Transformation of Mecca and Its Heritage

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

and turned Lady Khadija's house into public toilets.

How did Mecca become Las Vegas?

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

those who are able to undertake it. Muslims believe that following

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

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

Hajj was for everyone, but not everyone could afford

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

abroad rarely exceeded one hundred thousand. Today,

thanks to the great advances in modern transport and the

ongoing expansions carried out by the Saudi government,

Mecca can accommodate up to three million pilgrims. The

number grows, so does the reward, and on the other side,

profits grow. In the past, everyone was

equal in clothing, food, and the hardship of the journey.

Today, there is five-star Hajj, with no need

for hardship, everything is at your service.

There is no need to go to the Grand Mosque for congregational prayer.

A small fatwa will grant you the reward of praying in congregation in your room.

And if you are among those in high positions, you will perform Hajj, you

and all members of your personal entourage, along with a huge

group of Saudi guards. That does not seem to be a major problem,

because leaders need protection, and the wealthy have the right

to enjoy their money. The major problem

lies in the fact 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 were built on top of it

and the counter. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq's house was replaced by

a Hilton hotel. The historic Ajyad Fortress, listed as

UNESCO heritage, was demolished, and in its place the giant

Mecca Clock Tower was built. The house where the Prophet

of Islam, Muhammad, was born was turned into a livestock

market, then into a public library that people are forbidden

to enter. 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 with their high prices, a night spent in the Clock

Tower overlooking the ruins of the Kaaba will cost nearly

five thousand dollars during Hajj season.

Best of all, it erodes spirituality.

Saudi Arabia says the urban transformations aim to transform

Mecca into a smart city. And while a logical question

about the link between intelligence and demolishing

heritage comes to mind, we will discover something important, even 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 state leaders,

and a museum will be built there. UNESCO's standards

recognize Diriyah, but they do not recognize Mecca, where

religious rulings were issued by senior Saudi scholars permitting

the demolition of the graves of some Companions there, on the pretext of combating heresy

and polytheism and the worship of graves. UNESCO's standards

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

the Ajyad Fortress, part of Ottoman heritage.

If the Kingdom preserves the ruling family's heritage

while demolishing heritage Muslims cherish,

and turns the land of their religious Qibla into

a huge Western-style hotel complex, the sacred Kaaba

almost disappears among the skyscrapers.

The famous Arab proverb says, “The people of Mecca know its mountain passes best,

if those mountain passes remain

at all.”