photo.. "Bakkah" And the crowds around the ancient house… a historical and geographical interpretation

As stated in the Almighty’s saying: (Our Lord, I have made some of my descendants dwell in a valley near Your House without crops. Al-Muharram), indicative of the nature of the site in which Mecca emerged between the mountains.

The Grand Mosque

Geographically, Mecca appears as a narrow passage within a valley surrounded by highlands, as the Grand Mosque is located within the scope of Wadi Ibrahim, within the Sarawat Mountains, and in a relatively low area surrounded by prominent mountains, including Mount Abu Qubais to the east, and Mount Qiqaan to the west, along with Mount Al-Nour and Mount Thawr.

According to the Encyclopedia of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia issued by the King Abdulaziz Public Library. Mecca is located within the Arabian Shield, which is one of the oldest geological formations in the west of the Arabian Peninsula.

It consists of ancient igneous rocks, including granite, and with the formation of this valley, the site became a natural corridor for commercial caravans that crossed the Arabian Peninsula in ancient times.

The naming of Bakkah

This geographical description is linked to what was mentioned in the Holy Qur’an in naming the place as "Bakkah" In the Almighty’s saying: (Indeed, the first house established for mankind is the one in Mecca, blessed).

A number of interpretation scholars, including – Muhammad bin Jarir Al-Tabari, Ismail bin Katheer, and Muhammad bin Ahmed Al-Qurtubi – mentioned that its name may go back to Al-Bak, meaning crowding, in reference to the crowding of people around the ancient house in this narrow valley.