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Mecca Royal Clock Hotel Tower is an insult to Islam and to taste

So the tower is being built for Hajaj to stay in? yeah so who is going to afford it other than the rich? most of the Hajaj wouldn't be able to afford staying in the tower hotel, no?
 
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So the tower is being built for Hajaj to stay in? yeah so who is going to afford it other than the rich? most of the Hajaj wouldn't be able to afford staying in the tower hotel, no?

This is NOT made for Hajis. Its king Abdullah's ego which is ruining Ka'aba. He wants Mecca to compete with New York city or Tel Aviv with high rises, 5 star hotels , shopping malls etc. Not even 2% Hajis can afford a day in that hotel cum shopping complex.

Allah forbid. They might build night bar in Mecca and will cover up by saying Hajis need some recreations. So we the Haji lovers built it for them.
 
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This is NOT made for Hajis. Its king Abdullah's ego which is ruining Ka'aba. He wants Mecca to compete with New York city or Tel Aviv with high rises, 5 star hotels , shopping malls etc. Not even 2% Hajis can afford a day in that hotel cum shopping complex.

Allah forbid. They might build night bar in Mecca and will cover up by saying Hajis need some recreations. So we the Haji lovers built it for them.

Yaar you are a character.
 
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I agree. The tower looks hideous, and is in bad taste (architecturally speaking). The whole area would've looked so much better if it were left low-rise i.e in its original state.
 
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if Saudis really want to improve the amenities for Haji pilgrims.. why can they chose a architectural style , which can blend with the surroundings. its not that difficult.
 
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This is NOT made for Hajis. Its king Abdullah's ego which is ruining Ka'aba. He wants Mecca to compete with New York city or Tel Aviv with high rises, 5 star hotels , shopping malls etc. Not even 2% Hajis can afford a day in that hotel cum shopping complex.

Allah forbid. They might build night bar in Mecca and will cover up by saying Hajis need some recreations. So we the Haji lovers built it for them.

Shopping has been in Mecca from the centuries.... nothing to attribute it to King Abdullah.
King Abdullah is building various other cities in KSA.. no mention of those! why? and comparison is made by those, who feel insecure and i can see it in you.
Those hotels are always full, i wonder if those are 2% Hajji or more! and hotel 5 star or 4 star, what difference it makes?
All these centuries, accommodation standard has been improving over the time, why your objection is all for King Abdullah?
 
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This is such a silly thread and it's just become irritating how this clock tower has become an issue whereas it's really a non-issue.
Mostly it's stirred up from people who have an agenda and have hardly ever visited these holy places.
The fact of the matter is that there will be more high rises to accommodate the exploding population of pilgrims each year. If any of you have ever been to the holy sites then you would appreciate the dire need of infrastructure to accommodate all these people. I've always been impressed by the saudi's how they take serious the development of both soft and hard infrastructure at the holy sites. They put a lot more effort their than in other cities and i'm quite confident than no other muslim country could do what the Saudi's are doing in terms of spending and development.

Now what are the arguments people come up with?

1) It's too large and it over shadows the Kaabah/minarets. In the Quran/sunnah/aqeedah there is no mention that it is not permissible to build over the Kaabah/minarets. In fact in the holy Quran making things unnecessarily haraam is forbidden. In surah al-Imran verse 93 the Bani-Israel were challenged to find it the taurah what foods they had self-proclaimed to be haraam. We take our ultimate guidance from the Quran and Sunnah as muslims. If it is not impermissible explicitly there, then we have nothing to worry about.

2) It's luxurious and most people can't afford it: Again silly argument, where there is demand there is supply. Have any of you ever tried to book a room in peak times? I personally have and the rooms are booked months in advance! It maybe out of some your budget but don't assume its the same for everyone. Wealth is such a relative thing, what maybe affordable for you might not be the same to me. The fact that many pilgrims prefer living on a site close to haram sharif and are willing to pay for it justifies it's existence. For those who can't afford that convenience, remember it's Allah (swt) that decides how he distributes wealth. People have a problem with the shopping mall but have no problem with the various souks outside, why have a problem with a clean air conditioned place for commerce in 50+ degrees heat? Its the same thing?

