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Taif (, ) is a city and governorate in
Mecca Province Mecca Province (, ), officially Makkah Province, is one of the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia. It is the third-largest province by area at and the most populous with a population of 8,557,766 as of 2017, of which 4,041,189 were foreign nationals ...
in
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
. Located at an elevation of in the slopes of the Hijaz Mountains, which themselves are part of the Sarat Mountains, the city has a population of 563,282 people in 2022, making it one of the most populous cities in the kingdom. There is a belief that Taif is indirectly referred to in Quran 43:31. The city was visited by the
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
ic
prophet In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divinity, divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings ...
Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
, sometime in the early 7th century, and was inhabited by the tribe of Banu Thaqif. It is still inhabited to this day by their descendants. As a part of the
Hejaz Hejaz is a Historical region, historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes the majority of the western region of Saudi Arabia, covering the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif and Al Bahah, Al-B ...
, the city has seen many transfers-of-power throughout its history, with the last being during the Saudi conquest of Hejaz in 1925. The city has been called the unofficial summer capital of Saudi Arabia and has also been called the best summer destination in Saudi Arabia as it enjoys a moderate weather during summer, unlike most of the
Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...
. The city owes its popularity among tourists to its many mountain resorts and moderate climate, even during the harsh summers of Arabia. The city is connected to the nearby
resort town A resort town, resort city or resort destination is an urban area where tourism or vacationing is the primary component of the local culture and economy. A typical resort town has one or more actual resorts in the surrounding area. Sometimes ...
of Al-Hada via the iconic Highway 15 (Taif – Al-Hada Road). It stands out from the rest of the Hijazi region as it is a city that plays an active role in the agricultural output of Saudi Arabia and is the center of an agricultural area known for its cultivation of grapes, pomegranate, figs, roses and
honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several species of bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of pl ...
. Taif is also very active in the manufacturing of traditional attar, and is known locally as "City of the Roses" (). Taif also hosts the historic Souq 'Okaz. The Taif governorate is divided into 15 smaller municipalities, with Ta'if as the capital. The administration of the city itself is carried out by five municipalities, named North Taif, West Taif, East Taif, South Taif and New Taif. Taif is served by the Taif International Airport, with a larger international airport planned to open by 2030.


Name

Much like many of the cities in the Hejazi region, the city of Ta'if had an older name: ''Wajj'' (). This was also the name of the Valley of Wajj, a significant valley within Arabian and Islamic history. The etymology of the city's current name, Taʾif (), comes from the Arabic root , which could translate to "wanderer", "roamer", or "circulator"; the latter of which is the basis of the word '' Ṭawāf'' (), which literally translates to "circulation" or "circumambulation", and is used in the context of the circumambulation of the
Kaaba The Kaaba (), also spelled Kaba, Kabah or Kabah, sometimes referred to as al-Kaba al-Musharrafa (), is a stone building at the center of Islam's most important mosque and Holiest sites in Islam, holiest site, the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Sa ...
. Taʾif was given this name due to the wall that was built by the tribe of Banu Thaqif that circulated the city. In short, the city of Taʾif literally means the circulated or encircled city.


