As the Hajj begins, the destruction of Mecca's heritage continues

[Yzd Khalifa]

Mr hajj is compulsory and these excuses don't have any value if you are Muslim and have money you have too make hajj help poor through other means you will not find god sitting somewhere Mr

Pakistan is the only country which always gets the lion share in Hajjs, and Ummrah.

Hypocrites are funny Zary don't you think?

 

[W.11]

Look how radical and fanatic this guy really is And people call us Takifists

im a fanatic by calling all muslims as muslims and not just arabs, and that islam isn't owned by Arabs?

you guys are really extreme, so you mean to say im a kaafir, only an arab can be a real muslim others are just kaafirs, wajib ul katal pretending to be muslims?

 

[al-Hasani]

@al-Hasani @Yzd Khalifa - No Youtube in Pakistan....what supposed heresies were they committing ?

How to explain it. Shias demonstrating/shouting/gathering while shouting heresies, political slogans and annoying other pilgrims performing hajj. 6 minutes of changing the name of Ali (as), Hussein (as) but not once the mention of Allah (swt). Last part of the video is Iranian Mullah's comparing/equaling Ali (as) with Allah (SWT) and teaching the masses un-Islamic things. You have to watch it yourself somehow.

Goes totally against the spirit of the hajj. Causing unnecessary divisions during hajj of all places.

Pakistan really need to lift the ban on Youtube btw. Or at least censor it partially instead of banning it all.

 

[Armstrong]

Iranian Shias making noise as always. Their Gov't knows that if the trigger is pulled things will get ugly.

What kind of noise ?

What are they saying or doing thats objectionable ?

im a fanatic by calling all muslims as muslims and not just arabs, and that islam isn't owned by Arabs?

you guys are really extreme, so you mean to say im a kaafir, only an arab can be a real muslim others are just kaafirs, wajib ul katal pretending to be muslims?

Holy Crap, where did you pull that one out ?

Where did either of them even imply that let alone say that explicitly !

 

[W.11]

Pakistan is the only country which always gets the lion share in Hajjs, and Ummrah.

Hypocrites are funny Zary don't you think?

you give them visas, its not Pakistan's fault, stop granting them hajj permits and visas simple, its not like you give the best hospitality, best offers, free isas, free rides or anything

in turn they return as wahabis

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

im a fanatic by calling all muslims as muslims and not just arabs, and that islam isn't owned by Arabs?

you guys are really extreme, so you mean to say im a kaafir, only an arab can be a real muslim others are just kaafirs, wajib ul katal pretending to be muslims?

im a fanatic by calling all muslims as muslims and not just arabs

First of all, I never claimed that Islam is owned by Arabs whatsoever, and I don't appreciate putting a word like this in my mouth. Secondly, you are demonizing a whole broad base of human being just to make inexcusable racial profiling. Personally, I don't tend to look to people on racial basis or cultural or religious.


No, I never said you are, once again, re-read my post carefully, you can tell who called whom an infidel.

you guys are really extreme, so you mean to say im a kaafir, only an arab can be a real muslim others are just kaafirs, wajib ul katal pretending to be muslims?

Who said the only Muslims must be Arabs? I never said such thing. You may need to schedule an appt with a psych to check you out.

Statistically, Arabs are nothing compared to other Muslim ethnic groups including your great nation.

 

[HAIDER]

It's all about the money! It's called 'religious tourism'. Never mind if the Muslims' holiest abode goes to seed.

Is there any Muslim country in the world that dares to confront the House of Saud to stop this gross exploitation in the name of religion? Nope! And that's the tragedy!

My few friends went to Omra and showed me picture of their trip....I was literally surprise ...they went to mecca or some tourism spot.....Its all like concrete jungle in and around with lots of luxury .......picture shoot from top floor and can see the kabaa a little box .... a view from air condition room ....

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

Here we go again -_-

you give them visas, its not Pakistan's fault

Who said it's Pakistan's? .-. You are 1 out of tens of millions of our closet friend, your opinion makes no difference to me how harsh it may seem.

you give them visas, its not Pakistan's fault, stop granting them hajj permits and visas simple, its not like you give the best hospitality, best offers, free isas, free rides or anything

You may need to talk to Pakistani members here living in Saudia or used to live such as @salman108 @Pakistanisage @BATMAN

in turn they return as wahabis

LoLz. Pakistan has the same DNA as Saudia's

you give them visas, its not Pakistan's fault, stop granting them hajj permits and visas simple, its not like you give the best hospitality, best offers, free isas, free rides or anything

in turn they return as wahabis

 

[jaibi]

I don't think the word 'heritage' exists in the Saudi vocabulary.

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

Sect slogans, calling upon the basement dude, and trying to provoke other sects.

What kind of noise ?

What are they saying or doing thats objectionable ?

I don't think the word 'heritage' exists in the Saudi vocabulary.

Because we are so evil.

 

[jaibi]

No, sir, because your government does not respect history. It's a fact.

Because we are so evil.

@Yzd Khalifa

I do not know in what context you said that Pakistanis and Saudis share the same DNA but it's completely false.

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

No, sir, because your government does not respect history. It's a fact.

Most of the things being demolished are in no way related to the kind of heritage and history your mind is suggesting.

You may also add that to being evil. After all, loud voices never stopped demanding to let more people in.

My few friends went to Omra and showed me picture of their trip....I was literally surprise ...they went to mecca or some tourism spot.....Its all like concrete jungle in and around with lots of luxury .......picture shoot from top floor and can see the kabaa a little box .... a view from air condition room ....

Fine, but no shrines.

 

[W.11]

Here we go again -_-



Who said it's Pakistan's? .-. You are 1 out of tens of millions of our closet friend, your opinion makes no difference to me how harsh it may seem.



