Streets….construction….destruction….
Backtracking…..the photo that elicited the emotive responses in the last post, taken just before Maghrib a week or so back.
The following photo is the same view but walking up towards the foot of Jabal Sal’a (see the blue dot on the google map below) taken after last Juma’ah. The huge excavation area (yellow area on the map) has remained untouched for almost two years as the company working on this project went broke. Masjid Sabaq, previously to the left of this shot, was demolished to make way for this development several years ago, sadly it seems all too prematurely.
Imagine turning around from the above position, looking up towards Jabal Sal’a, where the remains of an Ottoman structure stands. During the Ottoman times it would have been an advantageous lookout, overseeing the Haram area. Later it became a popular picnic place, but now relegated to neglect and a rubbish dump.
Architecturally it is only small, but the technique with the precision in the brick arches supporting the bluestone walls and two low circular domes forming the roof is quite impressive.
A scan from an older photo showing the dome structure, looking down on a housing area long gone, having been replaced with modern hotels.
These places are inhabited, satellite dishes a standard feature! The bottom left hand corner is the roof of one of the "residences" dug into the side of the mountain along the track up to this Ottoman structure.
An alley way nearby this same area. As the development around the CBD area creeps out over the first ring road all of these older places will gradually be vacted and demolished. It is sad listening to stories of families who used to live beside Haram years ago, who were forced to move further away due to all the expansions. Locals are still being faced with having to relocate even further out as the central area engulfs more land.
A closer view of the above alley, the typical older style low doorways leading down into the first level that has been dug into the ground for coolness. I was amazed to see the letter boxes still intact! The majority are vandalized in so many other areas. Maybe this close living has more of a sense of community with a protective neighbourly spirit.
Note the mud brick extension on the top of this unique home! Any and everything goes, a true do as you please attitude, devoid of any regulations or planning! Soon to be archived into the annals of history.
To return home after this little adventure, we drove south along the ring road, where on the fly-over bridge to the south of Haram (lime line) you can look back to see the Dome of Felicity and our loved Jabal Uhud. (taken from the pink dot) This view will soon too be history, as the concrete and steel supports of the next buliding is visible at the bottom of this photo. When the CBD area is complete Masjid Nabawi will be totally hemmed in.
I am lost for words over many aspects of what is happening to this most Blessed Radiant and Enlightened City. Without a doubt, it is the most treasured piece of land in the entire UNIVERSE….not just world, planet, or earth, but the ENTIRE UNIVERSE. And what I have just heard, and the reason I am posting this google map, is that this current fly-over bridge, the lime green, straight line, is to be replaced by a new curved section (blue line) beacause it will extend the CBD area and more land will be availabe to squeeze more hotels onto! I am speechless….flabbergasted…along with all the synonyms that go with it. The lime green north of Jannatul Baqi also represents all the new buildings either under construction, or soon to be.
May Allah Ta’ala save us all. Ameen.
All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.
Change is the landmark of man. The spirit of change, modifying and replacing is always there. The planned reasoned organized change is acceptable. For this reason, or lack of it, these changes that occurred in Makka and Madina seem to many as shocking. In parallel, the changes occurring in Quds represent the other side of the coin.
Comment by NQ — May 28, 2007 @ 8:27 pm
I don’t think that all these things are just about ‘necessary change’ - the Prophet warned about ‘bida’ for a reason. Those on the Rihla in 2006 (Westerners) were told about plans to build golf courses in Madinah. Mecca has seen the Prophet’s birthhome turned into a library, the home of Khadija, Fatima & Ali & the two Imams (Allah be pleased with them) turned into a toilet, while palaces are built for the indigent wealthy that wouldn’t be out of place, as Malcolm X observed in the 70s already, in Palm Beach, Florida. Yes travellers need to come - and wouldn’t well-priced clean hotels and good public transportation be better than the system today? Allah guide all of us, and we certainly have the Saudis to demonstrate to us our low condition as an Ummah, but shouldn’t we demand higher from the ‘Khidhmat ul-Haramayn’ than we expect from tourist traps and from the mayors and governments of the West, who at least protect history and the environment while securing sustainable development? wa ma Allahu al-tawfeeq
Comment by dawud — May 29, 2007 @ 10:37 am
The essence is that the changes made to the layout of Makka and Madina lack proper planning , as we know it in the “west”. Proper planning includes, among other technical considerations, consultation with various concerned parties. Also, reasoned change lacks in most aspects of implementation. The latest example was the “clock tower” in Makka.
Rasulullah salla Allah alaihi wasallam, consulted and sought opinions when the need arose to expand Masjid Nabawi after the battle of Khaybar. Umar, Radya Allah anho, did the same in his Khilafat.
The current implementations are corrupt to the bone. A reflection of the conditions currently prevailing in the Ummah.
Under the banner of pre-emptying the potential of worshipping other than Allah, destruction of many sites in Makka and Madina relating to Rasulullah salla Allah alaihi wasallam, and his blessed family and companions, occurred.
Quds is the other side of the coin. Destruction, and change of layout occurring in the fashion, but with hands other than ours.
