Mecca in Saudi
Arabia, is Islam's holiest city and all devout Muslims dream of coming here at least once
in their lifetime. The Prophet Mohammed was born in this city in 6th century AD. He began
to preach in Mecca and it was here that he returned to shortly before his death in 632 AD.
Mecca and its vicinity are strictly off-limits to non-Muslims and there are checkpoints on
the roads leading into the city.
Muslims make a pilgrimage to Mecca and it is called "Hajj".
The centre of the city is the Grand Mosque with the sacred Well of Zamzam beside it. The Kaaba
to which all Muslims turn when they pray is in the central courtyard of the Grand Mosque
and, according to Islamic tradition, the first prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael built
it.
Jeddah is the closest air and sea base to Mecca. The superb,
custom-built Hajj Terminal at King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah, has given an
enormous boost to the flow of pilgrim traffic since it’s inauguration in 1981. The
Jeddah Islamic Port has received "haj" pilgrims for centuries from the furthest
corners of the world. The usual form of transport from Jeddah to Mecca is by bus belonging
to the Saudi Arabian Government Pilgrims' Transportation Service. The Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia offers funds and many facilities to its pilgrims, such as the distribution of
millions of bags of iced water prepared at a special factory in Mecca. Arrangements are
also made for the pilgrims regarding mobile facilities for banking and telecommunications.
The reigning monarch of Saudi Arabia feels it is his solemn duty to the faith to offer the
pilgrims the best facilities he can arrange for.
