The Ruling on Visiting the Villages of the Punished People and Mada'in Saleh for Tourism
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, what is the ruling on visiting the villages of the punished people for tourism? And does Mada'in Saleh count among those villages?
Answer:
One does not travel to them, nor does one intend to visit them. However, if one passes by them on his way, there is no harm in entering them for the sake of taking a lesson, provided he enters them reflecting and weeping. But if he enters them as a spectator and admires them, that is not permissible. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 4420 This is what happens: a person goes to look around, expands his knowledge of the traces of the disbelievers, and admires them, thinking they are a civilization, and that is not permissible. Yes. And Allah the Exalted knows best, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, what is the ruling on visiting the villages of the punished people for tourism? And does Mada'in Saleh count among those villages?
Answer:
One does not travel to them, nor does one intend to visit them. However, if one passes by them on his way, there is no harm in entering them for the sake of taking a lesson, provided he enters them reflecting and weeping. But if he enters them as a spectator and admires them, that is not permissible. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Do not enter upon these people who are being punished, except in a weeping state, lest the same calamity as of theirs should befall
لا تدخلوا على هؤلاء المعذبين الا ان تكونوا باكين ان يصيبكم مثل ما
Source
شرح قرة عيون الموحدين في تحقيق دعوة الأنبياء والمرسلين، باب احترام أسماء الله تعالى وتغيير الاسم لأجل ذلك، وباب من هزل بشيء فيه ذكر الله أو القرآن أو الرسول - صلى الله عليه وسلم - فهو كافر — islamhouse.com (1:09:38)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.