MAKKAHMakkah refers to Bakka (previous name of Makkah), in Saudi Arabia where the first house of worship on earth was appointed by Allah (Glory be to him) for human beings. This house is the Kabah towards which all Muslims face while praying and go for Hajj (Pilgrimage). Makkah is a city of western Saudi Arabia near the coast of the Red Sea. The birthplace of Prophet Muhammad (May Allah honour Him and grant Him peace), it is the sacred city in Islam and a pilgrimage site for all devout believers of the faith.
The following ayath are from the Qur’an: "Verily, the first house (of worship) appointed for mankind was that in Bakka (Makkah), full of blessing, and guidance for all people." Qur’an.Surah 3:96. The word ‘Makkah’ is also mentioned in the Qur’an in Qur’an.Surah Fatah 48:24.
IntroductionThe City of Makkah, which lies inland 73 kilometers east of Jeddah, is the place where the Prophet Muhammad (May Allah honour Him and grant Him peace) was born - the place where God's message was first revealed to him and the city to which he returned after the migration to Madinah in 622 CE. Makkah is the holiest city on earth to Muslims. It is variously known as Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Umm Al-Qura (the origin of the Cities), Al Balad Al-Ameen (the Secure City), and Al-Balad Al-Haram (the Sacred City). Five times each day, the world's more than one billion Muslims, wherever they may be, turn to the Holy City of Makkah to pray. And at least once in their lives, all Muslims who are not prevented by personal circumstance perform the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah. Thus each year the sacred City of Makkah is host to some two million hajjis (pilgrims) from all over the world. The sacred masjid in Makkah houses the Kaaba, in the corner of which is set the Black Stone which marks the starting point for the seven circumambulations of the sacred masjid which every hajji must complete. The sacred City is served by the seaport and international airport of Jeddah. [1]
Location
Makkah is located in a valley some 277 meters (909 feet) above sea level, surrounded by the barren, arid hills of the Sirat mountains which range from 375 to 766 meters (1,000 to 2,490 feet) in height. There are four gaps in the mountains which give access to the Holy City of Makkah. The north provides access to Makkah from Mina, Muzdalifah, Arafat and Ta'if. The north west gap provides access from Madinah. The western gap gives access from Jeddah. And the southern gap opens the way into Makkah from Yemen. [2]
HistoryIn its long history Makkah has also been known as Bakkah. In ancient times, Makkah was chiefly notable as a staging post on the trade route linking the spice producers of the east with Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean. Makkah lay about midway between Marib, one of the main cities, perhaps the capital, of the kingdom of Sheba (Yemen) and Petra (in Jordan), a city founded by Nabatean Arabs around the 6th century CE and which became a thriving center with commercial interests spreading into Syria. The religious significance of Makkah was established long before Islamic times.
It was in Makkah that Allah (Glory be to him) commanded Ibrahim to leave Haajar and his young son Ishmael; it was in Makkah thatAllah (Glory be to him) brought forth water from the Well of Zamzam which saved the life of Ishmael and his mother and then allowed Makkah to develop as a habitable place; it was in Makkah that Allah (Glory be to him)instructed Ibrahim to build "the House of Allah" (the Holy Kaba). As a result, from earliest times, Makkah became a place of pilgrimage and, although as centuries passed the pure faith of the Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon Him) became corrupted by idolatry and paganism, Makkah retained its hold on the minds of men as a place where men should worship. When Makkah came under the control of the Quraysh tribe, it was a noted trading center, a place for pilgrimage and the site of festivals chiefly remarkable for intensely fought poetry competitions and the excessive behavior of the idolaters.
The Prophet Muhammad (May Allah honour Him and grant Him peace) was born in Makkah in 570 CE. When, following revelations, Prophet Muhammad (May Allah honour Him and grant Him peace) opposed the paganism of the Makkan establishment and began to spread the word of Islam, he was forced by the Makkans to leave the city. He went to Madinah which proved more receptive to his understanding of the will of Allah (Glory be to him). In 630 CE, the Prophet Muhammad (May Allah honour Him and grant Him peace) returned to Makkah, taking the city without resistance and purging it of all elements of idolatry. He cleared the Kaaba of the 360 "gods" within, dedicating the Kaaba once more to the pure worship of the one and only God ie, Allah and establishing Makkah as a place of pilgrimage for all Muslims. From that time(Glory be to Him), the Holy City of Makkah has been the heart of the Muslim world. It grew in importance as Islam spread and, for the most part, retained a large degree of independence. When the seat of Muslim power moved to Damascus and then later to Iraq under the Abassid Caliphate, Makkah acknowledged each in turn.
In 1269 CE, the Mamluk Sultans from Egypt asserted their power over Makkah. And in 1517 CE, the Turks under the Ottomans in Constantinople held sway over the Holy City. Nevertheless, throughout these great shifts in power in the region, the descendants of the Prophet Muhammad (May Allah honour Him and grant Him peace)remained the local rulers of Makkah. When the Ottoman Empire collapsed at the end of the First World War, Abdul Aziz Al Saud (Ibn Saud) came out of central Arabia, the Najd, and, armed with a deep commitment to the pure form of Islam, took control of Makkah, accepting guardianship of the Holy Sites as a prime responsibility of the Kingdom he founded, the modern state of Saudi Arabia. [3]
ClimateTemperatures are high throughout the year and can reach the mid 40 degrees Celsius in the summer. Although sited well above sea level, Makkah is set low in relation to the surrounding hills and mountains. As a result, it is susceptible to flash floods at certain times of the year, mainly in winter when most of the limited rain falls.
City Layout today
At the heart of the sacred City of Makkah is the al Masjid al Haram (the Holy Mosque) which contains the sacred Kaaba (the House of God) and the Well of Zamzam. The expansion of the city has been constrained by its location between mountains to the east and west. The old city lies to the north and the southwest. In the last fifty years, there has been further enlargement by extending the city along the roads to Mina, Jeddah and Madinah. The city has also been modernized with new road networks At the same time, parts of the old city have been demolished to allow for further expansion of the Holy Mosque. It now occupies 1.7 million square meters and can accommodate 300,000 people at one time.
Historical Sites of MakkahAl Taneem (Masjid-e-Ayesha)It is located in “Al Hil about four miles away from the sacred Kabba between Makkah and Medina.
ArafatIt is located about 25 kilometers away from Makkah. Pilgrims go to it on the 9th day of Zil-Hijjah until the sunset, and then they go to Muzdalifah. |
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