The Photos Saudi Arabia Doesn't Want Seen – and Proof Islam's Most Holy Relics Are Being Demolished in Mecca

THE INDEPENDENT: 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 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 the founder of Islam’s life. One column which is believed to have been ripped down is supposed to mark the sport where Muslims believe Muhammad began his heavenly journey on a winged horse which took him to Jerusalem and heaven in a single night. » | Jerome Taylor | Friday, March 15, 2013

WikiLeaks Cables Portray Saudi Arabia as a Cashpoint for Terrorists
THE GUARDIAN: Hillary Clinton memo highlights Gulf states' failure to block funding for groups like al-Qaida, Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba

The terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab walks through the Chatrapathi Sivaji train station in Mumbai during the 2008 attacks. Lashkar-e-Taiba, which carried out the atrocity, is one of several groups that have raised funds via Saudi Arabia. Photograph: The Guardian
Saudi Arabia is the world's largest source of funds for Islamist militant groups such as the Afghan Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba – but the Saudi government is reluctant to stem the flow of money, according to Hillary Clinton.

"More needs to be done since Saudi Arabia remains a critical financial support base for al-Qaida, the Taliban, LeT and other terrorist groups," says a secret December 2009 paper signed by the US secretary of state. Her memo urged US diplomats to redouble their efforts to stop Gulf money reaching extremists in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"Donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide," she said.

Three other Arab countries are listed as sources of militant money: Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. >>> Declan Walsh in Islamabad | Sunday, December 05, 2010

JAN. 9, 2006 | OUTSIDE MECCA, Saudi Arabia | Pilgrims at Mount Arafat. American officials say fund-raisers for extremist groups descend on people taking part in the annual pilgrimage to seek money for their causes, according to leaked cables. Photograph: The New York Times
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Cash Flow to Terrorists Evades U.S. Efforts: WASHINGTON — Nine years after the United States vowed to shut down the money pipeline that finances terrorism, senior Obama administration officials say they believe that many millions of dollars are flowing largely unimpeded to extremist groups worldwide, and they have grown frustrated by frequent resistance from allies in the Middle East, according to secret diplomatic dispatches. >>> Eric Lichtblau and Eric Schmitt | Sunday, December 05, 2010

Hajis Envy Those Who Died During Pilgrimage
ARAB NEWS: MINA: Although many foreign pilgrims, especially the elderly and the sick, come for Haj with an innermost desire to die in the holy land, only a select few see their wishes realized.

Such people are honored with being buried in Jannat Al-Mala in Makkah or Jannat Al-Baqi in Madinah. Their relatives and friends then return home once the pilgrimage is complete. A number of pilgrims said they are envious of pilgrims who die while performing Haj or in the vicinity of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.

Egyptian pilgrim Abdul Shafi Saeed came for Haj from Cairo and was accompanied by another pilgrim, Sayyid Khaleel Hassan, who died while in supplication at the plain of Arafat, the climax of the annual pilgrimage.

“Sayyid Khaleel breathed his last in his seamless white ihram while chanting Labbaik. He was blessed and fortunate to die at the most sacred place for Muslims on earth while performing the main ritual of the pilgrimage. Every pilgrim wishes to die such a death,” said Saeed. >>> Galal Fakkar, Arab News | Saturday, November 20, 2010

Haj 1431: To the photo gallery >>>

Hajj Rituals Test Saudi Arabian Authorities
THE GUARDIAN: Overcrowding and congestion as pilgrims camp out in desolate location

A young Muslim pilgrim has his head shaved, after throwing pebbles at a stone pillar representing the devil, in Mina near Mecca today. Photograph: The Guardian
While more than a billion Muslims around the world celebrated Eid today, those gathered in the Al-Masha'er district of Saudi Arabia proceeded with their hajj rituals – throwing pebbles at vast pillars, shaving their heads and sacrificing animals.

Shaving the head, or halq, is a fundamental act for all male pilgrims during the pilgrimage: Muhammad is said to have prayed three times for men who removed all their hair and only once for those who trimmed it.

The slaughter of an animal – qurbani – marks Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael at Allah's command. The ministry of hajj proudly announced earlier this month that more than 100,000 Somali sheep were on hand to cover the high demand for sacrificial animals, adding to the 400,000 waiting in Jeddah and the extra million already being imported. >>> Riazat Butt, religious affairs correspondent | Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Pastor's Call an Act of Terrorism: Makkah Imam
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah arrives in Jeddah on Friday after spending the last 10 days of Ramadan in the vicinity of the Grand Mosque in Makkah. Photograph: Arab News
ARAB NEWS: MAKKAH – The imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah on Friday said that a US pastor’s threat to burn copies of the Holy Qur’an was an act of terrorism and an incitement to terrorism.

