Centrality of Mecca to the Earth's Landmasses
Prof. Dr. Yehia Waziri
Professor and Head of the Architecture Department at the Institute of Aviation and Scientific Director of the International Center for Scientific Miracles Research
Mecca is the holiest city for Muslims and is described in the Qur'an as "Umm Al-Qura" (Mother of Cities) in two instances. Allah
Almighty says: ﴾And this is a blessed Book which We have revealed, confirming what was before it, that you may warn the Mother of Cities and those around it﴿
(Qur’an: 6: 92)
, and also:
﴾And thus We have revealed to you an Arabic Qur'an that you may warn the Mother of Cities and those around it﴿
(Qur’an :42 :7).
The Centrality of Mecca to the Earth's Landmasses According to Ancient Scholars
In the discussions of ancient scholars about the virtues of Mecca over other cities, it is mentioned that Mecca is situated at the center of the world. Imam Al-Qurtubi says: "Allah's statement:
﴾Thus We have made you a just community﴿
(Qur’an: 2: 143)
means: just as the Kaaba is the center of the Earth, We made you a middle nation, meaning we placed you between prophets and nations. The middle represents justice, and originally the best things are in the middle."
Ibn Attiyah in his exegesis says:
"Umm Al-Qura (Mother of Cities) refers to Mecca for four reasons: it is the birthplace of religion and law, it is narrated that the earth was spread out from it, it is the central point of the Earth and like the dot for villages, and it is the qibla (direction) for every village, making it the mother and other villages its daughters."
Proof of Mecca's Centrality to the Earth's Landmasses
In my research, I relied on precise measurements using the "Google Earth Pro" software, which uses real satellite images of the Earth and allows for accurate real measurements of arc distances and directions between any two points on the Earth's surface.
The results of the measurements indicated that Mecca is centrally located concerning the different boundaries of the known seven continents. When the same measurements were conducted on other important sites and cities, comparative studies showed that none of these locations achieved what Mecca did in terms of centrality.
Conclusion
The centrality of Mecca to the various landmasses is a manifestation of Allah's name "The Just," as He chose the location of the Kaaba in Mecca to be central to the Earth's land. This house was established for all people, as a qibla for prayers and a place for pilgrimage and Umrah, making it the "Qibla of the World."
(*) Yehia Wazeri (2017). Exploring the Significance of Mecca Sacred Mosque Global Location. Journal of Islamic Architecture, 4(3) June 2017, pp.86-92.
