Plan to remove Mecca portico protested

A 17th-century portico in Mecca’s Grand Mosque has turned into the latest bone of contention between the Saudi government intent on renovating the city and those who favor preservation of old architecture and monuments.

Mecca authorities are removing the Ottoman-era portico in a bid to create more space for the growing number of pilgrims visiting Islam’s holiest site, CNN reports.

A Saudi historian says the government’s plan to expand the city of Mecca amount to “cultural vandalism.”

Irfan Al Alawi, who is executive director of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation in London, has called on Muslims worldwide to protest against these projects.

He has noted that the Saudi authorities can reach their objective of more space for the pilgrims in another way.

“I’m not against expanding the mosques at all, but there are ways you can go about it without destroying the historical aspects of these sites,” Al Alawi was quoted as saying.

The Turkish government has voiced concern about the destruction of the Ottoman-era portico.

“It is very important to preserve the Kaaba porches as the legacy of the Ottoman Empire where they stand,” a statement from Turkey’s Directorate for Cultural Properties and Museums said.

Al Alawi expressed regret that the Saudi government refuses to value aspects of Mecca’s historic heritage dating back to before Saudi control over the city.

Mecca’s skyline has drastically changed over the past ten years.

The Institute for [Persian] Gulf Affairs, based in the United States, has estimated that nearly 95% of Mecca’s buildings, dating from millennia BC, have been demolished over the past two decades.

Al Alawi said the Saudi government’s behavior is to a great extent the result of the Saudi leader’s belief in Wahhabism.

According to him, the Wahhabi cult promotes the idea that buildings like shrines and holy pilgrimage sites deny monotheism.

To that effect, Saudi Authority for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice plans to shut down or raze 14 ancient sites in and around Mecca.

Every year, millions of Muslims from around the world perform their Hajj pilgrim in Mecca.

Hajj is considered one of the five pillars of Islam and the largest act of mass pilgrimage in the world. The holy pilgrimage is also a demonstration of Muslims’ unity and their submission to Allah.

Every able-bodied Muslim is obliged to perform the pilgrimage at least once in his or her lifetime.