Delivering his Eid sermon to the nearly 2.5 million faithful who thronged the mosque, Sheikh Saleh Bin-Humaid also called the move an act of aggression against Islam, its followers and its sanctity.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, senior princes and Cabinet members attended the congregation.

Bin-Humaid, who is chairman of the Supreme Judiciary Council, urged Muslims to establish better relations with other communities and cultures.

“We call for more solid relations, greater understanding, mutual respect and cooperation between peoples,” the imam said, stressing the importance of interfaith dialogue.

“It’s from this holy city, the capital of Islam and Muslims, the interfaith dialogue conference set off in order to build bridges of dialogue and understanding and peaceful coexistence and reject all forms of terrorism and fanaticism,” Bin-Humaid said.

The imam described Islam as a religion of truth, moderation and tolerance. >>> Badea Abu Al-Naja, Arab News | Saturday, September 11, 2010

Giant Mecca Clock Seeks to Call Time on Greenwich
THE TELEGRAPH: For more than a century, a point on the top of a hill in south-east London has been recognised as the centre of world time and the official starting point of each new day.

Big Ben (L) and the Mecca Clock Tower (R) are now in competition to be recognised as the centre of time. Photo: The Telegraph
But now the supremacy of Greenwich Mean Time is being challenged by a gargantuan new clock being built in Mecca, by which the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims could soon be setting their watches.

Due to start ticking on Thursday as the faithful begin fasting during the month of Ramadan, the timepiece sits atop the Royal Mecca Clock Tower which dominates Islam’s holiest city.

It is at the heart of a vast complex funded by the Saudi government that will also house hotels, shopping malls and conference halls.

Bearing a striking resemblance to both St Stephen’s Tower, which houses the bell of Big Ben, and the Empire State Building, the Saudi upstart aims to outdo its revered British rival in every way.

The clock’s four faces are 151ft in diameter and will be illuminated by 2million LED lights along with huge Arabic script reading: “In the name of Allah”. The clock will run on Arabia Standard Time which is three hours ahead of GMT.

When a glittering spire is added, topped with a crescent to symbolise Islam, the edifice will stand at nearly 2,000 ft, making it the world's second tallest building.

The clock of Big Ben, by comparison, is just 23ft in diameter, while its tower stands at a mere 316ft.

Residents of Mecca will also be reminded that it is time to pray when 21,000 green and white lights, visible at a distance of 18 miles, flash five times a day.

But Islamic scholars hope the clock’s influence will stretch far further than the sands of Saudi Arabia, as part of a plan for Mecca to eclipse the Greenwich Observatory as the “true centre of the earth”. >>> Adrian Blomfield, Middle East Correspondent, and Martin Beckford | Wednesday, August 11, 2010

THE TELEGRAPH: Mecca clock: Greenwich Mean Time only recently synchronised world’s watches – Throughout the vast majority of human history, the time was calculated locally according to the rising and setting of the sun. >>> Martin Beckford | Wednesday, August 11, 2010


MAIL ONLINE asks whether we’ll soon be setting our clocks to Mecca Mean Time! >>>

Related articles here and here

Make Makkah the Most Beautiful City: Prince Khaled
Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal receives Pakistani Consul General Abdul Salik Khan at his office in Jeddah on Sunday. Photograph: Arab News
ARAB NEWS: JEDDAH: Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal has emphasized the need for preparing a well thought out and comprehensive development plan for Makkah to make it one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

“We’ll be responsible before God and coming generations if we do not work to make Makkah one of the most beautiful and modern cities in the world,” the governor told a meeting of top executives.

He said Saudi Arabia has the potentials to achieve this goal. “We have a strong and determined leadership that provides all-out support to this direction. We have also enough funds and good people who are capable of achieving this objective.” >>> Galal Fakkar | Sunday, August 08, 2010

Indonesian Muslims Praying to Kenya, Not Mecca, After Faulty Edict
THE TELEGRAPH: Indonesia's highest Islamic body has been forced to apologise to the country's Muslims after admitting they have been praying towards Kenya rather than Mecca.

The Indonesian Ulema Council, or MUI, has since asked followers to shift direction slightly northward during their daily prayers. Photo: The Telegraph
Officials in the world's most populous Muslim country admitted on Monday that they made a mistake when issuing an edict in March saying the holy city in Saudi Arabia was to the country's west.

