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النسخة العربية
  • Politics
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  • mecca

The US-Iran war has sent the cost of Hajj 2026 soaring Lina Jaradat

Hajj 2026 could be the costliest season on record

Pilgrims continue to stream into Mecca despite rising travel costs and regional tensions following war in the Gulf.

Amer Ziab Al-Tamimi 26 May 2026
Installation "The Black Arch" by Saudi sisters Raja and Shadia Alem is seen at the pavilion of Saudi Arabia taking part in the Venice Biennale for the first time on 2 June 2011, in Venice, Italy. Marco Secchi / Getty

Shadia Alem and the art of sacred continuity

From Mecca to the global stage, Saudi artist Shadia Alem's work unfolds as a continuous practice shaped by memory, spirituality, and place

Mimoza Al-Arrawi 18 March 2026
Lady Evelyn Cobbold, a Scottish aristocrat who converted to Islam and performed the Hajj in 1933, becoming the first British Muslim woman to do so. Getty Images

The Orientalists who entered Mecca in disguise

For centuries, Mecca was the pinnacle of exploration for Western travellers. Shrouded in mystery, it captured the imagination of a small but daring group of European Orientalists

Abdullah Al-Rashid 06 June 2025
Lina Jaradat

The world's first coffeehouse was in Mecca

In 1511, there were places in Mecca specifically designated for selling and drinking coffee, known as coffee houses. Decades later, the first café opened in Istanbul.

Abdullah Al-Rashid 15 November 2024
  • Popular
  • Editor's Pick
Pete Reynolds
Politics

Benjamin Netanyahu is damaged goods in the West

25, Oct 2026

Key voices in the West appear to be throwing him under the bus ahead of the approaching Israeli election

Brian Katulis
Al Majalla
Business & Economy

Energy security and resiliency in an uncertain world

24, Oct 2026

Türkiye's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources writes for Al Majalla

Alparslan Bayraktar
People shout slogans as they gather after a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war was announced, in Tehran, Iran, on 8 April 2026. Majid Asgaripour / Reuters
Politics

An emboldened Iran could trigger an IS comeback

22, Oct 2026

Should the US and Israel fail in their war on Iran, Tehran would likely expand its regional influence at the expense of Sunni Arabs, who could potentially turn to extremist groups to fight back

James Jeffrey
Al Majalla
Culture & Social Affairs

The Palestinian flag in France: from student activism to social unrest 

23, Oct 2026

Once a symbol of solidarity with the Palestinian cause, it is now being used by different groups to advance their own grievances and agendas

Waddah Abu Jamea
Ukranian Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba listens to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General during the alliance's 75th anniversary at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels on 4 April 2024. KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP
Politics

Dmytro Kuleba on Trump’s drift towards Moscow

24, Oct 2026

Ukraine's former foreign minister is pragmatic about the war, peace talks, Kyiv's opponent, Washington, the Chinese, and the Gulf. His thoughts are a fascinating insight into Europe's biggest battle

Ahmed Maher

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OPINIONS

Israel’s election may not end its political crisis

Michael Horowitz
Michael Horowitz

Netanyahu, Trump at risk ahead of crucial polls

Fares Garabet
Fares Garabet

Europe’s gathering storm

Christopher Phillips
Christopher Phillips

The battle for Yemen has only begun

Saud Al-Masaud
Saud Al-Masaud
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