| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Encyclopedia of Global Religion |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2012 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
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In the Islamic tradition, the holiest city on earth, Mecca (also transliterated as Makkah) is situated in the present-day Saudi Arabian province of Hijaz about 70 kilometers east of the coastal city of Jeddah, about 280 meters above sea level. It is known in the Islamic tradition by a variety of names, each carrying its own connotation: Mecca, Bakkah, Umm al-Qura, al-Qaryah, al-Balad, alBalad al-Amin, and Ma'ad. There is reason to believe that Ptolemy's Macoraba is Mecca. Situated in a valley surrounded by bare hills and no vegetation, Mecca's climate is hot (with temperatures regularly reaching 45 degrees Celsius in summer), and there is little rainfall. Currently, the population of Mecca is 1.71 million, which skyrockets to several million during the annual hajj (pilgrimage) season.
Muslims hold Mecca sacred for a number of reasons. First, in Mecca is situated the House of God (Kaabah), built by the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and Ismail (Ishmael) according to the Qur'an (other prophetic traditions [Hadith] ascribe its construction to the prophet Adam). Since then pilgrims have been visiting Mecca to perform the annual pilgrimage during the month of Dhu al-Hijja in commemoration of several rites intrinsically related to Ibrahim, Hajirah (Hagar—his first wife, Sarah's handmaiden), and Ismail. Second, it is the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad, the messenger of Islam.
In the Islamic tradition, the holiest city on earth, Mecca (also transliterated as Makkah) is situated in the present-day Saudi Arabian province of Hijaz about 70 kilometers east of the coastal city of Jeddah, about 280 meters above sea level. It is known in the Islamic tradition by a variety of names, each carrying its own connotation: Mecca, Bakkah, Umm al-Qura, al-Qaryah, al-Balad, alBalad al-Amin, and Ma'ad. There is reason to believe that Ptolemy's Macoraba is Mecca. Situated in a valley surrounded by bare hills and no vegetation, Mecca's climate is hot (with temperatures regularly reaching 45 degrees Celsius in summer), and there is little rainfall. Currently, the population of Mecca is 1.71 million, which skyrockets to several million during the annual hajj (pilgrimage) season.
Muslims hold Mecca sacred for a number of reasons. First, in Mecca is situated the House of God (Kaabah), built by the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and Ismail (Ishmael) according to the Qur'an (other prophetic traditions [Hadith] ascribe its construction to the prophet Adam). Since then pilgrims have been visiting Mecca to perform the annual pilgrimage during the month of Dhu al-Hijja in commemoration of several rites intrinsically related to Ibrahim, Hajirah (Hagar—his first wife, Sarah's handmaiden), and Ismail. Second, it is the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad, the messenger of Islam.