Mecca 21021 225701676 2008-07-14T23:53:05Z Bobo192 97951 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/78.150.247.62|78.150.247.62]] ([[User talk:78.150.247.62|talk]]) to last version by Mpatel {{coord|21|25|00|N|39|49|00|E|display=title|type:city}} {{Infobox City |official_name = City of Mecca / Makkah Al Mukarrammah |nickname = Umm Al Qura (''Mother of Villages'') |motto = |image_skyline = Mecca skyline.jpg |image_caption = [[Masjid al-Haram]], the center of Mecca, and the source of its prominence |image_flag = Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg |flag_link = Flag_of_Saudi_Arabia |flag_size = 80px |image_shield = Coat of arms of Saudi Arabia.svg |shield_link = Coat of arms of Saudi Arabia |shield_size = 40px |image_map = Mecca, Saudi Arabia locator map.png |map_caption = Location of Mecca |subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]] |subdivision_name = [[Image:Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg|25px]] [[Saudi Arabia]] |subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Saudi Arabia|Province]] |subdivision_name1 = [[Makkah Province]] |subdivision_type2 = |subdivision_name2 = |leader_title = Mayor |leader_name = Osama Al-Bar |leader_title1 = Provincial Governor |leader_name1 = Khalid al Faisal |leader_title2 = |leader_name2 = |established_title = Construction of Kaaba |established_date = +2000 BC |established_title2 = Established |established_date2 = Unknown |established_title3 = Joined [[Saudi Arabia]] |established_date3 = 1924 |area_magnitude = |unit_pref = Metric |area_magnitude = |area_km2 = 760 |area_metro_km2 = 1200 |area_urban_km2 = 850 |elevation_m = |area_footnotes = <small>[http://www.holymakkah.gov.sa/ Mecca Municipality]</small> |population_note = Makkah Municipality estimate |population_as_of = 2007 |population_total = 1,700,000 |population_density_km2 = 4200 |population_density_sq_mi = 2625 |population_urban = 2,053,912 |population_metro = 2,500,000 |population_footnotes = |timezone = [[East Africa Time|EAT]] |utc_offset = +3 |timezone_DST = [[East Africa Time|EAT]] |utc_offset_DST = +3 |postal_code_type = Postal Code |postal_code = (5 digits) |area_code = +966-2 |website = [http://www.holymakkah.gov.sa/ Mecca Municipality] }} {{This|the city in Saudi Arabia}} '''Mecca''' {{IPAEng|ˈmɛkə}}, also spelled '''Makkah''' {{IPA2|ˈmækə}} (in full: '''Makkah Al-Mukarramah''' {{IPA2|(Arabic) mækːæ(t) ælmʊkarˑamæ}}; {{lang-ar|'''مكّة المكرمة'''}}) is [[Islam]]'s [[holy city|holiest city]] home to the [[Kaaba]] [[shrine]] and the [[Masjid al-Haram|Grand mosque]]. The city is known for the annual [[Hajj]] pilgrimage, which being one of the [[five pillars of Islam]], attracts close to 2 million pilgrims. Islamic tradition attributes the beginning of Mecca to [[Ishmael]]'s descendants. In the 7th century, the [[Islamic prophet]] [[Muhammad]] proclaimed Islam in the city, by now an important trading center, and the city played an important role in the early history of Islam. After 966, Mecca was led by local sharifs, until 1924, when it came under the rule of the [[House of Saud|Saudi]]s.<ref name = encarta>"Mecca," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2008, http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation.</ref> In its modern period, Mecca has seen a great expansion in size and infrastructure. The modern day city is located in and the capital of [[Saudi Arabia]]'s [[Makkah Province]], in the historic [[Hejaz]] region. With a population of 1,700,000 (2008), the city is located 73&nbsp;[[kilometre]]s (45&nbsp;[[mile]]s) inland from [[Jeddah]], in a narrow valley, and 277&nbsp;metres (910&nbsp;[[foot (unit of length)|ft]]) above sea level. ==Etymology== ''Mecca'' is the original English transliteration of the [[Arabic language|Arabic]] name. Historically, the city has also been called ''Becca''.<ref>Wehr, Hans: "Arabic-English Dictionary", fourth edition (compact version), page 85.</ref><ref>Penrice, John: "A Dictionary and Glossary of the Koran", page 19.</ref> In the 1980s, the Saudi Arabian government and others began promoting the transliteration ''Makkah'' (in full, ''Makkah al-Mukarramah''{{Clarifyme|date=June 2008}}), which more closely resembles the actual Arabic pronunciation. This spelling is starting to be taken up by many organizations, including the [[United Nations]],<ref>[http://unstats.un.org/unsd/cdb/cdb_class_xrxx.asp?class_code=11 United Nations]. Typical document illustrating ''Makkah'' spelling.</ref> [[United States Department of State]],<ref>[http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3584.htm U.S. Department of State] Background Note: Saudi Arabia.</ref> and the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office|British Foreign Office]], <ref>[http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1101396253177 British Foreign and Commonwealth Office]. Typical document illustrating ''Makkah'' spelling.</ref> but the spelling ''Mecca'' remains in common use. Another alternative is ''Meccah''.<ref>''Six Months in Meccah'', John Keane, Tinsley Brothers, 1881.</ref> Derived from the importance of the city in Islam is the [[English language|English]] word ''mecca'', meaning "A place that is regarded as the center of an activity or interest" or "A goal to which adherents of a religious faith or practice fervently aspire."<ref>[http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mecca American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition 2000].</ref> ==Government== Mecca is governed by the Municipality of Mecca, headed by a [[mayor]] (Also known as ''Amin'') appointed by the [[Politics of Saudi Arabia|Saudi Government]]. The current mayor of the city is Osama Al-Bar. A municipal council of fourteen locally elected members is responsible for the functioning of the municipality. Mecca is the capital of [[Makkah Province]], which includes neighboring [[Jeddah]]. The governor was Prince [[Abdul Majeed bin Abdul Aziz]] from 2000 until his death in 2007.<ref name="mjid-obit">{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/07/world/middleeast/07abdul.html|title=Prince Abdul-Majid, Governor of Mecca, Dies at 65|publisher=[[Associated Press]]|date=[[May 7]] [[2007]]|accessdate=2008-01-01}}</ref> On [[May 16]], [[2007]], Prince [[Khalid al Faisal]] was appointed as the new governor.