History

In the 6th century A.D., the city of Ta'if was dominated by the Thaqif tribe, which still lives in and around the city of Ta'if today. It has been suggested that
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
tribes who were displaced in the wars of the
Himyarite Kingdom Himyar was a polity in the southern highlands of Yemen, as well as the name of the region which it claimed. Until 110 BCE, it was integrated into the Qataban, Qatabanian kingdom, afterwards being recognized as an independent kingdom. According ...
by Ethiopian Christians settled near Ta'if. The walled city was a religious centre as it housed the idol of the goddess ''Lāt'', who was then known as "the lady of Ta'if." Its climate marked the city out from its dry and barren neighbours closer to the
Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
.
Wheat Wheat is a group of wild and crop domestication, domesticated Poaceae, grasses of the genus ''Triticum'' (). They are Agriculture, cultivated for their cereal grains, which are staple foods around the world. Well-known Taxonomy of wheat, whe ...
,
vine A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.Jackson; Benjamin; Da ...
s and
fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...
orchard An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit tree, fruit- or nut (fruit), nut-producing trees that are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also so ...
s were grown around Ta'if, and this is how the city earned its title "the Garden of the Hejaz." Both Ta'if and
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
were resorts of pilgrimage. Ta'if was more pleasantly situated than Mecca itself, and their people of Ta'if had close trading relations. The people of Ta'if carried on agriculture and fruit‑growing in addition to their trade activities. In the early 7th century C.E.,
Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
, who was born in Makkah, preached Islam to the inhabitants of Mecca and the Hijaz, and encountered resistance from many of the people there. In 630, a
battle A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force co ...
took place at Hunayn, close to the city. Shortly after that, the unsuccessful siege of Ta'if took place. The city was assaulted by catapults from Banu Daus, but it repelled the attacks. The Battle of Tabuk in 631 left Tā'if completely isolated, so members of Thaqīf arrived in Makkah to negotiate the conversion of the city to
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
. The idol of ''Lāt'' was destroyed along with all other signs of the city's pagan past. The city then went through many exchanges-of-power, but most of the action within these conflicts took place between Makkah and Medina, and Ta'if dwindled in importance in contrast to the two holy cities.


Under Ottoman rule

On 17 July 1517, the Sharif of Mecca capitulated to the Ottoman
Sultan Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...
Selim I Selim I (; ; 10 October 1470 – 22 September 1520), known as Selim the Grim or Selim the Resolute (), was the List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire, sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1512 to 1520. Despite lasting only eight years, his reign is ...
. As a sign of this, he surrendered to him the keys of the Islamic cities of Mecca and
Medina Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...
. As part of the Hijaz, Ta'if was also given over to Ottoman control and the city remained Ottoman for a further three centuries, until in 1802, when it was retaken by rebels allied with the
House of Saud The House of Saud ( ) is the ruling royal family of Saudi Arabia. It is composed of the descendants of Muhammad bin Saud, founder of the Emirate of Diriyah, known as the First Saudi State, (1727–1818), and his brothers, though the ruling ...
. These forces then proceeded to take Mecca and Medina. The loss was keenly felt by the Ottoman Empire, which viewed itself as the protector of the holy cities. The Ottoman sultan,
Mahmud II Mahmud II (, ; 20 July 1785 – 1 July 1839) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839. Often described as the "Peter the Great of Turkey", Mahmud instituted extensive administrative, military, and fiscal reforms ...
, called upon the ''Wali'' of
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
,
Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...
, who launched an attack on the Hejaz and reconquered Ta'if in 1813. In 1813, the
Swiss Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located ...
traveler and orientalist Johann Ludwig Burckhardt visited Ta'if and left an eyewitness account of the city just after its recapture by the Muhammad Ali, with whom he obtained several interviews while he was there. Burckhardt reported that the wall and ditch around the city had been built by Othman el-Medhayfe. There were three gates and several towers on the city walls, which, however, were weak, being in some places only thick. Burckhardt stated that the castle had been built by
Sharif Sharīf or Sherif (, 'noble', 'highborn'), also spelled shareef, feminine sharīfa (), plural ashrāf (), shurafāʾ (), or (in the Maghreb) shurfāʾ, is a title used to designate a person descended, or claiming to be descended, from the fami ...
Ghalib ibn Musa'id. He noted the destruction of the city caused by the conquest of 1802. Most of the buildings were still in ruin while he was there, and the tomb of 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas – cousin of Muhammad and ancestor of the Abbasids – had been severely damaged. He also recorded that the population of the city was still mostly Thaqīfi. In terms of trade, the city was an
entrepôt An entrepôt ( ; ) or transshipment port is a port, city, or trading post where merchandise may be imported, stored, or traded, usually to be exported again. Such cities often sprang up and such ports and trading posts often developed into comm ...
for
coffee Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially a ...
. The castle and military barracks in Ta'if were repaired by the Ottomans in 1843, a ' – mansion for government business – was built in 1869, and a post office was established sometime later.


