Makkah’s First Photographer

Abdulghaffar Albaghdadi Almakki (d. AH 1320/1902 CE) is the earliest recorded photographer from Makkah al-Mukarramah and the first resident to capture images of the holy city. Between AH 1303-1306/ 1886-1889 CE, Abdulghaffar produced over 250 photographs, documenting the sacred landscape of Makkah, its inhabitants, and pilgrims performing the Hajj. In addition to his skill as a photographer, he was a multi-talented individual—a dentist, watchmaker, and goldsmith, who also excelled as an ophthalmologist, performing complex eye surgeries.

The surviving body of Abdulghaffar’s photography consists of material sent to the Dutch scholar, photographer, and colonial officer, Snouck Hurgronje. Some of Abdulghaffar’s photographs were published alongside Snouck’s images in two publications, Bilder-Atlas zu Mekka (AH 1305/1888 CE) and Bilder aus Mekka (AH 1306/1889 CE). 

Snouck encountered Abdulghaffar when he arrived in Makkah in Rabi’ al-Thani 1302/February 1885 CE. Abdulghaffar was already operating his own photographic studio, and showed interest in the different photographic techniques Snouck could teach him. What initially appeared to be a productive collaboration eventually turned sour. After leaving the Arabian Peninsula, Snouck manipulated Abdulghaffar to continue photographing subjects for his ethnographic studies: he promised that portrait photography would bring financial gain. 

Between AH 1303 and 1306/1886 and 1889 CE Abdulghaffar sent over 250 prints to Snouck. Controversially, Snouck altered the photos by removing their original backgrounds before publishing them, and, more importantly, he eliminated any Arabic text written on them. These included Abdulghaffar’s distinctive signature “Tabib bi-Makkah (A Doctor in Makkah), Abdulghaffar”. In Makkah scholars and calligraphers typically used more modest terms to introduce themselves, and Abdulghaffar’s practice was perhaps his way of asserting ownership over his creations. 

Snouck effectively plagiarized Abdulghaffar’s photographs, appropriating them as his own. His publications fail to mention Abdulghaffar by name, and merely refer to a “doctor in Makkah”. Abdulghaffar’s importance as the first native photographer in Makkah is at last becoming recognized.