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/details.php?id=450421|title=PRINCE KHALID ALFAISAL APPOINTED AS GOVERNOR OF MAKKAH REGION|publisher=Saudi Press Agencydate=[[May 16]] [[2007]]|accessdate=2008-01-01}}</ref> ==History== [[Image:OldmapofMecca.jpg|thumb|left|1787 Turkish artwork of the Holy Mosque and related religious sites (Jabal al-Nur)]] ===Early history=== According to Islamic tradition, the history of Mecca goes back to Ibrahim (ابراهيم, [[Abraham]]) when he built the Kaaba with the help of his son Ismā'īl (اسماعيل, [[Ishmael]]), around 2000 BC. The inhabitants were stated to have fallen away from monotheism through the influence of the [[Amelkites]].<ref>{{CathEncy|wstitle=Mecca}}</ref> Historians state that the Kaaba later became the repository of 360 idols and tribal gods of all of Arabia's [[nomad]]ic tribes. Until the 7th century, Mecca's most important god would remain to be [[Hubal]], having been placed there by the ruling [[Quraysh]] tribe.<ref>Hawting, p. 44</ref><ref>''Islamic World'', p. 20</ref> The city was also known to [[Ptolemy]] as "Macoraba". In the 5th century, the Quraysh tribe took control of Mecca, and became skilled merchants and traders. In the 6th century they joined the lucrative [[spice trade]] as well, since battles in other parts of the world were causing trade routes to divert from the dangerous sea routes to the relatively more secure overland routes. The [[Byzantine Empire]] had previously controlled the Red Sea, but [[piracy]] had been on the increase. Another previous route, that from the [[Persian Gulf]] via the [[Tigris]] and [[Euphrates]] rivers, was also being threatened by exploitation from the [[Sassanid Empire]], as well as being disrupted by the [[Lakhmids]], the [[Ghassanids]], and the [[Roman-Persian Wars]]. Mecca's prominence as a trading center surpassed the cities of [[Petra]] and [[Palmyra]].<ref name =EIE/><ref>''Britannica''</ref> By the middle of the 6th century, there were three major settlements in northern Arabia, all along the southwestern coast that borders the Red Sea, in a habitable region between the sea and the great desert to the east. This area, known as the [[Hejaz]], featured three settlements that had grown around [[oasis]], where water was available. In the center of the Hejaz was Yathrib, later renamed as [[Medina]]. {{convert|250|mi|km}} south of Yathrib was [[Ta’if|Taif]], a mountain town, and northwest of Taif was Mecca. Though the area around Mecca was completely barren, Mecca was the wealthiest and most important of the three settlements. [[Muslim history|Islamic histories]] state that it had abundant water via the [[Zamzam Well]], which was the site of the holiest shrine in Arabia, the [[Kaaba]], and was also at the crossroads of major [[Camel train|caravan]] routes.<ref name=world-13/>. Actually the well of Zamzam was barely sufficient to support the small community there, the Kaaba was but one of many such [[Ancient Semitic religion|Arabian]] [[Polytheism|Polytheistic]] temple found in the peninsula, and the city was the terminus for a single caravan route which ran from Mecca to [[Syria]].<ref>[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Mecca 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Mecca] </ref> The harsh conditions of the Arabian peninsula usually meant a constant state of [[feud|conflict]] between the [[Tribes of Arabia|tribes]], but once a year they would declare a truce and converge upon Mecca in an annual pilgrimage. This journey was intended for religious reasons, to pay homage to the shrine, and to drink from the Well of Zamzam. However, it was also the time each year that disputes would be arbitrated, debts would be resolved, and trading would occur at Meccan fairs. These annual events gave the tribes a sense of common identity and made Mecca extremely important throughout the peninsula.<ref name=lapidus-16>Lapidus, Ira. ''History of Islamic Societies'', pp. 16-17</ref> Muhammad's great-grandfather had been the first to equip a camel caravan, and they became a regular part of the town's economy. Alliances were struck between the merchants in Mecca, and the local [[nomad]]ic tribes, who would bring leather, livestock, and metals which were mined in the local mountains. Caravans would then be loaded up in Mecca, and would take the goods to the cities in Syria and [[Iraq]].<ref name=world>''Islamic World'', pp. 17-18</ref> Islamic tradition claims that goods from other continents also flowed through Mecca. From [[Africa]] and the [[Far East]] towards Syria supposedly flowed spices, leather, drugs, cloth, and slaves; and in return Mecca was to have received money, weapons, cereals, and wine, which were distributed throughout Arabia. The Meccans signed treaties with both the Byzantines and the [[Bedouin]]s, and negotiated safe passage for caravans, which included such things as water and pasture rights. These further increased Mecca's political power as well as economic, and Mecca became the center of a loose confederation of client tribes, which included those of the [[Banu Tamim]]. Other forces such as the [[Habesha people|Abyssinian]], Ghassan, and Lakhm were in decline, and Meccan influence was the primary binding force in Arabia in the late 6th century.<ref name=lapidus-16/> ===Muhammad=== {{main|Muhammad|Conquest of Mecca}} Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570, and thus Islam has been inextricably linked with Mecca ever since. Muhammad was born in a minor faction, the [[Hashemite]]s, of the ruling Quraysh tribe. Islamic tradition states that he began receiving divine revelations here in 610 AD, and began to preach monotheism against Meccan [[paganism]]. After enduring persecution for 13 years, Muhammad emigrated (see [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]]) in 622 with his followers to [[Medina]]. The conflict between the Quraysh and the Muslims, however, continued: the two fought [[Battle of Badr]], where Muslims defeated the Quraysh outside Medina; whilst the Meccans overcame the Muslims at the [[Battle of Uhud]]. Overall, however, Meccan efforts to annihilate Islam were unsuccessful, and during the [[Battle of the Trench]] in 627, the combined armies of Arabia were unable to defeat Muhammad.