Misplaced Pages

#760239

77-650: There is a belief that Taif is indirectly referred to in Quran 43:31 . The city was visited by the Islamic prophet Muhammad , sometime in the early 7th century , and was inhabited by the tribe of Banu Thaqif . It is still inhabited to this day by their descendants. As a part of the Hejaz , the city has seen many transfers-of-power throughout its history, with the last being during the Saudi conquest of Hejaz in 1925. The city has been called

154-403: A Christian, to give him a plate of grapes. Muhammad accepted the gift and ate it, reciting " Bismillah " (In the name of Allah ). The young slave then reportedly said that he had never heard those words spoken since he left his town. Muhammad then asked him where he was from, and he replied that he was from Nineveh . Addas then asked who he was and if he knew about Jonah . Muhammad replied, "He

231-532: A complex for heavy, medium and light industries along with a vocational training center, and the University City, a 16-square-kilometre (6.2 sq mi) university projected to be built in the Saiysad National Park. The Souk 'Okaz, one of the best known pre-Islamic souks , was not only a market, but in many ways, a historic theater, where sociopolitical and commercial exchanges took place between

308-609: A group of Muhajirun stood firmly and defended the Prophet on the battlefield. There were only 10 men who didnt leave the Battle field. Abu Bakr , Umar , Ali ibn Abi Talib , Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud , Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib , Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith , Fadl ibn Abbas , Rabi' ibn al-Harith, Usama ibn Zayd and Ayman ibn Ubayd . Ayman ibn Ubayd was killed that day whilst defending the Prophet Muhammad . Prophet Muhammad stood firmly in

385-643: A larger international airport planned to open by 2030. Much like many of the cities in the Hejazi region, the city of Ta'if had an older name: Wajj ( وَجّ ). This was also the name of the Valley of Wajj , a significant valley within Arabian and Islamic history. The etymology of the city's current name, Taʾif ( Arabic : اَلطَّائِفُ ), comes from the Arabic root ط و ف , which could translate to "wanderer", "roamer", or "circulator";

462-805: A message to Mut'im ibn Adiy , the chief of Banu Nawfal . Mut'im agreed, and after arming himself, he went with his sons and nephews to escort Muhammad into Mecca. When Abu Jahl saw them, he asked if Mut'im had converted to Islam or was simply granting him protection. He replied "Granting him protection, of course.” Abu Jahl then said, "We protect him to whom you give protection." Battle of Hunayn 24,000 camels 40,000 goats Ridda Wars Conquest of Sasanian Persia Conquest of Byzantine Syria Campaigns in Africa Campaigns in Armenia and Anatolia The Battle of Hunayn ( Arabic : غزوة حنين , romanized :  Ghazwat Ḥunayn )

539-551: A number of concerts and plays were held. Like most of Saudi Arabia, the most popular sport among Saudis in Ta'if is football. Wej SC ( Saudi Arabian Football Federation ) plays at King Fahd Sports City in North Ta'if near as-Sayl as-Saghir and is the football team representing the city. The expatriate minority in the city has brought several other games with them to Ta'if, including cricket , badminton and volleyball . Al Hawiyah Stadium

616-405: A proof of that, will possess his spoils." I got up and said, "Who will be a witness for me?" and then sat down. The Prophet again said, "Anyone who has killed an enemy and has proof of that, will possess his spoils." I (again) got up and said, "Who will be a witness for me?" and sat down. Then the Prophet said the same for the third time. I again got up, and Allah's Messenger said, "O Abu Qatada! What

693-626: A sign of this, he surrendered to him the keys of the Islamic cities of Mecca and Medina . As part of the Hijaz, Ta'if was also given over to Ottoman control and the city remained Ottoman for a further three centuries, until in 1802, when it was retaken by rebels allied with the House of Saud . These forces then proceeded to take Mecca and Medina. The loss was keenly felt by the Ottoman Empire, which viewed itself as

