Mecca

Place in Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia Arabic text Makkah Al Mukarrammah seen from Jabal al-Nour Mecca ( ), also spelled Makkah (occasionally B akkah ) ( ; Makkah and in full: transliterated Makkah Al Mukarramah ) is a city in Saudi Arabia , and the holiest meeting site in Islam , closely followed by Medina . Muslim tradition attributes the beginning of Mecca to Ishmael 's descendants. In the 7th century, the Islamic prophet Muhammad proclaimed Islam in the city which was by then an important trading center. After 966, Mecca was led by local sharifs under the hegemony of the Ottoman Empire . Ottoman authority collapsed in 1916 and the local rulers established the Hashemite Kingdom of Hejaz . The Hejaz kingdom, including Mecca, was absorbed by the Saudis in 1925. In its modern period, Mecca has seen tremendous expansion in size and infrastructure. The modern day city is the capital of Saudi Arabia's Makkah Province , in the historic Hejaz region. With a population of 1.7 million (2008), the city is located 73 km (45 mi) inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of 277 m (909 ft) above sea level. Every year, millions of Muslims perform the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca walking seven times around the Kaaba and more than 13 million people visit Mecca annually. " British architects to change the face of Mecca ," The Times . A Saudi tower: Mecca versus Las Vegas: Taller, holier and even more popular than (almost) anywhere else, The Economist , dated Jun 24th 2010, Cairo.

Place in Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia Arabic text Mecca ( / ˈ m ɛ k ə / ; ) also transliterated as Makkah ( ), is a city in the Hejaz in Saudi Arabia . It is the capital of that kingdom's Makkah Region . The city is located 70 km (43 mi) inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of 277 m (909 ft) above sea level. Its resident population in 2012 was roughly 2 million, although visitors more than triple this number every year during the hajj ("pilgrimage") period held in the twelfth Muslim lunar month of Dhu al-Hijjah . As the birthplace of Muhammad and the site of Muhammad's first revelation of the Quran (specifically, a cave 3 km (2 mi) from Mecca ), Mecca is regarded as the holiest city in the religion of Islam and a pilgrimage to it known as the Hajj is obligatory for all able Muslims . Mecca is home to the Kaaba , by majority description Islam's holiest site, as well as being the direction of Muslim prayer . Mecca was long ruled by Muhammad's descendants , the sharifs , acting either as independent rulers or as vassals to larger polities. It was conquered by Ibn Saud in 1925. In its modern period, Mecca has seen tremendous expansion in size and infrastructure, home to structures such as the Abraj Al Bait , also known as the Makkah Royal Clock Tower Hotel, the world's third tallest building and the building with the largest amount of floor area. During this expansion, Mecca has lost some historical structures and archaeological sites, such as the Ajyad Fortress . Today, more than 15 million Muslims visit Mecca annually, including several million during the few days of the Hajj. As a result, Mecca has become one of the most cosmopolitan and diverse cities in the Muslim world, despite the fact that non-Muslims are prohibited from entering the city. Central Department Of Statistics & Information . A Saudi tower: Mecca versus Las Vegas: Taller, holier and even more popular than (almost) anywhere else, The Economist (2010-06-24), Cairo. What everyone needs to know about Islam . Mecca, like Medina, is closed to non-Muslims

