Historic Buildings Cause Polytheism & Idolatry; New Ones = Evil Commercialization
Dammed if you do, dammed if you don’t
Point
Some of Islam’s historic sites in Mecca, possibly including a home of the Prophet Mohammad, are under threat from Saudi real estate developers and Wahhabi Muslims who view them as promoting idolatry.
Sami Angawi, an expert on the region’s Islamic architecture, said 1,400-year-old buildings from the early Islamic period risk being demolished to make way for high rise towers for Muslims flocking to perform the annual pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest city.
“We are witnessing now the last few moments of the history of Mecca,” Angawi told Reuters. “Its layers of history are being bulldozed for a parking lot,” he added.
Counterpoint:
Dominating these is the 10 billion riyal Jabal Omar scheme. Covering a 230,000 square yard area adjacent to the Grand Mosque, the seven-year project consists of several towers containing hotels, apartments, shops and restaurants.
Angawi said these developments will dwarf Mecca’s Grand Mosque and are a sign of crass commercialization.
“Mecca is being treated like a bad copy of any city when it is a sanctuary. The house of God is being commercialized and these developments are disrespectful and totally out of proportion.”
Terrible that historic preservation is seen as a bad thing. I don’t understand why the reverence to the Kaaba and the Dome of the Rock are ok, yet preserving and recognizing the importantance of buildings significant in the life of Muhammad is not ok. If you want to be really strict about it, both could be considered idol worship. *shrug* Save the buildings!