770-735: A victory". So, they met Malik bin 'Awf An-Nasri and made up their minds to proceed fighting against the Muslims. Malik persuaded other tribes to fight and gathered them before him. The confederation of tribes consisting of Nasr, Jusham , Sa'ad bin Bakr , Bani Hilal , Bani 'Amr bin Amir and Bani 'Awf bin Amir gathered at Autas along with the Thaqif and Hawazin. On that day Muhammad had twelve thousand armed soldiers under his standard. Ten thousand of them were those who had accompanied him from Medina and had taken part in

847-580: A war with Muslims was imminent and that the once-persecuted minority of Muslims had gained the upper hand against their non-Muslim Arab enemies, and they may have wanted to take advantage of the likely chaos in Mecca after the Muslim takeover. Some tribes favoured fighting him and the Muslims. Ahead of these were the tribes of Hawazin and Thaqif. According to the Muslim scholar Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri "They thought that they were too mighty to admit or surrender to such

SECTION 10

#1732852012761

924-448: Is a small village situated high up in the mountains at an elevation of 2,200 to 2,500 metres (7,200 to 8,200 feet) above sea level, rich in agricultural products. The fruit gardens of Ta'if are located here. A camel ride is available, and Jabal Dakka is within view of the village. The Saiysad National Park is located in New Ta'if. Historically, Ta'if's economy depended on agriculture and

1001-514: Is known as the Folk Theater of Qia. In the framework of Saudi Seasons initiative, the first Ta'if Season took place on August 1, 2019. Artists from seven countries participated in the event and a wide range of activities were overseen. Three main events have taken place during the season including the Souk 'Okaz festival and a camel race . As a sideline to the event, a rose festival in the city as well as

1078-490: Is known to have had many wadis with running water before, suggested by the presence of dams along many of these. Taif's highest point, the Jebel Daka is even the fifth highest peak of Saudi Arabia. Ta'if has a hot desert climate ( Köppen climate classification BWh ), with hot summers and mild winters. It is much cooler in Ta'if during the summertime than it is other parts of Saudi Arabia, particularly Riyadh. Precipitation

1155-520: Is low, but all months see some rain, with more rain in spring and late autumn than in other months. Al-Rudaf Park is a large natural park in South Ta'if, where trees stand amidst weathered granite rocks. The site also has a small zoo. Additionally, the park has a large lake with fountains and cannons. The Ta'if rose plantation is a complex of rose fields filled with small fragrant pink roses that are distilled into expensive Ta'if rose oil. The famous grown here

1232-399: Is my brother; he was a prophet of Allah, and I am also a prophet of Allah." Addas was said to have then kissed his head, hands, and feet. On his return, Addas was scolded by his two masters who witnessed the occurrence, to which Addas reportedly replied, "There is no better man in this land than him; he has told me things that only a prophet can know." On Muhammad's return journey to Mecca ,

1309-503: Is reported that only a few soldiers stayed behind and fought, including Ali bin Abu Talib, the standard bearer, Abbas bin Abdullah, Fadl ibn Abbas , Usamah, and Abu Sufyan bin al-Harith Ibn Kathir writes that according to Ibn Ishaq , Jabir ibn Abdullah , who witnessed the battle, the Muslim army were panicked by a surprise attack from the enemy and many men fled the battlefield. However,

1386-403: Is the 30-petal Damask rose ( Rosa damascena trigintipetala ), whose scent has been described as a robust, spicy, and dizzyingly complex scent which has been used by several luxury perfume brands, including Ormonde Jayne , Chanel , Guerlain and Hermès . The Nuqbat al-Hamra' park near Al-Hada is a large nature preserve at an elevation of 2,100 metres (6,900 feet) above sea level. Ash-Shafā

1463-781: Is the local football pitch. In 2004 Taif University was established which offers both undergraduate and graduate programs across four colleges and 16 faculties. It has four campuses located in the Taif Governorate, with the main campus in Al-Hawiyya. In 2014 the Canadian Niagara College opened a campus in Taif with programs in tourism, hospitality, and business. This effort is part of the Colleges of Excellence program. The college faced criticism for being open to men only, including from

