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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Orchestra celebrates soundtracks of popular video games at Saudi Arabia’s Ithra

The event at Ithra featured music from Guild Wars 2, World of Warcraft, The Witcher 3 and Assassin’s Creed 2, among many others.
Updated 04 April 2025
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Orchestra celebrates soundtracks of popular video games at Saudi Arabia’s Ithra

  • Concert features symphonic arrangements, in-game HD visuals

DHAHRAN: It is “game on” at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture after it opened its doors to an event on Thursday.

The orchestral performance, which is being held nightly at the Ithra Theater — with two shows scheduled for Friday — celebrates the soundtracks of popular video games and attempts to breathe new life into them.

The concert features symphonic arrangements paired with in-game HD visuals and exclusive concept art from popular titles such as League of Legends, Overwatch, Assassin’s Creed, and The Witcher 3.

The event featured music from Guild Wars 2, World of Warcraft, The Witcher 3 and Assassin’s Creed 2, among many others. (Supplied)

Sergey Smbatyan, founder of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra and the artistic director and principal conductor since 2005, was on hand to lend context and commentary between the scores on opening night.

He told the crowd before the show: “If you’re not a gamer, what I want you to do is to imagine that you’re in a museum — an art museum — but instead of a curator telling you about the images that you’re going to see on this huge screen, let these musicians tell you that exact story.

“Tonight there is no right time to clap; there is no wrong time to clap. If you hear something you like from these guys (gesturing to the orchestra behind him on stage), let us know.

“We're going to start off tonight with role-play games, or what are known as RPGs, where players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. The game is focused on interactive storytelling, decision-making and strategy.”

Dhahran resident Paul Blay took his two daughters Sylvia, 11, and Celeste, 10, to the show.

Blay, who is a father of six, told Arab News: “I get emails about Ithra events and saw this one and I thought it would be fun for me and the girls to go to. Like with anyone that you love, I shared the things I love with them.”

The Blay family moved to the Kingdom last year and were keen to attend an event that merged gaming with music.

Celeste told Arab News: “I really like video game music; the music is really pretty and I like listening to that. It is kind of what motivated me to come here. And, also, my dad likes video games.”

The older Blay sisters have both taken music lessons and play multiple instruments, including the piano, the harp and the clarinet.

Their father said: “Some of the best music that’s being composed nowadays is for movies and video games. I expected it to be really high quality and good (at Ithra).”

The event featured music from Guild Wars 2, World of Warcraft, The Witcher 3 and Assassin’s Creed 2, among many others.

The last show takes place on April 5, with tickets starting at SR200 ($53), available at the venue or via the Ithra website.

 


Exhibition honoring Prince Khaled Al-Faisal inaugurated in Jeddah

Updated 04 April 2025
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Exhibition honoring Prince Khaled Al-Faisal inaugurated in Jeddah

  • The exhibition chronicles Prince Khaled’s life and contributions as a statesman, individual and poet through visual installations

MAKKAH: Makkah Deputy Gov. Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz launched the “Love of Khaled Al-Faisal” exhibition as part of Jeddah Season festivities.

The ceremony was attended by Prince Turki bin Faisal, alongside several relatives of Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal.

The delegation toured the exhibition, housed at the Abadi Al-Johar area in Jeddah, which runs from April 3-8 and welcomes visitors daily from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The exhibition chronicles Prince Khaled’s life and contributions as a statesman, individual and poet through visual installations.

 


Saudi Arabia’s Hail poppy reserve attracts thousands of tourists

As the sun sets, the golden rays cast a warm glow over the landscape and create a natural wonder. (SPA)
Updated 04 April 2025
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Saudi Arabia’s Hail poppy reserve attracts thousands of tourists

  • Since opening in 2022, the reserve, which covers 10,000 sq. meters, has drawn thousands of domestic and foreign visitors

HAIL: With its vibrant array of wildflowers framed by golden sand dunes and majestic mountains, the Poppy Reserve in Al-Khattah is one of the Hail region’s most captivating attractions.

Since opening in 2022, the reserve, which covers 10,000 sq. meters, has drawn thousands of domestic and foreign visitors, particularly during holidays, Eid and the spring season.

The attraction enchants guests with its sweeping fields of poppies, perfectly balanced in form and color. As the sun sets, the golden rays cast a warm glow over the landscape and create a natural wonder.

This striking beauty enhances the region’s reputation for breathtaking scenery and offers a unique experience.

 


Saudi Arabia concludes participation in Bologna Book Fair

The event introduced visitors to Saudi heritage through a comprehensive cultural experience. (SPA)
Updated 04 April 2025
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Saudi Arabia concludes participation in Bologna Book Fair

  • The Saudi pavilion experienced significant engagement from publishers and international literary agencies, Al-Bassam added

BOLOGNA: Saudi Arabia concluded its participation in the Bologna International Book Fair 2025, held in Bologna, Italy, from March 31 to April 3.

The event introduced visitors to Saudi heritage through a comprehensive cultural experience.

Bassam Al-Bassam, general manager of publishing at the Saudi Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, said the commission organized various initiatives to enhance the publishing and translation industry in the Kingdom and showcase the Saudi cultural landscape.

The Saudi pavilion experienced significant engagement from publishers and international literary agencies, Al-Bassam added.

By participating in international book fairs, the Kingdom aims to enhance its cultural presence on a global scale and create new opportunities to promote Saudi culture both regionally and internationally.

 


Attempt to smuggle qat foiled in Saudi Arabia’s Jazan

Patrols of the Border Guard in Al-Daer, Jazan, foiled an attempt to smuggle 45 kg of hashish. (SPA)
Updated 04 April 2025
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Attempt to smuggle qat foiled in Saudi Arabia’s Jazan

  • Preliminary procedures have been completed, and the seized narcotics were handed to the competent authority

JAZAN: Saudi Border Guard land patrols in Farasan, Jazan, arrested three Yemenis for violating border security system regulations and attempting to smuggle 171 kg of qat.

Meanwhile, Border Guard land patrols in Al-Daer, Jazan, foiled an attempt to smuggle 45 kg of hashish. Preliminary procedures have been completed, and the seized narcotics were handed to the competent authority.