Arab Revolt

Prior to the
Arab Revolt The Arab Revolt ( ), also known as the Great Arab Revolt ( ), was an armed uprising by the Hashemite-led Arabs of the Hejaz against the Ottoman Empire amidst the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. On the basis of the McMahon–Hussein Co ...
, Ahmed Bey had been made the commander of Ottoman forces in Tā'if. He had under him a force of 3,000 soldiers and 10 pieces of mountain artillery. Ghalib Pasha, the governor of the Hejaz was also present in the city. In 1916, the
Hashemite The Hashemites (), also House of Hashim, are the Dynasty, royal family of Jordan, which they have ruled since 1921, and were the royal family of the kingdoms of Kingdom of Hejaz, Hejaz (1916–1925), Arab Kingdom of Syria, Syria (1920), and Kingd ...
s launched their revolt against the Ottoman Empire in Mecca in June. That city had fallen and then in July, Abdullah, the eldest son of the Hashemite leader and Sharif of Mecca, Husayn ibn Ali, came with seventy men to Tā'if. Whilst his activities in the area aroused the suspicion of Ahmed Bey, Ghalib Pasha was unconcerned by so small a force. Abdullah secretly built up his army to 5,000 men. He then cut the telegraph wires to the city and took the offensive. All Hashemite assaults on the city were repelled by the mountain guns, and both sides settled down to an uneasy siege. However, Hashemite guns were slowly brought up to Tā'if, and then the city held out a little longer; before finally surrendering on 22 September. The city thus later became a part of the self-proclaimed
Hashemite The Hashemites (), also House of Hashim, are the Dynasty, royal family of Jordan, which they have ruled since 1921, and were the royal family of the kingdoms of Kingdom of Hejaz, Hejaz (1916–1925), Arab Kingdom of Syria, Syria (1920), and Kingd ...
Kingdom of Hejaz The Hashemite Kingdom of Hejaz (, ''Al-Mamlakah al-Ḥijāziyyah Al-Hāshimiyyah'') was a state in the Hejaz region of Western Asia that included the western portion of the Arabian Peninsula that was ruled by the Hashemite dynasty. It was self ...
.


Saudi conquest and modern history

Ta'if did not remain in Hashemite hands for very long. Tensions between the King of the Hejaz, Husayn ibn Ali, and Abdulaziz al-Saud, the Emir of Nejd and Hasa, soon broke out into violence. Although hostilities subsided in 1919, by September 1924, the then Saudi-sponsored Ikhwan
militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...
, under the leadership of Sultan bin Bajad and Khaled bin Luwai', was ready to attack Ta'if. The city was supposed to have been defended by the king's son, 'Ali, but he fled in panic with his troops. Three hundred of 'Ali's men were slain by the Ikhwan in what became known as the Ta'if massacre. In 1926, Abdulaziz al-Saud was officially recognized as the new King of Hejaz. Ta'if remained a part of the Kingdom of Hejaz until Abdulaziz al-Saud unified his two kingdoms and consolidated them into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932. In 1934 the treaty was signed here that established the boundary lines between Yemen and the kingdom. The king himself was later to die in the city on 9 November 1953, as did King Khalid on 13 June 1982. Ta'if was still little more than a medieval city when the Saudis took control of it. However, they later embarked on a project of modernizing the city. Saudi Arabia's first public power generator was set up in Ta'if in the late 1940s. In terms of building roads to the isolated city, in 1965 the then King Faisal inaugurated the mountain highway between Mecca and Ta'if, now part of Highway 15 and known as the Taif – Al-Hada Road. In 1974, the approximately-650-kilometer Ta'if-
Abha Abha (, ') is the capital of Asir, Asir Province in Saudi Arabia. It is situated above sea level in the fertile Asir Mountains of south-western Saudi Arabia, near Asir National Park. Abha's mild climate makes it a popular tourist destination fo ...
Jizan highway was commissioned part of the Highway 15. By the 1991 Gulf War, Ta'if was such a modern city in terms of communications that it was chosen as the site of the Rendon Group's television and radio network, which was used for communication with
Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...
during the Iraqi occupation.


Geography

The entirety of the Ta'if governorate is situated on a raised valley surrounded by the Hejaz Mountains (part of the Sarat mountains) to the west and south. The city is situated at an elevation of
above mean sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level ...
. For comparison, the surrounding
mountains A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...
which separate Ta'if from nearby villages such as Al-Hada and Ash-Shafa, range in height anywhere from . Ta'if is known to have had many ''wadis'' with running water before, suggested by the presence of dams along many of these. Taif's highest point, the Jebel Daka is even the fifth highest peak of Saudi Arabia.


