The Siege of Mecca
by: Yaroslav Trofimov
Published by: Anchor Books
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Reviewed by Muhammed Hassanali
On November 20, 1979, as the new century dawned in the Muslim calendar, Juhaman and his men seized Islam’s holiest shrine, the Grand Mosque in Mecca. While the book’s main focus is those few days when the Grand Mosque was under siege, it also provides background on the events that lead Juhaman to capture the mosque, how the Saudi royal family reacted, and the percussion of events that resulted from the assumptions and incomplete information that resulted from the siege.
In 1979 the United States was preoccupied with the Iranian hostage crises, and some took the simplistic view that Shias are terrorists and hence Sunnis must be moderate (without looking at the striking differences within these divisions). While the Iranian Revolution was gaining momentum in Iran, in Saudi Arabia an extreme Sunni brand of Islam (Wahhabism) was gaining followers. This was led by Juhaman who decried the moral laxity of the kingdom and called for reforms. He went as far as to advocate the overthrow of the Saudi royal family, and his movement culminated in seizing the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
Some thought Iran was behind the capture and others though it was the United States. The speculation provoked attacks against U.S. embassies in the Middle East, and a Shia uprising in Saudi Arabia. The news blockade prompted reporters to pepper Saudi officials with questions and other countries to question the stability of the Saudi government. At the same time, the Saudi royal family was trying to regain control of the Grand Mosque without defiling sacred structures. Control of the mosque was only regained after covert French help. The epilogue traces how the siege was one of the events that resulted in fostering Al Qaeda.
The book is written for an audience not familiar with Middle Eastern sensibilities. Political and religious norms are explained where needed without delving into unnecessary details. The writing style is fluid and easy to read. Instead of a thesis on politics or religion, this book reads more like a thriller, but does not skim on accuracy. The reader is encouraged to read chapter notes that explain how information for this book was obtained – and just that section is well worth the price of the book.
Armchair Interview Says: Excellent narrative on an event with far-reaching consequences.
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