The researchers at the 19th Scientific Forum, which was launched yesterday, Wednesday, at Umm Al-Qura University under the title, ‘The History and Civilization of Makkah Throughout Time’, stressed the necessity of holding an international conference on the history of Makkah, and of developing relations with East Asian countries in cultural and historical aspects.
These remarks came at the end of the two-day conference, in King Abdul-Aziz Historical Hall. During the conference, experts and specialists deliberated 39 papers on the history and civilization of Makkah in several sessions. The forum, organized by Umm Al-Qura University in collaboration with the Saudi Historical Society, recommended that earnest efforts be exerted to form effective partnerships between the Saudi Historical Society and the competent authorities in order to work on defining the historical features of the Mother of Cities (Makkah). It also recommended that the history departments of the Saudi universities be encouraged to adopt serious topics related to Makkan history and civilization, and that efforts be made to issue a scientific record of the forum’s research. Moreover, it called for the adoption of an annual award to be presented to distinguished participants in the upcoming society meetings. In addition, it suggested the organization of field visits for the members of the society to all regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The talks of the second day included the presentation of 21 papers in three sessions. The first session was chaired by the Director of the Makkah History Center, Dr. Fawwaz Al-Dahhas. During the session, Prof. Muhammad Al-Hawi gave an overview of the scientific trip from Al-Mikhlaf Al-Sulaimani territories, which extends from the Jizan region to the Makkah region, during the tenth and eleventh centuries A.H. In the same session, Dr. Rima Al-Qarnas talked about desertification in Makkah during the Mamluk era, while Dr. Sa`id Al-Otaibi presented a historical and civilization study on Dhat `Irq.
Dr. Iman Al-Usaimi read her paper entitled, ‘Sea Dangers and Their Effects on Andalusian Pilgrimage Trips in the Eighth Century A.H.’ Dr. Hamid Al-Khalifah touched on how European travelers described the customs and traditions of the people of Makkah during the nineteenth century A.C. Dr. Reem Al-Sabih, on the other hand, tackled evidence on the honorable status of women in Makkah during the Mamluk era.
The second session was presided by the Chairman of the Shura Council, Dr. Ahmad Al-Zaila`i. In this session, Dr. Mona Al-Harbi spoke about the role of the Grand Mosque in spreading knowledge during the first Islamic centuries. Dr. Walid Hammud read a paper on the Abbasid-Fatimid competition for the Makkan minbar, and its impact on the economic situation in Makkah. Moreover, Dr. Hanan Al-Jad`ani described the pilgrimage route to Makkah in the nineteenth century A.C.
Dr. Turki Al-Humaidan discussed the contribution of Muhammad bin Ali Al-Mutairi to the history of Makkah from 1125 to 1140 A.H. In addition, both Mr. Abdullah Al-Mahyawi and Ms. Shaima Al-Mutairi delivered a paper on the contributions of Bani Sheikhan to the scientific life of Makkah during the eleventh and twelfth centuries A.H. Finally, Ms. Layla Al-Awami presented an analytical statistical study on residing in Makkah during the Abbasid era from 132–656 A.H.
The Professor of King Salman Chair for Studies on the History of Makkah, Dr. Abdullah Al-Sharif, chaired the third session in which Dr. Ali Al-Naji read a paper on the endowments of the Damascene people at the Grand Mosque in the Mamluk era, in the light of the Ottoman Tapu Defteri between 658–923 A.H. Dr. Sahar Da`da` researched the social life in Makkah in a comparative study on Domingo Badia and Louis Burckhardt. Furthermore, Dr. Muhammad Al-Hammadi talked about the scholarly journeys to Makkah between the fourth and sixth centuries A.H., while Dr. Deifullah Al-Otaibi and Dr. Farajullah Yusuf co-authored a paper entitled, ‘Coin Minting in Makkah’.
Ms. Sarah Al-Zahrani’s research dealt with the residential homes in Makkah during the first three centuries A.H. The third session finally concluded with a research paper presented by Ms. Shadia Al-Balawi on ‘The Importance of the Sites Surrounding Makkah in the Early Days of Islam: Usfan as an Example’, in the framework of a historical study from 1–11 A.H.