Why did the Ottomans build the Hejaz Railway through Jordan?

The Ottoman Empire constructed the Hejaz Railway through Jordan and other regions primarily as an expression of Sultan Abdülhamid II’s Pan-Islamism. The project served several strategic and religious objectives:

• Facilitating Pilgrimage: The railway was designed to assist Muslims in traveling to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina for the Hajj, strengthening the Sultan’s ties with Muslims both within and beyond the empire.12
• Consolidating Power: By extending the line through Transjordan into northwestern Arabia, the Ottomans aimed to tighten their control over distant provinces that were otherwise difficult to govern.12
• Countering Influence: The project was intended to modernize the empire and counter growing European influence within the Islamic world.2

Despite the significant strain on the state budget, the railway was completed between 1900 and 1908. It successfully spurred economic development along its route before sustaining heavy damage during World War I due to regional revolts and military raids.2