Hajj 2021: How Jeddah earned its reputation as the city of hospitality

Jeddah old view, Saudi Arabia. Created by Girardet after Lejean, published on Le Tour du Monde, Paris, 1860. (Shutterstock)
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Updated 18 July 2021
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Hajj 2021: How Jeddah earned its reputation as the city of hospitality

  • For centuries, the port city of Jeddah on the Red Sea coast has offered pilgrims comfort and friendship on their arduous journey
  • The special bond between Jeddah and the pilgrimage has shaped the city’s geography, architecture and its entire way of life

JEDDAH: For centuries, Hajj has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the millions of Muslims who travel to the Holy City of Makkah. In days gone by the journey was often arduous. But weary pilgrims arriving in Jeddah, for many their first port of call, have always found comfort and friendship thanks to the famed hospitality of the city’s residents.

The port city on the Red Sea coast has been inextricably linked with Hajj and Umrah for more than 1,300 years. In 674, Caliph Uthman ibn Affan, a companion of the Prophet, designated the city as a gateway for pilgrims traveling to Makkah and Madinah.

It has continued to serve this noble purpose ever since, latterly under the careful stewardship of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which works tirelessly to facilitate the movement, accommodation and comfort of pilgrims on their journeys to Makkah, 40 miles to the east of Jeddah, and Madinah, 220 miles to the north.

This gateway to two of the holiest cities in Islam has provided generations of Muslims from all corners of the Earth with food and lodgings on their journey to perform the sacred pilgrimage. But the city offers so much more than shelter and sustenance. Pilgrims have traditionally been greeted with profoundly touching displays of hospitality, solidarity and friendship — a proud tradition among Jeddawis that continues to this day.

Families in Madinah are often referred to as “Muzawareen” — which comes from the Arabic word “zeyara,” meaning “visit” — denoting their inherited duty to take into their homes pilgrims visiting the mosque and the grave of the Prophet.

Families in Makkah are often called “Mutawefeen,” which is derived from “tawaf,” one of the rituals during Hajj and Umrah. Again, this denotes their traditional role in guiding visitors.

By the same token, Jeddawis are often known as “Wukalaa” in recognition of the assistance they provided as agents to the pilgrims who arrived there by sea.




Street view with a car in Jeddah, in 1939. (Photo by Ullstein Bild via Getty Images)

In the old days, large ships carrying the pilgrims would anchor in deeper waters off the Red Sea coast, and the travelers would be brought ashore by locals on smaller wooden sambouks and dhows. There they were greeted by their designated agents, who would show them to their lodgings.

Ahmed Badeeb, a local historian and longtime resident of Jeddah’s historic old city, said that this special bond between the people of the city and visiting pilgrims not only shaped its urban geography but its entire way of life.

“Pilgrims arriving by land were very few,” he told Arab News. “Large ships would bring Hajj pilgrims from all over and there were no hotels in Jeddah.

“The people of the city would provide lodgings for pilgrims in their own homes and the pilgrim would become part of the family, establishing relationships. And when their guests returned home, they’d continue their correspondence because they felt like they had a home (there).

Homeowners would normally sleep in the mabeet, their designated sleeping quarters located on the roof of the house, and provide lodging for pilgrims in the megad (sitting room) on the ground floor.

Pilgrims’ visits for Hajj could last for up to four months, but they usually remained in Jeddah for only a few days while their agents arranged onward travel to Makkah or Madinah. Jeddah was therefore a brief pit stop on their journeys.

HAJJ 2021 IN FOCUS

Pilgrims have arrived at the Grand Mosque in Makkah to perform tawaf in the first Hajj act of the year after reaching the city on Saturday. Keep track of this year's pilgrimage here.

“It would take a few days for pilgrims to prepare their belongings before setting out for Makkah with their food, clothing and supplies,” Badeeb said.

“Camels were rented to carry pilgrims’ belongings, and at times a howdah (a seat on the back of a camel) was also brought in to carry the women. It would take one day to reach Makkah.”

The duration of a pilgrim’s stay in Jeddah varied depending on the arrangements made between the “wakeel” in Jeddah and the “mutawif” in Makkah who would host the pilgrim upon arrival there.

