The Siege of Mecca: Its Causes and Repercussions on Saudi Society

His Excellency Professor Dr. Muhammad Hasan al-Basha presents us with a unique book through its translation into Arabic in an engaging style. He says: It is noteworthy that the greatest sedition and event that occurred in the twentieth century in the Islamic countries was the sedition of Juhayman al-Otaybi, who stormed the Grand Mosque in Mecca in 1979. The events lasted for nearly half a month, shaking the security of the Holy City and the Islamic world, and claiming the lives of many people. Despite the seriousness of the incident and the numerous writings about it—albeit few and late in the story—the incident remains unknown to many people, even to those interested in Islamic and political affairs in general. Given the importance of this sedition—not only in and of itself, but also because it raised questions about the ideology and craft of extremists, and the intellectual extensions of these individuals and groups who came after it—we wanted to translate this important research, which sheds light on this sedition in detail, in terms of its causes, events, results, and other related matters.