Ta'if - Taif 7.19

Ta'if is a city in Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia at an elevation of 1879m on the slopes of Sarawat Mountains . It has a population of 1,200,000 people and is the unofficial summer capital. The city is the center of an agricultural area known for its grapes, pomegranate, figs, roses and honey.EthnographyThe inhabitants of Ta'if are largely made up of Saudi Arabians who are Hanbali and Maliki Sunnis. There are also significant foreign populations, primarily from Asia, Turkey, and other Arab countries that are also present in Ta'if.HistoryEarly historyIn the 6th century the city of Tā'if was dominated by the Banu Thaqif tribe, which still lives in and around the city of Taif today. It has been suggested that Jewish tribes who were displaced by Ethiopian Christians in the Himyarite Kingdom wars settled near Taif.The town is about 100km southeast of Mecca. The walled city was a religious centre as it housed the idol of the goddess Allāt, who was then known as "the lady of Tā'if." Its climate marked the city out from its dry and barren neighbours closer to the Red Sea. Wheat, vines, and fruit were grown around Tā'if and this is how the city earned its title "the Garden of the Hejaz".During the Year of the Elephant, this city was involved in the events.