Masya Allah, UAE Astronaut Shares Photos of Mecca from Space Ahead of Hajj Peak

Dream - UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi shares a photo of Mecca from space ahead of the peak of Hajj. The city where the Kaaba stands was captured while Sultan Al Neyadi was on duty at the International Space Station (ISS).

The holy city of Muslims is clearly visible during the day on Monday, June 26, 2023. Even the white Masjid al-Haram can be seen from space.

"Today is Arafat Day, a pivotal day during Hajj, that reminds us that faith is not just about belief, but also action and reflection," wrote Al Neyadi in a tweet from his Twitter account @Astro_Alneyadi.

"May it inspire us all to strive for compassion, humility, and unity," he added.

This is not the first time Al Neyadi has shown Mecca from space. Previously, he showed the beauty of Mecca at night, which was so bright that it could be seen from his residence at the ISS.

Al Neyadi has been living in the ISS since March 2. He went there using the Crew Dragon spacecraft supported by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.

Astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi is not the first Muslim astronaut to go to space. Previously, there was Prince Sultan bin Salman Al-Saud who went to space on June 17, 1985, using the STS-51G space shuttle and spent a week at the ISS.

It is known that Al Neyadi will conduct 19 special experiments, such as those related to back pain, plant biology, heart health, material science, radiation, sleep, and fluids.

Today is Arafat Day, a pivotal day during Hajj, that reminds us that faith is not just about belief, but also action and reflection. May it inspire us all to strive for compassion, humility, and unity. Here’s a view of the holy site of Mecca 🕋 that I captured yesterday. pic.twitter.com/mGI65NeEmh

— Sultan AlNeyadi (@Astro_Alneyadi) June 27, 2023

Masya Allah! UAE Astronaut Captures Mecca and Medina from Space, Shining Brightly in the Dark

Dream - UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi shares a view of Mecca from space.

Al-Neyadi is currently on a mission at the International Space Station (ISS).

Through his Twitter account, he shares a video of the holy city of Mecca shining the brightest from space.

"From the International Space Station, a gift to the blessed nights of Salman's children. Dedication to the Two Holy Mosques, the landing place of revelation and the land of prophecy, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," he wrote on his Twitter account @Astro_Alneyadi.

In the video, the cities of Mecca and Medina appear bright and Masjid al-Haram shines in the dark.

Al Neyadi also regularly shares photos and videos from space since starting his six-month mission in March.

As reported by Al Arabiya, earlier this week, Al Neyadi also shared a video of him performing routine zero-gravity exercises.

He can be seen tethered to an unusual-looking treadmill that uses harnesses and springs to counteract zero-gravity effects.

The tether pulls him down as he runs, simulating how gravity would work on Earth.

Al Neyadi himself will be the first Arab to walk in space when he exits the ISS on April 28.

He follows in the footsteps of other Arab astronauts from the UAE, including Hazzaa Al Mansouri who became the first Arab to be on the ISS in 2019, and Prince Sultan bin Salman of Saudi Arabia who became the first Arab to fly to space in 1985.

من محطة الفضاء الدولية،
إهداء لعيال سلمان في هذه الليالي المباركة 🌙⭐️
إهداء لبلاد الحرمين الشريفين، مهبط الوحي وأرض الرسالة، المملكة العربية السعودية. 🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/3OQTg4CgXb

— Sultan AlNeyadi (@Astro_Alneyadi) April 17, 2023