Hajjaj Salama

There is no country to which hearts yearn, souls turn, eyes long for, and hundreds of millions of people hope to visit like Makkah Al-Mukarramah... the Qibla of Muslims... and the best place on earth... In it, people from various countries, races, cultures, and languages meet... they come from every direction... to visit the Sacred House of d... praying and supplicating to the Almighty, hoping for His mercy and forgiveness... In its love, hundreds of poems have been written... and dozens of books have been authored about it. In her book "Makkah Al-Mukarramah: Majesty and Beauty.. An Aesthetic Reflective Vision of Place and Status" published by Qalam Al-Khayal for Publishing and Distribution, author Hanan Mohammed Hajjar takes us on a tour of the worlds and landmarks of the Holy City, showing how visual artists expressed their love for it and how it was painted in their imaginations and handled in their artworks.

The author says in the introduction to her book: "This is a simple classification that combines in its content the majesty and beauty of Makkah... searching for invisible meanings spoken by souls to rise and flourish with human feelings... and a reflection on the majesty of the place, its greatness, strength, highness, and pride... and its beauty drawn by a colored brush inhabited by the majesty and beauty of the place... addressing the Muslim soul and heart through color schemes and aesthetics expressing spiritual belonging to the purest spot on earth."

World of Poetry and Poets

She takes us into the world of poetry and poets, stopping at poetic stations that handled Makkah, including the poem "Umm Al-Qura" by Prince Khalid Al-Faisal. The author also records the names Makkah has been known by over time and the reasons for their naming, such as "Umm Al-Qura" (Mother of Cities) and "The Trusted City" (Al-Balad Al-Amin).

Hajj in the Past

The author was keen to document testimonies of elderly pilgrims in Saudi Arabia who described the hardships of the Hajj journey in the past and the ease and comfort today, thanks to the efforts of the Kingdom's vernment. She recorded testimonies of elders who recounted how they prepared for the journey on foot or camelback. The book includes photos documenting Hajj scenes in the past and discusses the Kiswa (cover) of the Holy Kaaba between yesterday and today, noting the establishment of the Kiswa factory by King Abdulaziz in 1927 and its development since 1977. The book contains photos of the Grand Mosque before expansion and paintings by artists inhabited by their love for the homeland and its sacred spots. Makkah remains an inspiration for writers and artists, with its titles dominating ancient and modern Arabic sources and documented journeys by travelers from India, Andalusia, and Morocco.