1540-451: Is your story?" Then I narrated the whole story to him. A man (got up and) said, "O Allah's Messenger! He is speaking the truth, and the spoils of the killed man are with me. So please compensate him on my behalf." On that Abu Bakr As-Siddiq said, "No, by Allah, he (i.e. Allah's Messenger ) will not agree to give you the spoils gained by one of Allah's Lions who fights on the behalf of Allah and His Apostle." The Prophet said, "Abu Bakr has spoken

1617-536: The 6th century A.D. , the city of Ta'if was dominated by the Thaqif tribe , which still lives in and around the city of Ta'if today. It has been suggested that Jewish tribes who were displaced in the wars of the Himyarite Kingdom by Ethiopian Christians settled near Ta'if. The walled city was a religious centre as it housed the idol of the goddess Lāt , who was then known as "the lady of Ta'if." Its climate marked

SECTION 20

#1732852012761

1694-477: The Canadian Association of University Teachers . As of 2023 it is unclear whether the campus in Taif is still active, with even the main website of Niagara College KSA having mixed information. There are a number of historical mosques in the city. One  [ ar ] ( 21°16′13.31″N 40°24′30.48″E  /  21.2703639°N 40.4084667°E  / 21.2703639; 40.4084667 ) houses

1771-547: The Emir of Nejd and Hasa , soon broke out into violence. Although hostilities subsided in 1919, by September 1924, the then Saudi-sponsored Ikhwan militia , under the leadership of Sultan bin Bajad and Khaled bin Luwai', was ready to attack Ta'if. The city was supposed to have been defended by the king's son, 'Ali , but he fled in panic with his troops. Three hundred of 'Ali's men were slain by

1848-668: The King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. The historically well-known tribe of Thaqif still lives in and around the city of Ta'if. 'Utaibah is another Adnani tribe which still lives in Ta'if. Banu Harith is one of the Qahtani Arabs tribes living around Ta'if in Saudi Arabia. The tribe claims a very large area around the city in the area between Ta'if and Qunfudhah in Saudi Arabia. Thu al-Isba' al-'Adwani

1925-529: The Quraysh 's enmity towards him. But rather than accepting his request, they rallied the people of Ta'if against him and forced him out of the walled city, pelting him with stones and wounding his hands and feet. Muhammad then took refuge in an orchard outside the city. The owners, Shayba and Utba ibn Rabi'a from the Meccan tribe of Shams, were in the garden at the time and took pity on him. They sent their slave Addas ,

2002-408: The Quraysh . But they responded: “If you are truly a prophet, what need do you have of our help? If God sent you as his messenger, why doesn’t He protect you? And if Allah wished to send a prophet, couldn’t He have found a better person than you, a weak and fatherless orphan?” Aware that his efforts were futile he asked them to at least keep the matter a secret, out of fear that this might deepen

2079-516: The 54 mi (87 km) mountain highway between Mecca and Ta'if, now part of Highway 15 and known as the Taif – Al-Hada Road. In 1974, the approximately-650-kilometer Ta'if- Abha – Jizan highway was commissioned part of the Highway 15. By the 1991 Gulf War , Ta'if was such a modern city in terms of communications that it was chosen as the site of the Rendon Group 's television and radio network, which

2156-650: The Battle of Ḥunain when you took pride in your great numbers, but they proved of no advantage to you. The earth, despite its vastness, seemed to close in on you, then you turned back in retreat. Then Allah sent down His reassurance upon His Messenger and the believers, and sent down forces you could not see, and punished those who disbelieved. Such was the reward of the disbelievers. Some of the enemies fled, and Muhammad chased after them. Similar battalions chased after other enemies, Rabi'a bin Rafi' caught up with Duraid bin As-Simmah who