The Indonesian Ulema Council, or MUI, has since asked followers to shift direction slightly northward during their daily prayers.

"After a thorough study with some cosmography and astronomy experts, we learned they've been facing southern Somalia and Kenya," said Ma'ruf Amin, a prominent cleric of the MUI.

"We've revised it now to the north-west."

He said Indonesians need not worry, however.

"Allah understands that humans make mistakes," he said. "Allah always hears their prayers." >>> | Monday, July 19, 2010

Mecca to Outface Big Ben with World’s Largest Clock
THE SUNDAY TIMES: A new hotel in Mecca will be the world's second-tallest building and will feature the world's largest clock face

The Mecca Royal Clock Tower hotel will be the world's second-tallest building. Photo: The Sunday Times
The world’s largest clock will be the centrepiece of a giant hotel that will dominate the skyline of Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca when it opens this autumn.

The Mecca Royal Clock Tower hotel, an architectural amalgam of Big Ben and the Empire State Building, is part of a £3.3 billion complex which, at 1,939ft, will be the second tallest building in the world.

The four faces of the German-built clock, each 141ft high, will be visible from 10 miles away by day and more than seven miles at night.

It has been deliberately designed to dwarf London’s Big Ben, whose faces are 23ft high. Mohammed al-Arkubi, the hotel’s general manager said: “Putting Mecca time in the face of Greenwich mean time, this is the goal.”

The clock’s mechanism will be started in August before Ramadan and the opening of the seven-star, 800-room luxury hotel, which will cater for rich participants in the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

The complex, built on the site of an old Ottoman fort, consists of seven towers, two helipads and a shopping centre that will open next year. Three thousand rooms and suites will go on sale, with one-room studio flats starting at £430,000.

The building is capped by a spire topped with a golden crescent.

Many of the rooms directly overlook the Kaaba, the cube-shaped granite building covered in black silk towards which every Muslim turns in daily prayer. Continue reading and comment >>> Rosie Kinchen | Sunday, June 27, 2010

Cairo Protests at Swine Flu Bans
BBC: Angry scenes have been reported at Cairo airport as security forces barred Muslim pilgrims from travelling to Mecca because of fears over swine flu.

Hundreds staged a sit-in on Sunday when the Egyptian authorities implemented a plan to prevent anyone over 65 and under 25 from travelling to Mecca.

Another 180-200 belonging to the banned age groups were held back on Monday.

The curbs could affect large numbers of old people, some of whom expend great efforts to visit Mecca before dying.

An airport official said about 15% of would-be passengers to the Muslim holy city had been turned back on Monday.

"The people banned from leaving are those over 65 and those under 25 because they are the most at risk of being contaminated by swine flu," the official added. >>> | Monday, August 17, 2009

Swine Flu May Force Muslims to Abandon Haj Pilgrimage to Mecca
TIMES ONLINE: The annual Haj pilgrimage to Mecca could be under threat because of swine flu.

Britain today joined a growing list of countries in the MIddle East and Africa to issue advice to Muslim pilgrims not to travel to Saudi Arabia if they are elderly, pregnant, very young or have a long-term medical condition that may leave them more vulnerable to the disease.

The advice, issued by the UK’s Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims), follows a recommendation by Saudi health officials that anyone travelling to Mecca or Medina should receive the seasonal flu vaccine at least two weeks before their visit.

The Saudi authorities also said that pregnant women, children, chronically ill and elderly people should skip the Haj this year.

Quarantine facilities have been set up in Saudi airports and millions of vaccine doses have been pre-ordered.

The Association of British Hujjaj said that Saudi Arabia’s warning had “sent a shock wave” through Britain’s Muslim community.

The association’s health experts warned: “British pilgrims have always been at high risk of infections due to the crowded conditions at ceremonies, accommodation sites and on public transport. Therefore pilgrims must follow the guidelines issued by the authorities and they should be vaccinated against the swine flu virus once this vaccine is available at least two weeks before their departure to perform pilgrimage.”

In a statement today the association said: “Take the swine flu threat seriously, be safe than sorry and contact your doctor before travelling.” >>> Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent | Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Find God, Win a Trip to Mecca (or Jerusalem, or Tibet)
THE GUARDIAN: Turkish gameshow enlists imam, Greek Orthodox priest, rabbi and monk to try to convert atheists, with pilgrimage as reward

Penitents Compete could send someone to Mecca. Photo: The Guardian
It sounds like the beginning of a joke: what do you get when you put a Muslim imam, a Greek Orthodox priest, a rabbi, a Buddhist monk and 10 atheists in the same room?

