I have written something in this blog about the-uncomfortable-feeling in seeing huge and tall buildings which were intended to be shopping and hotel complexes. A vast growing property development is happening now in our holy cities, where almost all historical sites become public toilet, ATM, or shopping mall. Reasons behind destroying historical sites are varied from expanding capacity for the pilgrims until avoiding shirq. But, allowing a door to shopping mall face to face with the main door to Masjidil Haram, seriously?
http://www.independent.co.uk/
Raise your awareness on this issue. I myself in 2007 felt somehow uncomfortable about these capitalism forces in the heart of holy cities where equality should be the essential spirit. The cities where should give us the real value of Islam, opposites of all these fancy and extravagant buildings and things. Mekkah and Madinah are not Dubai or any other pearl cities in the dessert, just don't try to be ones.
I want to be there in the future, perform Hajj, experiencing solidarity among Moslems in Arafah, Mina, Mekkah, Madinah. I want to see and feel the spirit of courage, faith, and love, the feeling that I had when visited the Uhud and heard story about Sayyidina Hamzah. To feel equality when I do thawaf around Ka'bah in ihram, feel energized in sa'i, stay in Arafah under the tent and walking together as small humans faithfully. I do not want those fancy buildings destroying it piece by piece. I save my money to perform what had been said by God and I am sure God has something for us to be experienced.
I am afraid that instead of avoiding ummah from shirq and expanding capacities for pilgrims, they -who ordered this shopping mall and hotels construction- are just following greed, dear Bin Ladin.
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