Climate

Ta'if has a hot
desert climate The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk'') is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...
(
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
''BWh''), with hot summers and mild winters. It is much cooler in Ta'if during the summertime than it is other parts of Saudi Arabia, particularly Riyadh. Precipitation is low, but all months see some rain, with more rain in spring and late autumn than in other months.


Natural landmarks

Al-Rudaf Park is a large natural park in South Ta'if, where trees stand amidst weathered granite rocks. The site also has a small zoo. Additionally, the park has a large lake with fountains and cannons. The Ta'if rose plantation is a complex of rose fields filled with small fragrant pink roses that are distilled into expensive Ta'if rose oil.http://www.ormondejayne.com%20 The famous grown here is the 30-petal Damask rose (''Rosa damascena trigintipetala''), whose scent has been described as a robust, spicy, and dizzyingly complex scent which has been used by several luxury perfume brands, including Ormonde Jayne, Chanel, Guerlain and
Hermès Hermès International S.A. ( , ) is a French Luxury goods, luxury fashion house established in 1837. It specializes in leather goods, silk goods, lifestyle accessories, home furnishings, perfumery, jewelry, watches and ready-to-wear. Since the ...
. The ''Nuqbat al-Hamra park near Al-Hada is a large nature preserve at an elevation of above sea level."zao28050.jpg"

Al-Shafa, Saudi Arabia, Ash-Shafā is a small village situated high up in the mountains at an elevation of above sea level, rich in agricultural products. The fruit gardens of Ta'if are located here. A
camel A camel (from and () from Ancient Semitic: ''gāmāl'') is an even-toed ungulate in the genus ''Camelus'' that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. Camels have long been domesticated and, as livestock, they provid ...
ride is available, and Jabal Dakka is within view of the village. The Saiysad National Park is located in New Ta'if.


Economy and development

Historically, Ta'if's economy depended on
agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
and the cultivation of
rose A rose is either a woody perennial plant, perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred Rose species, species and Garden roses, tens of thousands of cultivar ...
s, which were traded throughout
Central Asia Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian language, Pers ...
and
Transoxiana Transoxiana or Transoxania (, now called the Amu Darya) is the Latin name for the region and civilization located in lower Central Asia roughly corresponding to eastern Uzbekistan, western Tajikistan, parts of southern Kazakhstan, parts of Tu ...
. Ta'if's modern economy is still mostly dependent on agriculture and
perfume Perfume (, ) is a mixture of fragrance, fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), Fixative (perfumery), fixatives and solvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agre ...
s, but an increasing diversification project has been taking place in order to combat the city's heavy dependence on these two industries. The distilled rose oil from the '' Rosa × damascena'' plant has been traditionally used as an attar in the Middle East, usually as a masculine fragrance, and due to its cultivation in Ta'if, it has gained the name "Ta'if rose", which in 2024 was included in the UNESCO UNESCO_Intangible_Cultural_Heritage_Lists#Representative_List_of_the_Intangible_Cultural_Heritage_of_Humanity, Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. On October 1, 2017, King of Saudi Arabia, King Salman of Saudi Arabia inaugurated the "New Ta'if" project, a $3.9 billion project aiming at establishing a new, international airport in the city, dubbed the Ta'if International Airport, renovation and modernization of the historic Souk Okaz, Souk 'Okaz, establishment of the Oasis of Technology, which is expected to include an Antonov aircraft manufacturing and assembly plant, an industrial airport with a 3.5-km runway, a Photovoltaic power station, solar farm covering expected to produce 30 MW of electricity, the Residential Suburb, which is expected to include 10,000 residential units, the Industrial City, an industrial city with a complex for heavy, medium and light industries along with a vocational training center, and the University City, a university projected to be built in the Saiysad National Park.


