Remembering the siege of Makkah

The Hajj at the Grand Mosque in Makkah in 1973. Six years later, a sacrilegious storming of the mosque by armed fanatics shook Saudi Arabia and sent shockwaves through the Islamic world. (Bettmann/Getty Images)
Updated 19 November 2019
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Remembering the siege of Makkah

  • Forty years ago, a group of armed fanatics led by Juhayman Al-Otaibi were primed for an assault that would cast a long, regressive shadow over Saudi Arabia

JEDDAH:  In November 1979, the Middle East was already on a knife edge. In Iran, a liberal monarchy that had ruled for almost four decades had just been overthrown by a fundamentalist theocracy preaching a return to medieval religious values that many feared would pollute and destabilize the entire region.

For the citizens of Saudi Arabia, however, the greatest shock was yet to come. The sacrilegious storming of the Grand Mosque in Makkah by armed fanatics that month sent shockwaves through the entire Islamic world.

Murder and mayhem erupted in the very heart of Islam, perpetrated by a reactionary sect determined to overthrow the Saudi government and convinced that one among their number was the Mahdi, the redeemer of Islam whose appearance, according to the hadith, heralds the Day of Judgment. 

Ahead lay two weeks of bitter, bloody fighting as Saudi forces fought to reclaim the Holy Haram for the true faith, but that battle was merely the overture to a war for the very soul of Islam in the Kingdom.

Open, progressive and religiously tolerant, Saudi Arabia was about to travel back in time. Only now, as the Kingdom pushes forward into a new era of transparency and modernization, can the full story of the siege of Makkah and the regressive shadow it would cast over the country for the next 40 years finally be told.

As the citizens of Makkah and those pilgrims who had remained behind after Hajj saw out the final hours of Dhu Al-Hijjah, the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar, and prepared to greet the year 1400 in prayer within the precincts of the Grand Mosque, a few inconspicuous pickup trucks slipped unchallenged into it through an entrance used by construction workers under the Fatah Gate, on the north side of the mosque.

The trucks and the men who drove them were there at the bidding of Juhayman Al-Otaibi, a disaffected former corporal in the Saudi National Guard.

As a firebrand at the head of a small group of religious students based in a small village outside Madinah, Juhayman had been on the radar of the authorities for some time. According to Prince Turki Al-Faisal, who in 1979 was the head of Saudi Arabia’s General Intelligence Directorate, the group consisted of students from various religious seminaries who had put their faith in the eschatological figure of the Mahdi, the supposed redeemer of Islam. 

“Their aim, according to their beliefs, was to liberate the Grand Mosque from the apostate rulers of the Kingdom and to liberate all Muslims by the coming of the so-called Mahdi,” Prince Turki said in an interview with Arab News.

Juhayman and his group were set on a path that would lead to tragedy, reaching out to potential recruits both inside and outside the Kingdom. “Through their correspondence and preaching, they managed to recruit a few individuals,” Prince Turki said. 




Juhayman Al-Otaibi after his capture following the end of the seige. (AFP)

One temporary recruit was the Saudi writer Abdo Khal, who in 2010 won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction for his novel “Throwing Sparks.” In an interview in 2017 with MBC television, he said that when he was 17 he was one of Juhayman’s men and had even helped to spread the group’s ideology by distributing leaflets.

“It’s true, I was going to be part of one of the groups that was going to enter the Haram,” he said and, were it not for the intervention of his elder sister, he might have found himself among those who were to seize the Grand Mosque. 

“I was supposed to move out to (a mosque) where our group was gathering. We were supposed to be in seclusion at the mosque for three days, and we were supposed to leave with Juhayman on the fourth day.”

But his sister stopped him going to the rendezvous point, on the ground that he was too young to be sleeping away from home for three nights. Almost certainly, she saved his life. “And then, on the fourth day, the horrendous incident happened.” 

Writer Mansour Alnogaidan was only 11 years old when the siege happened, but like many Saudis of his generation, he felt the tug of various Salafi groups in his youth.

Now general manager of Harf and Fasela Media, which operates counter-terrorism websites, he has done extensive research on the Makkah siege.

Alnogaidan says there were a number of possible reasons behind the 1979 incident, including an existing idea in the mind of Juhayman and his group that they were the successors of a Bedouin movement by the name of “Ikhwan-men-taa-Allah.”

“Some believed they had a vendetta against the Saudi government,” he said in an interview with Arab News. “Another issue was essentially the personal desires of certain people (such as Juhayman) who sought power and control. He wanted to satisfy something inside him.”

Alnogaidan added: “Also, we must not forget that this incident came after the Khomeini revolution in Iran, which had an influence even though not a direct one.”

