I feel sorry for all those who want to create a tourist industry for us that copies others in everything in spite of the obvious social differences. Instead of tapping the vast and rich local potential that could ensure a successful sector, we have come up with programs that are found everywhere — from the deserts of Algeria and the Emirates to Nevada. Investing in ecotourism is important for building an integrated tourist industry. However, focusing on side issues while neglecting the huge advantages that this country enjoys will do us no good. I am referring here to our rich religious heritage which unfortunately continues to be treated with indifference and neglect, including the very places associated with the birth of Islam.

An example is Hera cave, the place where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) worshipped before the revelation. Makkah at that time was a society governed by ignorance and corruption and in order for the Prophet to worship in privacy, he went alone to Hera cave outside the city. His solitude was spent in prayer and reflection.

Thus I was saddened when I recently watched a television documentary and read an article about Hera cave. This site that played a crucial role in the rise of Islam appeared like a place without history. The only indication of the cave’s existence was a colored painting, done by a Pakistani, hanging at the entrance and telling visitors that this was the place that witnessed the descent of the first revelation and the birthplace of Islam that was soon to spread and change the course of history.

It is painful seeing this great Islamic site appearing in such a sad condition as if it were an insignificant shrine in a remote city. The person who has volunteered to keep the place is an old man from Bangladesh who came all the way from that distant land to do so.

If this is how we treat Hera cave, a site so important for Muslims, one that occupies a central place in our history, how can we ever hope to build a successful tourist sector? If we have not been able to protect our history and prevent the Islamic sites from becoming unknown and uncared for, how can we build a tourist industry? The issue is not only Hera cave but the numbers of historical sites and monuments that witnessed the dawning of Islam and are intricately bound up in its early history.

I wonder who can tell me if there is any sign in any language that points to the place where the Treaty of Hudaibiya was concluded between the Prophet and the Quraish. Under the treaty, both sides agreed to observe a truce for 10 years. It was later breached by the Quraish leading to the conquest of Makkah and the end of paganism.

The same goes for many other major events that changed the course of human history, including battles that early Muslims fought against the infidels. We love to be under the illusion of being a people of special status. It is this kind of thinking that has so far denied us the benefits that could have been reaped from our vast tourist resources.