A Master’s thesis titled “The Image of Mecca in Orientalist Travel Literature” was discussed at the College of Islamic Sciences, University of Karbala, by the student Aya Abbas Fuad Muslim. The defense took place in the Imam Hussein Hall at the college.

The research aims to explore the image of Mecca through the journeys of three orientalists from diverse European backgrounds: Arthur John Wavell (English), Léon Roch (French), and Leopold Weiss (German). Their writings about the Islamic East, particularly Mecca, are significant as they mirror how we, as Muslims, are viewed through the lens of these different observers. The study delves into the fertile dimensions and patterns of Mecca’s image presented by these three individuals, conveying these aspects to the Arab reader. It emphasizes that travel literature is a cultural discourse that raises issues and ideas related to relationships with others, whether similar or different, and focuses on intercultural communication and its challenges among diverse nations and peoples.

The committee for the thesis defense included the following members:

• Professor Dr. Rafel Hassan Taha from the University of Karbala, College of Education for Human Sciences, Chairman.
• Assistant Professor Dr. Muthanna Abdul Rasul Maghayir from the University of Babylon, College of Islamic Sciences, Member.
• Assistant Professor Dr. Safaa Hussein Latif from the University of Karbala, College of Islamic Sciences, Member.
• Professor Dr. Ali Mohammad Yassin from the University of Karbala, College of Islamic Sciences, Member and Supervisor.