2233-609: The Ikhwan in what became known as the Ta'if massacre . In 1926, Abdulaziz al-Saud was officially recognized as the new King of Hejaz. Ta'if remained a part of the Kingdom of Hejaz until Abdulaziz al-Saud unified his two kingdoms and consolidated them into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932. In 1934 the treaty was signed here that established the boundary lines between Yemen and the kingdom. The king himself

2310-473: The Middle East, usually as a masculine fragrance, and due to its cultivation in Ta'if, it has gained the name "Ta'if rose." On October 1, 2017, King Salman of Saudi Arabia inaugurated the "New Ta'if" project, a $ 3.9 billion project aiming at establishing a new, international airport in the city, dubbed the Ta'if International Airport, renovation and modernization of the historic Souk 'Okaz , establishment of

2387-604: The Oasis of Technology, which is expected to include an Antonov aircraft manufacturing and assembly plant, an industrial airport with a 3.5-km runway, a solar farm covering 25,000 square metres (270,000 sq ft) expected to produce 30 MW of electricity, the Residential Suburb, which is expected to include 10,000 residential units, the Industrial City, an 11-square-kilometre (4.2 sq mi) industrial city with

Taif - Misplaced Pages Continue

2464-553: The Prophet, Pg 16] Because Malik ibn Awf al-Nasri had brought the families and flocks of the Hawazin along, the Muslims were able to capture huge spoils. 6,000 prisoners taken and 24,000 camels were captured. Some Bedouins fled, and split into two groups. One group went back, resulting in the Battle of Autas , while the larger group found refuge at At-Ta'if, where Muhammad besieged them . William Montgomery Watt states that Muhammad took on

2541-542: The Roses" ( Arabic : مَدِيْنَة ٱلْوُرُوْد , romanized :  Madīnat al-Wurūd ). Taif also hosts the historic Souq 'Okaz . The Taif governorate is divided into 15 smaller municipalities, with Ta'if as the capital. The administration of the city itself is carried out by five municipalities, named North Taif, West Taif, East Taif, South Taif and New Taif. Taif is served by the Taif International Airport , with

2618-554: The booty and personal effects are as well." Then the man repeated his question, and Ibn Abbas repeated his answer. Then the man said, "What are the spoils which He, the Blessed, the Exalted, mentioned in His Book?" He kept on asking until Ibn Abbas was on the verge of being annoyed, then Ibn Abbas said, "Do you know who this man is like? Ibn Sabigh, who was beaten by Umar ibn al-Khattab because he

2695-554: The buildings were still in ruin while he was there, and the tomb of 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas – cousin of Muhammad and ancestor of the Abbasids – had been severely damaged. He also recorded that the population of the city was still mostly Thaqīfi . In terms of trade, the city was an entrepôt for coffee . The castle and military barracks in Ta'if were repaired by the Ottomans in 1843, a hükûmet konağı – mansion for government business –

2772-421: The camp of the Hawazin, and marched against the Hawazin just two weeks after the conquest of Mecca with a force of 12,000 men. Only four weeks had elapsed since the Muslim forces had left Medina to conquer Mecca. On Wednesday night, the tenth of Shawwal, the Muslim army arrived at Hunain. Malik bin 'Awf, who had previously entered the valley by night, gave orders to his army of four thousand men to hide inside

2849-453: The city of Ta’if in the year 619 AD. Muhammad, born in 570, at the age of 40 after claiming to have been visited by Gabriel in the cave of Hira , began spreading his new religion, Islam , in Mecca . But his propagation efforts were far from successful, so he began to attack the beliefs of the Quraysh people who were initially indifferent to his activities, causing tensions to rise. In

2926-617: The city out from its dry and barren neighbours closer to the Red Sea . Wheat , vines and fruit orchards were grown around Ta'if, and this is how the city earned its title "the Garden of the Hejaz." Both Ta'if and Mecca were resorts of pilgrimage. Ta'if was more pleasantly situated than Mecca itself, and their people of Ta'if had close trading relations. The people of Ta'if carried on agriculture and fruit‑growing in addition to their trade activities. In

