Transformation of Mecca and Its Heritage

They demolished Abu Bakr's house to build a Hilton Hotel.

They turned Lady Khadija's house into public restrooms.

How is Mecca turning into Las Vegas?

The Hajj is one of Islam's five pillars, and is obligatory for

those who are able to undertake it. Muslims hope that walking

in the footsteps of Prophet Abraham and his family, and reliving

their ordeal, purifies them of all their sins. In the past,

the Hajj was for everyone, but not everyone could

undertake it. Before the mid-1950s, the number of pilgrims from abroad

rarely exceeded one hundred thousand. Today, however,

thanks to major advances in modern transportation

and the ongoing expansions carried out by the Saudi government,

Mecca can accommodate as many as three million pilgrims.

As the numbers rise, so does the reward. On the other

side, profits rise. In the past, everyone was

equal in dress, food, and the hardships of the journey,

but today there is a five-star Hajj, with no need

for hardship, everything is taken care of.

There is no need to go down to the Grand Mosque for congregational prayer, a fatwa

A small one will grant you the reward of praying in congregation in your room,

and if you hold a high-ranking position, you and

all the members of your personal entourage will perform Hajj, along with a huge

group of Saudi guards. That does not seem like

a major problem, leaders need protection,

and the rich have the right to enjoy their wealth. The major

problem is that Mecca is no longer the Mecca

your grandfather knew. Ninety-five percent of the

holy city's landmarks have been completely removed

over the past two decades. Lady Khadija's house

was demolished, and 1,400 public toilets and ablution facilities were built over it.

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq's house was replaced by

a Hilton hotel. The historic Ajyad Fortress, listed as

UNESCO heritage, was demolished and replaced with the giant

Mecca Clock Tower. The house where the Prophet

of Islam, Muhammad, was born became a livestock

market, then a public library that people are forbidden from entering. The historic columns

dating back to the Abbasid era inside the Grand Mosque

were also demolished.

Mecca today resembles Las Vegas in its luxurious architecture

and its high prices, a night you want to spend in the Clock Tower

overlooking the ruins of the Kaaba will cost you nearly

five thousand dollars during Hajj season.

Best of all, it neglects spirituality.

Saudi Arabia says its urban transformations aim to turn

Mecca into a smart city. While a logical question comes to mind

about the connection between intelligence and demolishing

heritage, we will discover something important, indeed something dangerous.

This city is called Diriyah, and it was the capital of the

first Saudi state, which fell in

1818 at the hands of the

Ottoman army. Today, the Saudi state is restoring

this city's heritage intelligently and in accordance

with UNESCO regulations. It will restore the buildings and palaces

of the early statesmen,

and a museum will be established there. UNESCO standards recognize

Diriyah, but they do not recognize Mecca, where

senior Saudi scholars issued religious decrees permitting the demolition of

the graves of some of the Prophet's companions, on the pretext of combating heresy,

polytheism, and grave worship. UNESCO standards

Turkey's warnings and anger did not prevent Saudi Arabia from demolishing

the Ajyad Fortress, part of Ottoman heritage.

The Kingdom preserves the ruling family's heritage

while demolishing heritage cherished by Muslims

and turning the land of their religious qibla into

a huge Western-style hotel complex, where the Holy

Kaaba almost disappears among the towering

buildings. The famous Arab proverb says, "The people

of Mecca know its mountain passes best," if

those passes remain in the first place.