed bin Abdul Malik had made a mosque at this site then Khalifa Sulaiman the Magnificient, present structure was made by King Faisal bin Abdulaziz.
We have seen a small Castle near to mosque built by Khalifa Sulaiman the Magnificient for safety of Hajj pilgrims and there was a spring also near to the castle which has dried now.
One unique monument, although not so old, we have come across was Al Hejaz Railways Museum, which was actually railway station and locomotive workshop for Historical Al Hejaz Railways, connecting the Holy city of Al Madniah Al Munawwarah to Ottomon Capital, Istanbul. during the course of the time it has been converted into Railways Museum. The compound has one steam locomotive and a goods and passenger wagons and few rare snaps; specially the snap of feast held when first train arrived tabuk from istanbul.
Jabal al Lawz: Jabal e Tur
From tabuk we set out for the resort city of HAQL, it could be reched from tabuk by two ways, we adopted the one which passes through Jabal al Lawz or Mountain of Almond. although at the time of visit i just want to see it as a mountain which some times forms snow canopy in winters, later searches on google revealed that it is one of the strongest possible site of Jabal e Tur also, where Taurat was revealed on Prophet Musa PBUH. now i repent for not having insight.
To be continued...
