The Hejaz (/hˈæz, hɪˈ-/, also US: /hɛˈ-/; Arabic: ٱلْحِجَاز‎, romanizedal-Ḥijāz, lit.'the Barrier', Hejazi pronunciation: [alħɪˈdʒaːz]) is a region in the west of Saudi Arabia. It includes the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Yanbu and Taif. It is also known as the "Western Province" in Saudi Arabia.[1] It is bordered in the west by the Red Sea, in the north by Jordan, in the east by the Najd, and in the south by the 'Asir Region.[2] Its largest city is Jeddah, the second largest city in Saudi Arabia, with Mecca and Medina being the fourth and fifth largest cities respectively in the country. The Hejaz is the most cosmopolitan region in the Arabian Peninsula.[3]

Above: Islam's holiest site, Al-Masjid Al-Ḥarām (The Sacred Mosque), which surrounds the Ka'bah (middle), in Mecca, land of Muhammad's birth and ancestry and an annual point of pilgrimage for millions of Muslims. Below: Map of the Hejaz showing the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Yanbu and Tabuk. The Saudi Arabian region is outlined in red and the 1923 Kingdom is in green.

Location of Hejaz
RegionsAl-Bahah, Mecca, Medina and Tabuk

The Hejaz is significant for being the location of the Islamic holy cities of Mecca[4] and Medina,[5][6][7] the first and second holiest sites in Islam, respectively. As the site of the two holiest sites in Islam, the Hejaz has significance in the Arab and Islamic historical and political landscape. The region of Hejaz is the most populated region in Saudi Arabia,[8] Arabic is the predominant language as in the rest of Saudi Arabia, with Hejazi Arabic being the most widely spoken dialect in the region. Hejazi Saudis are of ethnically diverse origins.[3]

The region, according to Islamic tradition, is the birthplace of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, who was born in Mecca, which is locally considered to have been founded by the Islamic prophets and matriarch Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael.[9][10] The area became part of his empire through the early Muslim conquests, and it formed part of successive caliphates, first the Rashidun Caliphate, followed by the Umayyad Caliphate, and finally the Abbasid Caliphate. The Ottoman Empire held partial control over the area; after its dissolution, an independent Kingdom of Hejaz existed briefly in 1925 before being conquered by the neighbouring Sultanate of Nejd, creating the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd.[11] In September 1932, the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd joined the Saudi dominions of Al-Hasa and Qatif, creating the unified Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.[12][13]


The name of the region is derived from a verb ḥajaza (حَجَز), from the Arabic root ḥ-j-z (ح-ج-ز), meaning "to separate,"[14] and it is so called as it separates the land of the Najd in the east from the land of Tihāmah in the west.


Prehistoric and ancient timesEdit

The city of Al-'Ula in 2012. The city's archaeological district is in the foreground, with the Hijaz Mountains in the background.

One or possibly two megalithic dolmen have been found in Hejaz.[15]


The northern part of the Hejaz was part of the Roman province of Arabia Petraea.[17]

Era of SalehEdit

Saudi Arabia's and Hejaz's first World Heritage Site that was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is that of Al-Hijr. The name "Al-Ḥijr" ("The Land of Stones" or "The Rocky Place") occurs in the Qur'an,[18] and the site is known for having structures carved into rocks, similar to Petra.[19][20] Construction of the structures is credited to the people of Thamud. The location is also called "Madā’in Ṣāliḥ" ("Cities of Saleh"),[21][22][23][24][25][26] as it is speculated to be the city in which the Islamic prophet Saleh was sent to the people of Thamud. After the disappearance of Thamud from Mada'in Saleh, it came under the influence of other people, such as the Nabataeans, whose capital was Petra. Later, it would lie in a route used by Muslim Pilgrims going to Mecca.[17][27][28][29]

