Top Things you need to know about Makkah
Makkah is not just the holy city but also the stated as “the mother of all cities” for Muslims. Despite of its sacred Islamic historical importance, the unique city is rapidly growing and prospering. Muslims from all across the world comes to Makkah to perform hajj and Umrah, millions of Muslims visit this city every year but non-muslims are prohibited to enter the sacred land. The city is located in the Hijaz region of western Saudi Arabia and lies inland 73 kilometers east of Jeddah in the sandy narrow valley of Ibrahim. Makkah is 277 meters above the sea level. Muslims no matter which part of the world when offer prayer, they do it in the direction of qibla. We all thing that we know a lot about Makkah but you’ll be surprised when we share some of the amazing facts that you didn’t know about the sacred city of Makkah. Let’s have a look at these amazing things that you should know about the Makkah.

1. Makkah Has the World’s Highest Prayer Room:
We offer prayer five times a day and it is the utmost desire of every Muslim to offer as many prayers as they can when gets a chance to be holy guests, on the sacred land. Makkah authorities build the highest prayer room in the world, in very popular Makkah Clock Tower hotel by Fairmount at the height of 600 meters above the sea level. The small but highest prayer room can only accommodate 6 or 7 peoples, which is designed with the crescent of the tower. The distance of this prayer room from Kabah is mere 500 meters, which make it the closest of all prayer rooms in Makkah.
2. One of the Oldest Continually Inhabited Cities in the World:
The holy city of Makkah is one of the oldest inhabited cities in world that is established during the time of Prophet Ibrahim A.S. prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail A.S together built Kabah in Makkah in the order of Allah Almighty. Since then, the city is continually growing and increasing both in population and in area. The famous well of ZamZam is also believed to be around 4,000 years old that angel Jibraeel A.S dug on barren land of Makkah for baby Ismail with the will of Allah.
3. The Important City was Never the Capital of Islamic Empire:
Though Makkah is the most sacred city for Muslims but the city was never the capital of Islamic Empire, first it was the city of Madinah, then capital shift to Damascus and next Baghdad became the capital of Islamic empire.
4. Bakkah changes to Makkah
According to the Muslim scholars, the ancient name of Makkah was Bakkah but some suggest that it only refers to the Kabah and the sacred sites surrounding it. But Makkah is the used for the city. The word Bakkah derived from Buka which means, it brings crying or weeping to the oppressors and conceited, meaning they cry and become humble in its vicinity. However, the holy Quran declares that the first House of Allah built by Prophet Ibrahim and Ismail was at the place called “Bakkah”.
5. Umm Al Qura:
Umm Al Qura is an Arabic word which means “Mother of All Settlements”. The Holy Quran not only call this city Bakkah but also refers it as Umm Al Qura.
6. Makkah Al Mukarramah:
The sacred city now called as Makkah Al Mukarramah which translation is “Makkah The Honored”. Makkah is the holiest place for Muslim believers in the whole world. The city one was the important trading hub before it becomes the most important place for Muslims.
7. The city Where Prophet PBUH Spent Most of His Life:
Our Beloved Prophet PBUH has special love for the city that’s the reason why Madinah is called the city of Prophet but He didn’t spent most part of His life here. He SAWW was born in Makkah and at the age of 53 he migrated towards Madinah. He SAWW spent more than 50 years of His life in Makkah.
8. Rising number of Visitors:
Saudi Arabia is the country that receives most number of tourists in entire Middle East. Almost 8.75 million pilgrims visit Makkah for the performance of Hajj and Umrah last year, and most number of visitors came from outside the Kingdom. The country also experiencing rapid growth in business travelers. Thus, it is expected that the number of tourists rise to 30 million per year by 2030.
9. Makkah has the Largest Automated Waste Network in the World:
The city has many bustling centers and plenty of historical sites but many of visitors don’t know the effort behind the well-managed holy city. Just imagine how much trash will be at a place where approx. 9 million people came every day. Almost 600 tons of garbage produces during the days of Hajj and Ramadan, to handle such massive trash is not possible until you’ve some great system. Makkah owns the world’s largest automated waste transport network that transports trash from 318 collection points to a Central Utility Complex outside the city by using 30 km of underground pipelines.
10. Abraj Al Bait:
Whether you visit the Makkah or not but you surely familiar with the Abraj Al Bait Complex, located in the central Makkah. The popular complex is record breaker, it breaks the record for the number of superlatives you can use ti describe it. The Clock Royal Tower is 600 meters high having the world’s third tallest building of Fairmount hotel and the stunning clocks are also the world’s largest clocks that you can see even from the far distance of 17 km. the clock mounted with millions of LEDs and 26 powerful searchlights beam out from the top and sparkles at night, illuminated up the heavens up to 10km high. This is not it! the total base area cover by the complex is more than 1.5 million square meters, which makes it the largest building in the world as well.
