Makkah Super Hotel for Super Rich with Hajj Package

The pilgrimage to Mecca has always involved hardship and sacrifice, whether months spent travelling on foot through barren valleys and sleeping in the open with no shelter from the elements or stripping oneself of earthly trappings. But help is at hand for the pilgrim who cannot bear to be without comfort while executing the fifth pillar of Islam.

Raffles, which gave thirsty wanderers the Singapore Sling, is opening a luxury hotel in Mecca offering pilgrims a coffee sommelier, a chocolate room where chefs will prepare bespoke pralines and truffles, and a 24-hour butler service.

Undeterred by restrictions on beautifying oneself during the Hajj, the hotel will also have segregated gyms, beauty parlours, grooming salons and a spa.

There are strict rules regarding personal hygiene and behaviour during the hajj, and forbidden activities include sex, the cutting of hair and nails and the trimming of beards. These bars are lifted once certain rituals are complete, but Muslims are generally expected to forget worldly thoughts and activities and focus on the divine.

Mohammed Arkobi, the general manager of the new hotel, did not explain how a chocolate room and spa would help pilgrims achieve spiritual fulfilment. Nor was he able to comment on how the amenities complied with the ethos of the hajj, which is about simplicity and humility.

But he did say that the "comprehensive range of services" were designed to meet the needs of the "discerning" travellers they were targeting.

"Ultimately, the hotel's sophisticated ambience, our range of features and highly personalised service delivery such as those offered through our 24-hour butler service will help to ensure that our residents' overall experience will be enriching."

Arkobi said the hotel was a three-minute walk away from the Grand Mosque, the Masjid al-Haram, and that a "spacious outdoor dining terrace" would provide direct views of it.

It is being developed by the Saudi Binladin Company, one of the largest construction firms in the Arab world, which has also been responsible for overseeing the expansion of the holy mosques in Mecca and Medina. The company was set up by Mohammed bin Laden, father of Osama, although the family is now estranged from its most infamous son.

Around 4 million people visit Mecca for hajj, with millions more passing through the rest of the year to perform the lesser pilgrimage. Estimates for future numbers vary wildly – from 10 million to 20 million – and the landscape of Mecca has undergone a dramatic transformation over the decades to cope with demand. Homes have been bulldozed, mountains flattened and historic sites razed to provide more hotel rooms and amenities.

One development that will dominate the skyline and the Grand Mosque is the Makkah Royal Clock Tower, operated by international hoteliers Fairmont, which is majority owned by a company chaired by HRH Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, the Saudi king's nephew.

The tower will be among the tallest in the world, 577 metres (1,893ft) high on completion, and its dimensions, including a clockface measuring 40 metres across that will be visible 10 miles away, make it five times larger than Big Ben.

In addition to 1,005 guest rooms, the tower will also house a lunar observation centre and Islamic museum. It lies in the massive Abraj Al Bait complex, part of the King Abdul Aziz endowment project aimed at upgrading the precincts of Mecca and Medina.

Mecca's makeover is alarming international activists, such as Ali al-Ahmed, the director of the Washington-based Institute for Gulf Affairs, a thinktank analysing events and issues in the region. Ahmed, an outspoken critic of the Saudi regime, said many factors were driving the changes.

"The al-Sauds want to make Mecca like Dubai, it is a money-making operation. They destroy ancient buildings because they do not want any history other than their own, they see it as competition. They destroy and dispose of artefacts."

He also expressed concern that the arrival of luxury brands would increase the price of a pilgrimage. A 2009 platinum Hajj package from a UK tour operator costs £6,400 for 16 nights full board, based on double occupancy.

"By developing Mecca in this way they are making it inaccessible and unaffordable for the majority of Muslims. It will only be for the elite," Ahmed said.

The city's increasing westernisation was a "perversion of the religion", encouraging activities that were at odds with the spirit of the hajj, he said.

"The Saudis may come across as austere but members of the ruling class have billions of dollars between them – even the muftis live in palaces with chandeliers."

Development of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina should not come at the expense of religious practice, he said, before turning his attention to the lack of protest from Muslims around the world.

"Let's take Jerusalem as an example. Muslims are outraged when Israelis do something in the Old City, but in Mecca things are being systematically destroyed and nobody is raising an eyebrow. It is a catastrophe."

Raffles Mecca is due to open in April 2010.

Dont Be Sad: Say [O’ Muhammad]: Travel in the land...

