Mecca

:This article is about the holy city in Saudi Arabia. For other uses, see Mecca (disambiguation)

The spelling of the name

For most English-speakers, Mecca has long been the accepted spelling for the holy city. The word is a transliteration of the original Arabic, and has become part of the English language. The word Mecca is nowadays used to mean not only the city in Saudi Arabia but any center of activity sought or converged upon by a group of people with a common interest. For example, Las Vegas is sometimes described as 'the 'Mecca of gambling' (even though gambling for money is strictly prohibited by Islamic law).

Related Topics:
Transliteration - Arabic - Saudi Arabia - Islamic law

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In an effort to distinguish between the metaphorical and official references to the holy site, the Saudi Arabian government in the 1980s began promoting a new transliteration, 'Makkah al-Mukarramah', which is closer to the original Arabic. This new usage has been adopted in some places, such as on the U.S. Department of State website, but it is not part of the active vocabulary of English-speakers at large.

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