3003-452: The conquest of Mecca, and the other two thousand were from amongst Quraysh, who had embraced Islam recently. The command of this group rested with Abu Sufyan. In those days such an army was hardly found anywhere and this numerical strength of theirs became the cause of their initial defeat. It was because, contrary to the past, they prided themselves on the large number of their soldiers and ignored military tactics. When Muslim soldiers including

3080-533: The conversion of the city to Islam . The idol of Lāt was destroyed along with all other signs of the city's pagan past. The city then went through many exchanges-of-power, but most of the action within these conflicts took place between Makkah and Medina, and Ta'if dwindled in importance in contrast to the two holy cities. On 17 July 1517, the Sharif of Mecca capitulated to the Ottoman Sultan Selim I . As

3157-454: The cultivation of roses , which were traded throughout Central Asia and Transoxiana . Ta'if's modern economy is still mostly dependent on agriculture and perfumes , but an increasing diversification project has been taking place in order to combat the city's heavy dependence on these two industries. The distilled rose oil from the Rosa × damascena plant has been traditionally used as an attar in

Taif - Misplaced Pages Continue

3234-556: The early 7th century C.E. , Muhammad , who was born in Makkah, preached Islam to the inhabitants of Mecca and the Hijaz, and encountered resistance from many of the people there. In 630, a battle took place at Hunayn , close to the city. Shortly after that, the unsuccessful siege of Ta'if took place. The city was assaulted by catapults from Banu Daus , but it repelled the attacks. The Battle of Tabuk in 631 left Tā'if completely isolated, so members of Thaqīf arrived in Makkah to negotiate

3311-451: The eldest son of the Hashemite leader and Sharif of Mecca, Husayn ibn Ali , came with seventy men to Tā'if. Whilst his activities in the area aroused the suspicion of Ahmed Bey, Ghalib Pasha was unconcerned by so small a force. Abdullah secretly built up his army to 5,000 men. He then cut the telegraph wires to the city and took the offensive. All Hashemite assaults on the city were repelled by

3388-420: The enemy began to retreat in utter confusion, according to the Muslim scholar Safi-ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri After the enemy was defeated. About seventy men of Thaqif alone were killed, and the Muslims captured all their riding camels, weapons and cattle. The Quran verse 9:25 was also revealed in this event according to Muslim scholars: Indeed Allah has given you ˹believers˺ victory on many battlefields, even at

3465-451: The iconic Highway 15 (Taif – Al-Hada Road). It stands out from the rest of the Hijazi region as it is a city that plays an active role in the agricultural output of Saudi Arabia and is the center of an agricultural area known for its cultivation of grapes , pomegranate, figs, roses and honey . Taif is also very active in the manufacturing of traditional attar , and is known locally as "City of

3542-465: The intense battlefield sitting on his ride and prayed to Allah to send help and called his people to return to the battlefield. He said "I am the Messenger of Allah. I am Muhammad, the son of Abdullah." Later Muslims' returned to the battlefield. Muhammad, then picking up a handful of earth, hurled it at the faces of their enemies while saying: "May your faces be shameful." Their eyes were thick with dust and

3619-429: The largest and best known of the pre-Islamic souks . The souq was a scene of annual social, political and commercial gatherings. It was also the location of competitive recitation of poetry and prose. The buildings remain, including prominent outlines of walls of basaltic stone. Wadi Mitna is a wadi believed to be the location where Muhammad sought refuge from the tribes of Hawazin and Thaqif in 619 AD, after he

3696-446: The latter of which is the basis of the word Ṭawāf ( طَوَاف ), which literally translates to "circulation" or "circumambulation", and is used in the context of the circumambulation of the Kaaba . Taʾif was given this name due to the wall that was built by the tribe of Banu Thaqif that circulated the city. In short, the city of Taʾif literally means the circulated or encircled city. In

