What are the rules of Mecca?

In the City of Mecca, only Muslims are allowed – non-Muslims may not enter or travel through Mecca. Attempting to enter Mecca as a non-Muslim can result in penalties such as a fine; being in Mecca as a non-Muslim can result in deportation.

Why is Makkah special?

Mecca is considered the spiritual center of Islam because it was where the Prophet Mohammed is said to have received his first revelations in the early 7th century. At its heart is the cube-shaped Ka’ba, built by Abraham and his son Ishmael, according to the Quran.

When was Kaaba built?

The history and form of the Kaaba Tradition holds that it was originally a simple unroofed rectangular structure. The Quraysh tribe, who ruled Mecca, rebuilt the pre-Islamic Kaaba in c. 608 C.E. with alternating courses of masonry and wood.

Is it illegal to film in Mecca?

Photography is forbidden at sacred sites on the hajj, while homosexuality is punishable by the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.

What was life like in Mecca before Islam?

The Arabian Peninsula was experiencing social and moral corruption before Islam. Since Arabs had a tribal society, there was not a central authority. Each tribe had its own rules and regulations, also each tribe claimed to be superior to the others. Consequently, the tribes in Mecca were frequently fighting with each other.

Why was the Kaaba important to the people of Mecca?

Yes. Mecca was deemed sacred by many tribes all over Arabia because of the Kaaba, the sanctuary built by Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismael by Allah’s order for the worship of one God. However, the Arabs had replaced Ibrahim’s monotheism with polytheism.

Why did the Quraysh do Hajj in Mecca?

Besides, the Quraysh had annual festivals in Mecca where they would offer sacrifices to their idols in order to show their devotion. They believed that they fulfilled their duty towards their gods and goddesses by doing so. Additionally, the ritual of hajj that had been carried out since the time of Prophet Ibrahim had been degenerated.