Culture


Arts

The Souk 'Okaz, one of the best known pre-Islamic ''souks'', was not only a market, but in many ways, a historic theater, where Political sociology, sociopolitical and commercial exchanges took place between the tribes of pre-Islamic Arabia. People from around the peninsula would come to visit the idol of the goddess Al-Lat, ''Lat''. This is proof that Ta'if has long been a historic center for trade and the arts in the
Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...
; contemporary theaters in the area include the 'Okaz Market Theater and the recently opened King 'Abdullah Park Theater. A performing arts theater is also located in the nearby town of Qia and is known as the Folk Theater of Qia. In the framework of Saudi Seasons initiative, the first Ta'if Season took place on August 1, 2019. Artists from seven countries participated in the event and a wide range of activities were overseen. Three main events have taken place during the season including the Souk 'Okaz festival and a Camel racing, camel race. As a sideline to the event, a rose festival in the city as well as a number of concerts and plays were held.


Sports

Like most of Saudi Arabia, the most popular sport among Saudis in Ta'if is football. Wej SC (Saudi Arabian Football Federation) plays at King Fahd Sports City in North Ta'if near As Sayl as Saghir, as-Sayl as-Saghir and is the football team representing the city. The expatriate minority in the city has brought several other games with them to Ta'if, including cricket, badminton and volleyball. Al Hawiyah Stadium is the local football pitch.


Infrastructure


Education

In 2004 Taif University was established which offers both undergraduate and graduate programs across four colleges and 16 faculties. It has four campuses located in the Taif Governorate, with the main campus in Al-Hawiyya. In 2014 the Canada, Canadian Niagara College opened a campus in Taif with programs in tourism, hospitality, and business. This effort is part of the Colleges of Excellence program. The college faced criticism for being open to men only, including from the Canadian Association of University Teachers. As of 2023 it is unclear whether the campus in Taif is still active, with even the main website of Niagara College KSA having mixed information.


Mosques

There are a number of historical mosques in the city. The Abdullah Ibn Abbas Mosque, Ta'if, Abdullah ibn 'Abbas Mosque houses the remains of Abdullah ibn Abbas, a Banu Hashim, cousin and Companions of the Prophet, companion of Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad. The Addas Mosque, Mosque of Addas is named after Addas, an Christianity in Iraq, Iraqi Christian who embraced Islam after meeting Muhammad. File:مسجد عبد الله بن العباس بالطائف.jpg, Abdullah Ibn Abbas Mosque, Ta'if, Abdullah ibn 'Abbas Mosque File:مسجد عداس.jpg, Addas Mosque, Mosque of Addas File:مسجد المدهون 8.jpg, Al Qantara Mosque, Masjid Al-Qantarah,
abandoned and partially ruined File:The Mosque in Taif 2010.jpg,


Museums and historic landmarks

Located north of Ta'if is the site of the Souk Okaz, Souk 'Okaz, the largest and best known of the pre-Islamic souk, ''souks''. The ''souq'' was a scene of annual social, political and commercial gatherings. It was also the location of competitive recitation of poetry and prose. The buildings remain, including prominent outlines of walls of basaltic stone. Wadi Mitna is a ''wadi'' believed to be the location where Muhammad sought refuge from the tribes of Hawazin and Thaqif in 619 AD, after he was stoned by the tribes. He was later given sanctuary by his fellows in a small house, which has now been converted into a mosque. Shubra Palace is the regional museum of Ta'if, housed in a building built around 1900, which served as Ibn Saud's lodging in the 1930s, and was also used as the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of Saudi Arabia during Faisal of Saudi Arabia, King Faisal's reign. The Turkish Fort was a fort located near the Souk Okaz, Souk 'Okaz, many battles have been fought here and many prominent graves can be found, though only a small part of the original fort remains. Legend has it that Lawrence of arabia, Lawrence of Arabia also fought here. The Badawi Fortress is located in the southern reaches of East Ta'if.


