Al Qibla
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- Muḥibb ad-Dīn al-Khaṭīb
- Fuad Al Khatib
| Type | Official newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Founders |
|
| Publisher | Wilāya Press |
| Editor-in-chief |
|
| Founded | 1916 |
| Ceased publication | September 1924 |
| Language | Arabic |
| Headquarters | Mecca |
| Country | Kingdom of Hejaz |
Al Qibla (Arabic: ٱلْقِبْلَة, romanized: al-Qiblah, lit. 'Direction of Mecca') was the official gazette of the Kingdom of Hejaz.[1] The paper was backed by the British. It was in circulation between 1916 and 1924 and headquartered in Mecca.[2] The paper was a four-page broadsheet and published twice a week, on Mondays and on Thursdays.[3]
The slogan of Al Qibla was the following verse taken from Quran:[4]
And We did not make the qibla which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from those who would turn on their heels.
Al Qibla was first published on 15 August 1916, five weeks after the capture of Mecca by Sharif Hussein.[5][6] The founders of the paper were Muhib Al Din Al Khatib and Fuad Al Khatib.[7] They were tasked by the British to start the paper to address the whole Arabic-reading public.[8] It was published by Wilāya Press in Mecca[6] on a semi-weekly basis.[5] Muhib Al Din Al Khatib was also its founding editor-in-chief.[9] Tayeb Al Sassi also served in the post.[3]
Shortly after its start Sharif Hussein became the King of Hejaz, and the coronation ceremony held in October 1916 was fully covered in Al Qibla.[10] The paper featured international news based on the official communiques from Cairo, local news and writings of leading Arabic writers concerning ethical and social virtues.[11] It also published reports from European and other foreign newspapers and periodicals.[11] The British agents in the region helped the distribution of the paper.[12]
Following capture of Hejaz by Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud, founder and later king of Saudi Arabia, Al Qibla was replaced by Umm al Qura.[1][5] Al Qibla folded after the publication of the last issue in September 1924.[6] It produced a total of 852 issues during its lifetime.[5]