Juhayman and his group were on the radar of the security services. Over time, recalled Prince Turki, “there were many attempts by authorized religious scholars in the Kingdom to rectify the group’s beliefs by discussion, argument and persuasion.” 

Occasionally individuals were taken in for questioning by the authorities “because they were considered to be potentially disruptive to society. Once they were taken in, however, they always gave affidavits and signed assurances that they would not continue with the preaching and so on.”

But “once they were released, of course, they returned to their previous ways.”

At some point in the closing months of the 13th Islamic century, Juhayman’s group identified one of their number, Juhayman’s brother-in-law Mohammed Al-Qahtani, as the Mahdi.

In the early hours of Tuesday, Nov. 20, 1979, as the inhabitants of Makkah and the pilgrims who had lingered after Hajj gravitated toward the Grand Mosque for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the dawning of a new century in Islam’s holiest place, the stage was set for the most unholy of outrages.

Carrying firearms within the Grand Mosque was strictly forbidden; even the guards were armed only with sticks. An armed assault on the precincts of the mosque — on the sacred values it enshrined for the world’s two billion Muslims — was unthinkable.

But on the first day of the Islamic new year of 1400, the unthinkable happened.

 

Juhayman: 40 years on
On the anniversary of the 1979 attack on Makkah's Grand Mosque, Arab News tells the full story of an unthinkable event that shocked the Islamic world and cast a shadow over Saudi society for decades

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Saudi Arabia extends condolences to Sudan after 11 die in mine collapse

A general view shows the Ariab company gold mine in the Sudanese desert, 800 kilometers northeast of the capital Khartoum. (AFP)
Updated 29 June 2025
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Saudi Arabia extends condolences to Sudan after 11 die in mine collapse

  • The collapse of the gold mine in the remote desert area of Howeid, northeast Sudan killed 11 miners and wounded seven others

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia extended its condolences and sympathy on Sunday after a traditional gold mine in Sudan partially collapsed and killed 11 miners.

The collapse of the gold mine in the remote desert area of Howeid, northeast Sudan also wounded seven others, the country’s mining company said on Sunday.

The Foreign Ministry said the Kingdom stands with Sudan during this tragedy and wishes the injured a speedy recovery. 


Jeddah panel explores declining marriage rates among youth

Dr. Khalid Sind speaks to attendees during the panel discussion. (Supplied)
Updated 29 June 2025
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Jeddah panel explores declining marriage rates among youth

  • Discussion highlights changing views on commitment, societal pressures, search for meaningful connection

JEDDAH: Amid changing values, shifting priorities and growing alternatives to traditional partnerships, a panel titled “Why is there a decline in marriage today?” has explored evolving views on love, commitment and marriage.

Organized by Ta3mq, a platform focused on honest dialogue, the event at Hayy Jameel’s Rukn Space in Jeddah featured panelists from psychology, community leadership and youth engagement.

It was moderated by Tasneem Alshanqiti, Ta3mq founder, and Motaz Al-Safh, a Saudi engineer and entrepreneur. The session addressed generational concerns, fears and new definitions of partnership.

Panel members (L-R): Tasneem Al-Shanqiti, Dr. Rozana Al-Banawi, Motaz Al-Safh and Dr. Khalid Sindi. (Supplied)

Reflecting on her role, Alshanqiti said: “I wasn’t just moderating — I was carrying the voice of younger women,” adding that she aimed to create a safe space that encouraged openness and reflection.

Panelist Rozana Albanawi, founder of Qeema and Jeddah_CM, said that the discussion explored marriage from societal, religious and psychological perspectives, focusing on self-understanding, compatibility over idealism, and the evolution of love.

Al-Safh said that he focused on creating a safe, judgment-free space for men to express vulnerability.

He described the conversation as “more like a talk between brothers than a formal panel,” aiming to help participants understand their fears and feelings about love and commitment.

The discussion highlighted recurring themes among Saudi youth. Al-Safh said that a few key issues kept emerging: Fear of failure, feeling unready, and pressure from expectations. Many question whether marriage today feels like love or a liability.

He added: “But beneath it all, there’s a real craving for connection, just done right, in a way that feels safe and meaningful.”

Dr. Khalid Sindi, a relationship and marriage psychotherapist, offered a broader national perspective by linking personal challenges to policy and social change.

Speaking to Arab News, he noted the ongoing transition in Saudi marriage values — from traditional to more modern — while emphasizing the preservation of core Islamic principles.

He highlighted government efforts under Vision 2030, such as the Saudi Marriage Fund and Sakani housing program, aimed at easing economic barriers for youth.

Sindi added: “Younger generations are seeking marriages that blend our cherished traditions with contemporary expectations of emotional connection and mutual growth. This represents not a rejection of our values but their natural adaptation to modern life.”

