Book by Saudi author unravels Ottoman atrocities in Madinah 

Madinah, Saudi Arabia, circa 1915 when it was part of the Ottoman Empire. From Heroes of Modern Adventure, published 1927. (Getty Images/Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group)
Short Url
Updated 25 March 2021
Follow

Book by Saudi author unravels Ottoman atrocities in Madinah 

  • "Seferberlik" sheds light on forgotten pillage of the city by Ottoman Turks and the looting of its holy relics 
  • Saudi historian Muhammad Al-Saeed says modern Turkey is attempting to whitewash its cruel imperial past 

JEDDAH: Although the rot had long set in, it was the onset of the First World War in 1914 that truly exposed the Ottoman Empire’s weakness, backwardness and inability to control its distant extremities. 

When historians use the term “Seferberlik” — the Ottoman word for “mobilization” — it is often assumed they are discussing the ethnic cleansing of the Armenians of Anatolia in 1915, when millions were slaughtered or sent into exile. 

But Seferberlik is also used to refer to another lesser known episode of mass displacement that occurred around the same time in what is today Saudi Arabia. 

“Seferberlik: A century on from the Ottoman crime in Madinah” — by Saudi author Mohammad Al-Saeed — tells the story of the deportation of the holy city’s population by Ottoman General Fakhri Pasha. 




Saudi author Mohammad Al-Saeed. (Supplied)

History books tell of Fakhri Pasha’s “heroic defense” of the city in the 1918 Siege of Madinah, fending off repeated attacks by the British-backed Arab fighters of Hussein bin Ali, the Sharif of Makkah. 

What the books often gloss over are the happenings of 1915, prior to the siege, when Fakhri Pasha forced Madinah’s population into trains and drove them north into present-day Syria, Turkey, the Balkans and the Caucasus. 

Moreover, the version of events told in Turkey today tends to omit the Ottomans’ removal of the valuables of Prophet Muhammad’s sacred chamber, the demolition of buildings to make way for defenses and supply lines and the man-made famine’s cruel toll on Madinah’s remaining civilian population. 

“The Seferberlik crime was an attempt to transform Madinah into a military outpost,” Al-Saeed told Arab News. “The Turks tried to separate the city from its Arab surroundings and annex it to the Ottoman Empire to justify ruling what remained of the Arab world.” 




The army of Faisal I of Iraq coming into Yenbo (aka Yanbu), in the present-day Al Madinah province of western Saudi Arabia, during the Arab Revolt against Ottoman rule, December 1916. (Pierre Perrin/Sygma via Getty Images)

Against the wishes of the Ottoman Caliph Sultan Mehmed V, the Young Turks who dominated the empire’s affairs at that time had sided with Germany and the Central Powers. Their brand of Turkish ethno-nationalism spelled disaster for the empire’s other ethnic groups. 

The highly strategic Hijaz railway, which linked Damascus and Madinah, was vital to the Ottoman war effort, which made it a frequent target of the Arab rebels and their British ally, T.E. Lawrence. 

So important was this rail link for the movement of troops and munitions that Ottoman forces were prepared to displace Madinah’s civilian population and garrison its holiest sites, no matter the harm and disrespect their actions caused to the resting place of Prophet Muhammad. 

“General Fakhri Pasha came to prove the power of the Ottoman Empire over Madinah, no matter what the cost,” Al-Saeed said. “He took the Prophet’s Mosque and its sanctity and turned it into a weapons depot and a camp for soldiers. 

“He also transformed the city’s minarets into artillery positions, unconcerned about affecting the Prophet’s Mosque, the dome and the Prophet’s Tomb. 

“Furthermore, he confiscated the inhabitants’ possessions, their date farms and their crops, and turned them over to the military effort and to his soldiers, estimated to be around 70,000 mercenaries. They desecrated Madinah by drinking alcohol in the streets.” 