Viewers of Turkish television will soon get the punchline when a new gameshow begins that offers a prize arguably greater than that offered by Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

Contestants will ponder whether to believe or not to believe when they pit their godless convictions against the possibilities of a new relationship with the almighty on Penitents Compete (Tovbekarlar Yarisiyor in Turkish), to be broadcast by the Kanal T station. Four spiritual guides from the different religions will seek to convert at least one of the 10 atheists in each programme to their faith.

Those persuaded will be rewarded with a pilgrimage to the spiritual home of their newly chosen creed – Mecca for Muslims, Jerusalem for Christians and Jews, and Tibet for Buddhists.

The programme's makers say they want to promote religious belief while educating Turkey's overwhelmingly Muslim population about other faiths. >>> Robert Tait in Istanbul | Thursday, July 02, 2009

Foster to Ease Mecca Pilgrims’ Progress
THE SUNDAY TIMES: A new look for Islam’s holiest city - with hotels, flats and fast trains - has been likened to a ‘mini Dubai’

THE mountain is to move for Muhammad. Norman Foster and Zaha Hadid are involved in plans to transform the landscape around Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, to make way for a high-rise metropolis complete with high-speed rail link for pilgrims.

Architectural designs being considered by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia could see the mosque at the heart of the city expanded fivefold to hold 5m worshippers in one go.

However, much of the land around the historic site, including ancient mountains, is likely to be flattened to accommodate seven-star hotels and towering blocks of luxury flats.

Critics believe the 20-year redevelopment programme will turn Mecca into a “mini Dubai”, the Middle Eastern emirate that has become a byword for consumerism.

Hadid, the Iraqi-born architect who has designed the aquatics centre for the London 2012 Olympics, is believed to have submitted proposals to extend Mecca’s Haram mosque. At its centre lies the Kaaba, the black cube-shaped building which all Muslims face in prayer five times a day.

Although Hadid’s plans remain secret, she has previously produced bold designs for other mosque projects, including one in Strasbourg which featured a sweeping roof inspired by Islamic calligraphy.

Hadid is also thought to be involved in redesigning part of Mecca’s central district, which already boasts a Starbucks and chain stores such as Topshop. >>> Chris Gourlay | Sunday, May 10, 2009

Horror of Horrors! Woman Takes to the Wheel in Saudi Arabia! And in Mecca! Just Imagine!
BBC: A woman has been arrested in Mecca in Saudi Arabia for driving a car.

Police gave chase after she was spotted at the wheel of a 4x4 car, the English daily Arab News reported. She was arrested after hitting another car.

Women are prohibited from driving on all public roads in Saudi Arabia, a ban that has triggered several high-profile protests by women's rights activists.

The woman's name and nationality have not been announced.
Only Muslims are permitted in the holy city of Mecca. >>> | Thursday, March 5, 2009

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When Town Halls Turn to Mecca
THE ECONOMIST: For many European municipalities and a few American ones (see article) accommodating Islam is a big dilemma—but not an insoluble one

IN CITIES all over Europe, mayors are fretting about the coming religious festivities. No, not just Christmas lights. They want to ensure hygiene and order in the slaughter of sheep for the feast of Eid al-Adha on December 8th. This remembers the readiness of Abraham—the patriarch revered by all three monotheistic faiths—to sacrifice his son. Muslims often sacrifice a lamb, whose meat is shared with family members and the poor.

In the Brussels suburb of Molenbeek, where the dominant culture is that of Morocco, a circular from the district authorities reminds residents not to kill animals at home. It invites them to a “temporary abattoir” that will function for 48 hours in a council garage. Molenbeek is one of four areas of Brussels which have set up makeshift slaughterhouses, each with a capacity of at least 500 sheep. In practice, home killing is hard to stop, despite vows by the city authorities to prosecute offenders.

In places like Molenbeek, a few miles away from the European Union’s main institutions, talk of the continent’s transformation into Eurabia doesn’t sound absurd. Although Muslims make up less than 4% of the EU’s total population, their concentration in urban areas is altering the scene in some European cities.

In some of these places bad relations between Muslims, non-Muslims and the authorities are creating political opportunities for the far right. In east London, for example, arguments are raging over plans for a “mega-mosque” near the site of the 2012 Olympics. In rough parts of northern Paris, there are fights between Muslims and Jews. In Italian cities, where Muslims are numerous but not many can vote, Catholics and secularists have united to stop the erection of mosques.

Yet talk of civilisational war in Europe’s cobblestoned streets is out of line in one respect: it understates the ability of democratic politics, especially local politics, to adapt to new social phenomena. For cities to work, compromises have to be struck and coalitions assembled. In city affairs, more than in national politics, politicians borrow each other’s slogans and policies.