You may need to talk to Pakistani members here living in Saudia or used to live such as @salman108 @Pakistanisage @BATMAN



LoLz. Pakistan has the same DNA as Saudia's

i have nothing against common saudis saudis and they maybe nice people sweet talkers too but

there is no friendship in world politics, only mutual interests, saudis interests are american interests and american interests are in Pakistan

as soon as that interest is gone, the two countries will be far apart as they never were

you called me safavud for god knows what reason i don't love iranians i don't care about them either so i don't know why you brought iran here

 

[jaibi]

Well, that's not what has been reported, if you insist that all reports have been false I would welcome evidence to the buildings that have been demolished and why, given your governement does not deem a freer media fit for her people.

Heritage is anything tangible tied to History in an important way, in that case your government has been demolishing such sites for various reasons including an expansion of business (tourism) that is not justified.

The 'history' I have in mind is history, sir, I would not even voice my religious views to you as they would offend you, I am sure of that, let's stick to civics.

I did not label you evil, if you insist on it, take the title but please do not put words in my mouth that originate from yours.

Most of the things being demolished are in no way related to the kind of heritage and history your mind is suggesting.

You may also add that to being evil. After all, loud voices never stopped demanding to let more people in.

 

[HAIDER]

The photos Saudi Arabia doesn't want seen – and proof Islam's most holy relics are being demolished in Mecca
Archaeologists fear billion-pound development has led to destruction of key historical sites

The authorities in Saudi Arabia have begun dismantling some of the oldest sections of Islam’s most important mosque as part of a highly controversial multi-billion pound expansion.

Photographs obtained by The Independent reveal how workers with drills and mechanical diggers have started demolishing some Ottoman and Abbasid sections on the eastern side of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca.

The building, which is also known as the Grand Mosque, is the holiest site in Islam because it contains the Kaaba – the point to which all Muslims face when praying. The columns are the last remaining sections of the mosque which date back more than a few hundred years and form the inner perimeter on the outskirts of the white marble floor surrounding the Kaaba.

The new photos, taken over the last few weeks, have caused alarm among archaeologists and come as Prince Charles – a long-term supporter of preserving architectural heritage – flew into Saudi Arabia yesterday for a visit with the Duchess of Cornwall. The timing of his tour has been criticised by human rights campaigners after the Saudis shot seven men in public earlier this week despite major concerns about their trial and the fact that some of the men were juveniles at the time of their alleged crimes.

Many of the Ottoman and Abbasid columns in Mecca were inscribed with intricate Arabic calligraphy marking the names of the Prophet Muhammad’s companions and key moments in his life. One column which is believed to have been ripped down is supposed to mark the spot where Muslims believe Muhammad began his heavenly journey on a winged horse, which took him to Jerusalem and heaven in a single night.

To accommodate the ever increasing number of pilgrims heading to the twin holy cities of Mecca and Medina each year the Saudi authorities have embarked upon a massive expansion project. Billions of pounds have been poured in to increase the capacity of the Masjid al-Haram and the Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina which marks where Muhammad is buried. King Abdullah has put the prominent Wahabi cleric and imam of the Grand Mosque, Abdul Rahman al-Sudais, in charge of the expansion while the Saudi Binladin Group – one of the country’s largest firms – has won the construction contract.

While there is little disagreement over the need to expand, critics have accused the Saudi regime of wantonly disregarding the archaeological, historical and cultural heritage of Islam’s two holiest cities. In the last decade Mecca has been transformed from a dusty desert pilgrimage town into a gleaming metropolis of skyscrapers that tower over the Masjid al-Haram and are filled with a myriad of shopping malls, luxury apartments and five star hotels.

But such a transformation has come at a cost. The Washington-based Gulf Institute estimates that 95 per cent of Mecca's millennium-old buildings have been demolished in the past two decades alone. Dozens of key historical sites dating back to the birth of Islam have already been lost and there is a scramble among archaeologists and academics to try and encourage the authorities to preserve what little remains.

Many senior Wahabis are vehemently against the preservation of historical Islamic sites that are linked to the prophet because they believe it encourages shirq – the sin of idol worshipping.

But Dr Irfan al-Alawi, executive director of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation which obtained the new photographs from inside the Grand Mosque, says the removal of the Ottoman and Abbasid columns will leave future generations of Muslims ignorant of their significance.

“It matters because many of these columns signified certain areas of the mosque where the Prophet sat and prayed,” he said. “The historical record is being deleted. A new Muslim would never have a clue because there’s nothing marking these locations now. There are ways you could expand Mecca and Medina while protecting the historical heritage of the mosque itself and the surrounding sites.”

There are signs that King Abdullah has listened to concerns about the historical destruction of Mecca and Medina. Last October The Independent revealed how new plans for the masjid an-Nabawi in Medina would result in the destruction of three of the world’s oldest mosques on the west hand side of the main complex. However new plans approved by King Abdullah last week appear to show a change of heart with the bulk of the expansion now slated to take place to the north of the Masjid an-Nabawi.

However key sites are still at risk. The Independent has obtained a presentation used by the Saudis to illustrate how the expansion of Mecca’s main mosque will look. In one of the slides it is clear that the Bayt al-Mawlid, an area which is believed to be the house where Muhammad was born in, will have to be removed unless plans change.

The Independent asked the Saudi Embassy in London a number of questions about the expansion plans and why more was not being done to preserve key historical sites. They replied: “Thank you for calling, but no comment.”
The photos Saudi Arabia doesn't want seen

Further reading

Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'

Why don't more Muslims speak out against the wanton destruction of Mecca's holy sites?

Medina: Saudis take a bulldozer to Islam's history