3773-486: The mountain guns, and both sides settled down to an uneasy siege. However, Hashemite guns were slowly brought up to Tā'if, and then the city held out a little longer; before finally surrendering on 22 September. The city thus later became a part of the self-proclaimed Hashemite Kingdom of Hejaz . Ta'if did not remain in Hashemite hands for very long. Tensions between the King of the Hejaz, Husayn ibn Ali, and Abdulaziz al-Saud ,

3850-519: The new Meccan converts who saw their own large numbers they said: "We shan't at all be defeated, because our soldiers far outnumber those of the enemy. The Hawazin and their allies, the Thaqif, began including their forces when they learned from spies that The Prophet Muhammad and his army had departed from Medina to begin an assault on Mecca. The confederates apparently hoped to attack the Muslim army while it besieged Mecca. The Prophet Muhammad, however, uncovered their intentions through his own spies in

3927-506: The news of what had happened in Ta'if had reached the Meccans, and Abu Jahl , one of the Quraysh chiefs, said: “They did not allow him to enter Ta'if, so let us deny him entry to Mecca as well.” Muhammad then rested for the night in a valley called Nakhla , where he was reported to have won converts from some jinns who heard him recite the Qur'an . When Muhammad approached Mecca, realizing that he

SECTION 50

#1732852012761

4004-563: The protector of the holy cities. The Ottoman sultan, Mahmud II , called upon the Wali of Egypt , Muhammad Ali , who launched an attack on the Hejaz and reconquered Ta'if in 1813. In 1813, the Swiss traveler and orientalist Johann Ludwig Burckhardt visited Ta'if and left an eyewitness account of the city just after its recapture by the Muhammad Ali, with whom he obtained several interviews while he

4081-487: The region completely. The only major highway in the Saudi Arabian network to pass through Ta'if is Highway 15 (known to locals as the Taif – Al-Hada Road) which arrives from Mecca in the west, bends around the mountains through Al-Hada, passes through the center of Ta'if, and travels to Abha and Khamis Mushait via Baha and Baljurashi . Ta'if is connected to Highway 40 via Highway 267 and Highway 287. Highway 267 forms

4158-462: The remains of Abdullah ibn Abbas , a cousin and companion of Muhammad . Another mosque  [ ar ] ( 21°15′27.65″N 40°23′27.37″E  /  21.2576806°N 40.3909361°E  / 21.2576806; 40.3909361 ) is named after Addas , an Iraqi Christian who embraced Islam after meeting Muhammad. Located 40 km (25 mi) north of Ta'if is the site of the Souk 'Okaz ,

4235-597: The role as the hero of Meccans by facing their Bedouin arch-enemies, the Hawazins and the Thaqifs of the city of Al-Ta'if. The event is mentioned in the Hadith collection Sahih Bukhari as follows: We set out in the company of Allah's Messenger on the day (of the battle) of Hunain. When we faced the enemy, the Muslims retreated and I saw a pagan throwing himself over a Muslim. I turned around and came upon him from behind and hit him on

4312-499: The shoulder with the sword He (i.e. the pagan) came towards me and seized me so violently that I felt as if it were death itself, but death overtook him and he released me. I followed `Umar bin Al Khattab and asked (him), "What is wrong with the people (fleeing)?" He replied, "This is the Will of Allah," After the people returned, the Prophet sat and said, "Anyone who has killed an enemy and has

4389-520: The slopes of the higher and cooler mountains on the way to Yemen . The hills used to be visited by the higher classes and dignitaries of Mecca to spend their summer months. Three brothers of the Banu Thaqif , namely Habib, Mas'ud and Abd Yalayl were the main chiefs and leaders of the city at that time. Upon Muhammad’s arrival, he invited them to convert to his new religion of Islam and asked for their help and protection in his fight against his own tribe,

4466-476: The trade route to Al-Hirah in Iraq . The Hawazins were allied with the Thaqifs, which had settled in Ta'if, a town south-east of Mecca whose trade routes ran through Hawazin territory. The alliance had engaged in several wars probably concerning trade routes between Ta'if and Mecca. Given this history they saw Muhammad as another powerful Quraishi leader who had come to lead his people. They thought among themselves that

