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The Masjid Al Haram, or the Grand Mosque, and its vicinity is located in the white area in the centre of this image of Makkah from space taken by Al Neyadi Image Credit: Twitter/@Astro_Alneyadi

Dubai: On Arafat Day today, UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, who is on the longest Arab space mission on the International Space Station, shared an image of the holy city of Mecca from space, along with a message to the faithful.

In his tweet, Al Neyadi said: “Today [June 27] is Arafat Day, a pivotal day during Hajj, that reminds us that faith is not just about belief, but also action and reflection. May it inspire us all to strive for compassion, humility, and unity. Here’s a view of the holy site of Mecca that I captured yesterday.”

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Arafat Day sees millions of Hajj pilgrims congregating on and around Mount Arafat, close to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, to pray.

Al Neyadi had earlier shared a video showing stunning night views of Mecca and Madina from the orbital laboratory over 400kms above Earth, to mark the holy night of Laylat Al Qadr in April.

The video showed Mecca and Madina fully lit up and the striking visuals of the Grand Mosque, the holiest site for Muslims, shining bright.