Mecca's Most Prestigious Retail Address
Katherine Mangu-Ward | August 20, 2007, 11:28am
If the divine command for every Muslim to take a pilgrimage to Mecca isn't enough to get you moving, now there's another reason to go on the hajj: The shopping is fabulous!
Just "steps away from the holy mosque," says the promotional material for the Abraj Al Bait shopping center, "Makkah’s most prestigious retail address" offers "Spectacular view of the Ka’abah" and "Innovative space for a new shopping experience." The seven-spired complex is not yet completed, but when it is it will tower over the Great Mosque (see photo).
From First Things, this look at why many (most?) Muslims are untroubled by this juxtaposition of holiness and commerce:
To a Christian, all that seems like putting a Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, Bloomingdale’s, and the Chocolate Factory next to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, with extended hours during Holy Week. It looks to us like a desecration....
The hotel and shopping center, however, are not desecrations of their faith. Before he was a prophet, Muhammad was a businessman. And it is perfectly in keeping with honoring him that a market is set up next to the Great Mosque. In fact, there’s always been a market next to the mosque; this one is just going to be bigger, and air conditioned. And more than the Christian heaven (which is primarily characterized by the intimate and intelligible presence of God), the paradise of Islam is the perfection of sensual pleasures. And what better way to give a foretaste of these divine gifts than a mall and a first-rate hotel? And what better place for it than the center of the holy city?
But Islam is different. Commerce is celebrated. And there’s no embarrassment whatsoever about hawking the financial benefits of businesses, like these towers, that only exist because of the hajj. It really is an innovative shopping experience. And for the individual Muslim? Of course, if at all possible, go on hajj, circle the Ka’aba, throw the seven pebbles, perform the required sacrifice, and do it all with the greatest conviction, humility, and devotion. Then shop ’til you drop. Peace be upon you.
For more on the intersection of Islam and the free market, go
here.
iih | August 21, 2007, 4:27pm | #
Bullshit. The Saudi government has official propaganda calling jews pigs and monkeys (just read their school books), prohibits Bibles from entering the country and won't let non-muslims into Mecca ever (not just during the Hajj), on pain of death and you think people with IQs over forty will actually believe your line of "reasoning".
Firstly, why all the dirty words? Are you really that angry? Well, why don't you direct your anger at the KSA government. No where in this, or any other thread, have I attempted to defend any Arab government as I believe that they are all crooks and corrupt. Anyone familiar with my history on H&R in the last couple of months knows my stances on Middle Eastern governments.
Would it surprise you that I believe that all aid to Arab governments should stop? (In past discussions I gave economic and social reasons for why it should be stopped).
I have made every sincere effort to be honest in answering some of the inquiries made in this thread. I even, without any request, have highlighted that (1) Islamic, interest-free economies do not make modern economic sense, and (2) that jizya is a very contentious process that have been used in the past to treat non-Muslims as second class citizens. I was the one who brought these issues up.
I have been very honest in discussing the issue of wife-beating, and even gave pointers to anti-Muslim arguments regarding the issue.
I have also respectfully responded to your and AHQ's inquiries about barring non-Muslims (
all non-Muslims -- not just Jews, so do not make into some sort of anti-semitism question). As I have already explained, this is not unique about Islam and it does not necessarily translate into hatred for other religions. So -- Muslims and non-Muslims alike -- do translate as such, which is wrong and unfortunate.
I can not and do not want to defend KSA's other policies regarding the bible entering the counter, etc. This is because, and
let me be very clear, these policies are wrong, stupid, racist, and hypocritical.
For some reason, you seem to want to ignore my explanation that Mecca and the Grand Mosque are sort of one and the same thing. So it is not as if an entire city (of a multi-million population) is barred from the rest of the world.
You seem to ignore the letter from Malcolm X describing his experience in Mecca, especially in regards to the iddue of race. That should be a counter argument to the racism question. Barring other religion adherents may have its theological and pragmatic reasons as I have described above.
Other than that, all other KSA government policies barring non-Muslims from KSA is morally wrong and I have never attempted to defend their position.
Finally, you refuse to answer my pragmatic questions: If permitted into Mecca, would you go there? Why would you want to go there?
Oh, one last thing, a lot of people ask: Why aren't moderate Muslims speaking out against what is done in the name of their religion? Well, one of the reasons is probably because of people like you. After reading your comments, I felt very discouraged and had to drag myself to respond. Many moderates feel that a great portion of US society has already decided on the issues, like you seem to do, and have already condemned Islam and Muslims. I will resist that sentiment and will keep doing my best to speak out against injustices done in Arab and Muslim countries against both Muslims and non-Muslims (by the way, if you think that Muslims live happily without persecution in Middle Eastern Arab countries, you would be mistaken -- surprise huh?). I will speak out against terrorism and racism in the name of my religion and heritage. but, I will try to do my best to honestly and sincerely respond to all those who want to know something beyond what is being fed in the mainstream media.
