Taif
Taif
Aṭ-Ṭāʾif (ٱلطَّائِف) | |
---|---|
City | |
GMT + 3) | |
Postal Code | 26XXX |
Area code | +966 12 |
Website | http://www.taifcity.gov.sa |
Taif (
There is a belief that Taif is indirectly referred to in
The city has been called the unofficial
.The Taif governorate is divided into 15 smaller municipalities, with Ta'if as the capital.
Name
Much like many of the cities in the Hejazi region, the city of Ta'if had an older name: Wajj (وَجّ).[12] This was also the name of the Valley of Wajj, a significant valley within Arabian and Islamic history.[12]
The etymology of the city's current name, Taʾif (
Taʾif was given this name due to the wall that was built by the tribe of Banu Thaqif that circulated the city.[16] In short, the city of Taʾif literally means the circulated or encircled city.[citation needed]
History
In the
In the early
The city then went through many exchanges-of-power, but most of the action within these conflicts took place between Makkah and Medina, and Ta'if dwindled in importance in contrast to the two holy cities.[23]
Under Ottoman rule
On 17 July 1517, the Sharif of Mecca capitulated to the Ottoman Sultan Selim I. As a sign of this, he surrendered to him the keys of the Islamic cities of Mecca and Medina. As part of the Hijaz, Ta'if was also given over to Ottoman control and the city remained Ottoman for a further three centuries, until in 1802, when it was retaken by rebels allied with the House of Saud. These forces then proceeded to take Mecca and Medina. The loss was keenly felt by the Ottoman Empire, which viewed itself as the protector of the holy cities. The Ottoman sultan, Mahmud II, called upon the Wali of Egypt, Muhammad Ali, who launched an attack on the Hejaz and reconquered Ta'if in 1813.[23]
In 1813, the Swiss traveler and orientalist Johann Ludwig Burckhardt visited Ta'if and left an eyewitness account of the city just after its recapture by the Muhammad Ali, with whom he obtained several interviews while he was there. Burckhardt reported that the wall and ditch around the city had been built by Othman el-Medhayfe. There were three gates and several towers on the city walls, which, however, were weak, being in some places only 45 cm (18 in) thick. Burckhardt stated that the castle had been built by Sharif Ghalib ibn Musa'id. He noted the destruction of the city caused by the conquest of 1802. Most of the buildings were still in ruin while he was there, and the tomb of 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas – cousin of Muhammad and ancestor of the Abbasids – had been severely damaged. He also recorded that the population of the city was still mostly Thaqīfi. In terms of trade, the city was an entrepôt for coffee.[24]
The castle and military barracks in Ta'if were repaired by the Ottomans in 1843, a hükûmet konağı – mansion for government business – was built in 1869, and a post office was established sometime later.[25]
Arab Revolt
Prior to the
Saudi conquest and modern history
Ta'if did not remain in Hashemite hands for very long. Tensions between the King of the Hejaz, Husayn ibn Ali, and
Ta'if was still little more than a medieval city when the Saudis took control of it. However, they later embarked on a project of modernizing the city. Saudi Arabia's first public power generator was set up in Ta'if in the late 1940s.
