'The kingdom is shining': Saudi astronaut Rayyanah Barnawi captures Makkah from space

Research scientist is set to return to Earth on Tuesday

The view of Makkah recorded by Saudi astronaut Rayyanah Barnawi from space. Photo: Rayyanah Barnawi / Twitter

Saudi astronaut Rayyanah Barnawi has shared footage of Makkah shining bright from space.

Ms Barnawi, the first Arab woman to go on a space mission and the kingdom's first woman in space, is heard marvelling at her homeland during the recording captured from the International Space Station.

The research scientist, 33, arrived on the International Space Station, along with fellow Saudi astronaut Ali Al Qarni, on May 22 for an eight-day stay. They are set to return to Earth on May 30.

“The whole kingdom is shining. Here you can see Makkah,” she said in the video posted on her Twitter account, which has more than 77,000 followers.

“This is the Holy Mosque. Look how bright Makkah is. “Praise to be Allah.”

Earlier this week, the history-making space explorer posted an image of herself wearing her grandmother's earrings on-board the orbiting laboratory.

Both astronauts have started working on the 14 experiments assigned to them by Saudi researchers.

Millions of Muslims are set to travel to Makkah, viewed as Saudi Arabia's holiest city, for Hajj next month.

This year's pilgrimage is expected to return to pre-coronavirus visitor numbers as Saudi Arabia removes all pandemic restrictions.

In 2019, before the onset of Covid-19, about 2.6 million people performed Hajj.

Hajj, the Arabic word for pilgrimage, is one of the five pillars of Islam and a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim, if they are able.

Millions of faithful make the pilgrimage to holiest sites of Islam in the cities of Makkah and Madinah, beginning on the eighth day of Dhu Al Hijja, the last month of the Islamic calendar.

Saudi astronauts in space – in pictures