The Hijaz Railway was strategically vital to the Ottoman war effort. (Supplied)

In the second phase of Fakhri Pasha’s campaign, “he destroyed homes and extended the railway to inside the Prophet’s Mosque, disrespecting the sanctity of the mosque in another crime, for the purpose of facilitating the transport of valuables and items in the Prophet’s Chamber — the possessions of Prophet Muhammad and his wives — away from the eyes of citizens and out of fear of them, and in preparation for smuggling them to Constantinople,” Al-Saeed said. 

“The stolen treasures arrived in Constantinople, the Ottoman Empire’s capital, and have been on display for many years at the Topkapi Museum (in present-day Istanbul).” 

The holy relics include old copies of the Quran; jewelry and golden candlesticks; and swords. Besides the 390 artefacts, visitors to the museum can see the following possessions of Prophet Muhammad: the Blessed Mantle, the Holy Banner, his sword and bow, a jar, a piece of his tooth and a hair from his beard. 

Sources suggest Fakhri Pasha even attempted to have the body of Prophet Muhammad exhumed and shipped to Constantinople. An Egyptian engineer who was summoned to Madinah to modify the minarets of the Prophet’s Mosque to support the weight of Ottoman artillery claimed he was ordered to open the tomb, but he refused. 

“Fakhri Pasha asked for his help to exhume the body of the prophet and move it to Constantinople, according to the historical documents written by the French representative in Cairo and sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Al-Saeed said. 




The Hijaz Railway was strategically vital to the Ottoman war effort. (Supplied)

“The French representative vouched for the account of the Egyptian engineer, who fled the city and did not carry out the crime, thus confirming that the grave in question did indeed house the prophet’s body and the goal was to move the body to Constantinople.” 

“In the last phase, the citizens of Madinah were forcibly displaced and soldiers were settled there instead,” Al-Saeed said. 

Possibly up to 40,000 civilians were deported, with parents separated both from each other and from their children.

“They kidnapped people from the streets and did not deport them as families. They deported them as individuals and sent them to other areas under Ottoman rule. 

“According to historical sources, the Seferberlik atrocities resulted in only a few hundred citizens remaining in the city. Fakhri Pasha ordered the monopolization of food, which was scarce in the first place, especially dates, which were given to the Ottoman soldiers. 

“Madinah reached the point of famine, forcing its citizens and orphaned children to eat cats, dogs and what remained on the farms and in the streets.” 




“Seferberlik: A century on from the Ottoman crime in Madinah” — by Saudi author Mohammad Al-Saeed.

Al-Saeed says he chose to write about the Ottoman Empire’s actions in Madinah a century on because he believes modern Turkey is trying to whitewash its imperial past. 

He plans to translate his book into several languages to raise awareness of this little-known chapter of Ottoman history. 

“I wrote an article in 2015 about the passage of 100 years since this crime and provided details that few people knew about,” Al-Saeed said. 

“Reactions to the article varied between people shocked at the information and those who could not believe it, given the Turkish publicity ahead of its publication which attempted to whitewash the Ottoman Empire’s ugliness and its heinous crimes against Arabs. The public was oblivious to the Ottoman crimes. 

“Following the article, the idea of documenting the event was established, so that history would not forget it like other events in Arab history, particularly since the few historical sources that documented Seferberlik are in the Ottoman, English and French archives. 

“Moreover, the sources of information are very limited and the grandchildren of those who were in Madinah at the time do not have many documents. A lot of the city’s inhabitants were displaced. Many of them did not return.” 


420,070 workers served during Hajj 2025: Saudi statistics authority 

Updated 12 June 2025
Follow

420,070 workers served during Hajj 2025: Saudi statistics authority 

  • Over 1.6m pilgrims undertook Hajj, according to General Authority for Statistics

RIYADH: A total of 420,070 workers from the public and private sectors, including security services, worked to serve 1,673,230 pilgrims during this year’s Hajj, the General Authority for Statistics has reported.