{Say [O’ Muhammad]: Travel in the land...} (Qur’an 6:11)

There is one activity worthy of mention here, because it both gives pleasure and removes dark clouds that may hang over you; namely, for you to travel through the lands, observe the open book of creation, and appreciate all of its wonders. During your journeys, you can see gardens of splendor and beautiful green meadows. Leave your home and contemplate that which surrounds you. Climb mountains, traverse valleys, ascend trees, and drink sweet, pure spring water. Thereupon, you will find your soul to be free like the bird that sings and swims in the sky in perfect rapture. Leave your home and remove the black blindfold from your eyes, and then travel through the spacious lands of Allah, remembering and glorifying Him.

To isolate yourself to the confines of your own room, while passing the hours away with lethal idleness, is a certain path to self-destruction. Your room is not the only place in the world, and you are not the sole inhabitant of it. Then why do you surrender yourself to misery and solitude? Call out with your eyes, ears, and heart:

{March forth, whether you are light [being healthy, young and wealthy] or heavy [being ill, old and poor].} (Qur’an 9: 41)

Come, recite the Qur’an beside a mountain brook or among the birds as they sing.

Traveling to different lands is an activity which doctors recommend, especially for those who are feeling downcast, constricted by the narrowness of their own rooms. Therefore go forth and find delight in traveling.

{And they think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying]: ‘Our Lord! You have not created [all] this without purpose, glory to You!’} (Qur’an 3:191)

Source: Don't Be Sad - By Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni

On Hajj Tourism...

Some people goto Hajj every year. Some do it because they think its their right to do so. Some do it for worldly name and fame, some do it because they have nothing better to do. Very few people do it out of fear of Allah and to gain mercy and forgiveness from him.

The following is an extract from Islam Online Fatwa bank.

Question

Some charities take donations, which they allot to those who have not performed Hajj before. But which is better for donors: to give money to those who want to perform Hajj for the first time, or to give money to the poor, the needy, the insolvent debtors, etc., all over the Islamic world?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. Dear questioner, we are greatly pleased to receive your question. May Allah reward you abundantly for your interest in knowing the teachings of Islam! If a donor is capable of doing both—that is, giving money for Hajj to those who are financially incapable of performing it and giving money in charity to the poor, the needy, and the insolvent debtors—in this case providing the means for Hajj is better. However, if a person wants to do one of the two or if he or she is incapable of doing both, spending money in charity is worthier than facilitating Hajj for others. This is according to the jurisprudence of priority as regards the acts of worship. Responding to the question, Dr.`Ugail Jasem An-Nashmi, Professor of Shari`ah at the University of Kuwait, states the following: There are two aspects in this issue: the money giver and the money receiver for Hajj. One who is asked to accept a certain sum of money from a charity organization that acts on behalf of the donor does not have to take the money, as the Lawgiver (Allah) does not oblige one to do so. The Lawgiver does not ask Muslims to overexert themselves in order to have the means to perform Hajj. Moreover, the obligation to take the money might be considered a favor done for one, in which case one does not have to accept and is not considered financially able to perform Hajj. This is Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s opinion. As for Ash-Safi`i, he said, “If one is given what makes one able to perform Hajj, one must perform it, as one is then able to perform it financially without being regarded as accepting a favor of anybody, or being exposed to any harm. So Hajj has become incumbent upon one.” Thus, the preponderant view here is that one does not have to accept such money if there will be a kind of favor done for one, or the like. If not, which differs from one person to another, and one has received the money, one must perform Hajj. As for the person who gives money as charity for people to perform Hajj for themselves and not on his behalf, this is a good deed for which he will receive reward from Allah, in sha’ Allah.. But as regards preference, if the donor is able to combine giving money for others to perform Hajj and spending money in charity, doing both is the best. However, if the donor intends to do one of the two, or if he is incapable of doing both, then priorities should be considered: Spending money in charity ways is worthier than facilitating Hajj for others. The following accounts support this view: Abu An-Nasr At-Tammar narrated that a man came to say farewell to Bishr ibn Al-Harith before traveling for Hajj. He said, “I have decided to perform Hajj; what do you order me to do? Bishr asked, “How much money have you prepared for the expenses?” The man answered, “Two thousand dinars.” Bishr asked, “What do you seek with your Hajj? Is it for being ascetic or because of yearning for the House or seeking Allah’s pleasure?” The man answered, “Seeking Allah’s pleasure.” Bishr again asked, “If you are able to win Allah’s pleasure without leaving your country, spending the two thousand dinars and being sure of winning the pleasure of Allah Almighty, will you do so?” The man answered, “Yes.” On that Bishr said, “Go and give the money to ten people like an insolvent debtor to pay his debt, a poor man to improve his conditions, a breadwinner to support his dependents adequately, and one raising an orphan raiser to make the orphan happy. If you have a strong will to give all the money to only one person, do so, for bringing happiness to a Muslim’s heart, relieving the sufferer, doing away with harm and helping the weak is better than performing Hajj a thousand times after the obligatory Hajj of Islam. Get up and spend your money the way I told you” (Al-Ghazali in Ihya’ `Ulum Ad-Din, vol. 3, p. 397). It is also narrated that `Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak set out for Hajj once and crossed a number of countries on his way. Then, one of their birds died, so he ordered that it be thrown in a garbage dump. After that, his companions preceded him. When he passed by the garbage dump, he saw a girl coming out from a nearby house, taking the dead bird and hurrying back to the house. Ibn Al-Mubarak approached her and asked about her condition and about her taking the dead bird. At first she was too shy to answer, then she said, “My mother and I do not have anything except this waist wrapper. We have no food except what is thrown in this garbage dump. I had a father who had great wealth but his wealth was taken and he was killed for some reason. We are left nothing to eat or sustain ourselves with.” On hearing this, Ibn Al-Mubarak’s eyes were filled with tears. He ordered that the loads and supplies of Hajj be returned, then he asked his deputy, “How much money do you have?” He answered, “A thousand dinars.” On that Ibn Al-Mubarak said, “Leave twenty dinars for our return and give the rest to this distressed woman for, by Allah, I was tormented to know her calamity. This is better to Allah than our performance of Hajj this year.” Then he went back and did not perform Hajj. You can also read: Do Hajj and `Umrah Expiate Major Sins? If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to write back! May Allah guide you to the straight path, and guide you to that which pleases Him, Amen. Allah Almighty knows best.