<ref name=lapidus-32>Lapidus, p. 32</ref> [[Image:OttomanEmpireIn1683.png|200px|thumb|right|The Ottoman Empire, Including Mecca]] In 628, Muhammad and his followers peacefully marched to Mecca, attempting to enter the city for pilgrimage. Instead, however, both Muslims and Meccans entered into the [[Treaty of Hudaybiyyah]], whereby Muslims and Quraysh would cease fighting and Muslims would be allowed into the city the following year. Two years later the Quraysh violated the truce, but instead of continuing their fight, the city of Mecca shortly surrendered to Muhammad. The prophet declared amnesty for the inhabitants, gave generous gifts to the leading Quraysh. Mecca was cleansed of all its idols and cult images in the Kaaba. Muhammad declared Mecca as the [[Holiest sites in Islam|holiest site in Islam]] ordaining the it as the center of Muslim pilgrimage, one of the [[Five pillars of Islam|faith's five pillars]]. Despite his conquest, however, Muhammad chose to return to Medina, leaving behind Attab bin Usaid to govern the city. Muhammad's other activities in Arabia led to the unification of the peninsula, putting an end to the wars that had disrupted life in the city for so long.<ref name=lapidus-32/><ref name = EIE/> Muhammad died in 632, but with the sense of unity that he'd passed on to the Arabians, Islam began a rapid expansion, and within the next few hundred years stretched from [[North Africa]] well into [[Asia]]. As the [[Arab Empire|Islamic Empire]] grew, Mecca continued to attract pilgrims not just from Arabia, but now from all across the Empire, as Muslims sought to perform the annual Hajj. Mecca also attracted a year-round population of scholars, pious Muslims who wished to live close to the Kaaba, and local inhabitants who served the pilgrims. Due to the difficulty and expense of the Hajj, pilgrims arrived by boat at Jeddah, and came overland, or joined the annual caravans from Syria or Iraq. ===Political history=== [[Image:First-saudi-state2.JPG|200px|thumb|The First Saudi State, Including Mecca]] Mecca was never the capital of any of the [[Caliphate]]s including the [[Ottoman Empire]]. Muslim rulers did, however, contribute to its upkeep. During the reign of Umar and Uthman, concerns of flooding caused the caliphs to bring in Christian engineers to build barrages in the high-lying quarters, and also to construct dykes and embankments to protect the area round the Kaʿba.<ref name = EIE>"Makka - The pre-Islamic and early Islamic periods", ''Encyclopaedia of Islam''</ref> In Islamic history, Muhammad's emigration to Medina established the city as the first capital of the nation. When the [[Umayyad]] dynasty took power they moved the capital to [[Damascus]], Syria, and then the [[Abbasid]] Caliphate moved the capital to [[Baghdad]], Iraq. The center of the Islamic Empire remained at Baghdad for nearly 500 years, and flourished into a center of research and commerce. In the 13th century, the [[Mongol Empire|Mongols]] invaded Baghdad and sacked the city. This event was one of the most detested events in Islamic history. Soon after the [[Battle of Baghdad (1258)|Battle of Baghdad]], the Mongols rampaged west and [[Mongol invasions of Syria|conquered Syria]]. The next city to quickly emerge as the center of power in the Islamic state was [[Cairo]], in [[Egypt]]. When the Ottoman Empire came into prominence the capital was moved to [[Constantinople]]. Mecca still remained as a prominent trading center though. When pilgrims arrived for the Hajj they often financed their journey by bringing goods which they could sell in the Meccan markets, and acquiring goods there which they could sell when they returned home.<ref>Lapidus, p. 328</ref> Mecca re-entered Islamic political history briefly when it was held by [[Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr]], an early Muslim who opposed the Umayyad caliphs. The caliph [[Yazid I]] besieged Mecca in 683.<ref>[http://www.princeton.edu/~batke/itl/denise/umayyads.htm Ummayads: The First Muslim Dynasty], retrieved November 26, 2007.</ref> Thereafter the city figured little in politics, it was a city of devotion and scholarship. For centuries it was governed by the Hashemite [[Sharif of Mecca|Sharifs of Mecca]]. In 930, Mecca was attacked and sacked by [[Qarmatians]], a millenarian [[Ismaili]] [[Muslim]] sect led by [[Abu Tahir Al-Jannabi]] and centered in eastern Arabia.<ref>[http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0832430.html Mecca]</ref> The [[Black Death]] [[pandemic]] hit Mecca in 1349.<ref>[http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/islam/mongols/blackDeath.html The Islamic World to 1600: The Mongol Invasions (The Black Death)]</ref> In 1517, the [[Sharif of Mecca]], Barakat bin Muhammed, acknowledged the supremacy of the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] [[Caliph]], but maintained a great degree of local autonomy.<ref>[http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Mecca Mecca - LoveToKnow 1911]</ref> [[Image:mecca-1850.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Mecca in 1850]] The city was captured in 1802 by the [[First Saudi State]] (Also known as ''Wahhabis''{{Fact|date=June 2008}}), The Saudis held Mecca until 1813{{Fact|date=June 2008}}. This was a massive blow to the prestige of the [[Ottoman Empire]], who had exercised sovereignty over the holy cities since 1517, and the lethargic Ottomans were finally moved to action. The task of bringing Mecca back under Ottoman control was assigned to their powerful viceroy of [[Egypt]], [[Muhammad Ali Pasha]],<ref>[http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/loc/sa/saud_wahhabi.htm The Saud Family and Wahhabi Islam, 1500-1818]</ref> who successfully returned Mecca following the [[Ottoman return of Mecca 1813|victory at Mecca in 1813]]. In 1818, the Wahhabis were again defeated, but some of [[Al Saud]] clan lived on to found the [[Second Saudi State]] that lasted until 1891, and later the present [[Saudi Arabia]]. ===Saudi Arabia=== In June 1916, During the [[Arab Revolt]], the [[Sharif of Mecca]], [[Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca|Hussein bin Ali]] revolted against the [[Ottoman Empire]] from Mecca and it was the first city captured by his forces following [[Battle of Mecca 1916|Battle of Mecca (1916)]]. Sharif Hussien declared a new state, Kingdom of Hejaz, and declared Mecca as the capital of the new kingdom. In 1924, the Sharif of Mecca were overthrown by the [[Saudi Arabia|Saudis]], and Mecca was incorporated into Saudi Arabia. Following the [[Battle of Mecca (1924)]], The city joint Saudi Arabia until the present days.