“(Jeddah’s) population would grow exponentially with every Hajj season,” Badeeb added. “It helped with the city’s economic growth and aided the pilgrims as well, as they would sell their goods and spices to residents of the city, who have always been welcoming.”

In addition to boosting the local economy, Hajj also shaped Jeddah’s architecture. Historians believe that because prosperous families in the old city hosted so many pilgrims, it became common for their homes to include several stories — as many as seven. They had numerous rooms set aside for specific purposes and often featured protruding rowshan balconies. The taller and more elaborately decorated the house, the greater the status of its residents.

Inside these towering structures, the owners would prepare rooms for the pilgrims they were hosting. Guests were normally given the megad on the ground floor and provided with mats and pillows. 




1976: A crowd of pilgrims from Indonesia on the deck of their chartered ship in Jeddah harbour, bound for Makkah. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

Derived from the word “to sit,” the megad is a large room normally used for welcoming family and close friends. While pilgrims were provided with lodgings on lower floors, families would move into rooms on the upper floors and provide their guests with meals prepared in their kitchen, which was usually located on the first floor.

“By the time the pilgrims arrived in Jeddah, their food supplies would have depleted on their long journeys,” said Badeeb. “Everything was provided for them from the minute they landed until they left.

“Pilgrims arriving from certain countries or regions usually stayed with specific families, facilitated through agents in their home countries. The trust that is built through that allowed them to keep their money and belongings safely stored until they completed their pilgrimage.”

Over the years, as the number of pilgrims steadily grew, it became increasingly difficult to find lodgings with families in the old city. To ensure everyone was safely housed and cared for, the Saudi authorities realized they would have to build new, specialized facilities.

In 1950 the Kingdom’s founder, King Abdul Aziz, ordered a “pilgrims’ city” to be established close to Jeddah Islamic Seaport, where about 70 percent of pilgrims arrived in the country on their way to perform Hajj. By 1971, this city within a city had 27 buildings, including health clinics, shops, mosques and other facilities.

Several similar facilities were subsequently established, including one to the east of the historic old city capable of accommodating 2,000 pilgrims, and another near the old airport, which by the mid-1980s could host 30,000 people.

Times have changed and although Jeddah’s families no longer host visitors in their own homes as their forefathers once did, they continue to offer the same warm greetings and hospitality that has characterized the city’s residents for centuries.


Saudi consulate in Los Angeles celebrates Eid Al-Fitr

Among those attending the event were Saudi Consul General Bandar Al-Zaid and officials from the US State Department. (Supplied)
Updated 02 April 2025
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Saudi consulate in Los Angeles celebrates Eid Al-Fitr

  • The celebration underscored the consulate’s commitment to strengthening ties with the local community and fostering cultural exchange

LOS ANGELES: Saudi Arabia’s Consulate General in Los Angeles marked Eid Al-Fitr with a festive celebration attended by Consul General Bandar Al-Zaid, officials from the US State Department, the Vice Mayor of Irvine James Mai, the former mayor of Irvine, and accredited consul generals.

The celebration underscored the consulate’s commitment to strengthening ties with the local community and fostering cultural exchange, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Through such initiatives, the consulate aims to highlight the Kingdom’s rich heritage.

 


Arabic Language Month begins in Spain

Updated 02 April 2025
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Arabic Language Month begins in Spain

  • It features an exhibition, seminars, training courses, linguistic proficiency tests, and student competitions in partnership with Spanish universities and academic institutions

RIYADH: The King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language is hosting the Arabic Language Month program in Spain throughout April, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The event is a comprehensive initiative aimed at developing Arabic language curricula, promoting the language, and highlighting Saudi Arabia’s efforts in this field.

The progeam is designed to strengthen academic and educational ties between Saudi Arabia and international institutions, the SPA reported.

It features an exhibition, seminars, training courses, linguistic proficiency tests, and student competitions in partnership with Spanish universities and academic institutions.

As part of the academy’s global Arabic teaching program, the initiative has been implemented in countries such as Uzbekistan, Indonesia, China, India, France, Brazil, Thailand and Malaysia, expanding its international reach and fostering global partnerships.

