JKAU: Env. Design Sci., Vol. 9, pp: 155 - 167 (1436 A.H. /2015 A.D.) Makkah, a Unique Knowledge City: Universal Spirituality, Global Reach and Local Economy Mamdouh M. A. Sobaihi and Khaled A. Youssef Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Environmental Design, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, P.O. Box 80210, Saudi Arabia [email protected], [email protected] Saudi Arabia Abstract. Located in the western region of Saudi Arabia, Makkah is the centre of the Islamic Faith. The paper investigates the spiritual potential of Makkah to become a unique Knowledge City; in terms of the local economy as well as the universal spiritual reach. As such, the addition of a new layer in the development and planning of the city is to be argued. To solidify the base on which the assumption of the paper is discussed, the spirituality of the City of Makkah is highlighted. Accordingly, a new capital conception is added to the matrix of knowledge capitals in the case of Makkah; i.e. “spiritual capital”, and strategic directions needed for the transition of the city into a unique KC are discussed. By doing that, there should be a paradigm shift in the development of the city from an urban-based development to knowledge citizen-oriented development. Keywords: Makkah, Spiritual, Global, Knowledge City, Knowledge Moments. 1. Introduction Makkah is the place where Allah (God) supposedly commanded the Prophet Abraham 1.1 The City of Makkah: Historical (Ibrahim) (peace be upon him) to build ‘the Background first House of worship’, or ‘the Holy Kaaba, Located in the western region of Saudi which is the black cube in the centre of the Arabia, the Holy City of Makkah is the capital Holy Mosque of Makkah. Upon building the of The Makkah Province (See Fig. 1) being Kaaba, Ibrahim was commanded to leave his home to around 1.7 million residents. It is also wife Haajar and his young son Ismael in the a destination for about 3 million visitors every area (Makkah) to establish and teach God’s year during the Hajj (pilgrimage) period doctrine. (3.161 million pilgrims in 2012), and a further In the pre-Islamic era, the Kaaba was 6 million visitors during Umrah seasons (year dedicated to Hubal, a Nabatean deity, containing round), for a grand total of more than 9 million about 360 idols. Once a year, tribes from all visitors annually[1]. around the Arabian Peninsula, whether Despite being the focal point for all Christian or pagan, would converge on Muslims worldwide, the spiritual significance Makkah to perform the Hajj, marking the of Makkah is alleged to have been established widespread conviction that Allah was the same long before Islam. According to Islamic belief, deity worshiped by monotheists[2]. 155 156 Mamdouh M. A. Sobaihi and Khaled A. Youssef Makkah Fig. 1. Location of the City of Makkah, KSA. “The first House (of worship) 610 A.D. that the message of Islam was appointed for mankind was that at revealed in Makkah. However, in the year 622 Bakkah (Makkah): full of blessing and A.D. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) of guidance for all kinds of beings. In it and his followers were forced out of Makkah are Signs Manifest; the Station of and took refuge/migrated (Hijra) to Al-Madina Ibrahim (Maqam Ibrahim); whoever Al-Munwara (called Yathrib in ancient times) enters it attains security (and peace); to the north of Makkah. There Islam was Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to established and in the year of 630 A.D. Allah,- those who can afford the Muslims led by Prophet Muhammad returned journey; but if any deny faith, Allah to Makkah and declared the city the holiest stands not in need of any of His place for Muslims and pivotal for the creatures”. [The Holy Quran: Surat performance of two of the five Pillars of Islam, Aal-e-Imran (Chapter 3) verses 96 and namely The Five Daily Prayers and The 97] [3]. Pilgrimage[4]. In the pre-Islamic times, the city of Most religions of the world have holy Makkah was ruled by many Yemeni tribes cities, or cities with special significance. before the Quraysh took control of it; Sometimes these cities are the home or the promoting Makkah to be a city-state with birthplace of religious leaders. In most cases, strong commercial links to the rest of Arabian these cities house important temples, Peninsula, Ethiopia, and Europe. From the cathedrals, mosques or shrines. A number of biblical times to the rise of Islam, Makkah holy cities are important to more than one remained as a vital stop and station for trade religion. Jerusalem, as an example, is and culture. It is in Makkah and into Quraish considered a holy city to Jews, Christians and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was Muslims, since many important biblical events born