Era of Abraham and IshmaelEdit

According to Arab and Islamic sources, the civilization of Mecca started after Ibrāhīm (Abraham) brought his son Ismāʿīl (Ishmael) and wife Hājar (Hagar) here, for the latter two to stay. Some people from the Yemeni tribe of Jurhum settled with them, and Isma'il reportedly married two women, one after divorcing another, at least one of them from this tribe, and helped his father to construct or re-construct the Ka'bah ('Cube'),[30][31][32] which would have social, religious, political and historical implications for the site and region.[9][10]

For example, in Arab or Islamic belief, the tribe of Quraysh would descend from Isma'il ibn Ibrahim, be based in the vicinity of the Ka'bah,[33] and include Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abdul-Muttalib ibn Hashim ibn Abd Manaf. From the Period of Jāhiliyyah ('Ignorance') to the days of Muhammad, the often-warring Arab tribes would cease their hostilities during the time of Pilgrimage, and go on pilgrimage to Mecca, as inspired by Ibrāhim.[32] It was during such an occasion that Muhammad met some Medinans who would allow him to migrate to Medina, to escape persecution by his opponents in Mecca.[34][35][36][37][38][39]

Era of MuhammadEdit


As the land of Mecca[4] and Medina,[5][6][7] the Hejaz was where Muhammad was born, and where he founded a Monotheistic Ummah of followers, bore patience with his foes or struggled against them, migrated from one place to another, preached or implemented his beliefs, lived and died. Given that he had both followers and enemies here, a number of battles or expeditions were carried out in this area, like those of Al-Aḥzāb ("The Confederates"), Badr[40] and Ḥunayn. They involved both Meccan companions, such as Hamzah ibn Abdul-Muttalib, Ubaydah ibn al-Harith and Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas, and Medinan companions.[5][38][39][41][42] The Hejaz fell under Muhammad's influence as he emerged victorious over his opponents, and was thus a part of his empire.[9][34][36][37][43][44][45]

Subsequent historyEdit

Due to the presence of the two holy cities in the Hejaz, the region was ruled by numerous empires. The Hejaz was at the center of the Rashidun Caliphate, in particular whilst its capital was Medina from 632 to 656 ACE. The region was then under the control of regional powers, such as Egypt and the Ottoman Empire, throughout much of its later history. After the Ottomans lost control of it, Hejaz became an independent state.

Brief independenceEdit

After the end of the of Ottoman suzerainty and control in Arabia, in 1916, Hussein bin Ali became the leader of an independent State of Hejaz.[46] In 1924, Ali bin Hussein succeeded as the King of Hejaz. Then Ibn Saud succeeded Hussein as the King of Hejaz and Nejd. Ibn Saud ruled the two as separate units, known as the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd from 1926 to 1932.

In modern Saudi ArabiaEdit

On 23 September 1932, the two kingdoms of the Hejaz and Nejd were united as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.[47] The day is a national holiday called Saudi National Day.[48]



The cultural setting of Hejaz is greatly influenced by Islamic culture. Hejaz contains Makkah and Madinah where Islam was firstly established. Moreover, Qur’an is considered the constitution of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic law "sharia’" is the main legal source. In Saudi Arabia, Islam is not just adhered politically by the government but also it has a great influence on the people's culture and everyday life.[49][50] The society is in general deeply religious, conservative, traditional, and family-oriented. Many attitudes and traditions are centuries-old, derived from Arab civilization and Islamic heritage.


Hejazi cuisine has mostly Arabian dishes like rest of Saudi Arabia. Grilled meat dishes such as shawarma and kebab are well-known in Hejaz. Some dishes are native to the Hejaz, like Saleeg.[51] The Hejazi dishes are known for their spice.