Saudi Arabian city and capital of the Makkah province City in Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia Makkah al-Mukarramah , ( ) commonly shortened to Makkah , and also known by its latinized form, Mecca , is the holiest city in Islam and the capital of the Makkah Province of Saudi Arabia . The city is located 70 km (43 mi) inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea , in a narrow valley 277 m (909 ft) above sea level. Its last recorded population was 1,578,722 in 2015 . estimated metro population in 2020 is 2.042 million, making it the third-most populated city in the kingdom. Pilgrims more than triple this number every year during the Ḥajj pilgrimage , observed in the twelfth Hijri month of Dhūl-Ḥijjah . Makkah is the birthplace of Muhammad . The Hira cave located atop the Jabal al-Nur ("Mountain of Light") is located just outside the city and is the location where Muslims believe the Qur'an was first revealed to Muhammad . Visiting Makkah for the Hajj is an obligation upon all able Muslims. The Great Mosque of Makkah , known as the Masjid al-Haram is home to the Ka'bah , believed by Muslims to have been built by Abraham and Ishmael , is one of Islam's holiest sites and the direction of prayer for all Muslims ( qibla ), cementing Makkah's significance in Islam . 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 Hejaz region, the city has seen several regime changes , which owes to its rich history. The city was finally conquered in the Saudi conquest of Hejaz by Ibn Saud and his allies in 1925. Makkah has seen a tremendous expansion in size and infrastructure, with newer, modern buildings such as the Abraj Al Bait , the world's fourth-tallest building and third-largest by floor area , towering over the Great Mosque. The Saudi government has also carried out a destruction of several historical structures and archaeological sites, such as the Ajyad Fortress . Non-Muslims are strictly prohibited from entering the city. Muslims from around the world visit the city, not only for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages, but also as tourists to visit regional landmarks such as the 'Aisha Mosque ( Masjid 'Aisha ) and the sites visited by pilgrims in the Hajj and 'Umrah. Makkah is now home to two of the most expensive buildings in the world, the Masjid al-Haram , valued at 100 billion US dollars and the Abraj al-Bait complex, valued at 15 billion US dollars. A Saudi tower: Mecca versus Las Vegas: Taller, holier and even more popular than (almost) anywhere else, The Economist (24 June 2010), Cairo. What everyone needs to know about Islam . Mecca, like Medina, is closed to non-Muslims There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).

Holiest city in Islam, Saudi Arabian provincial capital For other uses, see Mecca (disambiguation) . City in Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia Mecca ( / ˈ m ɛ k ə / ; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah , commonly shortened to Makkah ) is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia and the holiest city in Islam . It is 70 km (43 mi) inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea , in a narrow valley 277 m (909 ft) above sea level. Its last recorded population was 1,578,722 in 2015. Its estimated metropolitan population in 2020 is 2.042 million, making it the third-most populated city in Saudi Arabia after Riyadh and Jeddah . Pilgrims more than triple this number every year during the Ḥajj pilgrimage , observed in the twelfth Hijri month of Dhūl-Ḥijjah . Mecca is generally considered "the fountainhead and cradle of Islam ". Mecca is revered in Islam as the birthplace of the Islamic prophet Muhammad . The Hira cave atop the Jabal al-Nur ("Mountain of Light"), just outside the city, is where Muslims believe the Quran was first revealed to Muhammad. Visiting Mecca for the Ḥajj is an obligation upon all able Muslims. The 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 one of Islam's holiest sites and the direction of prayer for all Muslims ( qibla ). 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 Hejaz region, the city has seen several regime changes . The city was most recently conquered in the Saudi conquest of Hejaz by Ibn Saud and his allies in 1925. Since then, Mecca has seen a tremendous expansion in size and infrastructure, with newer, modern buildings such as the Abraj Al Bait , the world's fourth-tallest building and third-largest by floor area , towering over the Great Mosque. The Saudi government has also carried out the destruction of several historical structures and archaeological sites , such as the Ajyad Fortress . Non-Muslims are strictly prohibited from entering the city. 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 Saudi government . In 2015, the mayor of the city was Osama bin Fadhel Al-Barr; as of January 2022 , the mayor is Saleh Al-Turki. The City of Mecca amanah , which constitutes Mecca and the surrounding region, is the capital of the Mecca Province, which includes the neighbouring cities of Jeddah and Ta'if , even though Jeddah is considerably larger in population compared to Mecca. The Provincial Governor of the province from 16 May 2007 was Prince Khalid bin Faisal Al Saud . There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ). The Global Transformation of Time: 1870–1950 . Mecca, "the fountainhead and cradle of Islam," would be the center of Islamic timekeeping. Literary History Of The Arabs . Mecca was the cradle of Islam, and Islam, according to Muhammad, is the religion of Abraham. Khan, A M (2003). Because Wahhābism prohibits the veneration of shrines, tombs, and sacred objects, many sites associated with the early history of Islam , such as the homes and graves of companions of Muhammad , were demolished under Saudi rule. Preservationists have estimated that as many as 95 percent of the historic sites around Mecca and Medina have been razed. A Saudi tower: Mecca versus Las Vegas: Taller, holier and even more popular than (almost) anywhere else, The Economist (24 June 2010), Cairo. What everyone needs to know about Islam . Mecca, like Medina, is closed to non-Muslims "Mayor of Makkah Receives Malaysian Consul General" . "Who's Who: Saleh Al-Turki, the new mayor of Makkah" . 29 January 2022.