in the year 570 A.D. It was in the year (both religions believe the Old Testament) Makkah, a Unique Knowledge City: Universal Spirituality, Global Reach and Local Economy 157 have taken place in it. Further, Jerusalem was to the economy of Saudi Arabia. However, the first Qiblah for Muslims, being the place with more oil discovery over the years and toward which Muslims turn in prayer, before it heavier reliance on the income offered by the was instructed to change the Qibla from petroleum industries, Makkah no longer Jerusalem to Mecca. contributes to the economy in a significant The list of holy cities include, but not way. limited to, Jerusalem and Bethlehem, In 2011, tourism in Saudi Arabia Palestine; Lhasa, Tibet; Makkah and Al- accounted for 3.2% of the total GDP. The Madina Al-Munwara, Saudi Arabia; Varanasi total value of Kingdom revenues from Hajj and Pushkar, India; Vatican City, Italy; and and Umrah services was estimated to reach Salt Lake City, Utah. But what distinguishes $15.9 billion in 2011 [8]. In 2012, economists the City of Makkah from other holy cities in have estimated the Kingdom revenues from the world is that the world's 1.6 billion Hajj and Umrah services at more than $16.5 Muslims[5], wherever they may be, should turn billion[9]. As a result hospitality investments to the Holy Mosque in Makkah to pray five are gaining more interest, promoting real times each day. Further, every individual estate development and construction to Muslim is required to perform Hajj, when become one of the most important economic physically and financially possible, at least sectors. The construction sector in Makkah once in a lifetime. In this context, the Holy accounts for about 11% of the total size of this City of Makkah represents a remote daily sector in the Kingdom. As for the contribution spiritual destination for all Muslims, as well as to the exports of the Kingdom, Makkah comes a physical spiritual destination for Hajj and second after the Eastern Region with 32.2 Umrah[4]. billion riyals; i.e. 19.6% of the total non-oil [6] It is worth mentioning that the City of exports of the Kingdom . Makkah has always enjoyed a great deal of 1.2 Knowledge Cities: Theoretical ethnic diversity. The city managed to attract Background people from different countries, and of diverse 1.2.1 Knowledge Cities: Different Perspectives cultures. As a result, a number of Hajj and Umrah performers became permanent According to Dvir (2006) [10], the term residents of the city, affecting its “Knowledge City” (KC) is still in its infancy, demographics and contributing to its multi- i.e., there is no agreed upon definition. While ethnicity. According to the General Census of some definitions are based on the urban capital Population for 2010, the total population of systems, others are more oriented to the Makkah region amounted to about 6.92 intellectual capital, information technology, million people (Saudis are about 4.12 million urban processes and/or urban history. As for people comprising for about 60%, whereas Ergazakis et al. (2004) [11], a KC is “a city that non-Saudis are about 2.8 million comprising aims at a knowledge-based development, by for about 40% of the population) [6,7]. encouraging the continuous creation, sharing, evaluation, renewal and update of knowledge”. Makkah has always survived on trade The creation of a KC is dependent on the and religious tourism. The local economy is continuous interaction between the citizens of heavily reliant, therefore, on related services the city and citizens of other cities. The culture and industries. In the past, Makkah and the of knowledge-sharing, being supported by the Pilgrimage industry contributed significantly city’s appropriate planning and design, all 158 Mamdouh M. A. Sobaihi and Khaled A. Youssef foster the transforming of a city into a KC. On a financial centre for implementing the other hand, Edvinsson[12] (1999) defines a entrepreneurial ideas. Montréal further KC as “a city that is purposefully designed to differed by investing in avant-garde sectors of encourage the nurturing of knowledge”. the economy and high-knowledge industry While some definitions of a KC are segments that are driven by innovation. In the strongly related to the generation and sharing case of Holon, development of the knowledge of knowledge, others emphasize the city was based on promoting human importance of knowledge application to knowledge moments. A “knowledge moment” promote high value-added economies. is a “spontaneous or planned human According to the Australian firm SGS (2002) experience in which knowledge is discovered, [13], as an example; a KC is synonymous with created, nourished, exchanged, and “a regional economy driven by high value- transformed into a new form”.