Of the number, 92 percent were male and 8 percent female, GASTAT said in its Hajj Statistics Publication carried by the Saudi Press Agency recently.

The publication said there were 34,540 male and female volunteers at the holy sites, contributing a total of 2,134,398 volunteer hours during the Hajj season.

Elderly, infirm and disabled pilgrims are given assistance in moving around the holy sites. (SPA)

It also stated that 314,337 male and female pilgrims from eight countries benefited from the Makkah Route Initiative this year, representing 20.9 percent of all pilgrims.

This initiative, launched during the 2017 Hajj season, aims to streamline travel procedures for pilgrims.

GASTAT announced earlier that of this year’s 1,673,230 registered pilgrims, 1,506,576 arrived from abroad through various entry points. There were 166,654 citizens and residents who performed Hajj this year.

This year there were 877,841 male and 795,389 female pilgrims, the authority stated.

GASTAT said the statistics are based on records provided by the Ministry of Interior.

Workers spend a lot of effort to keep facilities in the holy sites clean and safe. (SPA)

 


Makkah’s Mashaer metro transports 1.87m passengers during Hajj

Updated 12 June 2025
Follow

Makkah’s Mashaer metro transports 1.87m passengers during Hajj

  • Mashaer completes 2,154 trips between Mina, Muzdalifah, Arafat
  • Dedicated to serving Hajj pilgrims, it runs for only 7 days every year

MAKKAH: A total of 1.87 million passengers used the Mashaer Metro Train to travel between Makkah’s holy sites during this year’s Hajj, according to Saudi Arabia Railways.

From Dhul Hijjah 7 (June 3) until the end of the Days of Tashreeq (June 9), there were 2,154 trips between the stations of Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat, the railway agency said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.

The operational plan for the Mashaer transport system during Hajj 2025 had five main phases, with the first one from June 3 to 4 transporting over 27,000 passengers across all stations.

The second phase moved 282,000 pilgrims from Mina to Arafat, the third transported 294,000 from Arafat to Muzdalifah, and the fourth moved over 349,000 from Muzdalifah to Mina.

“The final phase, which lasted until sunset on the last day of Tashreeq, recorded the movement of over 920,000 passengers to and from Mina 3 (Jamarat) station,” the SPA said.

Saudi Arabia Railways CEO Bashar AlMalik attributed the successful completion of the operational plan to extensive preparatory work, including simulation exercises and trial runs by the agency in coordination with operational and security agencies.

Traveling at 80 km per hour, the train can move passengers from Mina to Arafat in just 20 minutes. (SPA)

Also known as the Al-Mashaer Al-Mugaddasah Metro, or The Sacred Sites Train Line, it consists of nine stations across the holy sites, connected by an 18-km double-track railway. It can accommodate 72,000 passengers per hour in one direction.

Traveling at 80 km per hour, the train can move passengers from Mina to Arafat in just 20 minutes, giving pilgrims ease and comfort and allowing them to concentrate on their Hajj rituals.

Opened in 2010, the line is used exclusively as a shuttle train for pilgrims between holy sites in Makkah, Mina, Mount Arafat and Muzdalifah.

With a fleet of 17 eco-friendly electric trains, each capable of carrying 3,000 passengers, the metro system has reduced traffic congestion and carbon emissions by replacing about 50,000 passenger buses during the Hajj season.


Saudi king, crown prince condemn shooting that killed 10 students in Austrian school

Updated 12 June 2025
Follow

Saudi king, crown prince condemn shooting that killed 10 students in Austrian school

  • Austrian police said the shooter attacked the Dreierschuetzengasse secondary school in Graz region on June 10 before taking his own life
  • Of the eleven people wounded, nine were still in intensive care but in stable condition on Wednesday

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday offered condolences to Austria over a shooting attack that killed 10 and injured 11 at a secondary school, according to the Saudi Press Agency, or SPA.