Geography
The entirety of the Ta'if governorate is situated on a
Climate
Ta'if has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh), with hot summers and mild winters. It is much cooler in Ta'if during the summertime than it is other parts of Saudi Arabia, particularly Riyadh. Precipitation is low, but all months see some rain, with more rain in spring and late autumn than in other months.[31][32]
Climate data for Ta'if (1991-2020) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 32.0 (89.6) |
33.0 (91.4) |
34.0 (93.2) |
35.2 (95.4) |
39.0 (102.2) |
40.2 (104.4) |
41.0 (105.8) |
40.0 (104.0) |
40.0 (104.0) |
36.0 (96.8) |
32.5 (90.5) |
30.0 (86.0) |
41.0 (105.8) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 23.1 (73.6) |
25.3 (77.5) |
27.7 (81.9) |
30.6 (87.1) |
33.9 (93.0) |
36.3 (97.3) |
35.6 (96.1) |
36.0 (96.8) |
35.2 (95.4) |
31.1 (88.0) |
26.8 (80.2) |
24.2 (75.6) |
30.5 (86.9) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 15.8 (60.4) |
17.7 (63.9) |
20.2 (68.4) |
23.2 (73.8) |
26.5 (79.7) |
29.6 (85.3) |
29.3 (84.7) |
29.5 (85.1) |
28.2 (82.8) |
23.7 (74.7) |
19.6 (67.3) |
16.9 (62.4) |
23.3 (74.0) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8.7 (47.7) |
10.3 (50.5) |
12.8 (55.0) |
16.0 (60.8) |
19.3 (66.7) |
22.8 (73.0) |
23.6 (74.5) |
23.8 (74.8) |
21.0 (69.8) |
16.0 (60.8) |
12.5 (54.5) |
9.8 (49.6) |
16.4 (61.5) |
Record low °C (°F) | −1.5 (29.3) |
0.0 (32.0) |
0.5 (32.9) |
4.0 (39.2) |
5.6 (42.1) |
13.9 (57.0) |
13.3 (55.9) |
13.3 (55.9) |
11.4 (52.5) |
8.0 (46.4) |
5.0 (41.0) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 9.7 (0.38) |
1.1 (0.04) |
12.4 (0.49) |
34.1 (1.34) |
34.8 (1.37) |
3.8 (0.15) |
2.4 (0.09) |
17.2 (0.68) |
9.1 (0.36) |
16.1 (0.63) |
23.1 (0.91) |
5.0 (0.20) |
168.8 (6.65) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 1.2 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 20.0 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
61 | 54 | 47 | 47 | 38 | 25 | 27 | 31 | 33 | 42 | 56 | 61 | 44 |
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization,[33] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: [31][32] |
Natural landmarks
Al-Rudaf Park is a large natural park in South Ta'if, where trees stand amidst weathered granite rocks. The site also has a small zoo. Additionally, the park has a large lake with fountains and cannons.
Economy and development
This section needs to be updated.(July 2020) |
Historically, Ta'if's economy depended on agriculture and the cultivation of roses, which were traded throughout Central Asia and Transoxiana.[43] Ta'if's modern economy is still mostly dependent on agriculture and perfumes, but an increasing diversification project has been taking place in order to combat the city's heavy dependence on these two industries.[19] The distilled rose oil from the Rosa × damascena plant has been traditionally used as an attar in the Middle East, usually as a masculine fragrance, and due to its cultivation in Ta'if, it has gained the name "Ta'if rose."[citation needed]
On October 1, 2017, King Salman of Saudi Arabia inaugurated the "New Ta'if" project, a $3.9 billion project[44] aiming at establishing a new, international airport in the city, dubbed the Ta'if International Airport, renovation and modernization of the historic Souk 'Okaz,[45][46] establishment of the Oasis of Technology, which is expected to include an Antonov aircraft manufacturing and assembly plant, an industrial airport with a 3.5-km runway, a solar farm covering 25,000 square metres (270,000 sq ft) expected to produce 30 MW of electricity,[45][46] the Residential Suburb, which is expected to include 10,000 residential units,[45][46] the Industrial City, an 11-square-kilometre (4.2 sq mi) industrial city with a complex for heavy, medium and light industries along with a vocational training center,[45][46] and the University City, a 16-square-kilometre (6.2 sq mi) university projected to be built in the Saiysad National Park.[45][46]
Culture
Arts
The Souk 'Okaz, one of the best known pre-Islamic souks, was not only a market, but in many ways, a historic theater, where sociopolitical and commercial exchanges took place between the tribes of pre-Islamic Arabia.[47] People from around the peninsula would come to visit the idol of the goddess Lat.[47] This is proof that Ta'if has long been a historic center for trade and the arts in the Arabian Peninsula; contemporary theaters in the area include the 'Okaz Market Theater[48] and the recently opened King 'Abdullah Park Theater.[49] A performing arts theater is also located in the nearby town of Qia and is known as the Folk Theater of Qia.[citation needed]
In the framework of Saudi Seasons initiative, the first Ta'if Season took place on August 1, 2019. Artists from seven countries participated in the event and a wide range of activities were overseen. Three main events have taken place during the season including the Souk 'Okaz festival and a camel race. As a sideline to the event, a rose festival in the city as well as a number of concerts and plays were held.[50]
Sports
Like most of Saudi Arabia, the most popular sport among Saudis in Ta'if is football.
