ABSTRACT
182The large northwestern section of Saudi Arabia, the Hijaz, is named after its dominant highland range. “Hijāz” actually means “barrier” and applies to the northern part of the Sarawāt/Sarāt Mountains that run from Jordan to just below Ṭā’if. Within the Saudi State, the Hijaz is divided into three provinces: Tabụk (تبوك) in the north, Medinah in the center, and Makkah in the south (Fig. 10.1). Since the Hijaz encompasses the venerable cities of Makkah and Medinah (al-Madīnah al-Munawwara), without a doubt, it is first and foremost viewed as the birthplace and spiritual center of Islam: it is the site of the ka’ba, the home of the Prophet Mohammed and his Islamic revelations, and the pilgrimage spot for millions of visitors each year. The Hijaz also houses the port city of Jeddah (which is the traditional entry point for Makkah-bound Hajjis and the primary shipping harbor of the region) and the petrochemical city of Yanbu’ that lies further north along the Red Sea aside a deep, well-protected harbor. Yanbu’ was the historical entrance for those traveling to Medinah. In the southern Hijaz, for centuries the leading economic center has been the mountain municipality of Tā’if. 1
