Can Muslims visit the ruins of punished nations?
It depends on why and how you go. The Prophet ﷺ told his Companions not to enter the homes of punished peoples unless they were weeping and humbled. Many scholars therefore discourage visiting these places for fun, while others allow a short visit for reflection and learning.
What the Quran says about traveling to learn
The Quran repeatedly invites people to travel and look at what happened to nations before them:
So seeing the traces of past peoples is not forbidden in itself. The purpose is to remember Allah, take a lesson and become more humble.
The Prophet's ﷺ instruction
On the way to Tabuk, the Muslim army passed al-Hijr, the land of Thamud, the people of the Prophet Salih. The Prophet ﷺ said: do not enter the dwellings of those who were punished unless you are weeping, and if you are not weeping, do not enter, so that what struck them does not strike you (Sahih al-Bukhari 433, Sahih Muslim 2980). He covered his head and hurried through the valley.
From this, scholars draw a few lessons:
- Attitude matters: these are places of warning, not playgrounds.
- Don't linger for entertainment: picnics, parties and selfies for fun clash with the spirit of the hadith.
- Pass with humility: make dua, seek refuge in Allah, and move on.
Where scholars differ
Today, Hegra (Mada'in Salih) in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, is a popular heritage site. Some scholars say Muslims shouldn't visit it as tourists at all, based on the hadith. Others allow a visit for reflection and study, with the humble attitude the Prophet ﷺ taught. The hadith speaks about peoples whose punishment is known from revelation, like Thamud. For other famous ruins, such as Pompeii, nobody can claim they were a divine punishment, so they are treated like any historic site.
A traveler's mindset
Islam gives travel its own manners: good intention, remembering Allah, and kindness to companions. See What are the Islamic manners of traveling? Before you set out, say the travel dua. See What dua do I say when I travel? If stories of destroyed nations make you anxious, remember they are lessons, not threats against sincere believers. See What should I do if a Quran verse feels harsh or confusing?
- The Quran encourages reflecting on past nations.
- The Prophet ﷺ said to enter their lands only with humility and tears.
- Scholars differ on tourist visits to sites like Hegra.
- Avoid treating places of punishment as entertainment.
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