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Sharifate of Mecca and Medina
+|+# +a+a+- +e+o+a+a+>+e+a+- +o+a+a+a+e+#+-
Shar-Ufa Makka wal-Madina al-Munawara

Capital: Mecca
Official language: Arabic
Religion: Islam
Government: absolute monarchy
Sharif: Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein
Independence: 10 September 1924 (Saudi-Hashim treaty)
Area: 1433 km-# (Mecca 860 km-#, Medina 573 km-#)
Population (2019 estimate): 2.7 million
Currency: Saudi-Hejaz riyal (currency union with the Kingdom of Hejaz)
Time zone: UTC+3 (AST)
Driving side: right
Calling code: +966 (unified Saudi-Hejaz numbering area)
ISO 3166 code: MM
Internet TLD: .mm


Sharifate of Mecca and Medina is a country enclosed within the Kingdom
of Hejaz. The country is an absolutist monarchy ruled by a sharif. The
country consists of two disjoint parts, some 350 km apart rCo two cities,
Mecca and Medina, traditionally considered the holiest cities in Islam.

== History ==

In their capacity as Caliphs, the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire would
appoint an official known as the Sharif of Mecca. The role went to a
member of the Hashemite family.

With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the Sultan, in his
capacity as Caliph, declared a jihad against the Entente powers. The
British in particular hoped to co-opt the Sharif as a weighty
alternative religious figure backing them in the conflict, as they
already had a series of treaties with other Arab leaders in the region.
The Sharif was cautious but then agreed to work with the British if they
would support a wider Arab revolt. In 1916, the Sharif of Mecca Hussein
bin Ali declared himself King of Hejaz as his Sharifian Army
participated with other Arab forces and the British Empire in expelling
the Turks from the Arabian peninsula.

The First SaudirCoHashemite War came within the scope of the historic
conflict between the Hashemites of Hejaz and the Saudis of Riyadh (Nejd)
over supremacy in Arabia. It resulted in the defeat of the Hashemite
forces and capture of al-Khurma by the Saudis and his allied Ikhwan, but British intervention prevented immediate collapse of the Hashemite
kingdom, establishing a sensitive cease-fire that would last until 1924.

The pretext for renewed hostilities between Nejd and Hejaz came when the pilgrims from Nejd were denied access to the holy places in Hejaz. On
August 29, 1924, Ibn-Saud began his military campaign against Hejaz by advancing towards Taif, which surrendered without a major struggle.
Following the fall of Taif, the Saudi forces and the allied Ikhwan
tribesmen moved on Mecca. Abd-ul-aziz ibn Sa'ud came close to defeating Hussein, but HusseinrCOs request for British assistance was successful,
and the British Empire mediated resolution of the conflict. Under
British pressure, Hussein abdicated as the King of the Hejaz, in favour
of Abd-ul-aziz ibn Sa'ud; and abdicated as Sharif of Mecca in favour of
his son Ali. The British guaranteed continued existence of the Sharifate
as a separate political entity.

The relations between the Sharifate and the Kingdom of Hejaz remained
strained until the death of Ali ibn Hussein. His son rCyAbd al-Ilah of
Hejaz started the process of reproachement, not least because of the de
facto complete economic dependency of the Sharifate on the Kingdom of
Hejaz, culminating in the Treaty of Friendship in 1939, under which the
Kingdom of Hejaz is responsible for defence, conduct international
relations with non-Muslim countries on behalf of the Shariffate, and
allows free passage of Muslim pilgrims to the cities of Mecca and
Medina.

The borders of the Sharifate and the Kingdom of Hejaz have not been
precisely established until 1974; the original treaties referred only to
the rCLarea of the citiesrCY. The amended treaty specified the borders,
going mostly by the urban sprawl at the time. Since then, the expansion
of the cities into new suburbs created a unique situation, where parts
of the municipalities lie across the border in another country.

== Religious importance ==

Mecca is considered the holiest city in Islam, as it is home to the
Kaaba ('Cube') and Al-Masjid Al-b+nar-Um (The Sacred Mosque). Only Muslims
are allowed to enter this city.

The area of Mecca, which includes Mount Arafah, Mina and Muzdalifah, is important for the b+najj ('Pilgrimage'). As one of the Five Pillars of
Islam, every adult Muslim who is capable must perform the b+najj at least
once in their lifetime. b+najj is one of the largest annual Muslim
gatherings in the world, second only to pilgrimages to the mosques of
Husayn ibn Ali and his half-brother Abbas in Karbala, Iraq, with
attendance reaching 3 million in 2012.

At the heart of Medina is The Prophet's Mosque (al-Masjid an-Nabawi'),
which is the burial place of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. Medina was Muhammad's destination of his Hijrah (migration) from Mecca, and became
the capital of a rapidly increasing Muslim Empire, under Muhammad's
leadership, serving as the power base of Islam, and where Muhammad's
Ummah (Community) developed. In addition to the Prophet's Mosque, the
city has the mosques of Qub-UrCO and al-Qiblatayn ("The Two Qiblahs").


== International status ==

The Sharifate maintains diplomatic relations with 19 other Arabic
countries. It does not maintain diplomaitc relations with any country of
the non-Muslim world and otherwise conducts its international business
via the Kingdom of Hejaz.
The country is not a member of the United Nations. The only major
international organization it is a member of is the Organisation of
Islamic Cooperation.

The Sharifate is a part of Saudi-Hejaz custom and monetary union,
however, there are rather strict border controls around the city of
Mecca, because only Muslims are allowed in the city. According to
international treaties, special pilgrimage visas issued by the Sharifate
are recognized by the Kingdom of Hejaz and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
and allow the holder to travel to Mecca and/or Medina. The embassies of
other countries are located in Mecca, though in theory the embassies of non-Muslim countries would be located in Medina, because of the presence
of non-Muslim staff and ambasadors. However, since the rCLtemporaryrCY
closing of British embassy in 1941, no non-Muslim country keeps a
permanent diplomatic mission to the Sharifate.

The sharifate maintains its police force, but no standing army rCo the
defence is the responsibility of the Kingdom of Hejaz.
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| Radovan Garab|!k http://kassiopeia.juls.savba.sk/~garabik/ |
| __..--^^^--..__ garabik @ kassiopeia.juls.savba.sk |
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