3) It should be a low rise area: Ok you have a low rise area, ever wondered how far that area would spread? Makkah is limited as it is, due to its mountainous topography, new "low rise" developments would have to cost an extortionate amount just to make suitable the land for building upon foundations. But the most pressing issue is every pilgrim wants to live near haram sharif. Preferably walking distance, no one wants to have to walk for miles for one salat and certainly not get caught in that awful traffic around haram. The only solution? Go vertical to accommodate the most amount of people.

4) They have demolished Islamic architecture: Again 100% agree with the saudi's on this. There is NO need to preserve everything as is in sacrifice of the well-being and convenience of present say-hajjis. Yes be careful not destroy the environment unnecessarily and all artifacts of interest can be preserved in a museum. But not building because some sahaba's house may have been their and some idiots (mostly our south-asian muslim variety) wanting to to turn it into a shrine is just dumb.

5) its bad taste, the architecture doesn't fit in with the surroundings: As one member mentioned previously, have you seen the final renders of the project? The Saudi government has embarked on an ambitious phase-wise development of haram sharif. Yes right now it may stick out abit but more high rises are expected to be built which should dilute its affect. When the various phases of the projects are completed according to the master-plan i'm sure it will be much more aesthetically pleasing.

Another esteemed member summarized everything I said by saying it's a 21st century solution to a 21st century problem. I just thought i'd expand upon that in simple english for those who are easily swayed but the uninformed/agenda-driven
 
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Instead of tower and mall maybe they should have built a museum on islmic history and artifacts of heroes of islam.Mall is a bit crass.I don't think any holy city on earth has a gigantic mall right next to its sacred site.
 
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Instead of tower and mall maybe they should have built a museum on islmic history and artifacts of heroes of islam.Mall is a bit crass.I don't think any holy city on earth has a gigantic mall right next to its sacred site.

There is already a museum of Islamic history right outside haram sharif. In regards to the mall. Most of the large hotels near haram have a mall. This one is obviously much bigger because the hotel is proportionately bigger. Believe me in 50 degrees + heat most people need to have an air-conditioned mall.
 
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This is such a silly thread and it's just become irritating how this clock tower has become an issue whereas it's really a non-issue.
Mostly it's stirred up from people who have an agenda and have hardly ever visited these holy places.
The fact of the matter is that there will be more high rises to accommodate the exploding population of pilgrims each year. If any of you have ever been to the holy sites then you would appreciate the dire need of infrastructure to accommodate all these people. I've always been impressed by the saudi's how they take serious the development of both soft and hard infrastructure at the holy sites. They put a lot more effort their than in other cities and i'm quite confident than no other muslim country could do what the Saudi's are doing in terms of spending and development.

Now what are the arguments people come up with?

1) It's too large and it over shadows the Kaabah/minarets. In the Quran/sunnah/aqeedah there is no mention that it is not permissible to build over the Kaabah/minarets. In fact in the holy Quran making things unnecessarily haraam is forbidden. In surah al-Imran verse 93 the Bani-Israel were challenged to find it the taurah what foods they had self-proclaimed to be haraam. We take our ultimate guidance from the Quran and Sunnah as muslims. If it is not impermissible explicitly there, then we have nothing to worry about.

2) It's luxurious and most people can't afford it: Again silly argument, where there is demand there is supply. Have any of you ever tried to book a room in peak times? I personally have and the rooms are booked months in advance! It maybe out of some your budget but don't assume its the same for everyone. Wealth is such a relative thing, what maybe affordable for you might not be the same to me. The fact that many pilgrims prefer living on a site close to haram sharif and are willing to pay for it justifies it's existence. For those who can't afford that convenience, remember it's Allah (swt) that decides how he distributes wealth. People have a problem with the shopping mall but have no problem with the various souks outside, why have a problem with a clean air conditioned place for commerce in 50+ degrees heat? Its the same thing?