In a message to Austrian President Alexander van Deir Beilin, King Salman condemned the attack as a “disgraceful criminal act” and expressed “deepest condolences and sincere sympathy” to the people of Austria and relatives of those killed. He also wished the injured “a speedy recovery.” 

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also prime minister of the Kingdom, sent a similar message to the Austrian leader.

Police said the shooter, armed with two legally owned guns — a shotgun and a pistol — attacked the Dreierschuetzengasse secondary school in Graz region on June 10 before taking his own life.

Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen and his partner Doris Schmidauer place flowers at a central square in Graz, southeastern Austria, on June 11, 2025, one day after ten people died in a school shooting in the city. (APA/AFP)

A teacher and nine teenagers aged between 14 and 17, were among the victims, Austrian press agency APA reported.

Of the eleven wounded, nine were still in intensive care but in a stable condition on Wednesday, according to hospital officials.

The shooter was a 21-year-old former pupil at the school in Graz region, but never finished his studies there, local media quoted probers as saying.

During a search at the suspect’s home, police found a “non-functional” homemade bomb, a farewell letter as well as a video message addressed to his mother, none of which offered any clues about his motive.

The government declared three days of mourning for the victims. Church bells rang out across Austria as people stopped in the streets, radio and TV programs were interrupted and public transport was halted.

Media commentators highlighted how easy it is for Austrians to get firearms, and pointed to the relatively high number of weapons in circulation.

People attend a commemoration event to pay their respect at a central square in Graz, southeastern Austria, on June 11, 2025 one day after ten people died in a school shooting in the city. (APA/AFP)    Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen and his partner Doris Schmidauer place flowers at a central square in Graz, southeastern Austria, on June 11, 2025, one day after ten people died in a school shooting in the city. (APA/AFP)

During a visit to Graz, President Van der Bellen said the country was still “in deep, deep shock” following the “abominable... horror we all experienced.”

“If we come to the conclusion that Austria’s gun laws need to be changed to ensure greater safety, then we will do so,” he told a memorial event on Wednesday.

Austrian newspapers ran headlines that read “Why?” and “It’s horrific,” with the daily Kurier opting for a front page all in black. 

Grieving Austrians held tearful memorials for the victims. Mourners cried, hugged and left flowers, candles and letters to the victims in churches and outside the school.

Condolences poured in from leaders across Europe, with Pope Leo XIV offering his “prayers for the victims of the tragedy” at his general audience on Wednesday.

(With AP)


Expert sheds light on historic mosques in Makkah that remain unknown to many

Scattered throughout the city are historic mosques that witnessed pivotal moments in Islamic history. (SPA)
Updated 12 June 2025
Follow

Expert sheds light on historic mosques in Makkah that remain unknown to many

  • Al-Dahas highlighted the significance of Namirah Mosque in Arafat, where the Prophet delivered his sermon during the Farewell Pilgrimage

MAKKAH: In Makkah, the holiest city in Islam, spiritual significance extends far beyond the Grand Mosque. Scattered throughout the city are historic mosques that witnessed pivotal moments in Islamic history.

Yet, amid the dense crowds and the rapid pace of modern development, many pilgrims and Umrah performers remain unaware of these sacred sites, quietly tucked away within the city’s expanding urban landscape.

Fawaz Al-Dahas, professor of history at Umm Al-Qura University, said that Makkah is home to several mosques of profound historical and religious value, yet they remain largely overlooked, receiving neither the media attention nor the organized religious visits they merit.

Al-Dahas highlighted the significance of Namirah Mosque in Arafat, where the Prophet delivered his sermon during the Farewell Pilgrimage. He said that this mosque was not merely a physical structure, but a sacred site where the foundational principles of Islam were proclaimed. He also referenced the Bay’ah Mosque in Mina, which commemorates the pivotal moment when the Ansar pledged allegiance to the Prophet, paving the way for the Hijrah and the establishment of the Islamic state.

