Qarmatian Invasion of the Sacred City

The Qarmatians, an Islamic sect, captured Mecca, disrupting the annual Hajj pilgrimage. They desecrated the Kaaba, stole the Black Stone, and carried it to their base in Eastern Arabia. The raid was a significant challenge to the authority of the Abbasid Caliphate, highlighting internal divisions within the Islamic community. This bold act aimed to assert the Qarmatians' religious and political power in the region.