3) It should be a low rise area: Ok you have a low rise area, ever wondered how far that area would spread? Makkah is limited as it is, due to its mountainous topography, new "low rise" developments would have to cost an extortionate amount just to make suitable the land for building upon foundations. But the most pressing issue is every pilgrim wants to live near haram sharif. Preferably walking distance, no one wants to have to walk for miles for one salat and certainly not get caught in that awful traffic around haram. The only solution? Go vertical to accommodate the most amount of people.

4) They have demolished Islamic architecture: Again 100% agree with the saudi's on this. There is NO need to preserve everything as is in sacrifice of the well-being and convenience of present say-hajjis. Yes be careful not destroy the environment unnecessarily and all artifacts of interest can be preserved in a museum. But not building because some sahaba's house may have been their and some idiots (mostly our south-asian muslim variety) wanting to to turn it into a shrine is just dumb.

5) its bad taste, the architecture doesn't fit in with the surroundings: As one member mentioned previously, have you seen the final renders of the project? The Saudi government has embarked on an ambitious phase-wise development of haram sharif. Yes right now it may stick out abit but more high rises are expected to be built which should dilute its affect. When the various phases of the projects are completed according to the master-plan i'm sure it will be much more aesthetically pleasing.

Another esteemed member summarized everything I said by saying it's a 21st century solution to a 21st century problem. I just thought i'd expand upon that in simple english for those who are easily swayed but the uninformed/agenda-driven

Excellent post.

Instead of tower and mall maybe they should have built a museum on islmic history and artifacts of heroes of islam.Mall is a bit crass.I don't think any holy city on earth has a gigantic mall right next to its sacred site.

There is already a museum.

I refer to post number 54 and 55 in this thread below:

Inspirational hajj pilgrimages to Makkah (and Madinah) | Page 4
 
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There is no point in complaining and whining. Saudis will do what they wish to do. Just go and do your Hajj and return peacefully. Just keep watching the show, no monarchy will last for ever. The Saudis too will disappear with time.
 
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There is no point in complaining and whining. Saudis will do what they wish to do. Just go and do your Hajj and return peacefully. Just keep watching the show, no monarchy will last for ever. The Saudis too will disappear with time.

And when/if the Al-Saud disappear the new rulers, like all the past rulers, would not like to set their own mark on the holy sites? Because history clearly shows this.

In any case it will only go one way from now on. More pilgrims EACH year. The Muslim majority areas of the world are experiencing a population boom that will be felt for a long, long time to come. This means more pilgrims and a bigger demand.

I suggest everybody read @Chrome9 's excellent post number 68 in this thread.

This is such a silly thread and it's just become irritating how this clock tower has become an issue whereas it's really a non-issue.
Mostly it's stirred up from people who have an agenda and have hardly ever visited these holy places.
The fact of the matter is that there will be more high rises to accommodate the exploding population of pilgrims each year. If any of you have ever been to the holy sites then you would appreciate the dire need of infrastructure to accommodate all these people. I've always been impressed by the saudi's how they take serious the development of both soft and hard infrastructure at the holy sites. They put a lot more effort their than in other cities and i'm quite confident than no other muslim country could do what the Saudi's are doing in terms of spending and development.

Now what are the arguments people come up with?

1) It's too large and it over shadows the Kaabah/minarets. In the Quran/sunnah/aqeedah there is no mention that it is not permissible to build over the Kaabah/minarets. In fact in the holy Quran making things unnecessarily haraam is forbidden. In surah al-Imran verse 93 the Bani-Israel were challenged to find it the taurah what foods they had self-proclaimed to be haraam. We take our ultimate guidance from the Quran and Sunnah as muslims. If it is not impermissible explicitly there, then we have nothing to worry about.

