MECCA | Abraj Al-Bait Endowment | 601m | 1972ft | 95 fl | T/O

[Roukaya19]

Crescent of the Grand mosque

image hosted on flickr




Crescent of the Makkah Clock Royal Tower

[MysticMcGoo]

Wow very cool progression through time, Roukaya.
Does Makkah have a central business district? If so, how far away is it from the Kabaa and grand mosque?

[The Rt. Hon.]

I wonder what Prince Charles would make of this building?
This sort of architecture is what you get when a goat herder strikes oil. The Arab royals are still very simple people who are now very wealthy.

As a Muslim, i just hope that no Filipino maids are abused in that building, especially not in this holy city.

[Makkawi.Pk]

Originally Posted by abumuhannadh

expect tons of work

best of luck

Since the mods are sleeping, I guess its best if we ignore the bottom half of 312 and upper half of 313.

Originally Posted by abumuhannadh

are you gonna talk or will you post it too?

Since I have a job, I'm busy. But I'm free today, so here you go:

image hosted on flickr


Some recent pics. People complain there are no pics up close. I would like to say, its asyiqul huur's department, and there is nothing to see at top, the spire is exactly where its was two or three weeks ago, just a little work:

Clock tower from AlJazair Street near Masjid-al-Kuwaiti, Otaibiah.

image hosted on flickr


Left clock STOPPED. You can also see how amazing it looks when the left clock shines.

image hosted on flickr


You can see, when sun is on top, Clock tower becomes a silhouette.

image hosted on flickr


Things aren't as big as they seem.

image hosted on flickr


This is yesterday's pic:

image hosted on flickr


And it looks like we finally have LIGHTNING pics

[abumuhannadh]

Originally Posted by Makkawi.Pk

image hosted on flickr

hmm, it does look better

[abumuhannadh]

i would travel to Makkah tomorrow inshallah,

my camera is with someone else in Makkah, but i will try to grab some pics inshallah.
but i won't probably have internet until i come back, so can't post it till about more than a week from now.

[GulfArabia]

Originally Posted by The Rt. Hon.

I wonder what Prince Charles would make of this building?
This sort of architecture is what you get when a goat herder strikes oil. The Arab royals are still very simple people who are now very wealthy.

As a Muslim, i just hope that no Filipino maids are abused in that building, especially not in this holy city.

[Makkawi.Pk]

Originally Posted by GulfArabia

right-o

[Roukaya19]

Originally Posted by MysticMcGoo

Wow very cool progression through time, Roukaya.
Does Makkah have a central business district? If so, how far away is it from the Kabaa and grand mosque?

Yes and it's not finish construction still go on!

Sorry can't answer...don't know this part of Mecca.

[Roukaya19]

@Makkawi...Thanks nice pics ...I wish you a bran new camera 2011

[Makkawi.Pk]

Thanks Roukaya. I wish for that too

[Roukaya19]

Mecca as it appeared 125 years ago

Last Updated: Nov 13, 2010

In the spirit of Eid al Adha, the photography gallery The Empty Quarter in Dubai is exhibiting historical photographs of Mecca originally published by the Dutch scholar Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje in 1889.

Snouck Hurgonje (1857-1936) is the founder of contemporary Islamic studies in the Netherlands, and believed that racial and religious diversity can go hand in hand with peaceful coexistence. His life was filled with still-relevant ideological controversies and revolutionary statements.

He had an intrinsic curiosity, distinct knowledge of Islam and fluency in Arabic that allowed him, even as a foreigner, to enter the city forbidden to non-Muslims. After Snouck Hurgronje successfully defended his dissertation, Het Mekkaansche Feest (The Meccan Celebration), in 1880 at Leiden University, he wanted to study Islam in its very centre; he arrived on the Arabian Peninsula on August 28, 1884.

He spent his first months in Jeddah, learning the local dialect and preparing to seek approval to enter Mecca. He gathered a circle of influential friends around him, not in the least because of his photographic equipment. At the time, photography was mysterious and new and most likely helped him break down social barriers.

About this time he symbolically took a Muslim name, Abd al Gaffar. There are some who doubt whether he truly converted to Islam, but he does describe a circumcision in remarkable detail, and he received a visit from the qadi of Jeddah, and his travel companion addressed him as "a brother in God".

When Snouck Hurgronje finally set foot in Mecca on the eve of February 22, 1885, he circled the Kaaba, kissed the Black Stone and drank the holy water of Zam Zam.

"I made acquaintance with modern Meccan society at first hand, heard with my own ears what that international population learns and teaches … I have studied the ideal and the reality … in mosque, divan, coffeehouse and living room," Snouck Hurgronje wrote.

He described the "neighbours of Allah" as a heterogeneous society focused on trade. He spoke highly of the freedom enjoyed by women. The book that gained him international recognition, Mecca in the Latter Part of the 19th Century, is an important historical source and deals with social and family life, funeral customs and marriage.

During his intense five months in Mecca, he struck a friendship with a doctor who coincidentally shared the same Arabic name, Abd al Gaffar, and his fascination for photography. Together they struggled with the heavy camera and hand-retouched negatives in a portable darkroom. Until 30 years ago, it was assumed the photographs in the album Photographs of Mecca were the sole work of Snouck Hurgronje, but scientific research has recognised Dr al Gaffar as the first Meccan photographer.

Snouck Hurgronje's "medieval dream" ended abruptly in August that year, after French media falsely accused him of wanting to steal a historical artefact. He left the city under armed escort, leaving his pregnant Ethiopian slave wife and photo equipment behind. He never returned.

Mecca: A Dangerous Adventure – Snouck Hurgronje's early photographs 1885: The Platinum Series runs until December 6 in The Empty Quarter, Gate Village Building 2, Dubai. For more information, see www.theemptyquarter.com

To see more pictures from the exhibition, click below

http://www.thenational.ae/arts-cultu...-125-years-ago

[Roukaya19]

Enjoy old pics of Mecca!

[Scrapernab2]

You do understand this is a forum about the Abraj Al-Bait construction only?

[Makkawi.Pk]

Enjoyed and shared

[GulfArabia]

Originally Posted by Scrapernab2

You do understand this is a forum about the Abraj Al-Bait construction only?

i'm not complaining...

ppl don't know much about makkah, the religion and other things,, we will stop posting irrelevant things if ppl stop asking irrelevant questions. we can't ignore these question since they are usually very sensitive.

[Roukaya19]

Originally Posted by Scrapernab2

You do understand this is a forum about the Abraj Al-Bait construction only?

yes I know but everybody talk about the clock tower, the clock and all the pics are about it. And the clock is related to the G mosque. They show the clock at Makkahwebcam at each prayer...so it became a part of the mosque. And ppl complain on this building like a shadow to the Grand Mosque...and so one...

I would like to know if the tunnel of Abraj al Bait is working well, and have pics on it...but no body seem interested to bring pics about it

So any news and pics about this tunnel?

[bizzybonita]

[GulfArabia]

DAY 1 : HAJJ



clock true colors as seen with the naked eye (its not as bright as it seems in other pics)

[DreaM1981]

Originally Posted by Roukaya19

yes I know but everybody talk about the clock tower, the clock and all the pics are about it. And the clock is related to the G mosque. They show the clock at Makkahwebcam at each prayer...so it became a part of the mosque. And ppl complain on this building like a shadow to the Grand Mosque...and so one...

I would like to know if the tunnel of Abraj al Bait is working well, and have pics on it...but no body seem interested to bring pics about it

So any news and pics about this tunnel?

Still not in operation. It is supposed to be completed and work after 6 months.