The panelists said that changing views on love and commitment reflected maturity rather than uncertainty.

Albanawi said: “There is high awareness among the generation now on marital topics, and many are seeking marriage with the right tools.”

She explained that conversation and dialogue help young people to commit while accepting uncertainty in relationships.

“The younger generation is looking for new ways to shape their marriage, such as avoiding unnecessary rules like high financial burdens or societal expectations that don’t match their reality.”

On the event’s outcome, Albanawi added: “A common theme was that marriages work best when couples marry early, are ready, and have family support.”

She noted that many believe delaying marriage increases fears and makes adaptation harder.

Sindi expressed a similar view on marriage’s evolving nature, saying that the changing views reflected progress and natural generational dynamics rather than fear or uncertainty.

“Rather than seeing shifting perspectives as problematic, the older generation should guide younger Saudis with wisdom and empathy.”

Highlighting the national context, Sindi noted the vital role of government initiatives in supporting Saudi Arabia’s vision for marriage and family life, demonstrating a commitment to making families society’s cornerstone.

Reflecting on the session’s emotional honesty, Al-Safh said that hearing men express concerns such as, “I don’t want to fail someone’s daughter,” revealed deep care often left unspoken.

Alshanqiti echoed the need for open, non-judgmental spaces, saying fears about failure and not being enough reminded her that many seek places where they can be truly seen and heard. She described the session as a step toward that openness.

 

 


Global sculptures at open-air museum in historic Jeddah

The new sculpture installations at Al-Arbaeen Lake reimagine public spaces as platforms for cultural engagement. (SPA)
Updated 29 June 2025
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Global sculptures at open-air museum in historic Jeddah

  • The sculptures form a dynamic dialogue between the past and present, blending the site’s heritage with the language of contemporary art

JEDDAH: As part of a broader effort to revive the region’s visual identity through art, Al-Arbaeen Lake in historic Jeddah has been transformed into an open-air gallery featuring a curated collection of sculptures by international artists.

Led by the Ministry of Culture in cooperation with Jeddah Municipality, the initiative features 14 world-class artworks integrated into the city’s visual landscape, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Historic Jeddah's Visual Identity Reimagined Through Art Installations at Lake Al-Arbaeen. (SPA)

The sculptures form a dynamic dialogue between the past and present, blending the site’s heritage with the language of contemporary art.

Notable works on display include “The Illusion of the Second Cube” by Hungarian-French artist Victor Vasarely; “Rouge” and “Flexibility of Balance” by Alexander Calder; “Circular Mass” by Arnaldo Pomodoro; “The Bird” by Spanish sculptor Joan Miro; and “Giving and Receiving Love” by Lorenzo Quinn — a powerful piece that reflects human values through striking aluminium forms.

FASTFACTS

• Led by the Ministry of Culture in cooperation with Jeddah Municipality, the urban art initiative features 14 world-class artworks integrated into the city’s visual landscape.

• Notable works on display include ‘The Illusion of the Second Cube’ by Hungarian-French artist Victor Vasarely and ‘Giving and Receiving Love’ by Lorenzo Quinn.

The installations are part of a wider artistic movement that reimagines public spaces as platforms for cultural engagement.

By transforming urban environments into art experiences, the project invites both residents and visitors to explore the intersection of architectural heritage and modern creativity.

It underscores the growing role of art in shaping urban identity and fostering public appreciation for visual beauty in shared spaces of the Kingdom.

 


Saudi FM receives Djiboutian counterpart

Updated 29 June 2025
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Saudi FM receives Djiboutian counterpart

  • The two sides discussed bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation in various fields

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received his Djiboutian counterpart, Abdul Kader Hussein Omar, in Riyadh on Sunday.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation in various fields, the Foreign Ministry wrote in a post on X.

The two ministers also chaired a meeting of the Political Consultations Committee between the two countries, during which they discussed coordination on key regional and international issues.

Saud Al-Sati, deputy minister for political affairs, was among the officials in attendance.

 

 


Saudi FM receives written message from Russian counterpart

The message was received by Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji during a meeting with Russia’s ambassador to the Kingdom.
Updated 29 June 2025
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Saudi FM receives written message from Russian counterpart

  • Al-Khuraiji and Kozlov elaborated on relations between their countries and ways to enhance them in various fields

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a written message from his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

The message, regarding Saudi-Russian relations and ways to support and strengthen them in various fields, was received by Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji in Riyadh during a meeting with Russia’s ambassador to the Kingdom Sergey Kozlov.

During the meeting, Al-Khuraiji and Kozlov elaborated on relations between their countries and ways to enhance them in various fields. Topics of common interest were also discussed, SPA added.