The Ruling on Visiting Mada'in Saleh and the Pyramids of Egypt?

Question:
May Allah reward you. Your Eminence, the father, the questioner asks: What is the ruling on visiting Mada'in Saleh and what is called the pyramids in Egypt?

Answer:
Intending to visit them and traveling to them is not permissible. However, if one travels and passes through them without intending to visit, there is no harm. He may enter them for the sake of taking a lesson, not for glorifying them or admiring them, because people today admire them and say, "This is a civilization and a culture." This is not permissible; glorifying the disbelievers and the works of the disbelievers is not permissible. But he may enter them for the sake of taking a lesson and being admonished, because they are places of punishment, may Allah protect us from it. For this reason, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions when they passed by it during the expedition to Tabuk: "Do not enter upon these people who were punished unless you are weeping, lest what befell them befall you." So if one visits it with the intention of going there and traveling for it, this is not permissible. But if he travels and passes by it and wants to take a lesson and be admonished, there is no harm. Yes.