In London, many expected a change in municipal attitudes towards Islam when a Conservative, Boris Johnson, took over as mayor from Ken Livingstone, a leftist maverick who had feted Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a controversial Muslim preacher. But in October, when the fasting month of Ramadan ended, Mr Johnson worked as keenly as his predecessors had done with the Muslim Council of Britain to stage an Islamic celebration in Trafalgar Square. >>> DUISBURG, LYON AND ROTTERDAM | December 4, 2008

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Saudi Arabia: Asian Immigrant Forced to Clean Mosques for 'Skipping Prayers'
ADNKRONOS INTERNATIONAL (AKI): Riyadh - A Saudi civil court has ordered an Asian immigrant to clean mosques next month during this year's Hajj pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca after religious police caught him skipping Friday prayers several times, Saudi daily al-Watan reports. The man will have to clean five mosques along the highway into Mecca twice daily for eleven days, the court ruled.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs will be tasked with checking if the immigrant obeys the court order. If he fails to do so, the court has warned that he will be tried before a criminal court.

Instead of handing out custodial sentences, a number of Saudi judges have recently ordered minor offenders to clean buildings and cars, memorise the Koran (the Muslim holy book) or do community work.

Earlier this month, a judge ordered a young man to memorise part of the Koran and 40 sayings of the Prophet Mohammed as a punishment for appearing in public with a woman who was not a relative.

This year's Hajj is taking place in the first half of December. Last year, two million Muslim pilgrims attended.

The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is an obligation for all able-bodied Muslims to attend at least once during their lives, provided they can afford it. [Source: AKI] | November 18, 2008

Hat tip: Robert Spencer

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How Much More Bloody Nonsense Must We Read About? Now the Sick Have to Face Makkah!
DAILY MAIL: The job of the nurse used to [be] one of caring for the sick and needy.

But not - it would seem - in today's politically-correct Britain.

Now, nurses are being encouraged to spend valuable time turning around the beds of Muslim patients up to five times a day - so they can face Mecca.

In a bid to promote cultural understanding, they are also expected to provide patients with running water so they can wash before prayer.

And then, of course, they are required to turn the beds back around to return the wards to normality. The measures are being pursued by Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust to ensure Muslim patients have a "more comfortable stay in hospital".

Hundreds of staff have attended tax-payer-funded workshops with Muslim GPs and ethnic-minority support groups on how best to help patients.

During these meetings, nurses have been told that if a patient asks for water to bathe in, or for their bed to be turned to face Mecca, then this should be considered.

If the measure is deemed "practically possible" and does not impinge on other patients, then it should be carried out.

And if it is not practical, nurses are encouraged to find them a bed that faces Mecca permanently. Hospital staff told to make sure Muslim patients' beds face Mecca five times a day >>> By Gwyneth Rees

Mark Alexander (Hardback)
Mark Alexander (Paperback)

Nuke Makkah and Medina in the Event of a Nuclear Attack on the US, Says Tancredo
IOWAPOLITICS.COM: OSCEOLA -- Followers of radical Islam must be deterred from committing a nuclear attack on U.S. soil, Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo said Tuesday morning, saying that as president he would take drastic measures to prevent such attacks.

"If it is up to me, we are going to explain that an attack on this homeland of that nature would be followed by an attack on the holy sites in Mecca and Medina," the GOP presidential candidate said. "That is the only thing I can think of that might deter somebody from doing what they would otherwise do. If I am wrong fine, tell me, and I would be happy to do something else. But you had better find a deterrent or you will find an attack. There is no other way around it. There have to be negative consequences for the actions they take. That's the most negative I can think of."

The harsh approach is vital in order to prevent a worldwide collapse, Tancredo told nearly 30 people Tuesday morning at the Family Table restaurant.

"Beyond the loss of human life and devastation, it would cause a worldwide economic collapse," Tancredo said of a nuclear attack on U.S soil. "If all of a sudden we are not a consuming engine of the world, the producing nations will collapse also. That is what they want, that is what they are looking for, to end Western civilization as we know it."

Tancredo said there was no such deterrent in place right now.

LISTEN TO TANCREDO:
Tancredo Discusses His Plan

FOXNEWS:
Tancredo: If They Nuke Us, Bomb Mecca

CNN:
Tancredo: Threaten to bomb Muslim holy sites in retaliation

WELTONLINE:
Kandidat Tancredo droht mit Bomben auf Mekka

Mark Alexander