Transportation

Due to Ta'if's location in the mountains, most major highways either bend around the city or avoid the region completely. The only major highway in the Saudi Arabian network to pass through Ta'if is Highway 15 (known to locals as the Taif – Al-Hada Road) which arrives from Mecca in the west, bends around the mountains through Al-Hada, passes through the center of Ta'if, and travels to
Abha Abha (, ') is the capital of Asir, Asir Province in Saudi Arabia. It is situated above sea level in the fertile Asir Mountains of south-western Saudi Arabia, near Asir National Park. Abha's mild climate makes it a popular tourist destination fo ...
and Khamis Mushait via Al Bahah, Baha and Baljurashi. Ta'if is connected to Highway 40 (Saudi Arabia), Highway 40 via Highway 267 and Highway 287. Highway 267 forms the western part of the Ta'if beltway, but then continues southward toward Ash-Shafa, bypassing Mecca by using a longer route and gives access to Highway 304, Highway 301, Highway 40 (Saudi Arabia), Highway 40 and Highway 290 via Highway 298. Ta'if is served by the Taif International Airport. It was scheduled to open in 2020, but this had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia, COVID-19 pandemic. The new airport is mainly designed to cater to pilgrims of Hajj and 'Umrah, and to relieve pressure off the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.


Notable people


Tribes

The historically well-known tribe of Banu Thaqif, Thaqif still lives in and around the city of Ta'if. 'Utaibah is another Adnanites, Adnani tribe which still lives in Ta'if. Bani Hareth, Banu Harith is one of the Qahtani Arabs tribes living around Ta'if in Saudi Arabia. The tribe claims a very large area around the city in the area between Ta'if and Al Qunfudhah, Qunfudhah in Saudi Arabia. Thu al-Isba' al-'Adwani was an Arabic poetry, Arabic poet and a man of wisdom from the Banu 'Adwan tribe that historically lived in the northern parts of Ta'if. Furthermore, Banu Thabit are people descended from Thabit and the tribe is originally part of Hawazin clan.


Births in the pre-modern era

Pre-Islamic leaders of Banu Thaqif During the Pre-Islamic Arabia, pre-Islamic era, the city was populated by the tribe of Thaqif. The city had then the following chieftains: * 'Urwah ibn Mas'ud * Abd-Ya-Layl ibn Amr, 'Abd-ya-Layl ibn 'Amr * Uthman ibn Abu-al-Aas, 'Uthman ibn Abu al-'Aas Other important Islamic figures * Uthman ibn Affan, 'Uthman ibn 'Affan (579–656) — 3rd Rashidun Rashidun Caliphate, Caliph and son-in-law of Muhammad * Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf (661–714) — Umayyad Caliphate, Umayyad-era Governor of Iraq and general * Muhammad bin Qasim (695–715) — Umayyad Caliphate, Umayyad general who conquered the Sindh and Punjab regions along the Indus River. * Al-Hurr ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Thaqafi, Al-Hurr ibn Abd al-Rahman Fourth ruler of Al-Andalus during the Umayyad rule * Sharif Ali ibn Ajlan ibn Rumaithah ibn Muhammad, son-in-law and successor of Sultan Ahmad of Brunei, father of Sulaiman (Brunei), Sultan Sulaiman, and a descendant of Muhammad


Births in the modern era

Monarchs and royals * Faisal I of Iraq, King Faisal I of Iraq (1885–1933) — 20th-century Kingdom of Iraq, King of Syria and Iraq * Naif bin Abdul Aziz, Prince Nayef bin 'Abdulaziz Al Saud (1934–2012) — former Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince and Ministry of Interior (Saudi Arabia), Minister of Interior of Saudi Arabia Others * Hadi Soua'an Al-Somaily (1976–present) — First Saudi Olympic medal winner. * Mutlaq Hamid Al-Otaibi (1937–95) — poet and writer; member of the Faculty of Sharia' at the Umm al-Qura University, Umm al-Qura' University * Hani Hanjour (1972–2001) — 9/11 hijacker pilot who crashed American Airlines flight 77 into The Pentagon. * Mohammed Alzeer, businessman


Deaths

* 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (619–687) — cousin of Muhammad * Midhat Pasha (1822–83) — Ottoman grand vizier; assassinated by strangulation in prison * Ibn Saud (1875–1953) — founder and 1st king of the Third Saudi State, the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia * Khalid of Saudi Arabia (1913–1982) — 4th king of Saudi Arabia and son of Ibn Saud


Governors


See also

* Al-Kateb House * Banu Jadhimah * ''Miqat'' of Qarnul-Manazil at As Sayl al Kabir * Taif Agreement, Ta'if Agreement * 'Utaybah


References


External links

* * {{Authority control At-Ta'if, Taif Populated places in Mecca Province Cities in Saudi Arabia