Question:
What is the ruling on visiting Madain Saleh, the place where Allah punished ‘Aad and Thamood, (300 km apart from Al Madinah Al Munavvarah). Is it prohibited by the Prophet ?
Also many people heard and the hars al hudood (official force for enjoining good and forbidding haram) of Ksa there confirms that you can hear the voice of Prophet Salih’ s camel crying during night, and they prohibit visitors to enter the area after 6pm.
What is the position of the Scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah on the matter
Answer:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us to hasten when passing through the abodes of the wrongdoers and those who had been punished, and he forbade entering such places. In al-Saheehayn it is says: Do not enter upon those who have been punished unless
you are weeping, lest there befall you something like that which befall them.
[Bukhari and Muslim]
So what benefit is there in these places of punishment of destruction.
Rather you can visit many other places like the masjid of rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam or the quba masjid or other historical places like the war fronts of uhud etc. So that you can recall the great incidents took place there.
As for hearing the voice of the camel, we don’t know any proof upon that.
Answered by : Shaykh Abu Amr Abdul Kareem Al Hajooree hafidahullah