*Majid Ahmed Bawazir , Ayman Mustafa, Abdullah Al-Qurashi, & Ibrahim Askoura
Assistant Professor of Services Geography, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research, Umm Al-Qura University, Hajj and Umrah Research Institute, College of Social Sciences.
Volume: 17 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 22-34 | December 2025 | https://doi.org/10.54940/ss73021813 | PDF
Received: 13/11/2025 | Revised:06/12/2025 | Accepted: 07/12/2025
*Corresponding Author: [email protected]
Abstract
The flags marking the boundaries of the sanctuary stand at the entrances and exits of the roads of the Holy City of Makkah, clearly visible to those entering and leaving it, and have been there since time immemorial. The Prophet Ibrahim al-Khalil, peace be upon him, is considered to be the first to place markers on the bounda-ries of the sanctuary and on the tops of mountains (Al-Thubaiti and Al-Thubaiti, 1433 AH).There are about 13 flags located at the entrances and exits of the main and secondary roads of the city of Makkah. Urban sprawl is one of the main reasons why the flags marking the boundaries of the sanctuary in the city of Makkah are suffering. The study aimed to identify the current spatial distribution of boundary markers at the entrances and exits of Makkah and to determine the impact of urban growth on them. The study relied on a descriptive analytical approach, which examines the phenomenon as it is on the ground and then describes it accurately. Spatial analysis was used by applying some of the appropriate analysis functions available in the Geographic Information System (GIS) program, in addition to the cartographic approach to produce digital maps of the study area and its current status. The study showed that some of the sanctuary boundary markers are located on main roads, while others are located on secondary roads. Some of these locations have flag markers, seven in total, while others do not have sanctuary boundary flags, such as the Al-Asila neighborhood and the Um Al-Joud area on the northern side of the Fourth Ring Road. This is due to the recent construction of the northern side of the Fourth Ring Road.
Keywords
The flags of the Haram’s borders, Makkah, Spatial analysis
How to Cite
Bawazir, M. &Mustafa, A. Al-Qurashi, A. &Askoura, I. (2025). Positions of the boundary markers of the Haram located at the entrances and exits of the roads of the city of Makkah from a geo-graphical perspective. Journal of Umm Al-Qura University for Social Sciences, 17(4), 22-34. https://doi.org/10.54940/ss73021813
License
Copyright (c) 2025. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC)