Mecca

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Coordinates: 21°25′21″N 39°49′24″E / 21.42250°N 39.82333°E / 21.42250; 39.82333
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For other uses, see Mecca (disambiguation).

Mecca
مكة‎
  • The Holy Capital (العاصمة المقدسة)
  • Mother of all Settlements (أم القرى)
City
Makkah al-Mukarramah (مكة المكرمة)
AST)
Area code+966-12
Websitehmm.gov.sa
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Mecca (

Dhūl-Ḥijjah.[citation needed] With over 10.8 million international visitors in 2023, Mecca was one of the 10 most visited cities in the world.[5]

Mecca is generally considered "the fountainhead and cradle of

Great Mosque of Mecca, known as the Masjid al-Haram, is home to the Ka'bah, believed by Muslims to have been built by Abraham and Ishmael. It is Islam's holiest site and the direction of prayer (qibla) for all Muslims worldwide.[9]

Muslim rulers from in and around the region long tried to take the city and keep it in their control, and thus, much like most of the

Prophet's Mosque in Medina and their auxiliary service facilities in order to accommodate the ever-increasing number of Muslims performing the pilgrimage (hajj).[14] Non-Muslims are strictly prohibited from entering the city.[15][16]

Under the Saudi government, Mecca is governed by the Mecca Regional Municipality, a municipal council of 14 locally elected members headed by the mayor (called Amin in Arabic) appointed by the

Khalid bin Faisal Al Saud.[20]

Etymology

Mecca has been referred to by many names. As with many Arabic words, its etymology is obscure.[21] Widely believed to be a synonym for Makkah, it is said to be more specifically the early name for the valley located therein, while Muslim scholars generally use it to refer to the sacred area of the city that immediately surrounds and includes the Ka'bah.[22][23]

Bakkah

Main article: Bakkah

The Quran refers to the city as Bakkah in Surah Al Imran (3), verse 96: "Indeed the first House [of worship], established for mankind was that at Bakkah". This is said to have been the name of the city at the time of Abraham (Ibrahim in Islamic tradition) and it is also transliterated as Baca, Baka, Bakah, Bakka, Becca and Bekka, among others.[24][25][26] It was a name for the city in the ancient world.[27]

Makkah, Makkah al-Mukarramah and Mecca

Makkah is the official transliteration used by the Saudi government and is closer to the Arabic pronunciation.

Arabic: مكة المكرمة, lit. 'Makkah the Honored').[28] Makkah is used to refer to the city in the Quran in Surah Al-Fath (48), verse 24.[21][30]

The word Mecca in English has come to be used to refer to any place that draws large numbers of people, and because of this some English-speaking Muslims have come to regard the use of this spelling for the city as offensive.[28] Nonetheless, Mecca is the familiar form of the English transliteration for the Arabic name of the city.

Macoraba, another ancient city name mentioned by

Claudius Ptolemy Felix' Arabia Felix, was also claimed to be Mecca.[31] Some studies have questioned this association.[32] Many etymologies have been proposed: the traditional one is that it is derived from the Old South Arabian root M-K-R-B which means "temple".[32]

Other names

Another name used for Mecca in the Quran is at 6:92 where it is called Umm al-Qurā[33] (أُمّ ٱلْقُرَى‎, meaning "Mother of all Settlements").[30] The city has been called several other names in both the Quran and ahadith. Another name used historically for Mecca is Tihāmah.[34] According to an Islamic suggestion, another name for Mecca, Fārān, is synonymous with the Desert of Paran mentioned in the Old Testament at Genesis 21:21.[35] Arab and Islamic tradition holds that the wilderness of Paran, broadly speaking, is the Tihamah coastal plain and the site where Ishmael settled was Mecca.[35] Yaqut al-Hamawi, the 12th-century Syrian geographer, wrote that Fārān was "an arabized Hebrew word, one of the names of Mecca mentioned in the Torah."[36] (See also:Wadi Faran)

History

Prehistory

In 2010, Mecca and the surrounding area became an important site for

apes. The fossil habitat, near what is now the Red Sea in western Saudi Arabia, was a damp forest area between 28 million and 29 million years ago.[37] Paleontologists involved in the research hope to find further fossils in the area.[38]

Early history (up to 6th century CE)

The early history of Mecca is still largely shrouded by a lack of clear evidence. The city lies in the hinterland of the middle part of western Arabia of which there are sparse textual or archaeological sources available.[39] Contrary to the thousands of years of history suggested by the Islamic tradition, there are no known unambiguous references to Mecca in ancient literature prior to the rise of Islam.[40][unreliable source?] This lack of knowledge is in contrast to both the northern and southern areas of western Arabia, specifically the Syro-Palestinian frontier and Yemen, where historians have various sources available such as physical remains of shrines, inscriptions, observations by Greco-Roman authors, and information collected by church historians. The area of Hejaz that surrounds Mecca was characterized by its remote, rocky, and inhospitable nature, supporting only meagre settled populations in scattered oases and occasional stretches of fertile land. The Red Sea coast offered no easily accessible ports and the oasis dwellers and bedouins in the region were illiterate.[39] Recent research suggests that Mecca was a small town and its population at the time of Muhammad has been estimated to be around 550.[41]

The first clear reference to Mecca in non-Islamic literature appears in 741 CE, long after the death of Muhammad, in the Byzantine-Arab Chronicle, though here the author places the region in Mesopotamia rather than the Hejaz.[42][unreliable source?]

Possible earlier mentions are not unambiguous. The Greek historian

Ka'bah in Mecca. However, the geographic location Diodorus describes is located in northwest Arabia, around the area of Leuke Kome, within the former Nabataean Kingdom and the Roman province of Arabia Petraea.[44][45]

Ptolemy lists the names of 50 cities in Arabia, one going by the name of Macoraba. There has been speculation since 1646 that this could be a reference to Mecca. Historically, there has been a general consensus in scholarship that Macoraba mentioned by Ptolemy in the 2nd century CE is indeed Mecca, but more recently, this has been questioned.[46][47] Bowersock favors the identity of the former, with his theory being that "Macoraba" is the word "Makkah" followed by the aggrandizing Aramaic adjective rabb (great). The Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus also enumerated many cities of Western Arabia, most of which can be identified. According to Bowersock, he did mention Mecca as "Geapolis" or "Hierapolis", the latter one meaning "holy city" potentially referring to the sanctuary of the Kaaba.[48] Patricia Crone, from the Revisionist school of Islamic studies on the other hand, writes that "the plain truth is that the name Macoraba has nothing to do with that of Mecca [...] if Ptolemy mentions Mecca at all, he calls it Moka, a town in Arabia Petraea".[49]

Procopius' 6th century statement that the Ma'ad tribe possessed the coast of western Arabia between the Ghassanids and the Himyarites of the south supports the Arabic sources tradition that associates Quraysh as a branch of the Ma'add and Muhammad as a direct descendant of Ma'ad ibn Adnan.[50][51]

Historian Patricia Crone has cast doubt on the claim that Mecca was a major historical trading outpost.[52][53] However, other scholars such as Glen W. Bowersock disagree and assert that Mecca was a major trading outpost.[54][55] Crone later on disregarded some of her theories.[56] She argues that Meccan trade relied on skins, hides, manufactured leather goods, clarified butter, Hijazi woollens, and camels. She suggests that most of these goods were destined for the Roman army, which is known to have required colossal quantities of leather and hides for its equipment.

Mecca is mentioned in the following early Quranic manuscripts:

  • Codex Is. 1615 I, folio 47v, radiocarbon dated to 591–643 CE.
  • Codex Ṣanʿāʾ DAM 01–29.1, folio 29a, radiocarbon dated between 633 and 665 CE.
  • Codex Arabe 331, folio 40 v, radiocarbon dated between 652 and 765 CE.

The earliest Muslim inscriptions are from the Mecca-

Ta'if area.[57]

Islamic narrative

Al-Haram Mosque
, and related religious sites, such as Jabal al-Nour

In the Islamic view, the beginnings of Mecca are attributed to the Biblical figures, Adam, Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael. It was Adam himself who built the first God's house in Mecca according to a heavenly prototype but this building was destroyed in the Noahic Flood.[39] The civilization of Mecca is believed to have started after Ibrāhīm (Abraham) left his son Ismāʿīl (Ishmael) and wife Hājar (Hagar) in the valley at Allah's command.[citation needed] Some people from the Yemeni tribe of Jurhum settled with them, and Isma'il reportedly married two women, one after divorcing the first, on Ibrahim's advice. At least one man of the Jurhum helped Ismāʿīl and his father to construct or according to Islamic narratives, reconstruct, the Ka'bah ('Cube'),[58][22][59] which would have social, religious, political and historical implications for the site and region.[60][61]

Muslims see the mention of a pilgrimage at the Valley of the Bakha in the Old Testament chapter Psalm 84:3–6 as a reference to Mecca, similar to the Quran at Surah 3:96 In the Sharḥ al-Asāṭīr, a commentary on the Samaritan midrashic chronology of the Patriarchs, of unknown date but probably composed in the 10th century CE, it is claimed that Mecca was built by the sons of Nebaioth, the eldest son of Ismāʿīl or Ishmael.[62][63][64]

Thamudic inscriptions

Some Thamudic inscriptions which were discovered in the south Jordan contained names of some individuals such as ʿAbd Mekkat (عَبْد مَكَّة‎, "Servant of Mecca").[65]

There were also some other inscriptions which contained personal names such as Makki (مَكِّي, "Makkan, of Makkah"), but Jawwad Ali from the University of Baghdad suggested that there's also a probability of a tribe named "Makkah".[66]

Under the Quraish

Sometime in the 5th century, the Ka'bah was a place of worship for the deities of

Khosrau I for aid, in response to which he came south to Arabia with foot-soldiers and a fleet of ships near Mecca.[71]

By the middle of the 6th century, there were three major settlements in northern Arabia, all along the south-western coast that borders the Red Sea, in a habitable region between the sea and the Hejaz mountains to the east. Although the area around Mecca was completely barren, it was the wealthiest of the three settlements with abundant water from the renowned Zamzam Well and a position at the crossroads of major caravan routes.[72]

The harsh conditions and terrain of the Arabian peninsula meant a near-constant state of conflict between the local tribes, but once a year they would declare a truce and converge upon Mecca in an annual pilgrimage. Up to the 7th century, this journey was intended for religious reasons by the pagan Arabs to pay homage to their shrine, and to drink Zamzam. However, it was also the time each year that disputes would be arbitrated, debts would be resolved, and trading would occur at Meccan fairs. These annual events gave the tribes a sense of common identity and made Mecca an important focus for the peninsula.[73]

The Year of the Elephant (570 CE)

The "

Kinana, the people of the lowland, knowing what he had come for, sent a man of Hudhayl called ʿUrwa bin Hayyad al-Milasi, who shot him with an arrow, killing him. His brother Qays who was with him, fled to Abraha and told him the news, which increased his rage and fury and he swore to raid the Kinana tribe and destroy the Ka'bah. Ibn Ishaq further states that one of the men of the Quraysh tribe was angered by this, and going to Sana'a, entering the church at night and defiling it; widely assumed to have done so by defecating in it.[75][76]

Abdul Muttalib told the Meccans to seek refuge in the hills while he and some members of the Quraysh remained within the precincts of the Kaaba. Abraha sent a dispatch inviting Abdul-Muttalib to meet with Abraha and discuss matters. When Abdul-Muttalib left the meeting he was heard saying: "The Owner of this House is its Defender, and I am sure he will save it from the attack of the adversaries and will not dishonor the servants of His House."[77][78]

Abraha eventually attacked Mecca. However, the lead elephant, known as Mahmud,

Surah of the Quran, Al-Fil, the next day, a dark cloud of small birds sent by Allah appeared. The birds carried small rocks in their beaks, and bombarded the Ethiopian forces, and smashed them to a state like that of eaten straw.[81]

Economy

Camel caravans, said to have first been used by Muhammad's great-grandfather, were a major part of Mecca's bustling economy. Alliances were struck between the merchants in Mecca and the local nomadic tribes, who would bring goods – leather, livestock, and metals mined in the local mountains – to Mecca to be loaded on the caravans and carried to cities in

Abyssinians, Ghassanids, and Lakhmids were in decline leaving Meccan trade to be the primary binding force in Arabia in the late 6th century.[73]

Muhammad and the conquest of Mecca

Main articles: Muhammad, Conquest of Mecca, Muhammad in Mecca, and List of expeditions of Muhammad
Bayt al-Mawlid

Muhammad was

hijrah) in 622 CE with his companions, the Muhajirun, to Yathrib (later renamed Medina). The conflict between the Quraysh and the Muslims is accepted to have begun at this point. Overall, Meccan efforts to annihilate Islam failed and proved to be costly and unsuccessful.[citation needed] During the Battle of the Trench in 627 CE, the combined armies of Arabia were unable to defeat Muhammad's forces (as the trench surrounding Muhammad's forces protected them from harm and a storm was sent to breach the Quraysh tribe).[83]
In 628 CE, Muhammad and his followers wanted to enter Mecca for pilgrimage, but were blocked by the Quraysh. Subsequently, Muslims and Meccans entered into the
Islamized and rededicated to the worship of Allah alone. Mecca was declared the holiest site in Islam ordaining it as the center of Muslim pilgrimage (Hajj), one of the Islamic faith's Five Pillars
.

Muhammad then returned to Medina, after assigning 'Akib ibn Usaid as governor of the city. His other activities in Arabia led to the unification of the Arabian Peninsula under the banner of Islam.[69][83] Muhammad died in 632 CE. Within the next few hundred years, the area under the banner of Islam stretched from North Africa into Asia and parts of Europe. As the Islamic realm grew, Mecca continued to attract pilgrims from all across the Muslim world and beyond, as Muslims came to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Mecca also attracted a year-round population of scholars, pious Muslims who wished to live close to the Kaaba, and local inhabitants who served the pilgrims. Due to the difficulty and expense of the Hajj, pilgrims arrived by boat at Jeddah, and came overland, or joined the annual caravans from Syria or Iraq.[citation needed]

Medieval and pre-modern times

Mecca was never the capital of any of the

Uthman ibn Affan (r. 644–656 CE) when concerns of flooding caused the caliphs to bring in Christian engineers to build barrages in the low-lying quarters and construct dykes and embankments to protect the area around the Kaaba.[69]

Muhammad's return to Medina shifted the focus away from Mecca and later even further away when '

Abū-Tāhir Al-Jannābī and centered in eastern Arabia.[84] The Black Death pandemic hit Mecca in 1349 CE.[85]

Ibn Battuta's description of Mecca

One of the most famous travelers to Mecca in the 14th century was a Moroccan scholar and traveler, Ibn Battuta. In his rihla (account), he provides a vast description of the city. Around the year 1327 CE or 729 AH, Ibn Battuta arrived at the holy city. Immediately, he says, it felt like a holy sanctuary, and thus he started the rites of the pilgrimage. He remained in Mecca for three years and left in 1330 CE. During his second year in the holy city, he says his caravan arrived "with a great quantity of alms for the support of those who were staying in Mecca and Medina". While in Mecca, prayers were made for (not to) the King of Iraq and also for Salaheddin al-Ayyubi, Sultan of Egypt and Syria at the Ka'bah. Battuta says the Ka'bah was large, but was destroyed and rebuilt smaller than the original. According to Ibn Battuta, the original Kaaba, prior to the conquest of Makkah by the Prophet, contained images of angels and prophets including Jesus (Isa in Islamic tradition), his mother Mary (Maryam in Islamic tradition), and many others - Ibn Battuta however states these were all destroyed by the Prophet in the year of victory. Battuta describes the Ka'bah in his time as an important part of Mecca due to the fact that many people make the pilgrimage to it. Battuta describes the people of the city as being humble and kind, and also willing to give a part of everything they had to someone who had nothing. The inhabitants of Mecca and the village itself, he says, were very clean. There was also a sense of elegance to the village.[86]

Under the Ottomans

outbreaks. Between 1830 and 1930, cholera broke out among pilgrims at Mecca 27 times.[90]

Modern history

Mecca in 1910

Hashemite Revolt and subsequent control by the Sharifate of Mecca

In

Hussain bin Ali, the Sharif of Mecca to revolt against the Ottoman Empire and it was the first city captured by his forces in the 1916 Battle of Mecca. Sharif's revolt proved a turning point of the war on the eastern front. Hussein declared a new state, the Kingdom of Hejaz, declaring himself the Sharif of the state and Mecca his capital. News reports in November 1916 via contact in Cairo with returning Hajj pilgrims, stated that with the Ottoman Turkish authorities gone, the Hajj of 1916 was free of the previous massive extortion and monetary demands made by the Turks who were agents of the Ottoman government.[91]

Saudi Arabian conquest and modern history

Following the

Ta'if Regional Airport (approx. 120 km away) for domestic flights.[citation needed
]

The city today is at the junction of the two most important highways in all of the Saudi Arabian highway system, Highway 40, which connects the city to Jeddah in the west and the capital,

Haramain high-speed railway system which runs at 300 km/h (190 mph) and connects the two cities via Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport and King Abdullah Economic City near Rabigh within two hours.[citation needed
]

The haram area of Mecca, in which the entry of non-Muslims is forbidden, is much larger than that of Medina.

1979 Grand Mosque seizure

See also: Grand Mosque seizure

On 20 November 1979, two hundred armed dissidents led by

Safa-Marwah gallery. A multinational force was finally able to retake the mosque from the dissidents.[93]
Since then, the Grand Mosque has been expanded several times, with many other expansions being undertaken in the present day.

Destruction of Islamic heritage sites

Main article: Destruction of early Islamic heritage sites in Saudi Arabia
Mecca Clock Tower
is visible in the skyline.

Under Saudi rule, it has been estimated that since 1985, about 95% of Mecca's historic buildings, most over a thousand years old, have been demolished.[11][94] It has been reported that there are now fewer than 20 structures remaining in Mecca that date back to the time of Muhammad. Some important buildings that have been destroyed include the house of Khadijah, the wife of Muhammad, the house of Abu Bakr, Muhammad's birthplace and the Ottoman-era Ajyad Fortress.[95] The reason for much of the destruction of historic buildings has been for the construction of hotels, apartments, parking lots, and other infrastructure facilities for Hajj pilgrims.[94][96]

Incidents during pilgrimage

Main article: Incidents during the Hajj

Mecca has been the site of several incidents and failures of crowd control because of the large numbers of people who come to make the Hajj.

stampede.[100] On 24 September 2015, 700 pilgrims were killed in a stampede at Mina during the stoning-the-Devil ritual at Jamarat.[101]

2027 Total Solar Eclipse

Mecca will experience a total solar eclipse on Monday, August 2, 2027, for a duration of 5 minutes and 8 seconds.[102]

Significance in Islam

Arafah

Mecca holds an important place in Islam and is considered the holiest city in all branches of the religion. The city derives its importance from the role it plays in the Hajj and 'Umrah and for its status as the birthplace of Muhammad.

Masjid al-Haram

The Masjid al-Haram is the site of two of the most important rites of both the Hajj and of the Umrah, the circumambulation around the Ka'bah (

sa'ee). The masjid is also the site of the Zamzam Well. According to Islamic tradition, a prayer in the masjid is equal to 100,000 prayers in any other masjid around the world.[103]

Kaaba

Main article: Kaaba

There is a difference of opinion between Islamic scholars upon who first built the

Ka'bah, some believe it was built by the angels while others believe it was built by Adam. Regardless, it was built several times before reaching its current state. The Ka'bah is also the common direction of prayer (qibla
) for all Muslims. The surface surrounding the Ka'bah on which Muslims circumambulate it is known as the Mataf.

Hajr-e-Aswad (The Black Stone)

Main article: Black Stone

The Black Stone is a stone, considered by scientists to be a meteorite or of similar origin and believed by Muslims to be of divine origin. It is set in the eastern corner of the Ka'bah and it is Sunnah to touch and kiss the stone. The area around the stone is generally always crowded and guarded by policemen to ensure the pilgrims' safety. In Islamic tradition, the stone was sent down from Jannah (Paradise) and used to build the Ka'bah. It used to be a white stone (and was whiter than milk). Because of the worldly sins of man, it slowly changed color to black over the years after it was brought down to Earth.

Maqam Ibrahim

Makkah

This is the stone that Ibrahim (Abraham) stood on to build the higher parts of the Ka'bah. It contains two footprints that are comparatively larger than average modern-day human feet. The stone is raised and housed in a golden hexagonal chamber beside the Ka'bah on the Mataf plate. The stone inside the casing is square shaped and measures 40 cm (16 in) in length and width, and 20 cm (7.9 in) in height.[104] It used to be enclosed by a structure called the Maqsurat Ibrahim which was covered by a sitara: an ornamental, embroidered curtain that was replaced annually.[105] Currently, it is placed inside a golden-metal enclosure. The outer casing has changed a number of times over the years; historic photographs show that the arch of the Banu Shaybah Gate stood next to it.[106]

Safa and Marwa

Main article: Safa and Marwa

Muslims believe that in the divine revelation to Muhammad, the Quran, Allah describes the mountains of Safa and Marwah as symbols of His divinity. Walking between the two mountains seven times, 4 times from Safa to Marwah and 3 times from Marwah interchangeably, is considered a mandatory pillar (

al-Masjid al-Haram
, also known as the Grand Mosque of Mecca, during the Hajj pilgrimage

Hajj and 'Umrah

The Hajj pilgrimage, also called the greater pilgrimage, attracts millions of Muslims from all over the world and almost triples Mecca's population for one week in the twelfth and final Islamic month of

Dhu al-Hijjah. In 2019, the Hajj attracted 2,489,406 pilgrims to the holy city.[107] The 'Umrah, or the lesser pilgrimage, can be done at anytime during the year. Every adult, healthy Muslim who has the financial and physical capacity to travel to Mecca must perform the Hajj at least once in a lifetime. Umrah, the lesser pilgrimage, is not obligatory, but is recommended in the Quran.[108] In addition to the Masjid al-Haram, pilgrims also must visit the nearby towns of Mina/Muna, Muzdalifah and Mount Arafat
for various rituals that are part of the Hajj.

Jabal an-Nur

Jabal al-Nour, the mountain atop which is the Hira cave, where it is believed Muhammad received his first revelation.

This is a mountain believed by Muslims to have been the place where Muhammad spent his time away from the bustling city of Mecca in seclusion.[109][110] The mountain is located on the eastern entrance of the city and is the highest point in the city at 642 meters (2,106 feet).

Hira'a Cave

Situated atop Jabal an-Nur, this is the cave where Muslims believe Muhammad received the first revelation from Allah through the archangel Gabriel (Jibril in Islamic tradition) at the age of 40.[109][110]

Geography

Nafud desert from the Red Sea. The city is situated in a valley with the same name around 70 km (44 mi) east of the port city of Jeddah
. Mecca is one of the lowest cities in elevation in the Hejaz region, located at an elevation of 277 m (909 ft) above sea level at 21º23' north latitude and 39º51' east longitude. Mecca is divided into 34 districts.

The city centers on the al-Haram area, which contains the Masjid al-Haram. The area around the mosque is the old city and contains the most famous district of Mecca, Ajyad. The main street that runs to al-Haram is the Ibrahim al-Khalil Street, named after Ibrahim. Traditional, historical homes built of local rock, two to three stories long are still present within the city's central area, within view of modern hotels and shopping complexes. The total area of modern Mecca is over 1,200 km2 (460 sq mi).[111]

Elevation

Mecca is at an elevation of 277 m (909 ft) above sea level, and approximately 70 km (44 mi) inland from the Red Sea.[72] It is one of the lowest in the Hejaz region. Although some mountain peaks in Mecca reach 1,000m in height.

Topography

The city center lies in a corridor between mountains, which is often called the "Hollow of Mecca". The area contains the valley of al-Taneem, the valley of Bakkah and the valley of Abqar.[69][112] This mountainous location has defined the contemporary expansion of the city.

Sources of water

well of Zamzam

Due to Mecca's climatic conditions

Arabic: عين زبيدة, romanized: ʿAyn Zubayda, lit. 'Spring of Zubayda' using a separate conduit to connect it to Mecca and the Masjid al-Haram. Over time however the system deteriorated and failed to fulfil its function. Thus in 1245 CE, 1361 CE, 1400 CE, 1474 CE, and 1510 CE different rulers invested into extensive repairs of the system. In 1525 CE due to the system's troubles persisting however the Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent began a construction project to rebuild the aqueduct in its entirety, the project took until 1571 CE to be completed. Its water quality was greatly lacking during the 19th century until a restoration and cleaning project by Osman Pasha began.[39]

Another source which sporadically provided water was rainfall which was stored by the people in small reservoirs or cisterns. According to al-Kurdī, there had been 89 floods by 1965. In the last century, the most severe flood was that of 1942. Since then, dams have been built to ameliorate this problem.[112]

In the modern day water treatment plants and desalination facilities have been constructed and are being constructed to provide suitable amounts of water fit for human consumption to the city.[113][114]

Climate

Main article: Climate of Mecca

Mecca features a

Intertropical convergence zone
.

Climate data for Mecca (1991-2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 39.0
(102.2) 		40.0
(104.0) 		42.4
(108.3) 		44.7
(112.5) 		49.4
(120.9) 		51.4
(124.5) 		51.0
(123.8) 		50.0
(122.0) 		49.8
(121.6) 		47.0
(116.6) 		41.2
(106.2) 		39.4
(102.9) 		49.8
(121.6)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 30.9
(87.6) 		32.6
(90.7) 		35.4
(95.7) 		39.0
(102.2) 		42.4
(108.3) 		43.9
(111.0) 		43.2
(109.8) 		42.9
(109.2) 		42.9
(109.2) 		40.4
(104.7) 		35.6
(96.1) 		32.5
(90.5) 		38.5
(101.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 24.3
(75.7) 		25.4
(77.7) 		27.8
(82.0) 		31.3
(88.3) 		34.6
(94.3) 		36.2
(97.2) 		36.2
(97.2) 		35.9
(96.6) 		35.2
(95.4) 		32.5
(90.5) 		28.7
(83.7) 		25.9
(78.6) 		31.2
(88.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 19.2
(66.6) 		19.9
(67.8) 		21.8
(71.2) 		25.1
(77.2) 		28.1
(82.6) 		29.3
(84.7) 		29.8
(85.6) 		30.1
(86.2) 		29.2
(84.6) 		26.5
(79.7) 		23.4
(74.1) 		20.7
(69.3) 		25.3
(77.5)
Record low °C (°F) 11.0
(51.8) 		10.0
(50.0) 		13.0
(55.4) 		15.6
(60.1) 		20.3
(68.5) 		22.0
(71.6) 		23.4
(74.1) 		23.4
(74.1) 		22.0
(71.6) 		18.0
(64.4) 		16.4
(61.5) 		12.4
(54.3) 		10.0
(50.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 20.7
(0.81) 		2.5
(0.10) 		5.2
(0.20) 		8.3
(0.33) 		2.6
(0.10) 		0.0
(0.0) 		1.4
(0.06) 		5.8
(0.23) 		6.3
(0.25) 		14.1
(0.56) 		23.2
(0.91) 		24.7
(0.97) 		104.6
(4.12)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 1.8 0.3 0.6 0.7 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.8 0.7 1.1 1.7 1.3 9.6
Average
relative humidity
(%) (daily average) 		58 54 48 43 36 33 34 39 45 50 58 59 46
Mean monthly sunshine hours 260.4 245.8 282.1 282.0 303.8 321.0 313.1 297.6 282.0 300.7 264.0 248.0 3,400.5
Mean daily sunshine hours 8.4 8.7 9.1 9.4 9.8 10.7 10.1 9.6 9.4 9.7 8.8 8.0 9.3
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization,[116] Jeddah Regional Climate Center[117]
Source 2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (sunshine hours, 1986–2000)[118]

Economy

Pilgrims are the driving force of Mecca's economy.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts in Mecca

The Meccan economy has been heavily dependent on pilgrimages coming for Umrah and Hajj.[119] Income generated through pilgrims not only powers the Meccan economy but has historically had far-reaching effects on the economy of the entire Arabian Peninsula. The income was generated in a number of ways. One method was taxing the pilgrims. Taxes were especially increased during the Great Depression, and many of these taxes existed to as late as 1972. Another way the Hajj generates income is through services to pilgrims. For example, the Saudi flag carrier, Saudia, generates 12% of its income from the pilgrimage. Fares paid by pilgrims to reach Mecca by land also generate income; as do the hotels and lodging companies that house them.[112] The city takes in more than $100 million, while the Saudi government spends about $50 million on services for the Hajj. There are some industries and factories in the city, but Mecca no longer plays a major role in Saudi Arabia's economy, which is mainly based on oil exports.[120] The few industries operating in Mecca include textiles, furniture, and utensils. The majority of the economy is service-oriented.

Nevertheless, many industries have been set up in Mecca. Various types of enterprises that have existed since 1970 in the city include

corrugated iron manufacturing, copper extraction, carpentry, upholstery, bakeries, farming and banking.[112] The city has grown substantially in the 20th and 21st centuries, as the convenience and affordability of jet travel has increased the number of pilgrims participating in the Hajj. Thousands of Saudis are employed year-round to oversee the Hajj and staff the hotels and shops that cater to pilgrims; these workers in turn have increased the demand for housing and services. The city is now ringed by freeways and contains shopping malls and skyscrapers.[121]

A new industrial city is being developed in Al Akashiya district of Makkah by the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones. It covers an area of 45 square kilometres (11,000 acres).[122]

Human resources

Formal education started to be developed in the late Ottoman period continuing slowly into Hashemite times. The first major attempt to improve the situation was made by a Jeddah merchant, Muhammad ʿAlī Zaynal Riḍā, who founded the Madrasat al-Falāḥ in Mecca in 1911–12 that cost £400,000.

Umm Al-Qura University
, which was established in 1949 as a college and became a public university in 1981.

Healthcare is provided by the Saudi government free of charge to all pilgrims. There are ten main hospitals in Mecca:[124]

  • Ajyad Hospital (مُسْتَشْفَى أَجْيَاد‎)
  • King Faisal Hospital (مُسْتَشْفَى ٱلْمَلِك فَيْصَل بِحَي ٱلشّشه‎)
  • King Abdulaziz Hospital (
    Arabic
    : مُسْتَشْفَى ٱلْمَلِك عَبْد ٱلْعَزِيْز بِحَي ٱلـزَّاهِر‎)
  • Al Noor Specialist Hospital (مُسْتَشْفَى ٱلنُّوْر ٱلتَّخَصُّصِي‎)
  • Hira'a Hospital (مُسْتَشْفَى حِرَاء‎)
  • Maternity and Children's Hospital (مُسْتَشْفَى ٱلْوِلَادَة وَٱلْأَطْفَال‎)
  • King Abdullah Medical City (مَدِيْنَة ٱلْمَلِك عَبْد ٱلله ٱلطِّبِيَّة‎)
  • Khulais General Hospital (مُسْتَشْفَى خُلَيْص ٱلْعَام‎)
  • Al Kamel General Hospital (مُسْتَشْفَى ٱلْكَامِل ٱلْعَام‎)
  • Ibn Sina Hospital (مُسْتَشْفَى ابْن سِيْنَا بِحَدَاء / بَحْرَه‎)

There are also many walk-in clinics available for both residents and pilgrims. Several temporary clinics are set up during the Hajj to tend to wounded pilgrims.

Demographics

See also: List of neighbourhoods in Mecca

Mecca is very densely populated. Most long-term residents live in the Old City, the area around the

Great Mosque and many work to support pilgrims, known locally as the Hajj industry. 'Iyad Madani, the Saudi Arabian Minister for Hajj, was quoted saying, "We never stop preparing for the Hajj."[125]

Year-round, pilgrims stream into the city to perform the rites of '

ethnicities and backgrounds, mainly South and Southeast Asia, Europe and Africa. Many of these pilgrims have remained and become residents of the city. By the 19th century, people of South Asian origin had come to constitute 20% of the population.[127] The Burmese are an older, more established community who number roughly 250,000.[128]
Adding to this, the discovery of oil in the past 50 years has brought hundreds of thousands of working immigrants.

Non-Muslims are not permitted to enter Mecca under

Qadiriyya Sufi from Afghanistan
in 1853.

expatriates outnumber Saudis.[135]

Culture

Al-Haram Mosque and the Kaaba

Mecca's culture has been affected by the large number of pilgrims that arrive annually, and thus boasts a rich cultural heritage. As a result of the vast numbers of pilgrims coming to the city each year, Mecca has become by far the most diverse city in the Muslim world.

