• TRIP OF A LIFETIME: Egyptian pilgrims get a warm reception in Madinah. (AN photo)

Madinah is witnessing a flourishing trade in various items as pilgrims flock to the city of the Prophet’s mosque this Umrah season.
The shops in the vicinity of the Prophet’s Mosque in central Madinah are experiencing a high turnout of pilgrims and visitors who are keen on purchasing high quality and diverse products such as beads of different colors and souvenirs embodying the history of Taiba besides other items.
Pilgrims have different tastes in their selection of gifts but a common interest is finding items which are symbolic of this trip of a life time to the Holy Land. The numerous stalls, booths and even streets are stocked with a wide variety of items such as beads, sewaks, henna, perfumes, incense, fabrics, prayer rugs, gowns, Qur’anic paintings, children’s accessories, dates of all kinds, Zamzam water, different versions of the Qur’an, and Islamic Law books besides food items which usually consist of dried fruits, figs, seeds and so on.
Omar Abdel Rahman from Pakistan says he is interested in purchasing items that remind him of Madinah, such as Al-Agoza dates, Al-Anbar dates, precious beads, Qur’ans, and some rugs and other gifts to give friends and family back home.
Pilgrims who wish to save money also have a choice of shops which sell items at fixed prices of SR10 or less. These markets too have their share of customers and are enjoying good business this season.
Arab News reported on one of its tours to the markets that female pilgrims chose to buy the Saudi abayas despite their individual cultural attire as they perceive that this clothing from Madinah would be a very precious gift for relatives and friends back home.
Sara Mohamed says that she bought many beads as gifts for relatives noting that the prayer rugs, the amber beads, and the carpets embroidered with the Kaabah and the green dome are also considered nice alternatives to gold. She was happy to buy any product which would reflect on their visit to Madinah

SOURCE:    ARABNEWS.COM