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stopped despite the falling of the oil price and the Gulf
War. Time has proved that for the realization of lofty
objectives, everything would be possible, provided there
is a strong desire, a sense of duty, a determined will and
plenty of money.
Today the area of Mecca is 70 square kilometers and its
population exceed half a million. It is obviously beautiful,
modern and unique. It is unique not only in view of its
sacred functions and of the fact that it is visited by a few
million people from all over the world. The authorities have
assumed the responsibility of regulating and protecting
this universal wealth. It is very difficult to provide the best
appropriate conditions for the performance of the main
pillars of Islam for all the Muslims on earth. I feel certain
that if any other country were to face a similar task it
would not be able to solve the great and routine problems
involved in facilitating the performance of the rites of
Hajj with such success. Every year millions of Riyals are
spent on modernizing the infrastructure of the two Holy
Cities and on the increasing demands for receiving the
increasing number of visitors year after year.
The population of Mecca have managed to adapt to
the continuous flow of great multitudes of pilgrims and
to provide a good reception to the guests of the Most
Merciful. Thus a great many hotels open their hospitable
doors to receive the pilgrims, and the inhabitants of the
city traditionally lease their residences during the Hajj
and Umra season. To accommodate the great number of
pilgrims, thousands of camps are set up on the outskirts of
Mecca and are equipped to provide comfortable conditions
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for the visitors for a few days. To serve passengers there
is a regular and frequent transport service provided by
small buses and limousines (as taxi cabs are called in
the Kingdom). Many wide tunnels that lead to the main
plaza have been dug in order to facilitate the movement
of the heavy traffic. For quick action and the efficient
solving of problems that pilgrims may face, the Ministry
of the Interior and Hajj, the Security Forces, the Passport
Department and the Traffic Police work day and night in
order to serve the innumerable hosts of pilgrims.
As a result of the latest modernization of the Holy
Mosque, the prayers courtyard was extended and roofed
till it reached 60 thousand square meters. A new entrance
was built and the old entrances were repaired. The most
powerful air-conditioning devices were installed not only
for the internal space but also for the open place round
the Kaaba. Lifts were also installed to facilitate the up
and down movement of pilgrims. More than two million
pilgrims can now pray simultaneously in the Mosque.
There is no doubt that all these figures are quite
impressive. But for the ordinary person, particularly for
those who come for the first time with no knowledge
of these statistics, all that they see creates a stunning
impression, and most certainly provokes a special
sensation in them. I still remember this amazing feeling
of serenity and tranquility which I felt. It was as though
time had been frozen and all yesterday’s concerns and
problems seemed trivial and insignificant.
By modern standards, Mecca is not a big city. It is a
radiant city, however. The clean roads which are planted
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with trees on both sides are like small rivers flowing from
the mountains in the direction of the center and punctuated
by squares that are decorated with memorials in the wide
streets. The four main squares are not there only to beautify
the city. They are indeed special climatic areas wherein
special devices have been installed that sprinkle drops of
cold water and are a pleasant place for rest for the people
of the city and the pilgrims. The rebuilt old buildings and
the ultra-modern buildings are constructed at various
levels as though rolling from the hills that surround the
city in a closed chain from any point of which the Holy
Mosque can be seen.
The large plaza whose area is 13,250 square meters,
which surrounds the Mosque, is paved with marble slabs
that have beautiful geometric shapes. At the edges of
the plaza there rise buildings, offices and hotels of 10 to
13 storeys. And yet, the Mosque dominates the general
view. God’s House itself consists of the majestic cubic-
shaped Kaaba. The Inviolable House has a main gate and
18 ordinary vaulted entrances, whose doors are decorated
with yellow copper engravings. In the corners of the
polygonal courtyard, there rise into the wide expanse of
the sky majestic minarets that are a few dozen meters high
on top of which are fixed golden crescents. The decorated
arcades of its entrances seem to invite pilgrims into the
cool shade. Here pilgrims take off their shoes and enter into
a “forest” of 500 columns with crowns that are decorated
with marble mosaics, drawings and beautiful calligraphy.
The rosy ceilings are also decorated with golden Arabian
ornaments, spirals, octagons and other shapes. The floor is
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