The City Of Mecca

About The Pilgrimage To Mecca - Hajj

Mecca also called Makkah is the most religious assembling site in Islam, directly followed by Medina. The city is fresh, multi-ethnic and even though barred to non-Muslims, is nevertheless culturally diverse. The Islamic religion's holiest city is situated in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Its significance as a holy city for Muslims goes back to it being the place of birth of Mohammed, the founder of Islam.

Muslim custom characterizes the starting of Mecca to Ishmael's successors. In the 7th century, the Islamic prophet Muhammad declared Islam in the city which was by that time an essential trading center. Mecca was guided by local sharifs after 966 until 1924 which was when the Ottoman Empire subsided and it was ruled by the Saudis.

Mecca is the heart of the Islamic world. Situated in the Sirat Mountains of central Saudi Arabia and approximately 45 miles inland from the Red Sea port of Jidda (also called Jeddah), which is a narrow valley 910 feet above sea level; pre-historic Mecca was an oasis on the old caravan trade path that connected the Mediterranean world with South Arabia, South Asia, and East Africa. By the Byzantine and Roman era it had grown into a vital trade and religious center, and was called Macoraba. The holy land in which Mecca and Medina are situated is called Hijaz. Hijaz, which means ‘barrier’, due to its backbone, is located in the western area of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a narrow region of land approximately 875 miles in length and east of the Red Sea with the Tropic of Cancer running throughout its core. The Sirat Mountains comprise of volcanic mountains and innate depressions forming a bare and rocky atmosphere overpowered by severe sunlight and a very small amount of rainfall.

Muslims look at Mecca throughout their day by day prayers and one of the main principles of Islam is a pilgrimage to Mecca which should be performed at least one time in a Muslim's life. It is known as Hajj. Just about two million Muslims go to Mecca within the final month of the Islamic calendar for the Hajj. This arrival of Muslims involves a vast amount of extensive preparation by the Saudi administration. Hotels as well as other services within the city are extended to the limit for the duration of the pilgrimage.
The most holy site inside this sacred city is the Great Mosque. The Black Stone, which is a huge black monolith that is fundamental to worship all through the Hajj, is located within the Great Mosque. In the Mecca region are a number of added sites where Muslims also worship.

Saudi Arabia is not accessible to visitors and Mecca is also closed off to all non-Muslims and road blockages are put in place along roads going towards the city. The most remembered occurrence of a non-Muslim going to Mecca was the trip by the British voyager Sir Richard Francis Burton in 1853. He found the Kama Sutra and also deciphered the 100 stories of the Arabian Knights. Burton camouflaged himself as an Afghani Muslim to visit as well as write the Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al Madinah and Mecca.

Mecca is located in a valley surrounded by low hills with inhabitants of about 1.3 million people. Even though Mecca is without a doubt the holy capital of Saudi Arabia, be reminded that the Saudi political capital is Riyadh. The contemporary city of Mecca is the capital of Saudi Arabia's Makkah Province, in the notable Hejaz region and has been blessed with immense growth in size and infrastructure.