Hijazi

Hijazi refers to anything associated with the Hijaz, a historic region in the western Arabian Peninsula that includes the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The term is used to describe people, language, culture, and other attributes linked to that area.

Geography and identity: The Hijaz lies along the Red Sea coast and today largely corresponds to parts of western Saudi Arabia, especially the Mecca and Medina regions. Its landscape combines coastal plains with the Hijaz Mountains. Major cities include Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, and Taif. For centuries, the region has been a cultural and commercial crossroads, shaping trade routes, religious life, and cross-cultural exchange.

Language: Hijazi Arabic is the dialect group most closely associated with the region. It comprises several sub-dialects spoken in and around Mecca, Medina, and surrounding areas, and it features phonological and lexical differences from other Arabic varieties. Hijazi Arabic is used in daily communication, media, and literature within the region and among Hijazi communities abroad.

History and culture: The Hijaz holds immense religious significance due to the two holiest sites in Islam. Historically, it was part of the Ottoman Eyalet of Hejaz and later formed the Hashemite Kingdom of Hejaz before being incorporated into the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932. Hijazi culture includes distinctive music, cuisine, hospitality traditions, and social practices that reflect its coastal lineage and pilgrimage heritage.

Etymology and usage: The name al-Hijaz derives from classical Arabic terms referring to the region’s geographic characteristics, often interpreted as a barrier or separating zone between the Najd plateau and the coastal plain. Today, "Hijazi" also appears as a surname or nisba for people from the region.