Mecca

Mecca, Saudi Arabia

For more than one billion of the world's population, Mecca is the holiest of sites, being the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad and the city of the revelation. Due to its religious importance, millions of pilgrims come here year after year from every corner of the planet, making it one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse cities in the Muslim world, a true melting pot of peoples and cultures.

Population:

2,042,000 (2020)

Currency:

1 riyal (SAR) = 100 halalas

Emergency Numbers:

Police: 999
Fire Brigade: 998
Ambulance: 997

Opening Hours:

The typical working week starts on Sunday and ends on Thursday, but most shops and businesses also open on Saturday. On Friday, they do not open until the afternoon prayer is finished, which is around 4pm.

Newspapers:

Arab News
Saudi Gazette
Aseer News

The City

Mecca is regarded as the holiest city in Islam, and millions of Muslims flock to its mosques every year for worship and devotion. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca, Hajj, at least once in a lifetime, and it is greatly encouraged to make another one, called Umrah.

Mecca's importance is tied to the life and message of Prophet Muhammad. Because it was here that the Prophet was born, and it was also here that God sent him the first revelation of the Quran through the archangel Gabriel. Since the Prophet's time, Mecca has been at the centre of the Muslim world, for it is facing towards it that all Muslims pray every day.

In recent years, however, the city has suffered a contradictory policy (imposed by the Saudi government) of destroying historical sites, such as the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad, for fear that people would worship him instead of God and, most importantly, to make room for hotels and shopping malls. Such was the fate of the house of Abu Bakr, the loyal companion of the Prophet, replaced by the Hilton Hotel.

Mecca is a city of contradictions, but it still retains enormous historical significance, even with the threat of bulldozers ready to raze old monuments to the ground for the sake of money and grandeur.

Do & See

The major landmarks of Mecca include several of the holiest places in the world, like the Kaaba, which contains the Black Stone, and the Cave of Hira, where Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation. To these revered places other, newer but not less impressive landmarks have been added, most notably the enormous Abraj Al-Bait complex with the Makkah Clock Royal Tower imposingly rising above it.

Dining

Dining in Mecca is a diverse and stimulating experience, with a fusion of culinary traditions from all over the Muslim world and beyond. From Malaysian and Pakistani food to Chinese and even Western cuisine, it is possible to taste many different kinds of dishes in Mecca, all rigorously halal, in line with prescriptions of the Quran.

Cafes

Mecca offers several opportunities for a relaxing and enjoyable coffee break. The choice of cafes and eateries ranges from small coffee shops to big chain cafes and lounges inside the various shopping malls. Couple that with some good pastry shops, and you have the right amount of places to choose from to satisfy your need for sweets and good coffee.