{{Fact|date=June 2008}} [[Image:Makkah-1910.jpg|thumb|right|200px|View of Mecca 1910]] On [[November 20]], [[1979]] two hundred armed [[Islamism|Islamist]] dissidents led by Saudi preacher [[Juhayman al-Otaibi]] [[Grand Mosque Seizure|seized the Grand Mosque]]. They claimed that the [[House of Saud|Saudi royal family]] no longer represented pure Islam and that the mosque, and the Kaaba, must be held by those of the true faith. The rebels seized tens of thousands of pilgrims as hostages and barricaded themselves in the mosque. The siege lasted two weeks, and resulted in several hundred deaths and significant damage to the shrine, especially the Safa-Marwa gallery. While it is the Pakistani forces that carried out the bloodless assault, they were assisted with weapons and planning by a small team of advisors from [[Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale|The French GIGN]] [[commando]] unit.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.siegeofmecca.com|title= The Siege of Mecca |publisher=Doubleday(US) |date=[[2007-08-28]] |accessdate=2007-08-03}}</ref> On [[July 31]], [[1987]], during an [[1987 massacre of Iranian pilgrims|anti-US demonstration]] by pilgrims, 402 people were killed (275 Iranian pilgrims, 85 Saudis [including policemen], and 45 pilgrims from other countries) and 649 wounded (303 Iranian pilgrims, 145 Saudis [including policemen] and 201 pilgrims from other countries) after the Saudi police opened fire against the unarmed demonstrators. ==Geography== [[Image:A Panorama Image of Mecca.JPG|thumb|right|350px|Mecca's skyline, 2008]] Mecca is at an elevation of 277 m (910 ft) above sea level, and approximately {{convert|50|mi|km}} inland from the Red Sea.<ref name=world-13>''Islamic World'', p. 13</ref> The city is situated between mountains, which has defined the contemporary expansion of the city. The city centers around the [[Masjid al-Haram|Grand Mosque]] area, whose altitude is lower than most of the city. The area around the mosque comprises the old city. The main avenues are ''Al-Mudda'ah'' and ''Sūq al-Layl'' to the north of the mosque, and ''As-Sūg Assaghīr'' to the south. As the Saudis expanded The Grand Mosque in the center of the city, where there were once hundreds of houses are now replaced with wide avenues and city squares. Traditional homes are built of local rock and are generally two to three stories. The total area of Mecca metro today stands over 1,200 km² (463.3 sq mi)<ref>[http://www.holymakkah.gov.sa/ Mecca Municipality.</ref> Mecca center lies in a corridor between mountains, which is often called the "hollow of Mecca." Mecca's location was also important for trade, and it was the stop for important trade routes.<ref name =EIE/> In pre-modern Mecca, the city exploited a few chief sources of water. The first were local wells, such as [[zamzam]], that produced generally brackish water. The second source was the spring of Ayn Zubayda. The sources of this spring are the mountains of J̲abal Saʿd and Jabal Kabkāb, which lie a few kilometers east of Ḏj̲abal ʿArafa or about 20 km east southeast of Mecca. Water was transported from it using underground channels. A very sporadic third source was rainfall which was stored by the people in small reservoirs or cisterns. The rainfall, as scant as it is, also presents the threat of flooding and have been a danger since earliest times. According to Al-Kurdī, there had been 89 historic floods by 1965, including several in the Saudi period. In the last century the most severe one occurred in 1942. Since then, dams have been constructed to ameliorate the problem.<ref name = EIModern/> ===Climate=== Unlike other Saudi Arabian cities, Mecca retains its warm temperature in winter, which can range from +17 [[Celsius|°C]] (63 °F) at midnight to +25 °C (77 °F) in the afternoon. Summer temperatures are considered very hot and break the +40 °C (104 °F) mark in the afternoon dropping to +30 °C (86 °F) in the evening. Rain usually falls in Mecca in small amounts in December and January. Some unusual events often happen during the year, such as [[dust storm]]s in summer, coming from the [[Arabian Peninsula|Arabian Peninsula's]] deserts or from [[North Africa]]. [[Snow]] does not fall in Mecca. {| class="wikitable collapsible" style="font-size:90%;width:100%;border:0px;text-align:center;line-height:120%;" ! colspan= "15" style="background: #6688AA; color: white;" | <big>Mecca Climatological Data</big> |- ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" height="16" | Month ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Jan ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Feb ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Mar ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Apr ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | May ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Jun ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Jul ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Aug ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Sep ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Oct ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Nov ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Dec ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | <!-- Leave this blank! --> ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Year |- ! height="16;" |Record high °C (°F) | style="background: #EF8F0F; color: black;" | 33 (91) | style="background: #F5930A; color: black;" | 35 (95) | style="background: #FA9605; color: black;" | 38 (100) | style="background: #FF9900; color: black;" | 40 (104) | style="background: #FF9900; color: black;" | 42 (108) | style="background: #FF9900; color: black;" | 47 (117) | style="background: #FF9900; color: black;" | 42 (108) | style="background: #FF9900; color: black;" | 42 (108) | style="background: #FF9900; color: black;" | 42 (108) | style="background: #FF9900; color: black;" | 41 (106) | style="background: #FF9900; color: black;" | 41 (106) | style="background: #EF8F0F; color: black;" | 34 (93) | <!-- Leave this blank! --> | <!-- Leave this blank! --> |- ! height="16;" |Average high °C (°F) | style="background: #DF8C1F; color: black;" | 29 (84) | style="background: #DF8C1F; color: black;" | 29 (84) | style="background: #DF8C1F; color: black;" | 29 (84) | style="background: #EF8F0F; color: black;" | 33 (91) | style="background: #F5930A; color: black;" | 35 (95) | style="background: #F5930A; color: black;" | 37 (99) | style="background: #F5930A; color: black;" | 40 (104) | style="background: #F5930A; color: black;" | 37 (99) | style="background: #F5930A; color: black;" | 36 (97) | style="background: #F5930A; color: black;" | 35 (95) | style="background: #EF8F0F; color: black;" | 33 (91) | style="background: #E78D17; color: black;" | 32 (88) | <!