Crown Prince Abdullah recently laid the foundation stone for a major waqf (endowment) project in Makkah that will benefit the Grand Mosque. The King Abdul Aziz Waqf complex featuring residential units and shopping centers will be the latest in a series of high-rise buildings to have sprung up around the Holy Haram. There is now fierce competition among developers to construct the tallest building in the vicinity of the Holy Haram. This kind of competition is unacceptable for several reasons; some are spiritual and moral while others have to do with the safety and security of pilgrims, worshipers and visitors.
Additional buildings and more people will make it even more difficult to address problems associated with the movement of pilgrims. Imagine the situation several years from now when the numbers of high-rise buildings will have increased substantially. Apart from the developmental and environmental problems, think of the most important aspect — the spiritual one. The mushrooming multi-story buildings around the Grand Mosque are a violation of the sanctity and holiness of a place revered and honored by millions of Muslims. What is needed are practical steps to limit the height of buildings around the Holy Haram to ensure that they do not overwhelm the area and make the Grand Mosque look small and block the views of it and from it. The more licenses issued for the construction of high-rise buildings, the more property prices shoot up and this stimulates the construction of still higher buildings. Something has to be done to end this vicious cycle.
I hope to see a beginning made by the new waqf project. Its height can be lessened to no more than ten stories or even less for the section which faces the Grand Mosque while gradually increasing the height as one moves inward. At the maximum, the building should not exceed 15 stories. I am confident Prince Abdullah, the guardian of the waqf project, will see to it that this is implemented.
Arab News From the Local Press 22 December 2002