2) It's luxurious and most people can't afford it: Again silly argument, where there is demand there is supply. Have any of you ever tried to book a room in peak times? I personally have and the rooms are booked months in advance! It maybe out of some your budget but don't assume its the same for everyone. Wealth is such a relative thing, what maybe affordable for you might not be the same to me. The fact that many pilgrims prefer living on a site close to haram sharif and are willing to pay for it justifies it's existence. For those who can't afford that convenience, remember it's Allah (swt) that decides how he distributes wealth. People have a problem with the shopping mall but have no problem with the various souks outside, why have a problem with a clean air conditioned place for commerce in 50+ degrees heat? Its the same thing?

3) It should be a low rise area: Ok you have a low rise area, ever wondered how far that area would spread? Makkah is limited as it is, due to its mountainous topography, new "low rise" developments would have to cost an extortionate amount just to make suitable the land for building upon foundations. But the most pressing issue is every pilgrim wants to live near haram sharif. Preferably walking distance, no one wants to have to walk for miles for one salat and certainly not get caught in that awful traffic around haram. The only solution? Go vertical to accommodate the most amount of people.

4) They have demolished Islamic architecture: Again 100% agree with the saudi's on this. There is NO need to preserve everything as is in sacrifice of the well-being and convenience of present say-hajjis. Yes be careful not destroy the environment unnecessarily and all artifacts of interest can be preserved in a museum. But not building because some sahaba's house may have been their and some idiots (mostly our south-asian muslim variety) wanting to to turn it into a shrine is just dumb.

5) its bad taste, the architecture doesn't fit in with the surroundings: As one member mentioned previously, have you seen the final renders of the project? The Saudi government has embarked on an ambitious phase-wise development of haram sharif. Yes right now it may stick out abit but more high rises are expected to be built which should dilute its affect. When the various phases of the projects are completed according to the master-plan i'm sure it will be much more aesthetically pleasing.

Another esteemed member summarized everything I said by saying it's a 21st century solution to a 21st century problem. I just thought i'd expand upon that in simple english for those who are easily swayed but the uninformed/agenda-driven

Besides nobody can talk about esthetics when the expansion work and all the projects around Makkah are not even 10% finished! For instance fans of skyscrapers did not give their final say on the Burj Khalifa when only the first 10 stories had been built did they? No, they waited until it was fully completed before they passed judgement yet some ignorants here are unable to do so because they know nothing about the expansion work or the need of it. Or even the final plan or how it will look like when finished. It's getting tiring.
 
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And when/if the Al-Saud disappear the new rulers, like all the past rulers, would not like to set their own mark on the holy sites? Because history clearly shows this.
In any case it will only go one way from now on. More pilgrims EACH year. The Muslim majority areas of the world are experiencing a population boom that will be felt for a long, long time to come. This means more pilgrims and a bigger demand.
I suggest everybody read @Chrome9 's excellent post number 68 in this thread.

I am not against expanding the site, but it sad to see historical sites being demolished in the name of modernity. If they want to build more hotels for the Hajis then why not build them a bit away from the Sacred Mosque. I have noticed this strange trend that historical buildings are not taken care of and even demolished.
 
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I am not against expanding the site, but it sad to see historical sites being demolished in the name of modernity. If they want to build more hotels for the Hajis then why not build them a bit away from the Sacred Mosque. I have noticed this strange trend that historical buildings are not taken care of and even demolished.

Let's be precise for once. I asked people who criticized the current expansion work on which heritage that is exactly being ruined? The existing Abbasid and Ottoman columns are not going to be demolished they are just removed temporarily and will be put back in place when the final expansion work is done. This time at the back of the Mosque. I explained this to a user in detail in another thread and even provided sources. Unfortunately our discussion got deleted.

I ask again do you even know how it will look like in the end? So how can you talk about esthetics.

You should counter all the correct points that @Chrome9 mentioned. I would have a hard time doing it if I was against the expansion projects as some are here. For unknown reasons.
 
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