-- Leave this blank! --> | style="background: #EF8F0F; color: black;" | 33 (91) |- height="16;" |Average low °C (°F) | style="background: #BF883F; color: black;" | 19 (66) | style="background: #BF883F; color: black;" | 18 (64) | style="background: #BF883F; color: black;" | 19 (66) | style="background: #C78937; color: black;" | 21 (70) | style="background: #CF8A2F; color: black;" | 23 (73) | style="background: #CF8A2F; color: black;" | 24 (75) | style="background: #D78B27; color: black;" | 26 (79) | style="background: #D78B27; color: black;" | 27 (81) | style="background: #D78B27; color: black;" | 25 (77) | style="background: #CF8A2F; color: black;" | 23 (73) | style="background: #C78937; color: black;" | 22 (72) | style="background: #BF883F; color: black;" | 19 (66) | <!-- Leave this blank! --> | style="background: #C78937; color: black;" | 22 (72) |- ! height="16;" |Record low °C (°F) | style="background: #9F845F; color: black;" | 13 (55) | style="background: #A78557; color: black;" | 13 (55) | style="background: #AF864F; color: black;" | 13 (55) | style="background: #A78557; color: black;" | 13 (55) | style="background: #AF864F; color: black;" | 16 (61) | style="background: #BF883F; color: black;" | 19 (66) | style="background: #C78937; color: black;" | 21 (70) | style="background: #CF8A2F; color: black;" | 23 (73) | style="background: #C78937; color: black;" | 21 (70) | style="background: #C78937; color: black;" | 20 (68) | style="background: #B78747; color: black;" | 17 (63) | style="background: #A78557; color: black;" | 12 (53) | <!-- Leave this blank! --> | <!-- Leave this blank! --> |- ! ! colspan= "15" |<!--Leave this blank.--> |- ! height="16;" |Rainfall mm (in) | style="background: #8CA3B5; color: black;" | 5 (0.2) | style="background: #94A4B5; color: black;" | 0 (0) | style="background: #94A4B5; color: black;" | 0 (0) | style="background: #94A4B5; color: black;" | 0 (0) | style="background: #94A4B5; color: black;" | 0 (0) | style="background: #94A4B5; color: black;" | 0 (0) | style="background: #94A4B5; color: black;" | 0 (0) | style="background: #94A4B5; color: black;" | 0 (0) | style="background: #94A4B5; color: black;" | 0 (0) | style="background: #94A4B5; color: black;" | 0 (0) | style="background: #84A1B5; color: black;" | 25 (1.0) | style="background: #80A0B5; color: black;" | 31 (1.2) | <!-- Leave this blank! --> | style="background: #8CA3B5; color: black;" | 61 (2.4) |} ===Cityspaces=== {{see also|Masjid al-Haram}} Mecca houses the Masjid al-Haram, the largest [[mosque]] in the world. The mosque surrounds the [[Kaaba]], the place which [[Muslims]] turn towards while offering daily [[Salat|prayer]] and considered by Muslims to be the holiest place on [[Earth]]. The mosque is also commonly known as the ''Haram'' or ''Grand Mosque''.<ref>[http://www.cgijeddah.com/cgijed/haj/orient/visitharam.htm Orientation<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The current structure covers an area of 356,800 square meters including the outdoor and indoor praying spaces and can accommodate up to 4 million worshippers during the [[Hajj]] period. [[Image:An Entrance of Mecca on Jeddah Highway.JPG|thumb|right|250px|The Mecca archway, shaped like an open [[Qur'an]], marks the point beyond which only Muslims may enter.<ref name = CNN/>]] The recent expansion of the city provided many modern landmarks such as the huge towers of [[Abraj Al Bait Towers|Abraj Al-Bait]], with height of 577 m (1,893 ft).<ref>[http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=129985 MECCA | Abraj Al-Bait Towers | 1,952' Pinnacle / 1,509' Roof | 76 FLOORS - SkyscraperPage Forum<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The construction of the towers will be completed in 2009, being one of the world's tallest buildings. The site of the towers is located across the street from the entrance to the Grand Mosque. As a historic city, Mecca owns hundreds of historical landmarks such as the [[Kaaba]], Muslims believe it was built by [[Abraham]] and his son [[Ishmael]]. The [[Zamzam Well]] is another historical place as well. [[The Qishla of Mecca]] used to be one of the most notable structures for Mecca, The Qishla was an [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] [[castle]] facing the Grand Mosque and defending the city from any possible attack. However, The Saudi government removed the structure, giving free space for new hotels and business buildings around the Mosque.<ref>[http://wikimapia.org/1401843/ WikiMapia] - About the Qishla and it's location </ref> ==Economy== The Meccan economy has been heavily dependent on the annual pilgrimage. As one scholar put it, "[Meccans] have no means of earning a living but by serving the hajjis." Economy generated from hajj, in fact, not only powers the Meccan economy but has historically had far reaching effects on the economy of the [[Hejaz]] and [[Najd]] regions. The income was generated in a number of ways. One method was taxing the pilgrims. Taxes especially increased during the [[Great Depression]], and many of these taxes existed as late as 1972. With rise of oil income, however, all unnecessary charges have been abolished. Another way the Hajj generates income is through services to pilgrims. For example, the Saudi national airline, [[Saudia]], generates 12% of its income from the pilgrimage. Fares paid by pilgrims to reach Mecca by land also generate income; as do the hotels and lodging companies that house them.<ref name = EIModern/> The city takes in more than $100 million during the Hajj. The Saudi government spends about $50 million on services for the Hajj. There are some industries and factories in the city, but Mecca no longer plays a major role in Saudi Arabia's economy, which is mainly based on oil exports.<ref>''Mecca.'' World Book Encyclopedia. 