Mecca
Mecca or Makkah (officially: Makkah al-Mukarramah; Arabic: مكة المكرمة) is a city in Saudi Arabia and the holiest city in Islam. As of the 2004 census, 1,294,169 people lived there. The city is 73 kilometres (45 mi) inland from Jeddah, in the narrow sandy Valley of Abraham. It is 277 metres (909 ft) above sea level. It is 81 kilometres (50 mi) from the Red Sea.
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مكة المكرمة Makkah al-Mukarramah Makkah | |
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| The Holy City of Makkah | |
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| Coordinates: 21°25′0″N 39°49′0″E / 21.41667°N 39.81667°ECoordinates: 21°25′0″N 39°49′0″E / 21.41667°N 39.81667°E | |
| Country |  Saudi Arabia |
| Province | Makkah Province |
| Founded by | Prophet Ismā'īl (Islamic Tradition) |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Osama al-Bar |
| • Provincial Governor | Khalid al-Faisal |
| Area | |
| • City | 760 km2 (290 sq mi) |
| • Urban | 850 km2 (330 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 1,200 km2 (500 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 277 m (909 ft) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • City | 2,000,000 |
| • Density | 4,200/km2 (2,625/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 2,353,912 |
| • Metro | 2,900,000 |
| Mecca Municipality estimate | |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (AST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (AST) |
| Postal Code | (5 digits) |
| Website | www |
Makkah is the holiest city in the Islamic world. Every year, millions of Muslims take a pilgrimage to Mecca, called the Hajj. They follow in the footsteps of Muhammad. All Muslims who are able to perform the Hajj are expected to do so at least once in their life. The Kaaba and Masjid al-Haram, are the holiest mosques in Islam. Mecca is closed to non-Muslims except for some journalists reporting on the Hajj.
History
The Kaaba, the small cubical building which Muslims pray towards is believed to have been built by Ibrahim and has been a religious center ever since. Muslims believed that God commanded Ibrahim to send his second wife Hajar and her son Ismail there.[2] They found the Zamzam Well which led to people settling nearby, and thus Makkah was born. When Ismail was big enough, he helped his father to build the Kaaba. The Kaaba is the place towards which Muslims turn in prayer. This is known as the Qibla.[3]
Mecca Media
Makkah Al Mukarramah Library (21°25′30″N 39°49′48″E / 21.42500°N 39.83000°E) is believed to stand on the spot where Muhammad was born, so it is also known as Bayt al-Mawlid
Panorama of Mecca, 1845, from the Khalili Collection of Hajj and the Arts of Pilgrimage
Bird's-eye view of uncrowded Kaaba, Mecca, Suadi Arabia in 1910. During this time it was the capital of the Velayet of Hejaz, Ottoman Empire
Mecca, as seen from Jabal al-Nour. Mecca Clock Tower is visible in the skyline.
Etapes du pélerinage à La Mecque
Jabal al-Nour, the mountain atop which is the Hira cave, where it is believed Muhammad received his first revelation.
Mecca as seen from the International Space Station. Haram is visible in the center while Mina is visible in the east.
The mouthpiece of the well of Zamzam
Pilgrims are the driving force of Mecca's economy
References
- ↑ Makkah Municipality Archived 2013-08-05 at the Wayback Machine. Holymakkah.gov.sa. Retrieved on 2013-02-03.
- ↑ "The Qur'an 14:37". Archived from the original on 2007-10-15. Retrieved 2006-10-07.
- ↑ The Qur'an 2:217
Other websites
- Direction to Makkah Archived 2006-08-25 at the Wayback Machine
- Qibla Compass
- The Emirate of Makkah[dead link]
- Inside Mecca DVD Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine National Geographic documentary about Makkah
- Mecca Wallpapers New