alQura

alQura is a transliteration of the Arabic term al-Qura, a name that appears in several modern uses connected with Mecca and Saudi Arabia. The root qura refers to settlements or villages, and al-Qura literally means “the villages.” The phrase Umm al-Qura, meaning “Mother of Villages,” is a traditional epithet for Mecca and is used in the names of institutions and projects tied to the city.

Umm al-Qura University is a public university located in Mecca. It has its origins in a 20th-century college focused on Sharia and Arabic language studies and later expanded into a full university. The institution is a major center for higher education in the region, offering programs across Islamic studies, humanities, sciences, and professional disciplines. It plays a significant role in religious education, research, and service to the community, with close ties to the religious and civic life of Mecca.

The Umm al-Qura calendar is an official lunisolar system associated with Saudi Arabia. It serves as the civil Islamic calendar used to determine the start of months for government, business, and religious observances. The calendar is based on a tabular scheme that incorporates astronomical calculations, rather than relying solely on physical moon sighting. It is widely used in Saudi government schedules and integrated into many digital calendar applications to mark dates for Ramadan, Hajj, and other Islamic occasions.

In addition to these, al-Qura appears in other place names and institutional titles within the broader Arab and Islamic landscape, reflecting its cultural association with Mecca and the region.