 


Saudi Arabia condemns storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by far-right Israeli minister

Updated 03 April 2025
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Saudi Arabia condemns storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by far-right Israeli minister

  • Foreign Ministry criticizes attacks on sanctity of the holy site
  • Israeli violations of international law obstruct peace efforts and threaten global security, statement says

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem on Wednesday by Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it strongly condemns “the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by the Israeli national security minister under the protection of occupation police.”

The ministry reiterated its condemnation of the attacks on the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

It also condemned Israeli forces for targeting an UNRWA clinic in Jabaliya camp, northern Gaza, and denounced attacks on UN and relief organizations and their staff, the SPA added.

The ministry said: “The Kingdom condemns these ongoing Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law, and affirms its categorical rejection of anything that would undermine the historical and legal status of Jerusalem and its holy sites.”

It added that Israeli violations of international law obstruct peace efforts and threaten global security.

The ministry highlighted the importance of protecting UN and relief organizations, as well as their staff, and called for holding Israeli authorities accountable for all violations.

Ben-Gvir’s visit to the Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem’s Old City on Wednesday prompted strong condemnation from Jordan and Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Rejoining the Israeli government

The minister, leader of the Israeli anti-Arab Otzma Yehudit party, visited the site after rejoining the government last month following the resumption of the war in Gaza.

Ben Gvir had quit the cabinet in January in protest at the ceasefire agreement in the Palestinian territory.

Since the formation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government at the end of 2022, Ben Gvir has made several trips to the Al-Aqsa compound, each time triggering international outcry.

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry also condemned Wednesday's visit as a "storming" and "an unacceptable provocation."

Hamas called it a "provocative and dangerous escalation," saying the visit was "part of the ongoing genocide against our Palestinian people."

"We call on our Palestinian people and our youth in the West Bank to escalate their confrontation... in defense of our land and our sanctities, foremost among them the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque," it said in a statement.

The site is Islam's third-holiest and a symbol of Palestinian national identity.

Known to Jews as the Temple Mount, it is also Judaism's holiest place, revered as the site of the second temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

Under the status quo maintained by Israel, which has occupied east Jerusalem and its Old City since 1967, Jews and other non-Muslims are allowed to visit the compound during specified hours, but they are not permitted to pray there or display religious symbols.

Ben Gvir's spokesperson told AFP the minister "went there because the site was opened (for non-Muslims) after 13 days," during which access was reserved for Muslims for the festival of Eid Al-Fitr and the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

In recent years, growing numbers of Jewish ultranationalists have defied the rules, including Ben Gvir, who publicly prayed there in 2023 and 2024.

The Israeli government has said repeatedly that it intends to uphold the status quo at the compound but Palestinian fears about its future have made it a flashpoint for violence.

*Additional reporting from AFP


Saudi equestrienne sets sights on racing to glory

Updated 02 April 2025
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Saudi equestrienne sets sights on racing to glory

  • Nawal Al-Anazi’s ‘ultimate goal is to compete in the 2025 World Cup in AlUla and represent Saudi Arabia globally’
  • Al-Anazi believes equestrianism builds character, teaching patience, courage, quick thinking, and responsibility

MAKKAH: In the world of equestrianism, where courage and endurance reign supreme, Saudi rider Nawal Al-Anazi has established herself as a rising star. 

With unwavering determination and limitless ambition, she has transformed her childhood passion into a professional pursuit, becoming a certified equestrienne with the Saudi Federation and a proud horse owner who dreams of representing her nation on the international stage. 

“I have been riding since childhood, but I decided to pursue it seriously about five years ago,” Al-Anazi explained. “What began as a hobby evolved into a lifestyle after I committed to intensive training under professional guidance.” 

The road to professionalism was not without challenges, but Al-Anazi’s passion drove her forward. Through rigorous training and acquiring her own horses, she achieved a significant milestone by competing in the prestigious Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup in AlUla.

“Participating in that championship fulfilled one dream, but I am setting my sights higher,” she said. “My ultimate goal is to compete in the 2025 World Cup in AlUla and represent Saudi Arabia globally.”

For Al-Anazi, equestrianism transcends sport; it is about forming profound connections with these animals. “Each horse has its unique personality,” she said. 

“They are not just racing vehicles but true partners who understand their riders and respond accordingly. The relationship must be built on mutual trust and respect.”