4543-482: The tribes of pre-Islamic Arabia . People from around the peninsula would come to visit the idol of the goddess Lat . This is proof that Ta'if has long been a historic center for trade and the arts in the Arabian Peninsula ; contemporary theaters in the area include the 'Okaz Market Theater and the recently opened King 'Abdullah Park Theater. A performing arts theater is also located in the nearby town of Qia and

4620-451: The truth." So, Allah's Messenger gave the spoils to me. I sold that armor (i.e. the spoils) and with its price I bought a garden at Bani Salima, and this was my first property which I gained after my conversion to Islam. The event is also in Imam Maliks Al-Muwatta as follows: Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that al-Qasim ibn Muhammad said that he had heard a man asking ibn Abbas about booty. Ibn Abbas said, "Horses are part of

4697-408: The unofficial summer capital of Saudi Arabia and has also been called the best summer destination in Saudi Arabia as it enjoys a moderate weather during summer, unlike most of the Arabian Peninsula . The city owes its popularity among tourists to its many mountain resorts and moderate climate, even during the harsh summers of Arabia. The city is connected to the nearby resort town of Al-Hada via

SECTION 60

#1732852012761

4774-414: The valley and lurk for the Muslims on roads, entrances, and narrow hiding places. His orders to his men were to hurl stones at Muslims whenever they caught sight of them and then to make one-man attacks against them. When Muslims started camping, arrows began showering intensely at them. Their enemy's battalions started a fierce attack against the Muslims, who had to retreat in disorder and utter confusion. It

4851-474: The western part of the Ta'if beltway, but then continues southward toward Ash-Shafa , bypassing Mecca by using a longer route and gives access to Highway 304, Highway 301, Highway 40 and Highway 290 via Highway 298. Ta'if is served by the Taif International Airport . It was scheduled to open in 2020, but this had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The new airport is mainly designed to cater to pilgrims of Hajj and ' Umrah , and to relieve pressure off

4928-419: The year 619 he lost his wealthy wife Khadija and his guardian Abu Talib who both died in that year, making his condition even more hopeless. So he went to Ta’if to try to establish himself in the city. At that time, Ta'if was about two or three days' journey from Mecca . The climate of the city was relatively more pleasant than that of Mecca, and it was full of fertile gardens and orchards. It lies on

5005-474: Was Rabi'ah b. Rufaya al-Sulami. He then struck him with his sword, but to no effect. Thereupon Durayd said, "What a poor weapon your mother has armed you with! Take this sword of mine that is at the rear of the saddle in the howdah and strike me with it above the spine but below the brain, for I used to slay men in that way. Then when you go to your mother, tell her you killed Durayd b. al-Simmah. By God, how many times I protected your women.[Tabari, The Last Years of

5082-557: Was a conflict between the Muslims of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the tribe of Qays in the aftermath of the conquest of Mecca . The battle took place in 8 AH ( c.  630 ) in the Hunayn valley on the route from Mecca to Taif . The battle ultimately ended in a decisive victory for the Muslims, and it is one of the few battles mentioned by name in the Qur'an , where it appears in Surat at-Tawbah . The Hawazins had been long-standing enemies of Meccans. They were located north-east of Mecca and their territory sat beside

5159-400: Was a fort located near the Souk 'Okaz , many battles have been fought here and many prominent graves can be found, though only a small part of the original fort remains. Legend has it that Lawrence of Arabia also fought here. The Badawi Fortress is located in the southern reaches of East Ta'if. Due to Ta'if's location in the mountains, most major highways either bend around the city or avoid

