[shsh]

Originally Posted by jaani

This picture looks unrealistic to me. Is it just me or does that building looks photoshopped?

Has anyone who have gone to Makkah seen this monster building?


~j

it does look photoshopped. thats the first thing i thought when i saw it.

[jaani]

Originally Posted by shsh

it does look photoshopped. thats the first thing i thought when i saw it.

ya and the shadow of that building isn't even falling on Makkah (barely a little)...that seemed odd too since its hugggeeee!


~j

[shsh]

Originally Posted by jaani

ya and the shadow of that building isn't even falling on Makkah (barely a little)...that seemed odd too since its hugggeeee!


~j

yeah.

well inshAllah we are planning on going for Hajj. will definitely check that out.


edit: please say inshAllah when you read the above. JazakAllah.

[jaani]

Originally Posted by shsh

yeah.

well inshAllah we are planning on going for Hajj. will definitely check that out.


edit: please say inshAllah when you read the above. JazakAllah.

Inshallah, Inshallah, Inshallah

~j

[Variable]

Originally Posted by IbnMardhiyah

Criticizing is real easy

Yeh it is, especially when it looks like that...

Here's a possible alternative, build something like that away from the site of the Haram Shareef, and then build a high volume/speed elevated train in from there. That way you don't have a luxury eye-sore towering over the holiest site in Islam. Maybe not a perfect solution but that thing definitely isn't either.

[IbnMardhiyah]

Originally Posted by Variable

Yeh it is, especially when it looks like that...

Here's a possible alternative, build something like that away from the site of the Haram Shareef, and then build a high volume/speed elevated train in from there. That way you don't have a luxury eye-sore towering over the holiest site in Islam. Maybe not a perfect solution but that thing definitely isn't either.

They already have a high-speed transit link being built, connecting Makkah to other local sites that are part of the pilgrimage. Bombardier was selected for the job if I recall - good pick. However, having that link setup as you suggest, connecting hotels all around to the site wouldn't be practical - the capacity is too limited to make it practical for moving 500,000 people per day, or more.

As fo what's an eye-sore, or what's a "perfect solution" - no such thing exists, since its all subjective. The fact remains that many people want to be really close to the Haram-Shareef during the Hajj, and will pay extra for it.

[Variable]

Originally Posted by IbnMardhiyah

They already have a high-speed transit link being built, connecting Makkah to other local sites that are part of the pilgrimage. Bombardier was selected for the job if I recall - good pick. However, having that link setup as you suggest, connecting hotels all around to the site wouldn't be practical - the capacity is too limited to make it practical for moving 500,000 people per day, or more.

As fo what's an eye-sore, or what's a "perfect solution" - no such thing exists, since its all subjective. The fact remains that many people want to be really close to the Haram-Shareef during the Hajj, and will pay extra for it.

So the rich get to stay in their towering eye-sore (which is what most people will consider it to be if it looks anything like that) and get to be close to the Masjid. That sounds like a corporate opportunity to me, not a good solution.

As for a rail-link, maybe rather than looking to an over-subsidized Canadian company, they should have looked to Japan. If Tokyo's transit system handles millions upon millions of people every day, 500 000 shouldn't be to much of a problem.

[Dubai3000]

The place is only made for the rich. They have all the expensive western fashion stores in the mall. I am not against making space, but this is only making space for the rich.

[jaani]

Originally Posted by Dubai3000

The place is only made for the rich. They have all the expensive western fashion stores in the mall. I am not against making space, but this is only making space for the rich.

And right next to the Makkah?! This is just blasphemous

~j

[zzze]

assalamu alaykum

thought that didnt look real and i know people who have recently visited makkah and didn't comment on the eye-sore. I couldn't care less about the crowd management etc (and the crowd seems to be more about the rich within it!) , it is such a contradiction next to the ka'ba...why doesn't the saudi government just make reduce the number of hajj/umrah visas or something. Subha Allah, that's horrible.

[IbnMardhiyah]

Originally Posted by Variable

So the rich get to stay in their towering eye-sore (which is what most people will consider it to be if it looks anything like that) and get to be close to the Masjid. That sounds like a corporate opportunity to me, not a good solution.

Originally Posted by Dubai3000

The place is only made for the rich. They have all the expensive western fashion stores in the mall. I am not against making space, but this is only making space for the rich.

Don't you guys ever tire of the ignorant assumptions?

The hotels nearest to the Haram-Shareef, while do charge a premium because of locale, are not exorbitant or out of range of the majority of pilgrims. People know that they will have to pay a bit extra, and they save up and do so. My parents went for Hajj just this last season, and my mom is a healthy lady - she can walk properly and all, but she absolutely didn't want to waste all that time sitting in a bus, stuck in traffic. She shelled out maybe a couple hundred more to stay right next to the masjid.

Originally Posted by zzze

it is such a contradiction next to the ka'ba...why doesn't the saudi government just make reduce the number of hajj/umrah visas or something. Subha Allah, that's horrible.

They already have limits on how many visas they issue to each country for hajj. Now you want them to limit it more? You'd have WAY more Muslims pissed off at the KSA because of that than any Muslims who might be unreasonably angry now because of new developments.

Large and tall hotel structures have always been around the Haram Shareef, in recent times.

So they tore down those and built a new one.

Just what is the big deal? You guys have the nerve and selfishness to think your desire for mere eye candy supersedes the right of these esteemed guests to be treated properly?

How the heck did you all become so stuck up?

[Dubai3000]

Dude ^ most people coming from poor countries can't afford it. Its made for the upper middle class and rich people. 80% of the Hajjis are poor, they have to walk so far and live in bad conditions.

[IbnMardhiyah]

Originally Posted by Dubai3000

Dude ^ most people coming from poor countries can't afford it. Its made for the upper middle class and rich people. 80% of the Hajjis are poor, they have to walk so far and live in bad conditions.

You want it plain and simple? You're wrong. Just like your very first post in this thread was wrong. All hyperbole and gross distortions.

But if you want to get down and really prove your statements, then back it up with actual data - which is all publicly available, btw.

[zzze]

assalamu alaykum

Stuck up...? it takes one to know one. I'm really disgusted at the way in which the hotel is going to tower over the masjid, I find it disrespectful and insulting. What happens when they need even more space? What happens when the expensive hotel rooms are taken up the there are more and more people willing to fork out more to be closer?

In my humble opinion I think they need to think of a long term solution. With the visa limits- whoever is written down to perform umrah/hajj will do so..Allah swt will facilitate the means insha Allah.