2003 edition. Volume M. P.353</ref> The few industries operating in Mecca include textiles, furniture, and utensils. The majority of the economy is service oriented. Water is scarce and food must be imported via ''Shu'eyba'' water plant and Jeddah. Nevertheless, many industries have been set up in Mecca. Various types of enterprises that have existed since 1970: corrugated iron manufacturing, copper smithies, carpentry shops, upholstering establishments, vegetable oil extraction plants, sweets manufacturies, flour mills, bakeries, poultry farms, frozen food importing, photography processing, secretarial establishments, ice factories, bottling plants for soft drinks, barber shops, book shops, travel agencies and banks.<ref name = EIModern/> The city has grown substantially in the 20th and 21st centuries, as the convenience and affordability of [[jet aircraft|jet]] travel has increased the number of pilgrims participating in the Hajj. Thousands of Saudis are employed year-round to oversee the Hajj and staff the hotels and shops that cater to pilgrims; these workers in turn have increased the demand for housing and services. The city is now ringed by freeways, and contains shopping malls and skyscrapers.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article358577.ece |title= Shame of the House of Saud: Shadows over Mecca |publisher=The Independent (UK) |date=[[2006-04-19]] |accessdate=2007-05-03}}</ref> ==Demographics== Population density in Mecca is very high. Most long-term residents of Mecca live in the Old City, and many work in the industry locally known as the ''Hajj Industry''. As Iyad Madani, Saudi Arabia's minister for Hajj was quoted as saying, "We never stop preparing for the Hajj."<ref>[http://www.anisamehdi.com/projects/insidemecca/pressrelease.htm A new National Geographic Special on PBS "Inside Mecca"]</ref> Year-round, pilgrims stream into the city to perform the rites of Umrah, and during the last weeks of [[Dhu al-Hijjah]], on average 4 million Muslims arrive in the city to take part in the rites known as Hajj.<ref name='ebmm'>{{cite encyclopedia | title =Makkah al-Mukarramah and Medina | encyclopedia =Encyclopedia Britannica. Fifteenth edition | volume =23 | pages =698-699 | publisher = | date =2007 }}</ref> Pilgrims of different [[Ethnic group|ethnicities]] and backgrounds, from [[Africa]], [[Central Asia]], [[Southeast Asia]], [[Europe]] and the [[Middle East]], many of whom remained and became residents of the city. As a result, Mecca is much more ethnically diverse than most Saudi cities and its culture more eclectic in nature. Added to the traditional diversity, the oil-boom of the past 50 years has brought hundreds of thousands of working [[Immigration|immigrants]]. ==Culture== Mecca's culture has been impacted by the large number of pilgrims that arrive annually, and thus boasts a rich cultural heritage. The first press was brought to Mecca in 1885 by Othman Nūrī Pash̲a,,an Ottoman wālī. During the Hash̲imite period, it was used to print the city's official gazette, ''al-Ḳibla''. The Saudi regime expanded this press into a larger operation, introducing the new Saudi official gazette ''Umm al-Ḳurā''. Henceforth presses and printing techniques were introduced in the city from around the Middle East, mostly via Jeddah.<ref name = EIModern/> Jeddah is served by one major Arabic-language newspaper, ''[[Shams]]''. However, other Saudi and international newspapers are also provided in Mecca such as the ''[[Saudi Gazette]]'', ''[[Medina]]'', ''[[Okaz]]'', ''[[Al-Bilad]]''. The first three are Mecca's (and other Saudi cities') primary newspapers focusing mainly on issues that affect the city, with over a million readers. Many television stations serving the city area include ''[[Saudi TV1]]'', ''[[Saudi TV2]]'', ''[[Saudi TV Sports]]'', ''[[Al-Ekhbariya]]'', ''[[Arab Radio and Television Network|ART channels network]]'' and hundreds of cable, satellite and other speciality television providers. In pre-modern Mecca the most common sports were impromptu wrestling and foot races.<ref name = EIModern/> [[Association football|Football]] is the most popular sport in Mecca, the city hosting some of the oldest sport clubs in Saudi Arabia such as, [[Al-Wahda FC (Mecca)|Al-Wehda FC]] (established in 1945). [[King Abdul Aziz Stadium|King Abdulaziz Stadium]] is the largest stadium in Mecca with capacity of 33,500. ===Religious significance=== {{seealso|Kaaba|Zamzam Well}} The vast majority of Meccans are [[Sunni Islam|Sunni Muslims]], with a minority of [[Shia Islam|Shiite Pilgrims]]. The city has over 2100 [[Mosque]]s.<ref>[http://www.alriyadh.com/Contents/30-05-2003/Mainpage/LOCAL1_8232.php] Riyadh Newspaper - Friday 30 May 2003 No. 12761 Year 39 </ref> The Qur'an enjoins Muslims to face the sacred precincts of Mecca during the [[Salat]]. This tradition has roots in Muhammad's adoption of the Kaʿba as a physical focus of the new Muslim community, and the direction of prayer, ''[[qibla]]'' , from the 7th century until the present day. The determination of this sacred direction gave rise to an important study in medieval Islam, distinct and separate from mainstream [[Islamic geography|Islamic tradition of mathematical geography and cartography]].<ref name = EIC>"Makka - As the centre of the world", ''Encyclopaedia of Islam''</ref> The cultural environment of today's Mecca has been influenced by a religious movement that began in central Arabia in the mid-eighteenth century. This movement is commonly known as the [[Wahhabi]] movement. It has been also influenced by the [[Shafi`i]] school. Also, the conflict between liberals and religious scholars made a major impact on the Society of Mecca. Since the 7th Century , Mecca has hosted millions of Muslim pilgrims from all over the world in their way to [[Hajj]]. This merge with pilgrims has also a major impact on the society and the religion of Meccans. Non-Muslims are not permitted to enter Mecca by Saudi law.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Hajj: The Muslim Pilgrimage to Mecca and the Holy Places |last=Peters |first=Francis E. |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1994 |publisher=Princeton University Press |location= |isbn=069102619X |pages=206 }} </ref> According to CNN,<ref name = CNN>{{cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Pilgrimage presents massive logistical challenge for Saudi Arabia |url=http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/hajj/stories/logistics/index.html |work= |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=2001 |accessdate=2008-04-27 }}</ref> <blockquote>Many religious scholars say this "discrimination" exists because Mecca was once a city where Muslims - including the prophet Mohammed - were persecuted and driven out. When Mohammed and his followers reclaimed the city, it was declared a sanctuary ... a place where every Muslim should feel safe.