Mecca

In the Islamic tradition, the holiest city on earth, Mecca (also transliterated as Makkah) is situated [Page 766]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.

Traditionally, Muslim scholars have held the belief that Mount Paran and the Desert of Paran mentioned in the Bible (Genesis 21:21) are allegedly the area surrounding Mecca, and that is where Hagar and Ismail were left by Ibrahim and where Ismail grew up. The Jewish tradition, on the other hand, situates Paran on the east coast of the Sinai Desert. There is salutary evidence on both sides, however, according to which Ismail is considered the progenitor of the Arabs.

Before the advent of Islam, Meccans were generally known to be polytheists, given to idol worship. Islamic sources mention the names of Lat, Manat, Hubal, and al-'Uzza as idols worshipped by Meccans and other Arabian tribes, to whom various kinds of sacrifices would be made. In addition to idol worship, the Qur'an alludes to occasions when the pagan practices of Makkans would give way to absolute monotheism in times of dire need (Yunus 31–32). Two other religious groups that enjoyed a distinct position in this Arabian community are the Hanifs and the Christians. The former were a handful of individuals who were concerned with faithfully adhering to the original religion of Ibrahim, thereby upholding the absolute oneness of God. The Qur'an portrays Abraham as the ideal Hanif. There were also a few Christians residing in Mecca (some of them monks) who were tolerated, even respected, as long as they showed deference to the status quo of Meccan society.

Culturally, Arab men used to place a great deal of importance on traits such as generosity, chivalry, and honor and could get into violent confrontations when challenged on this account. The poetry of the early Jahiliyyah period (“Period of Ignorance”) adequately vindicates this claim. There were families in Mecca that used to enjoy particular respect for catering to specific functions. These functions included, for instance, siqayah and rifadah, or provision of adequate water supply and provisions for pilgrims to Mecca, respectively; other families held the office of liwa', or carrying the standard in war.

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