Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam’s holiest site ‘turning into Vegas’
they could have done it on the outskirts of the city not directly in the center. the entire picture looks so ugly 
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
The mosque does need expansion though. It simply isn't big enough right now to accomodate all the pilgrims and worshippers. Performing umrah is a very difficult task during the busier times of the year. Tawaf can be suffocating. I remember I almost got trampled when I went to perform Tawaf during Hajj a couple of years ago. There simply isn't enough space. While I don't condone the construction of ritzy hotels and towers around Haram at all, I welcome the expansion of Haram. It's sad that historical sites are being lost but you've got to get with the times and accomodate the world's Muslims. And those public toilets underground are meant for worshippers! Where are they supposed to use the bathroom and perform wudu when they visit the mosque? Do you all have any alternate solutions? Where should all the worshippers go? Should they all barred from entering the mosque?
Everyone loves to badmouth Saudi Arabia but I wonder how many other Muslim countries are able accomodate Hajj the way they do? The country may have several faults but mashAllah when it comes to things like these I have no complaint against them. God bless that country =)
EDIT-I hope they don't wipe away the grave site. :O didn't see that
Your logic defy the very reason we are talking about here. If Saudi continue there bullshyt ideology by next 100 years we will only left with Kabbah in Mecca & dome of Prophet (PBUH) in Medina. These dumb idiots already destroy the old maps of graves & markings in Jannat ul Baqee, and hundreds of mosques, Prophet (PBUH) era forts, columns and what else not.
Doing hajj is minor issue compare to the destruction done by these lunatics. By the way Saudi's are not having paid lunches all of these pilgrims add considerable revenue to there economy.
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
The mosque does need expansion though. It simply isn't big enough right now to accomodate all the pilgrims and worshippers. Performing umrah is a very difficult task during the busier times of the year. Tawaf can be suffocating. I remember I almost got trampled when I went to perform Tawaf during Hajj a couple of years ago. There simply isn't enough space. While I don't condone the construction of ritzy hotels and towers around Haram at all, I welcome the expansion of Haram. It's sad that historical sites are being lost but you've got to get with the times and accomodate the world's Muslims. And those public toilets underground are meant for worshippers! Where are they supposed to use the bathroom and perform wudu when they visit the mosque? Do you all have any alternate solutions? Where should all the worshippers go? Should they all barred from entering the mosque?
Everyone loves to badmouth Saudi Arabia but I wonder how many other Muslim countries are able accomodate Hajj the way they do? The country may have several faults but mashAllah when it comes to things like these I have no complaint against them. God bless that country =)
EDIT-I hope they don't wipe away the grave site. :O didn't see that
They could have built a level above and expanded without touching the original sites for mosque expansion, for accommodation, high-rises make sense due to land issues, they could make it a little farther out though. The challenge now is that how do u expand when you have massive hotels in the way?
Building and expanding is fine, but they have to preserve history, how about markers for sites, forget preserving anything but critically important sites, at least mark the sites, move any original material to a museum.
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
Most of the history has already been lost. All that remains now is Hira and Thour.
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
Your logic defy the very reason we are talking about here. If Saudi continue there bullshyt ideology by next 100 years we will only left with Kabbah in Mecca & dome of Prophet (PBUH) in Medina.
Not even. I bet you they'll do something to it, it was in the article.
[quote]
Al-Masjid al-Nawabi*For many years, hardline Wahabi clerics have had their sites set on the 15th century green dome that rests above the tomb holding the Prophet, Abu Bakr and Umar in Medina. The mosque is regarded as the second holiest site in Islam. Wahabis, however, believe marked graves are idolatrous. A pamphlet published in 2007 by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, endorsed by Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, stated that "the green dome shall be demolished and the three graves flattened in the Prophet's Masjid"
[/quote]
*
They'll have to be ready for the world's revolt if it comes down, which is why they never did it in the 1920s. But just wait, I'm sure they'll do something to it during our lifetime.
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam’s holiest site ‘turning into Vegas’
So now you can gamble, drink and whore around in Mecca? Wow. Saudi has really changed or people have never been to vegas. 
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam’s holiest site ‘turning into Vegas’
Vegas is not only for gambling, drinking and whoring around, plenty of which happens in saudi palaces, so get a clue as well.
