JEDDAH: A Saudi athlete, adventurer and entrepreneur has completed an epic 500-km trek from Makkah to Madinah tracing Prophet Muhammad’s footsteps along the Hijra route.
Badr Al-Shaibani traced and documented Prophet Muhammad’s historic journey to Madinah over a span of 12 days.
Al-Shaibani, who walked 40 km everyday, said that the “expedition’s goal was to highlight a journey that changed the course of history.
“Work is currently underway with relevant authorities to mark and document the migration route, as well as train individuals to travel the historic route as part of tourist excursions.”
He passed 12 significant spots, including Cave Thawr, where the prophet and his companion Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq sought refuge after fleeing from Quraish soldiers; an unnamed site where he rested on a rock; and Wadi Qudaid.
Al-Shaibani added: “This epic voyage, which needed five years of painstaking planning, has a special place in my heart among all the experiences I’ve had so far.
The most remarkable feature of the expedition was the nightly stay in Cave Thawr, where the prophet once took sanctuary.
“Being in the same place as the Prophet of Allah was an unbelievable thrill and happiness that I will never forget. I was as happy and emotional at the end of my adventure as I was when I reached the summit of Mount Everest,” Al-Shaibani said.
The adventurer said that he has climbed the highest peaks of all seven continents. He is the sixth Saudi to conquer Mount Everest.