</blockquote> [[Image:Christian Bypass.jpg|thumb|left|200px|"Non-Muslim Bypass:" Non-Muslims are not permitted to enter Mecca.]] Those who use fake certificates of Muslim identity (to enter) may be arrested and prosecuted by Saudi authorities<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Saudi embassy warns against entry of non-Muslims in Mecca |url=http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=32627 |work= |publisher=ABS-CBN News |date=March 14, 2006 |accessdate=2008-04-27 }}</ref> The Saudi government uses the following verse as a [[Koranic]] confirmation for this law, however there are other interpretations to this verse (in particular, [[People of the Book]] would usually not be regarded as pagans)<ref>Aslan, R. (2005). No God But God. Heinemann, UK. p.94</ref>): :"O ye who believe! Truly the Pagans are unpure; so let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque. And if ye fear poverty, soon will [[God]] enrich you, if He wills, out of His bounty, for [[God]] is All-knowing, All-wise." -- [[Koran]], 9:28 As one might expect, the existence of cities closed to non-Muslims and the mystery of the Hajj aroused intense curiosity in people from around the world. Some have disguised themselves as Muslims and entered the city of Mecca and then the Grand Mosque to experience the Hajj for themselves. The most famous account of a foreigner's journey to Mecca is ''A Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina,'' written by Sir [[Richard Francis Burton]].<ref>[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1853Burton.html Sir Richard Francis Burton: A Pilgrimage to Mecca, 1853]</ref> Burton traveled as a [[Qadiriyyah]] [[Sufism|Sufi]] from Afghanistan; his name, as he signed it in Arabic below his [[frontispiece]] portrait for "The Jew, The Gypsy and al-Islam," was ''al-Hajj 'Abdullah''.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} The primary industry in Mecca in modern times is to support the annual pilgrimage of the Hajj, as well as to support the pilgrims who visit the city at all other times of the year. Major stops in their visit include: The [[Kaaba]] is the ancient stone building towards which all Muslims pray. It was originally one of multiple such buildings in Arabia, but was the only one made of stone, and therefore is the only one still standing. Many Muslims believe that it dates back to the time of Abraham in 2000 BC. All pilgrims are required to walk [[Clockwise|counter-clockwise]] around the Kaaba seven times starting at the Black Stone, in a ritual called the [[Tawaf]]. Muslims believe that the [[Zamzam Well]] was revealed to [[Hagar (Bible)|Hagar]] (هاجر), mother of Ishmael. She was desperately seeking water for her infant son, but could find none. Mecca is located in a hot dry valley with few other sources of water. According to tradition, the water of the Zamzam well is divinely blessed. It is believed to satisfy both hunger and thirst, and cure illness. The water is served to the public through coolers stationed throughout the Masjid al-Haram and the [[Al-Masjid al-Nabawi]] in Medina. All pilgrims make every effort to drink of this water during their pilgrimage, and some dip their [[ihram]] clothing into it, so that the cloth can be used as their own burial shroud when they die. ===Cuisine=== [[Image:Saka.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The Sagga]] Meccan residents are a mix of several different ethnicities and nationalities. This mixture of races has impacted significantly on Mecca's traditional cuisine. Like other Saudi cities, The [[Nejdi]] [[Kabsa]] is the most traditional lunch for Meccans. The [[Yemeni]] [[Mandi (food)|Mandi]] is also popular as a lunch meal. Grilled meats such as [[shawarma]], [[kofta]] and [[kebab]] have a good market in Mecca. During [[Ramadan]], [[Sambusac|sambousak]] and [[Ful medames|ful]] are the most popular meals during [[dusk]]. These meals are almost always found in Lebanese, Syrian, and Turkish restaurants. During Ramadan also but long years ago, a slave man called ''Sagga'' used to provide mineral water for people during dusk. The Saggas also used to provide grape juice. Today, Saggas are rich businesspeople, providing sweets such as ''[[baklawa]]'' and ''basbosa'', along with juice. International food is also popular in the city. American chains such as [[McDonald's]], [[Burger King]], [[Domino's Pizza]] and [[KFC]]. ===Language=== {{Main|Hejazi Arabic}} The Mecca City area has a distinctive regional speech pattern called the Hejazi dialect, alternatively known as Meccan or Makkawi. It is often considered to be one of the most recognizable accents within the Arabic language. Pronunciations in Hejazi differ from other Gulf dialects in some respects. The Classical Arabic qaaf (ق) is pronounced as /g/ sound, as in "get". Hijazi Arabic is also conservative with respect to the sound of the pronunciation of the letter ğim (ج), which is very close to the two sounds considered, by specialists, to be the best candidates for the way it was pronounced in Classical Arabic, namely, the voiced palatal plosive /ɟ/ and the palatalized velar stop /gʲ/.[citation needed] This stands in contrast with many dialects in the region which use /g/ or /ʒ/ for ğim instead. Some speakers replace the interdental /θ/ with /t/ or /s/. The Hejazi dialect also contains fairly recent borrowings from other Arabic dialects, including [[Levantine Arabic|Levantine]] and [[Egyptian Arabic]]. ==Education== {{see also|List of universities in Saudi Arabia}} Formal education started to be developed in late Ottoman period continuing slowly into and Hās̲h̲imite times. The first major attempt to improve the situation was made by a Jeddah merchant, Muhammad ʿAlī Zaynal Riḍā, who founded the Madrasat al-Falāḥ in Makka in 1911-12 that cost £400,000.<ref name=EIModern/> The school system in Mecca has many public and private schools for both males and females. As of 2005, there were 532 [[public school|public]] and [[private school]]s for males and another 681 public and private schools for female students.