5236-545: Was an Arabic poet and a man of wisdom from the Banu 'Adwan tribe that historically lived in the northern parts of Ta'if. Furthermore, Banu Thabit are people descended from Thabit and the tribe is originally part of Hawazin clan. Pre-Islamic leaders of Banu Thaqif During the pre-Islamic era, the city was populated by the tribe of Thaqif. The city had then the following chieftains: Other important Islamic figures Monarchs and royals Others Muhammad%27s visit to Ta%27if The Islamic prophet Muhammad went to

5313-459: Was an old man and killed him. Durayd was an important asset of the pagan forces due to his great number of experiences in battle and knowledge of terrain and war tactics. This is mentioned by the Muslim jurist Tabari as follows: The Messenger of God's cavalry followed those who went to Nakhlah , but not those who took to the narrow passes. Rabia b. Rufay' b. Uhban b. Tha'labah b. Rabi'ah b. Yarbu' b. Sammal119 b. 'Awf b. Imr al- [1666] Qays, who

5390-462: Was built in 1869, and a post office was established sometime later. Prior to the Arab Revolt , Ahmed Bey had been made the commander of Ottoman forces in Tā'if. He had under him a force of 3,000 soldiers and 10 pieces of mountain artillery . Ghalib Pasha, the governor of the Hejaz was also present in the city. In 1916, the Hashemites launched their revolt against the Ottoman Empire in Mecca in June. That city had fallen and then in July, Abdullah ,

5467-479: Was called Ibn Ladh'ah after his mother, overtook Durayd b. al-Simmah and seized his camel by its halter, thinking that he was a woman because he was in a howdah. But lo, it was a man. He made the camel kneel down beside him and [found that] the man was very old. He was Durayd b. al-Simmah, [but] the young man did not know him. Durayd asked him what he wanted to do with him. The young man replied that he wanted to kill him. Durayd asked him who he was, and he replied that he

5544-462: Was later to die in the city on 9 November 1953, as did King Khalid on 13 June 1982. Ta'if was still little more than a medieval city when the Saudis took control of it. However, they later embarked on a project of modernizing the city. Saudi Arabia's first public power generator was set up in Ta'if in the late 1940s. In terms of building roads to the isolated city, in 1965 the then King Faisal inaugurated

5621-459: Was not allowed to enter, he asked a passing horseman to send a message to Akhnas ibn Shariq , who was a clansman from his mother's clan, to extend his protection to him so that he could enter safely. But Akhnas refused on the grounds that he was only a confederate of the house of the Quraysh. Muhammad then sent a message to Suhayl ibn Amr , who also refused on tribal principle. In the end, Muhammad sent

5698-498: Was notorious for asking foolish questions." Yahya said that Malik was asked whether someone who killed one of the enemy could keep the man's effects without the permission of the Imam. He said, "No one can do that without the permission of the Imam. Only the Imam can make ijtihad. I have not heard that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ever said, 'Whoever kills someone can have his effects,' on any other day than

5775-502: Was stoned by the tribes. He was later given sanctuary by his fellows in a small house, which has now been converted into a mosque . Shubra Palace is the regional museum of Ta'if, housed in a building built around 1900, which served as Ibn Saud 's lodging in the 1930s, and was also used as the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of Saudi Arabia during King Faisal 's reign. The Turkish Fort

5852-413: Was there. Burckhardt reported that the wall and ditch around the city had been built by Othman el-Medhayfe. There were three gates and several towers on the city walls, which, however, were weak, being in some places only 45 cm (18 in) thick. Burckhardt stated that the castle had been built by Sharif Ghalib ibn Musa'id . He noted the destruction of the city caused by the conquest of 1802. Most of

5929-676: Was used for communication with Kuwait during the Iraqi occupation . The entirety of the Ta'if governorate is situated on a raised valley surrounded by the Hejaz Mountains (part of the Sarat mountains ) to the west and south. The city is situated at an elevation of 1,879 m (6,165 ft) above mean sea level . For comparison, the surrounding mountains which separate Ta'if from nearby villages such as Al-Hada and Ash-Shafa , range in height anywhere from 2,000–3,500 m (6,600–11,500 ft). Ta'if

#760239