The Latest Breaking News from Mecca

Air travel plans, summer tourism take a hit as temperatures soar, elections due in April

There has been a shift in travel plans thanks to the unusual temperatures and the upcoming General elections. Bitten by the poll bug, a good number of expatriates have chosen to fly home rather than bring their families abroad for the summer vacation; while many pilgrims set to visit Mecca…

The Hindu · Mar 17, 2024

Somber, joyful, magical: Some of the most compelling AP religion photos of 2023

In the searing heat of Mecca, throngs of Muslims from around the world converged for the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

The Independent UK · Dec 19, 2023

Why Al-Aqsa remains a sensitive site in Palestine-Israel conflict

As a scholar of global Islam, I teach an introduction to Islam course and include a discussion about Al-Aqsa as part of the syllabus. That’s because Al-Aqsa has deep religious significance for Muslims around the world.

The Conversation · Oct 9, 2023

Women can now undertake Islamic pilgrimages without a male guardian in Saudi Arabia, but that doesn't mean they're traveling alone -- communities are an important part of the religious experience

Saudi Arabia has changed its decadeslong rule that mandated single women be accompanied by a male relative when performing an Islamic pilgrimage, facilitating the participation of thousands of single Muslim women in the Hajj in 2023.

The Conversation · Jul 25, 2023

AP Month in Pictures: Middle East

Violence continued in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip between Israeli security forces and Palestinian militants. The gallery also shows how people coped with the heat wave around the region and during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia; poverty in Pakistan; and the Pride party in…

The Independent UK · Jul 11, 2023

How Mecca is the lynchpin for Saudi Arabia's hospitality and tourism drive

Saudi Arabia is pumping billions of dollars into the holy city of Mecca to meet its ambitious economic targets, with high-end hotels, apartment blocks, retailers and restaurants planned for areas around the Grand Mosque

The Independent UK · Jun 30, 2023

Happy Eid-ul-Adha 2023: Hindi Wishes, Shayari, Poems, Messages, Quotes, SMS and status

Eid-ul-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, is an important Islamic festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide. It is observed on the 10th day of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, following the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. This year Eid-ul-Adha falls on June 29, 2023. In the…

The Times of India · Jun 29, 2023

Millions of pilgrims converge on Saudi Arabia for Hajj

It's one of the largest religious gatherings in the world: the Hajj pilgrimage is underway this week in Saudi Arabia, with some 2 million Muslims converging in Mecca and at Mount Arafat. This year's Hajj could be the largest on record, according to officials, after several quieter years during the…

France 24 · Jun 28, 2023

An unbroken covenant with God: what the Hajj means for Muslims

Millions of men, women and children have converged on Mecca this week for the Hajj pilgrimage. The Saudi government says it will be the largest crowd ever for the pilgrimage.

The Conversation · Jun 28, 2023

UAE astronaut spies Mecca from space station during Hajj (photo)

UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi photographed Mecca, one of Islam's holiest cities, from the International Space Station during the annual pilgrimage, or Hajj.

Space · Jun 27, 2023