Mecca is the capital of the Makkah Province of Saudi Arabia. The city is 70 km inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley 277 m above sea level. Muslims from around the world visit the city, not only for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages, but also as tourists to visit regional landmarks.
About Mecca, Saudi Arabia in brief
Mecca is the holiest city in Islam and the capital of the Makkah Province of Saudi Arabia. The city is 70 km inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley 277 m above sea level. 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. 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. Under the Saudi government, Mecca is governed by the Mecca Regional Municipality, a municipal council of 14 locally elected members headed by the mayor appointed by the government. The estimated metro population in 2020 is 2. 042 million, making it the third-most populated city in the kingdom. Mecca is now home to two of the most expensive buildings in the world, the MasJid al.Haram and the Abraj al-Bait complex, valued at 15 billion US dollars. Non-Muslims are strictly prohibited from entering the city. As of May 2015, the mayor of the city is Dr. Osama bin Fadhel Al-Barr. Mecca has been referred to by many names, as with many Arabic words, its etymology is obscure. It is said to be more specifically the early name for the valley located therein, while Muslim scholars generally use it to refer to the sacred area of theCity that immediately surrounds and includes the Ka’bah.
The official name is MakKah al-Mukarramah, but is not universally known or used worldwide. The word has come to be used in English to come to mean ‘Mecca’ or ‘Makkah’ in the Qur’an’s Surah Al-Fath, 24:24. In South Arabic, the language of the Arabian Peninsula at the time of Muhammad, the words ‘mukar’ and ‘baka’ were interchangeable. This is presumed to be the origin of the current form of the name ‘mecca.’ The city was conquered in the Saudi conquest of Hejaz by Ibn Saud and his allies in 1925. The Provincial Governor of the province from 16 May 2007 is Prince Khalid bin Faisal Al Saud. The Saudi government adopted the official spelling in the 1980s, but it is closer to the Arabic Arabic pronunciation of “MakKah” than “mecca” in the official transliteration of the word “Mecca,” which is used in the English word ’Mecca’ The city has seen several regime changes, which contributes to its rich history, and thus, much like most of the hejaz region, the city has had a long history of attempts to take the city and keep it in control.
You want to know more about Mecca, Saudi Arabia?
This page is based on the article Mecca, Saudi Arabia published in Wikipedia (as of Dec. 30, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