Comment by NQ — May 29, 2007 @ 12:01 pm
Assalamu alaikum dear brothers NQ and Dawud,
JazkumuLlahu khairan for your comments, may we all make time to try and increase the awareness of what is happening in the Haramain, and cry, repenting to Allah Ta’ala to intervene with His Mercy, Ameen.
I am not against progress or change, if it is with the correct intention, but to me the extraordinary cost and mechanics of moving that long expanse of the current fly-over, what seems a few hundred meters for the sake of a few plots of land that are now sitting under the bridge reflects the greed, at the expense of the Ummah on the part of the supposed “custodians” of the Ummah’s Holy Sites. Such is the language of money here. Thousands more “guest” workers will be employed on scant wages and slave conditions to satisfy the deep pocket of investors in reaping back the thousands of millions they invest at the expense of the Pilgrim. The pilgrim, who is faced with costs rising by the minute to be able to perform their religious duties….their Haqq, in the so called comfort of these palatial ritzy hotels when all that is required for the real purpose is simple accommodation at prices affordable to all, not just the rich as it is now. If people are seeking this style of comfort, then there are thousands of tourist places throughout the world offering such facilities. Why taint the intention of Umrah or Ziarah with tourism? But then the Hadith does say that a time will come when people come for Hajj as tourists. The Ummah visit the Holy Sites, supposedly for the purpose of Ibadah, and this is what should be the concern of the “authorities” here if their true intention is as “custodian”.
Many others issues surface for me….one is that the Haramain, and all decisions regarding any changes to it should be made after consultation with representatives from all Muslims lands, with the interests of all levels of society at heart…
Another is the social ills prevalent here are grave, poverty and unemployment is high….but like so many things these are swept under the carpet in favour of promoting the glossy and the glitz in a totally unrealistic way. One only needs to look at all the “economic cities” planned across the country, the architectural designs competing with the best around the world, and yet the percentage of people living in poverty continues to increase. Priorities are all skewed.
The sad push is to complement the revenue for oil with squashing millions of pilgrims in each year, and the “authorities” know they are always guaranteed huge numbers from the Ummah to be seeking visas. But what I see with the way numbers of pilgrims are constantly on the increase is an infrastructure almost at breaking point now, regarding the basics of even water availability, let alone how it will cope once all these planned so called developments are completed.
Plus the sad chaos that is the scene in the Rowdha Shareef during the short times for sisters to perform Ziarah is nothing but disrespect for this hallowed ground and to our Beloved Messenger of Allah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.
The other money aspect to this entire craze for increasing the real estate is the emphasis placed on shopping and all that goes with it, and the competition to offer five star accommodation and fancy restaurants. This is not encouraging pilgrims to be here for the right reasons, and in fact is such a distraction that many are unaware of how deluded they become when they are here. I have witnessed so many in a state of tension with the drive to buy and buy and buy.
Thousands who arrive for their religious duties would be content with simpler accommodation at a fraction of the costs, so why not halt all this shopping madness and convert a minimum of 50%…up to 80% of the current shops into simple shared sleeping quarters. Shop keepers are so desperate for business they verge on harassing customers to buy, so lessen the number of business outlets, as well as encouraging the pilgrims to be here for the best of Amal and to limit their time and energy with shopping.
The whole focus is money, whichever way we view this dilemma. I have no answers other than a more concerted effort with our Du’a. May Allah Ta’ala save and guide us all. Ameen.
Wassalamu alaikum
Comment by almiskeenah — May 29, 2007 @ 6:16 pm
Ya Raab!! I can remember when we would frequent the Haramain during my childhood, I recall being able to kiss the Black Stone on every circuit of our tawaaf around the Holy Kabaa… and this was in the 80’s!! In such a short time so much has changed, subhanallah! And change, while it can be good, in this case is obviously not. As sister Al-Miskeenah pointed out though, the hadith of our Beloved Rasul salallahualaihiwasalam foretold of such a time to come. May Allah azawajal have mercy on us all.
Though things are bleak, as Believers we still have our ‘weapon’; we still have our dua. Inshallah this is the least we can do… to wake up in the last third of the night, when the world is asleep and beseech Allah Taala’s Inifinite Help… As it was once said, Islam is the only religion wherein the King comes nightly to the door of the beggar and asks him to ask for what he wants, Subhanallah! Ya Latif! We have our weapon, its time to use it to its fullest.
Comment by ikramuddin — May 29, 2007 @ 8:35 pm
Assalamu alaikum dear brother Ikramuddin, so true….our only weapon in such times and dealing with such “agendas of change” from within the Kingdom, is Du’a. May we all increase our efforts in cementing our relationship to Allah Ta’ala and His Habib SallAlahu alaihi wasallam, that the weak words of begging and pleading that we utter in our Du’a are blessed with more strength and, as an Ummah we become united bravely facing our inner ills, with the hope of positive changes being manifest due to our personal reformation, Insha’Allah, then our “weapons” may be charged with the same power as our stellar Sahabah RadhiAllahu anhum, and that which is of no benefit to our collective Akhirah is vanquished to the rubbish heap.
Wassalamu alaikum
almiskeenah
Comment by almiskeenah — May 30, 2007 @ 4:27 pm