The region is located along the Red Sea Rift. It is also known for its darker, more volcanic sand. Depending on the previous definition, the Hejaz includes some of the mountains of the Sarat range, which topographically separate the Najd from Tehamah. Bdellium plants are also abundant in the Hejaz. Saudi Arabia, and in particular the Hejaz, is home to more than 2000 dormant volcanoes.[52] Lava fields in the Hejaz, known locally by their Arabic name of ḥarrāt (حَرَّات, singular: ḥarrah (حَرَّة)), form one of Earth's largest alkali basalt regions, covering some 180,000 km2 (69,000 sq mi), an area greater than the state of Missouri.[53]



Workers laying tracks for the Hejaz Railway near Tabuk, 1906

Al Bahah Region:

Al Madinah Region:

Makkah Province:

Tabuk Region:

International tourism developmentEdit

As a component of Saudi Vision 2030, a 28,000 square kilometer tourism destination is under development[60] on the Red Sea coast between the towns of Umluj (25°03′00″N 37°15′54″E﻿ / ﻿25.0500°N 37.2651°E﻿ / 25.0500; 37.2651) and Al-Wajh (26°14′12″N 36°28′08″E﻿ / ﻿26.2366°N 36.4689°E﻿ / 26.2366; 36.4689), in the northern section of the Hejazi coast. The project will involve "the development of 22 of the 90+ islands"[61] that lie along the coast to create a "fully integrated luxury mixed-use destination."[62] and will be "governed by laws on par with international standards".[63]


The Hejaz is the most populated region in Saudi Arabia,[8] containing 35% of the population of Saudi Arabia.[64] Most people of Hejaz are Sunnis with a Shia minority in the cities of Medina, Mecca and Jeddah. Many consider themselves more cosmopolitan because Hejaz was for centuries a part of the great empires of Islam from the Umayyads to the Ottomans.[65] People of Hejaz, who feel particularly connected to the holy places of Mecca and Medina, have probably the most strongly articulated identity of any regional grouping in Saudi Arabia.[66]


Notable HejazisEdit



Pre–6th century CEEdit



Pre–6th century CEEdit



6th–7th centuries CEEdit


See alsoEdit

Explanatory notesEdit

  1. ^ Quran: 7:73–79;[21] 11:61–69;[22] 26:141–158;[23] 54:23–31;[24] 89:6–13;[25] 91:11–15.[26]


  1. ^ Mackey, p. 101. "The Western Province, or the Hejaz[...]"
  4. ^ a b Quran 48:22–29
  6. ^ a b Quran 33:09–73
  7. ^ a b Quran 63:1–11
  12. ^ Al-Rasheed, M. A History of Saudi Arabia. Cambridge, England, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2002.[verification needed]
  13. ^ A Brief overview of Hejaz - Hejaz history[verification needed]
  18. ^ Quran 15:80–84
  21. ^ a b Quran 7:73–79
  22. ^ a b Quran 11:61–69
  23. ^ a b Quran 26:141–158
  24. ^ a b Quran 54:23–31
  25. ^ a b Quran 89:6–13
  26. ^ a b Quran 91:11–15
  29. ^ "Information at". Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  30. ^ Quran 2:127 (Translated by Yusuf Ali)
  31. ^ Quran 3:96 (Translated by Yusuf Ali)
  32. ^ a b Quran 22:25–37
  33. ^ Quran 106:1–4
  40. ^ Quran 3:110–128
  41. ^ a b Sahih al-Bukhari, 5:57:74
  42. ^ Witness Pioneer "Pre-Badr Missions and Invasions"
  43. ^ "Muhammad". Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim world.
  44. ^ Holt (1977), p. 57
  45. ^ Lapidus (2002), pp. 31–32
  47. ^ "History of Arabia". Encyclopædia Britannica.
  48. ^ "History of Saudi Arabia. ( The Saudi National Day 23, Sep )". Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  49. ^ "Saudi Arabia – Religion". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  50. ^ "Islam | The Embassy of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  51. ^ "Saleeg — a Saudi dish that won't let you down". Arab News. September 11, 2013. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  57. ^ "Rābigh". GeoNames. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
  70. ^ 1 Chronicles, Chapter 1
  73. ^ "Adab of Islam". Masud. Retrieved August 8, 2017.

Further readingEdit

  • Mackey, Sandra (2002). The Saudis: Inside the Desert Kingdom (Updated ed.). New York: W. W. Norton and Company. ISBN 0-393-32417-6. PBK, first edition: 1987.

External linksEdit