New Delhi 

Who clicked the first picture of the Kaaba, the holiest of the shrines for Muslims? According to Al-Arabiya, the oldest photo of the Kaaba was taken in 1881 by Muhammad Sadiq Bey.

Muhammad Sadiq Bey was an engineer in the Egyptian army under the Ottoman Empire. He accompanied pilgrims from Egypt on the Hajj pilgrimage as a treasurer. During this journey, he would collect details of the holy sites and document these with photographs.

Photography at that time was not as easy as it is today. The wet plate collodion camera was a complex and sensitive technology. Despite the desert heat, the difficulties of travel, and the limited facilities, Muhammad Sadiq Bey took the historic photograph.

Muhammad Sadiq Bey was not only a military officer but also had a keen interest in science, research and the arts. He had access to the most advanced cameras and photographic equipment of his time. When he set out with the caravan from Medina to Mecca, he had a specific goal in mind. He wanted to preserve a photographic record of the holy pilgrimage and Islamic sites so that future generations could see these historical scenes.

Images of the Holy Kabba by Muhammad Sadiq Bey

 In 1881, he took a historic photograph of the Kaaba, in which its black cover is visible. On this cover, verses from the Quran were engraved in golden letters. This photograph is considered an important milestone in the history of photography as it is the earliest photograph taken in Saudi Arabia.

Muhammad Sadiq Bey was born in Cairo.  His photographs are still a valuable legacy in the field of Islamic history and photography.

It was not just a photograph, but a priceless treasure of history. For the first time, the world saw the holiest place in Islam in a photograph.

Before that, only those who travelled to Mecca were able to catch a glimpse of the Kaaba.

View of Medina and Mount Arafat in 1881

This photograph proved to be a milestone not only in Islamic history but also in the world of photography.

This effort by Muhammad Sadiq Bey became a valuable legacy for future generations.

Even today, when people look at this historical photograph, they feel as if time has stopped and the scene from 160 years ago has come alive before their eyes.

The Haram Sharif and the Kaaba have always been the most important destinations for Muslims in the history of Islam. Some reached it on foot, while others crossed the deserts with a caravan of camels. Later, ships came, and then aeroplanes made travel easier. Technology changed the world, and in this revolution, the camera also created its own world.

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Today, social media is full of pictures and videos of the Kaaba. Pictures taken from every angle attract people. In recent years, an astronaut shared pictures of the Haram Sharif from space and called it the brightest place in the world. In these pictures, the Haram Sharif looked like a unique centre of light amidst the dark earth. But when it comes to the first picture, Muhammad Sadiq's picture will be considered rare.