The Islamic World to 1600

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The Ka'ba in Mecca Courtesy of IslamiCity www.islam.org

The settlement of Mecca originated in the 5th century, when an Arab nomadic group called the Quraysh gave up their nomadic traditions to live permanently in the western Arabian foothills. The site was not an oasis, and was indeed located in a harsh desert environment. Although it was not a major trading centre, goods sometimes passed through it from the kingdom of Yemen in the south, to Syria in the north, and across the Red Sea to Ethiopia. It mostly gained settlers and rose in population because of the presence of the Ka'ba in the city. The Ka'ba was a cubic monument that the Arabs used to pray to many of their gods, and they erected idols around the structure for that purpose. In Islamic times it became the most important monument for Muslims. The Ka'ba is the direction towards which Muslims face when praying, a practice begun by Muhammad in 624.

At the time of Muhammad's birth in Mecca about 570, the city was controlled by a powerful group of merchant families who had brought great wealth and prestige to Mecca. It would become even more prestigious after Islam was accepted there about 630, and the city became the holiest city in the Islamic faith.

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