Mecca

Mecca, known as Makkah in Arabic, is located at a distance of 73 kilometres inland from the Red Seaport of Jeddah. Nestled in the Sirat Mountains of central Saudi Arabia, this city is known as the centre of the Islamic world. Sprawling over an area of 850 square kilometres, the city has a population of around 1.7 million people.

Mecca, which is regarded as the holiest city in Islam, is the birthplace of Prophet Muhammed, who laid the foundation of the religion. The earliest mention of this city was found in the work of Greek writer Ptolemy (AD 90 to 168). In his writings, a city called Macoraba is mentioned which is believed to be the initial name of Mecca.

The Kaaba became a place of worship for Muslims by the 5th century AD. During that time, the entire area was under the rule of the Quraysh tribe, who were skilled traders. With the birth of Prophet Muhammed in AD 570 in Mecca, this city also became the birthplace of Islamic religion.

According to legend, it is believed that in 610 AD, the Prophet had begun receiving revelations from Angel Gabriel, who was the messenger of God. These revelations were received in the mountain caves of Hira, which is located near Mecca.

The city has never been a capital of any of the Islamic states, but still many Muslim rulers have contributed significantly to its progress. Mecca was attacked and raided in AD 930 by a Muslim sect, the Qarmatians, whose troop was led by Abu-Tahir Al-Jannabi. The city came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire in 1517; however, on a local level, the city was ruled by Sharif.

In the year 1803, the rule of the Ottoman Empire ended when it was captured by the First Saudi State. The rule of the First Saudi State extended for a decade, till the year 1813, and few years later, it came under the rule of the Second Saudi State in 1818. The Second Saudi State ruled the city until 1891, after which it was again passed on to the Ottoman rule.

Later, Hussein bin Ali, who was the Sharif of Mecca, revolted against the Ottoman Empire. In the Battle of Mecca which was held in 1916, Mecca was captured by Hussein bin Ali, who then established the Kingdom of Hejaz. This kingdom was under the rule of two kings, one was Hussein bin Ali himself, and the other was his eldest son, Ali bin Hussein.

In the year 1926, Abdul-Aziz bin Saud defeated Ali bin Hussein, and led to the establishment of the Third Saudi State, which is currently known as Saudi Arabia. The history of this holy city states that Mecca was governed by the royal family of Saudi Arabia.

In 1979, some of the dissidents realised that the royal family did not adhere to the traditions and culture of pure Islam. Due to this, dissidents tried to overthrow the royal family and seize the Kaaba. However, the control over the Kaaba was restored after a brutal bloodshed.

Owing to such a vast history, along with being the birthplace of Prophet Muhammed, Mecca is considered as the most important pilgrimage site for Muslims. Since it is the holiest city in Islam, it is visited by millions of Muslims across the globe, who wish to perform Hajj or Umrah.

Open only to Muslims, Mecca is home to several religious sites such as the Hill of Arafat, Thour Mountains and the Holy Mosque. The best time to visit Mecca is during the month of Ramzaan and also from October through May.