Al Baik, a local fast-food chain, is very popular among pilgrims and locals alike. Until 2018, it was available only in Mecca, Medina and Jeddah
, and traveling to Jeddah just to get a taste of the fried chicken was common.

Sports

In pre-modern Mecca, the most common sports were impromptu wrestling and foot races.

King Abdulaziz Stadium is the largest stadium in Mecca with a capacity of 38,000.[136]

Architectural landmarks

See also: Sacred sites in Mecca

Adorning the southern facade of the Masjid al-Haram is the

third-largest building by floor area
.

The Mecca Gate, known popularly as the Quran Gate, sits on the western entrance of the city, which is the route from Jeddah. Located on Highway 40, it marks the boundary of the Haram area where non-Muslims are prohibited from entering. The gate was designed in 1979 by an Egyptian architect, Samir Elabd, for the architectural firm IDEA Center. The structure is that of a book, representing the Quran, sitting on a rehal, or bookrest.[137]

Communications

Press and newspapers

The first press was brought to Mecca in 1885 by

Al Madinah, Okaz and Al Bilad
, in addition to other international newspapers.

Television

Telecommunications in the city were emphasized early under the Saudi reign. King

Al-Ekhbariya, Arab Radio and Television Network
and various cable, satellite and other specialty television providers.

Radio

Limited radio communication was established within the Kingdom under the Hashemites. In 1929, wireless stations were set up in various towns in the region, creating a network that would become fully functional by 1932. Soon after

Day of 'Arafah (9 Dhu al-Hijjah), and increased until 1957, at which time Radio Makkah became the most powerful station in the Middle East at 50 kW. Later, power was increased 9-fold to 450 kW. Music was not immediately broadcast, but gradually folk music was introduced.[112]

Transportation

Air

The only airport near the city is the Mecca East airport, which is not active. Mecca is primarily served by

Ta'if Regional Airport for regional connections. To cater to the large number of Hajj pilgrims, Jeddah Airport has a Hajj Terminal, specifically for use during the Hajj season; the terminal can accommodate 47 planes simultaneously while receiving 3,800 pilgrims per hour during the Hajj season.[138]

Roads

3rd Ring Road passing through Kudai Area

Mecca, similar to Medina, lies at the junction of two of the most important highways in Saudi Arabia, Highway 40, connecting it to the important port city of Jeddah in the west and the capital of Riyadh and the other major port city, Dammam, in the east. The other, Highway 15, connects Mecca to the other holy Islamic city of Medina approximately 400 km (250 mi) in the north and onward to Tabuk and Jordan. While in the south, it connects Mecca to Abha and Jizan.[139][140] Mecca is served by four ring roads, and these are very crowded compared to the three ring roads of Medina. Mecca also has many tunnels.[141]

Rapid transit

Al Masha'er Al Muqaddassah Metro

The

Al Masha'er Al Muqaddassah Metro is a metro line in Mecca opened on 13 November 2010.[142] The 18.1-kilometer (11.2-mile) elevated metro transports pilgrims to the holy sites of 'Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina in the city to reduce congestion on the road and is only operational during the Hajj season.[143]
It consists of nine stations, three in each of the aforementioned towns.

Mecca Metro

The

Al Masha'er Al Muqaddassah Metro
which carries pilgrims.

Rail

Intercity

In 2018, a high speed intercity rail line, part of the

Haramain high-speed railway line entered operation, connecting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina together via Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport and King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh.[145][146] The railway consists of 35 electric trains and is capable of transporting 60 million passengers annually. Each train can achieve speeds of up to 300 kmh (190 mph), traveling a total distance of 450 km (280 mi), reducing the travel time between the two cities to less than two hours.[147][146]

See also

Notes

  1. Arabic: مَكَّة ٱلْمُكَرَّمَة, romanized: Makkah al-Mukarramah, lit. 'Makkah the Noble', Hejazi Arabic pronunciation: [makːa almʊkarːama]
  2. Arabic: مَكَّة[2] Makkah (Hejazi Arabic pronunciation: [ˈmakːa]
    )
  3. ^ Possibly following their pilgrimage in 805 CE and seeing the city's issues with its water supply.

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Bibliography

Further reading

See also: Timeline of Mecca § Bibliography

Online

  • Mecca Saudi Arabia, in Encyclopædia Britannica Online, by John Bagot Glubb, Assʿad Sulaiman Abdo, Swati Chopra, Darshana Das, Michael Levy, Gloria Lotha, Michael Ray, Surabhi Sinha, Noah Tesch, Amy Tikkanen, Grace Young and Adam Zeidan

External links