Mecca

The Sacred City

By: Ziauddin Sardar

Narrated by: Amerjit Deu

Mecca is, for many, the heart of Islam. It is the birthplace of Muhammad, the direction to which Muslims turn when they pray, and the site of pilgrimage that annually draws some three million Muslims from all corners of the world. Yet the significance of Mecca is more than purely religious. What happens in Mecca and how Muslims think about the political and cultural history of Mecca has had and continues to have a profound influence on world events to this day.

In this insightful book, Ziauddin Sardar unravels the meaning and significance of Mecca. Tracing its history, from its origins as a "barren valley" in the desert to its evolution as a trading town and sudden emergence as the religious center of a world empire, Sardar examines the religious struggles and rebellions in Mecca that have significantly shaped Muslim culture. An illuminative, lyrical, and witty blend of history, reportage, and memoir, Mecca reflects all that is profound and enlightening, curious and amusing about Mecca and takes us behind the closed doors to one of the most important places in the world today.

©2014 Ziauddin Sardar (P)2015 Audible Inc.

Dramatic!

An excellent narratives of human drama reflected in life of Makkah. Beautifully narrated, at very comfortable pace, treat to listen.

The performance of the READER was excellent...

The performance was excellent. But the actual book itself was a bit of a disappointment. it was well written and well edited. the flow was good but the personal biases of the author detracted from the academic nature of the subject. I was hoping that the book would look into the TRUE history of the city MORE then just be a rhetorical religious infomercial. So I was disappointed by this book.

The claims about the city of Mecca do not match the archeological evidence. And the cultural myths/religious aspects are not the only line of inquiry to be taken into account when looking for facts. The evidence should controle the narrative not the rhetoric.

For example:

* If the ZamZam well is within a stones throw of THE CENTER OF "the oldest continually occupied city in the world" why was Hagar worried about dieing of thirst? Why not mention that the well is a CISTERN, not a spring... and the cistern went dry 500+ years ago. (In spite of Muhammeds Prophesy) Mention that the ZamZam well is fed by Desalination plants... because it went dry.

* Mention that IN SPITE OF all of the hundreds of "Prophets tombs" that are allegedly in Mecca. Going all the way back to Adam. The oldest archeological artifacts they have found in Mecca, only go back to the 14th century... and they have found no tombs of the prophets. EVEN THOUGH they have dug all of those MASSIVE foundations for those MASSIVE skyscrapers.

*Mention that Mecca does not show up on ANY maps before the 9th century A.D.... Yet it's "the trade of the world"...

** These are only a few examples of the grotesquely biased, sycophantic level, "opinions" that run throughout this novel. In spite of the academic attempts at scolarship this book is better understood as a dairy of a faithful pilgrim rather than an objective study of a historical city.