Cradle of Islam

"In 1932 the Al Saud family incorporated the Kingdom of the Hijaz into the new Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Hijazis became a people without a country of their own, who nonetheless have since retained a separate cultural consciousness. Cradle of Islam focuses on contemporary Hijazi life and culture, made subservient to the dominant national rules of Saudi Arabia, as dictated by a political and religious elite rooted in the central Najd region of the country." "Cradle of Islam is the product of in-depth research in Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Taif and other parts of the Hijaz. It documents the Hijazi urban elites' resistance of the Saudi national project. Set in their historical context, accounts of Hijazis' everyday life reveal their response against 'Najdification'. The Hijazis express their identity by establishing clear cultural boundaries to distinguish themselves as specifically Hijazis." "Cradle of Islam is based on an insider's account of the hidden world of the Hijazi. In a climate of increasing interest in Saudi Arabia, this original book makes a crucial contribution to a better understanding of the dilemmas facing the Saudi state."--Jacket.