	Allah Almighty knows best.

Cape Town Mosque Tourism

Cape Town is steadily becoming a center of Islamic tourism with thousands of Muslims reportedly flocking to South Africa’s coastal city which has a rich Islamic heritage, including the 10 oldest mosques in all Southern Africa.

"Whenever I and my family think of a holiday trip in the world, we have only one location in mind and that is Cape Town," Edris Muktar, a Malaysian tourist, told IslamOnline.net.

"It’s primarily because of its Islamic culture, rich history and friendliness of its inhabitants."

Sumaya Abdul, a tourist from Indonesia, says she always prefers Cape Town for vacations because of the historical attachment the city has with her Muslim home country.

"Some of my great grandfathers were brought to Cape Town as slaves by colonialists and they brought Islam to South Africa," she told IOL.

"When I’m here, I see the people as my blood connection. So visiting Cape Town is a priority for me."

Cape Town is a home to nearly half a million Muslims of diverse Asian origins.

Muslims make up to 1.5% of South Africa's 44-million population.

Islam was first introduced to the then Cape of Good hope in 1654 by political exiles and slaves working for the Dutch East India Company that operated between Cape Town, Holland and the then East Indies.

Sumaya recalls she was very impressed the first time she came to Cape Town with the so many shops and restaurants offering halal food.

"Nearly all the food in Cape Town is halal."

Muslims should only eat meat from livestock slaughtered by a sharp knife from their necks, and the name of Allah, the Arabic word for God, must be mentioned.

Sumaya says that one particular aspect of the city has captivated her more than anything else.

"There are many mosques on virtually every corner of the street, which is difficult to find in other tourism centers in the world."

Cape Town has reportedly 10 oldest mosques in Southern Africa.

There were no mosques in the city until the early 1800’s, when religious freedom was granted by the Dutch colony in 1803.

Of the spectacular Muslim sites that have amazed many tourists in Cape Town are the Auwal and the Palm Tree mosques, the two most ancient Muslim places of worship in the country.

"The Auwal & Palm Tree mosques draw a huge number of tourists because of their ancient history," Farouk Kamalie, chairperson of the Palm Tree Mosque, told IOL.

"Foreign and local Muslims visit our ancient mosques every year."

The same happens with the Auwal mosque, the first mosque in the entire Southern Africa region which was built in 1804.

"Thousands of people from different countries come to this mosque every month, taking pictures, recording videos and also interviewing us," says Abdurrahman, the mosques Tanzanian-origin muezzin (person who calls for prayers).

"I feel proud to be associated with Auwal Mosque."

Kamalie, the Palm Tree Mosque chairperson, insists that as remarkable as they are, mosques are only part of Cape Town’s rich Islamic heritage.

"[Tourists] request us for guides to take them to tombs of some of the first Muslim scholar who died here in Cape Town," he said.

"Cape Town has very rich Islamic history and Culture"