<ref>Statistical information department of the ministry of education:[http://www.moe.gov.sa/statscenter/tawzee.rar Statistical summary for education in Saudi Arabia] (AR)</ref> The medium of instruction in both public and private schools is Arabic with emphasis on English as a [[second language]], but some private schools which are by foreign entities such as ([[International school]]s) use the English language for medium of instruction. They also allow the mixing between males and females while other schools do not. For higher education, the city has only one university, [[Umm Al-Qura University]], which was established in 1949 as a college and became a public university in 1979. ==Communications== Telecommunications in the city were emphasized early under the Saudi reign. King ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz pressed them forward as he saw them as a means of convenience and better governance. While in King Husayn's time there were about 20 telephones in the entire city; in 1936 the number jumped to 450, totalling about half the telephones in the country. During that time telephone lines were extended to [[Jeddah]] and [[Taif]], but not to the capital [[Riyadh]]. By 1985 Mecca, like other Saudi cities, possessed the most modern telephone, telex, radio and TV communications.<ref name = EIModern>"Makka - The Modern City", ''Encyclopaedia of Islam''</ref> Limited radio communication was established within the [[Hejaz]] region under the [[Hashimite]]s. In 1929, wireless stations were set up in various towns of the region, crating a network that would become fully functional by 1932. Soon after [[World War II]], the existing network was greatly expanded and improved. Since then radio communication has been used extensively in directing the pilgrimage and addressing the pilgrims. This practice started in 1950, with the initiation of broadcasts the day of Arafat, and increased until 1957, at which time Radio Makka became the most powerful station in the Middle East at 50 kw. Later, power was increased to 450 kw. Music was not immediately broadcast, but gradually introduced.<ref name = EIModern/> ==Transportation== Transportation facilities related to the [[Hajj]] or [[Umrah]] are the main services available. Mecca has only the small [[Mecca East Airport]] with no airline service, so most [[pilgrim]]s access the city through the Hajj terminal of [[King Abdulaziz International Airport]] (JED) or the [[Jeddah Seaport]], both of which are in Jeddah. The city lacks any public transportation options for residents and visitors, both during and outside of the pilgrimage season. The main tranportation options available for travel within and around the city are either personal vehicles or private taxis. ==See also== *[[Hajj]] *[[History of Islam]] ==Notes== {{Reflist|3}} ==References== * {{cite book|title=What life was like in the lands of the prophet: Islamic world, AD 570 - 1405|publisher=Time-Life Books|isbn=0-7835-5465-6|date=1999}} *{{cite encyclopedia | title =Quraysh | encyclopedia =[[Encyclopaedia Britannica]] | volume = | pages = | publisher =Britannica Concise Encyclopedia (online) | date= 2007 | id = | url = http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/article-9062323/Quraysh | accessdate = 2007-02-19 }} * {{cite book|author=Lapidus, Ira M.|title=A History of Islamic Societies|publisher=Cambridge University Press|date=1988|isbn=0 521 22552 5}} * {{cite journal|title=The Disappearance and Rediscovery of Zamzam and the 'Well of the Ka'ba'|author=Hawting, G. R.|journal=Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London|volume=43|issue=1|date=1980|pages=44–54|url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0041-977X(1980)43%3A1%3C44%3ATDAROZ%3E2.0.CO%3B2-3}} ===Encyclopedia=== *Watt, W. Montgomery. "Makka - The pre-Islamic and early Islamic periods." [[Encyclopaedia of Islam]]. Edited by: P. Bearman , Th. Bianquis , C.E. Bosworth , E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill, 2008. Brill Online. 06 June 2008 *Winder, R.B. "Makka - The Modern City." Encyclopaedia of Islam. Edited by: P. Bearman , Th. Bianquis , C.E. Bosworth , E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill, 2008. Brill Online. 06 June 2008 ==Further reading== * {{cite book | author=Rosenthal, Franz; [[Ibn Khaldun]]| title=The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History | publisher=Princeton University Press | year=1967| id=ISBN 0-691-09797-6}} * {{cite book|author=Crone, Patricia|title=''Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam''|date=1987|publisher=Princeton University Press}} ==External links== {{sisterlinks}} *{{wikitravel}} *[http://www.holymakkah.gov.sa/ Holy Makkah Municipality] Official website (in Arabic) *[http://www.saudinf.com/main/a83.htm Saudi Information Resource - Holy Mecca] *[http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/b/burton/richard/b97p/chapter27.html Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al Madinah and Meccah, by Richard Burton] *[http://www.splendidarabia.com Saudi Arabian Travel and Trekking Guide], A travel site with photos and routes *[http://www.mecca.com mecca.com Islamic multilanguage online community], A web portal to serve muslims all over the world {{Mecca}} {{Saudi cities}} <!-- Template removed per [[Wikipedia:Templates_for_deletion/Log/2008_April_22#Template:AL_LargestCities]] --> [[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Saudi Arabia]] [[Category:Holy cities]] [[Category:Islamic holy places]] [[Category:Mecca| ]] [[Category:Cities of the Ottoman Empire]] [[Category:Hajj]] {{Link FA|dv}} {{Link FA|id}} [[ar:مكة المكرمة]] [[an:A Meca]] [[az:Məkkə]] [[bn:মক্কা]] [[be-x-old:Мэка]] [[bo:མ་ཁ]] [[bs:Mekka]] [[br:Mekka]] [[bg:Мека]] [[ca:La Meca]] [[cs:Mekka]] [[cy:Mecca]] [[da:Mekka]] [[de:Mekka]] [[dv:މައްކާ]] [[et:Meka]] [[el:Μέκκα]] [[es:La Meca]] [[eo:Mekao]] [[eu:Meka]] [[fa:مکه]] [[fo:Mekka]] [[fr:La Mecque]] [[ga:Meice]] [[gd:Mecca]] [[gl:A Meca - مكة]] [[ko:메카]] [[haw:Meka]] [[hr:Meka]] [[id:Mekkah]] [[is:Mekka]] [[it:La Mecca]] [[he:מכה]] [[jv:Mekkah]] [[ka:მექა]] [[sw:Makka]] [[ku:Mekke]] [[la:Mecca]] [[lv:Meka]] [[lt:Meka]] [[hu:Mekka]] [[mk:Мека]] [[ml:മക്ക]] [[mt:Mekka]] [[ms:Makkah al-Mukarramah]] [[nl:Mekka]] [[ja:メッカ]] [[no:Mekka]] [[nn:Mekka]] [[pl:Mekka]] [[pt:Meca]] [[ro:Mecca]] [[ru:Мекка]] [[sco:Mecca]] [[sq:Mekka]] [[scn:Mecca]] [[simple:Mecca]] [[sk:Mekka]] [[sl:Meka]] [[sr:Мека]] [[sh:Meka]] [[fi:Mekka]] [[sv:Mekka]] [[tl:Mecca]] [[ta:மக்கா]] [[te:మక్కా]] [[th:มักกะหฺ]] [[vi:Mecca]] [[tr:Mekke]] [[uk:Мекка]] [[ur:مکہ]] [[vo:Mäkkä]] [[zh:麥加]]