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
it's sad. and surely they can't change or do anything to Masjid-e-Nabwi. It's a beautiful place and surely they wouldn't demolish or remove the grave markings because that would be downright cruel to our Islamic heritage and history.
It's the mosque that needs expansion. What's the point of buidling skyscrapers and loads of hotels there. It just isn't fair. Makkah is a wonderful city. Please let it be such.
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam’s holiest site ‘turning into Vegas’
good point, the comparison is asinine.
there would be better ways of saying it has become more glitzy or caters more to the rich, or has obnoxious buildings popping up (as anyplace does and as it did even 10-20 years ago. I know, I was there)
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam’s holiest site ‘turning into Vegas’
Islamic heritage is not graves and buildings , Islamic heritage is Quran , Sunnah and Hadith.
Holy Prophet(SAW) himself said that my legacy is Quran and Sunnah if you hold on to it you will never go stray.
Al a Saud have taken this hadith and this philosophy literally and look at them they are Mashallh so blessed in this world. What more can they ask for ? 
Sarcasm is intentional.
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
You won't see Skyscrapers going up in the Vatican. This is so idiotic.
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
You won't see Skyscrapers going up in the Vatican. This is so idiotic.
Pope is not as rich as Al a Saud
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
although in the defense of saudis, vatican does not attract the sheer number of people at one time in the year. the logistics that it takes is massive in magnitude comparatively. The terrain also does not help, and if you have people too far out, the load on any transportation system will be significant. I am aware that the large hotels around do not serve all pilgrims and you still have to deal with the transportation issue.
had I been charged with the task, I would preserve as much of the ancient mecca as possible, building above it. for other parts of the city, I would designate them as the area to build pilgrim residential/commercial places and move the regular population outwards to a new city built outside. That is the only way to have room to expand, provide easy access to pilgrims without having to maintain and run a big transportation service moving pilgrims back and forth etc
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
Maybe the article is exaggerating with the vegas comparisons..
BUT
as i have come to saudia yesterday and read this article almost the very same day, almost everyone i talked to said one similar thing..
'People look at royal clock instinctively when they should be looking at Baitullah'
should be able to post first hand impressions and pictures. but this commercialisation of mecca is pathetic
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
I would love to see Turkey invade Saudi Arabia. March into Riyadh and get rid of the filth (Royals). Remove the authoritarian regime.
Wishful thinking.
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam’s holiest site ‘turning into Vegas’
Oh good. Now Jeddah is like Vegas. Lets not forget Doha, Amman and a few other cities added to it.
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
How is Prophet (pbuh)'s wife's house going to benefit you? Its insignificant in grand scheme of things. The history of lives of his wives and people of that era is well documented, you don't need a mud house to tell you that.
People rather see hundreds and thousands dead in yearly stampedes than see the mosque expand and authorities taking steps to accommodate growing pilgrims.
masjid main tou ye log namaz parte nahi, kabhi naseeb nahi huee, in choti moti darbaaron aur purani hastiyon ke gharon main jaa ke namaz parhna zeada acha lagta hai.
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
Wow.. some reply's just astonished me. No wonder we don't posses any love for culture as a whole Ummah. A quick question, is there any Islamic Heritage museum on the scale of Lourve or BM? Nope its bidat.. kill them brother, yeh kill kill kill.
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
The title is grossly, intently disrespectful.
More appropriate comparison should be like
Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Hong Kong'
Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Shenghai'
Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site '*turning into Singapore '
*
The core purpose of expansion is to facilitate / accommodate ever increasing numbers of pilgrims. The argument that it should be done miles away from holy site does not hold worth because 97.39 % pilgrims don't like the idea at all. Because
- Mostly 80% pilgrims are old/retired/fragile people.
- Mostly pilgrims are not in very good health
Now it 15 million people agree with this project and 84 thousand are against it then they should try to convince the majority first. Historical sites which are already erased and no mention in this essay.
Hazrat Abu bakar's shop and house
Hazrat Usman's house and market
The house of very first martyrs of Islam ( saw in movie the message )
And 64 other important historical places in Islamic history.
Re: Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
^ thanks for already destroyed sites list.
do you wanna wait until they level whatever is left?