The equestrienne emphasized that Saudi society has become increasingly supportive of women in this traditionally male-dominated sport. “I have received tremendous encouragement from my family, friends, and the Royal Commission for AlUla Governorate,” she said. “This is a sport for everyone with the passion to pursue it.”

To aspiring equestriennes, she offers straightforward advice. “Follow your passion, train diligently, and embrace challenges. Equestrianism builds confidence and strength of character.”

For Al-Anazi, equestrianism is a lifestyle that demands commitment and enduring passion. She said that successful horsemanship requires patience and an intuitive understanding of each animal’s distinct character.

“The essence of true horsemanship is not about domination,” she explained. “It is about cultivating a partnership founded on mutual trust and respect.”

She believes equestrianism builds character, teaching patience, courage, quick thinking, and responsibility — qualities that extend beyond the riding arena into daily life. Her ambitions are not solely personal; she hopes to inspire other Saudi women to enter the field. 

The rider said that contemporary Saudi women are empowered to fulfill their aspirations across all domains, with equestrianism now receiving substantial backing throughout the Kingdom.

“The journey toward any ambition begins with a single step forward. When you truly believe in your vision and pursue it with unwavering resolve, no obstacle can ultimately prevent your success,” she said. 

As Al-Anazi continues her journey toward international competition, she remains grounded in her philosophy: “The horse is a magnificent creature that deserves our utmost respect. If you have a dream, pursue it relentlessly. With determination, you can overcome any obstacle and reach the top.”


Teenager uses metaverse technology to create link between Chinese and Saudi students

Updated 02 April 2025
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Teenager uses metaverse technology to create link between Chinese and Saudi students

  • Superbund Alpha Project allows students to create virtual avatars and teach others about their culture
  • Young founder aims to host a student trip to Saudi Arabia for her peers

RIYADH: At just 13 years old, Chinese student Alia Kong is spearheading an initiative that utilizes the power of technology to introduce Saudi culture to her peers in Hong Kong.

With a vision of creating an open space for international students to connect with each other, the Superbund Alpha Project allows users to create virtual avatars in the metaverse.

Students in both countries will be able to create a personalized space and promote their culture through a virtual workshop and the young visionary hopes it will help forge strong links between them.

“I (would) like to create that connection between Riyadh and Hong Kong,” Kong told Arab News. “Imagine if can create your own cultural heritage and enhance it with spatial computing, with just prompting and images.”

Additionally, as a part of the project, she has set up an immersive experience to present Saudi culture to her classmates.

Kong’s story began five years ago when, aged eight, she and 25 friends decided to start a non-profit organization called Kids Power Society. The group’s aims were to educate students about different cultures, enhance mental wellness and promote positivity.

The teenager now plans to host Superbund Event Day, to be held simultaneously in both Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia virtually and in reality.

Kong highlighted the importance of embracing emerging technologies, saying Generation Alpha could envision a desired lifestyle through the metaverse.

Her admiration for Saudi Arabia stems from stories she has heard from her godfather, Alaudeen Alaskary, former consul-general of Saudi Arabia in Hong Kong. He is now honorary advisor to the Superbund Virtual Exchange Program.

Kong, who has visited the Kingdom previously, said she planned to host a student trip dedicated to teaching her peers about Saudi’s cultural history.

“He (Alaskary) showed me the culture and lifestyle of Saudi Arabians. I love attending his Saturday gatherings and parties. (They are) very warm, loving and we all enjoy each other’s company,” she said.

In July 2024, the group will host a virtual event, Superbund Virtual Society, with more than 100 attendees expected from Hong Kong, mainland China, Canada and Saudi Arabia.

“This new ecosystem with blockchain technology will let us register our digital assets with our avatar identities ... things can be created in virtual and make impact on reality,” said Kong.

“I have a concept where the older generation creates the hardware of technology, or the hardware we need in order to access the software that could be created by younger generations, and with the content and software and hardware finalized, we can come together and bridge that generation gap.”

Over the past five years, Kids Power Society has published four science fiction books, with contributions from 125 children around the world. The proceeds were donated to British Columbia Children’s Hospital in Vancouver and Hong Kong’s Sowers Action.