Miʼkal or Maʼkal () is an ancient village and a historic neighborhood in southern Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, located that is a subject of
Baladiyah al-Batha in southern
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the Riyadh Governorate. Located on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, the current form of the metropolis largely emerged in th ...
, located between
ad-Dubiyah and al-Wusaita. The town came into existence when
Hajr al-Yamamah disintegrated up into several settlements and estates in the 16th century (10
AH), the most notable of them being
Migrin (or Muqrin) and Ma'kal.
Its name reportedly comes from two
pre-Islamic Arabian deities, Kāl and Maʿkāl () that were worshipped in
Najd
Najd is a Historical region, historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes most of the central region of Saudi Arabia. It is roughly bounded by the Hejaz region to the west, the Nafud desert in Al-Jawf Province, al-Jawf to the north, ...
.
History
The town came into existence when
Hajr al-Yamamah disintegrated up into several settlements and estates in the 16th century (10th century
AH), the most notable of them being Migrin (or Muqrin) and Ma'kal.
It was reportedly named after two
pre-Islamic Arabian deities, Kāl and Maʿkāl ()
that were worshipped in
Najd
Najd is a Historical region, historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes most of the central region of Saudi Arabia. It is roughly bounded by the Hejaz region to the west, the Nafud desert in Al-Jawf Province, al-Jawf to the north, ...
.
According to historian Abd al-Malik ibn Husayn al-Isami al-Makki, Maʼkal was also the site of a military conflict when it was besieged in 1578 (986
AH) by 50 soldiers of the
Sharif of Mecca
The Sharif of Mecca () was the title of the leader of the Sharifate of Mecca, traditional steward of the Holiest sites in Islam, Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The term ''sharif'' is Arabic for "noble", "highborn", and is used to desc ...
Abu Numayy II
Muḥammad Abū Numayy II ibn Barakāt ibn Muḥammad ( ) was Sharif of Mecca from 1512 to 1566. He co-reigned first with his father (1512–1525) and later with his sons (1540–1566).
Muhammad Abu Numayy was born in Mecca on the night of 9 Dhu ...
in which he killed several of its political leaders and imprisoned others for almost a year until they agreed to pay concessions.
References
{{reflist
Neighbourhoods in Riyadh