Holiest city in Islam For other uses, see Mecca (disambiguation) . City in Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia Mecca , officially Makkah al-Mukarramah , is the holiest city in Islam . It is located in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia and is the capital of Mecca Province . Mecca is considered the birthplace of Islam , and is the birthplace of the Islamic prophet Muhammad . It is 70 km (43 mi) inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea , in a narrow valley 277 m (909 ft) above sea level. Its metropolitan population in 2022 was 2.4 million, making it the third-most populated city in Saudi Arabia after Riyadh and Jeddah. The Hira cave atop the Jabal al-Nour , just outside the city, is where Muslims believe the Quran was first revealed to Muhammad. Visiting Mecca for the Ḥajj is an obligation upon all able Muslims. The 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. Around 44.5% of the population are Saudi citizens and around 55.5% are Muslim foreigners from other countries. Pilgrims more than triple the population number every year during the Ḥajj pilgrimage , observed in the twelfth Hijri month of Dhūl-Ḥijjah . With over 10.8 million international visitors in 2023, Mecca was one of the ten most visited cities in the world. 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 Hejaz region, the city has seen several regime changes . The city was most recently conquered in the Saudi conquest of Hejaz by Ibn Saud and his allies in 1925. Since then, Mecca has seen a tremendous expansion in size and infrastructure, with newer, modern buildings such as The Clock Towers , the world's fourth-tallest building and third-largest by floor area , towering over the Great Mosque. The Saudi government has also carried out the destruction of several historical structures and archaeological sites , such as the Ajyad Fortress . However, many of the demolitions have officially been part of the continued expansion of the Masjid al-Haram at Mecca and 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 ). Non-Muslims are prohibited from entering the city . 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 Saudi government . In 2015, the mayor of the city was Osama bin Fadhel Al-Barr; as of January 2022 , the mayor is Saleh Al-Turki. The City of Mecca amanah , which constitutes Mecca and the surrounding region, is the capital of the Mecca Province, which includes the neighbouring cities of Jeddah and Taif , even though Jeddah is considerably larger in population than Mecca. Prince Khalid Al-Faisal has been the provincial governor since 16 May 2007. The Global Transformation of Time: 1870–1950 . Mecca, "the fountainhead and cradle of Islam," would be the center of Islamic timekeeping. Literary History Of The Arabs . Mecca was the cradle of Islam, and Islam, according to Muhammad, is the religion of Abraham. Khan, A M (2003). Because Wahhābism prohibits the veneration of shrines, tombs, and sacred objects, many sites associated with the early history of Islam , such as the homes and graves of companions of Muhammad , were demolished under Saudi rule. Preservationists have estimated that as many as 95 percent of the historic sites around Mecca and Medina have been razed. A Saudi tower: Mecca versus Las Vegas: Taller, holier and even more popular than (almost) anywhere else, The Economist (24 June 2010), Cairo. The Times of India . 11 April 2013. : CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ( link ) Peters, Francis E. What everyone needs to know about Islam . Mecca, like Medina, is closed to non-Muslims "Mayor of Makkah Receives Malaysian Consul General" . "Who's Who: Saleh Al-Turki, the new mayor of Makkah" . 29 January 2022. There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).