Culture

Religious significance

A Lady from Jeddah , This photograph was taken in 1873. It shows an example of traditional woman’s clothing of the past.

The vast majority of Jeddans are Sunni Muslims, with a minority of Asian, Western, and Arab Christians^{[citation needed]}. There are also non-Muslim/non-Christian Asians. There are no non-Muslim citizens; while there are Muslims who are not citizens, all non-Muslims are resident expatriate workers. The city has over 1,300 Mosques, and has no Churches, Synagogues, or other types of places of worship; non-Muslims are also strictly not allowed to celebrate their religion in any way openly. However, some Filipino workers report the presence of Churches inside some Gated communities.

Since the 7th Century , Jeddah has hosted millions of Muslim pilgrims from all over the world in their way to Hajj. This merge with pilgrims has also a major impact on the society, religion, and economy of Jeddah.

There is a ban on Alcohol and Narcotics all over the Kingdom. Anyone found to be involved in usage or handling of Alcohol and Narcotics is severely punished under “Saudi Rule Of Law” (which is derived mainly from “Islamic Sharia”).

All business activities and markets are closed (five times a day) during prayer times.

The Court and Justice System of Saudi Arabia follows Islamic Codes.