According to Al-Dahas, the importance of these mosques transcends their geographic locations, reflecting their profound political and religious significance in Islamic history.

Al-Dahas shed light on Al-Rayah Mosque: “Located in the Jarwal neighborhood, where the Prophet’s banner was raised on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, a powerful symbol of victory tempered by forgiveness.”

He also drew attention to Al-Hudaibiya Mosque, situated west of Makkah, where the historic Bay’at Al-Ridwan pledge took place, an event referenced in the Holy Qur’an. He said that while the mosque still stands on the original site of the Treaty of Hudaibiya, it remains largely unknown, with few visitors aware of its exact location.

Mohammed Al-Joud, a Hajj and Umrah specialist, said that these mosques were not merely historical structures, but vital educational landmarks that enrich a pilgrim’s understanding of the deeper spiritual dimensions of Hajj. He pointed to Al-Khayf Mosque in Mina, where the Prophet and prophets before him are believed to have prayed, as a powerful symbol of the continuity of prophethood: “Yet, many pilgrims remain unaware of its significance outside the Hajj season.”

Al-Joud also highlighted Al-Mashar Al-Haram Mosque in Muzdalifah, which is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, emphasizing that awareness of such sacred sites bridges the rituals of Hajj with their Qur’anic and historical roots, enhancing the spiritual journey.

Al-Joud also drew attention to Al-Kabsh Mosque in Mina, linked to the story of the sacrifice of Ismail. He explained that the mosque symbolizes the values of sacrifice and obedience, yet remains largely overlooked in media coverage and excluded from most pilgrimage programs. He described it as an essential part of a broader, interconnected network of sacred sites that trace the prophetic journey — from revelation to migration, and from peace to conquest.

Al-Dahas underscored the importance of launching awareness initiatives to shed light on these mosques and restore their rightful standing. He said that safeguarding Makkah’s Islamic heritage was not limited to preserving its prominent landmarks, but also required reviving these historically significant mosques, which once stood as pivotal markers along the journey of the prophetic message.

He said that reconnecting pilgrims with these sacred sites revived the educational and historical depth of Hajj, enriching the journey with a more profound, informed, and spiritually immersive experience.

 


Saudi leadership hails successful Hajj 2025 and praises efforts of all involved

Updated 11 June 2025
Follow

Saudi leadership hails successful Hajj 2025 and praises efforts of all involved

  • The king and crown prince sent separate cables to Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef

RIYADH: King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday expressed their gratitude and appreciation to the authorities involved in organizing the 2025 Hajj season, praising the efforts that contributed to its success, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

In separate cables sent to Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef, both leaders thanked the minister, regional governors, committee members, and all security, civil, and government personnel who took part in delivering a smooth and safe pilgrimage for nearly 1.7 million worshippers.

King Salman described the season as a success by the grace of God and the coordinated execution of comprehensive security, health, organizational, and service plans.

He highlighted the pilgrims’ ability to perform their rituals with ease and peace of mind, in a secure and spiritual atmosphere.

“We followed with pride the great efforts made by all sectors in serving the pilgrims of the house of Allah,” the King said. “We were pleased with the dedication and excellence shown by everyone in attaining the honor of serving the guests of the most Gracious.”

The king also thanked all those involved for their Eid Al-Adha greetings, prayed for the acceptance of the pilgrims’ Hajj, and asked God to grant continued success in serving Islam and Muslims.

Prince Mohammed echoed the sentiments, expressing thanks for the congratulations and for the collective commitment shown throughout the season.

He attributed the successful management of the Hajj to divine support, the leadership of King Salman, and the tireless work of all entities involved in executing the wide-ranging plans.

He also praised the careful monitoring by relevant authorities to ensure the comfort and safety of pilgrims.

“We pray to God to protect the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, to sustain the blessings of security on our homeland, and to accept the Hajj of all pilgrims,” the crown prince said.

The Hajj season this year saw 1,673,230 pilgrims perform their rites.