This major publication by IRCICA contains reproductions of historical photographs of Makka al-Mukarrama and Madina al-Munawwara selected from the archive of IRCICA, mainly the Yıldız Albums dating from the reign of the Sultan Abdulhamid II (late 19th – early 20th century) and the collection of Fahreddin Pasha, the “Defender of Madina”. The Introduction gives the history of services rendered by Muslim states andpeoples for the protection and maintenance of the holy places, i.e.,- the Ka’ba and Masjid al-Haram in Makka al-Mukarrama, al-Masjid al-Nabawi in al-Madina al-Munawwara, and al-Masjid al-Aqsa in al-Quds al-Sharif. These services include restorations, infrastructure development at the Holy Ka’ba and other sacred places in Makka, in the Prophet’s Mosque and other sacred locations in Madina, arrangements relating to the Hajj, the Surra (gifts and social assistance by the Ottoman Sultans carried to the region by caravans on annual basis), waqfs allocated to the holy cities and monuments, among others. The album is divided into four parts, relating to Makka, Madina, the Surra, and miscellaneous photographs – of adjacent cities, economic life, social activities, personalities, etc. The photographs are accompanied by informative texts in English, Arabic and Turkish. This scholarly album is a valuable addition to the literature on the history of Makka and Madina during the last fourty years of the Ottoman period.