Infrastructure
Education
In 2004 Taif University was established which offers both undergraduate and graduate programs across four colleges and 16 faculties.[52][53] It has four campuses located in the Taif Governorate, with the main campus in Al-Hawiyya.[52]
In 2014 the Canadian Niagara College opened a campus in Taif with programs in tourism, hospitality, and business.[54] This effort is part of the Colleges of Excellence program.[55] The college faced criticism for being open to men only, including from the Canadian Association of University Teachers.[56][54][57] As of 2023 it is unclear whether the campus in Taif is still active, with even the main website of Niagara College KSA having mixed information.[58][59]
Mosques
There are a number of historical mosques in the city.[60][61] One (21°16′13.31″N 40°24′30.48″E / 21.2703639°N 40.4084667°E) houses the remains of Abdullah ibn Abbas, a cousin and companion of Muhammad.[62][63] Another mosque (21°15′27.65″N 40°23′27.37″E / 21.2576806°N 40.3909361°E) is named after Addas, an Iraqi Christian who embraced Islam after meeting Muhammad.[64][65]
-
Mosque of Abdullah ibn Abbas
Museums and historic landmarks
Located 40 km (25 mi) north of Ta'if is the site of the
Transportation
Due to Ta'if's location in the mountains, most major highways either bend around the city or avoid the region completely. The only major highway in the Saudi Arabian network to pass through Ta'if is Highway 15 (known to locals as the Taif – Al-Hada Road) which arrives from Mecca in the west, bends around the mountains through Al-Hada, passes through the center of Ta'if, and travels to Abha and Khamis Mushait via Baha and Baljurashi. Ta'if is connected to Highway 40 via Highway 267 and Highway 287. Highway 267 forms the western part of the Ta'if beltway, but then continues southward toward Ash-Shafa, bypassing Mecca by using a longer route and gives access to Highway 304, Highway 301, Highway 40 and Highway 290 via Highway 298.[citation needed]
Ta'if is served by the Taif International Airport. It was scheduled to open in 2020, but this had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new airport is mainly designed to cater to pilgrims of Hajj and 'Umrah, and to relieve pressure off the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.[10][11][71]
Notable people
This section needs additional citations for verification. (September 2021) |
Tribes
The historically well-known tribe of
Births in the pre-modern era
Pre-Islamic leaders of Banu Thaqif During the pre-Islamic era, the city was populated by the tribe of Thaqif. The city had then the following chieftains:
- 'Urwah ibn Mas'ud
- 'Abd-ya-Layl ibn 'Amr
- 'Uthman ibn Abu al-'Aas
Other important Islamic figures
- son-in-lawof Muhammad
- Governor of Iraqand general
- Muhammad bin Qasim (695–715) — Umayyad general who conquered the Sindh and Punjab regions along the Indus River.[72]
- Al-Hurr ibn Abd al-Rahman Fourth ruler of Al-Andalus during the Umayyad rule
- Sultan Sulaiman, and a descendant of Muhammad[73]
Births in the modern era
Monarchs and royals
- King Faisal I of Iraq (1885–1933) — 20th-century King of Syria and Iraq
- Prince Nayef bin 'Abdulaziz Al Saud (1934–2012) — former Crown Prince and Minister of Interior of Saudi Arabia
Others
- Hadi Soua'an Al-Somaily (1976–present) — First Saudi Olympic medal winner.[74]
- Mutlaq Hamid Al-Otaibi (1937–95) — poet and writer; member of the Faculty of Sharia' at the Umm al-Qura' University
- American Airlines flight 77 into The Pentagon.
Deaths
- 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (619–687) — cousin of Muhammad
- Midhat Pasha (1822–83) — Ottoman grand vizier; assassinated by strangulation in prison
- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Khalid of Saudi Arabia (1913–1982) — 4th king of Saudi Arabia and son of Ibn Saud
Governors
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (February 2021) |
See also
- Al-Kateb House
- Banu Jadhimah
- Miqat of Qarnul-Manazil at As Sayl al Kabir
- Ta'if Agreement
- 'Utaybah
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