REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, By: Azyumardi Azra

Coming back to Masjid al-Haram and its vicinity after several years, hajj or umrah pilgrims can see many differences. Renovation of Masjid al-Haram seems never ending as long as I remember.

The writer of this Resonance felt the same on Friday morning, Sayyid al-Ayyam (January 2, 2015), while conducting umrah. Not many pilgrims in the road and yard of the mosque, but as usual, many pilgrims were holding tawaf. I also saw many pilgrims doing sa'i, jam-packing corridor between Shafa and Marwa.

All umrah rituals were holding in the middle of massive construction. When pilgrims entered the moqsue from King Fahad Gate or any gates, they could see a concrete flyover for tawaf, not far from outer circle of Ka'bah. It was for sure ruining the beauty of tawaf. Later on I was informed that the flyover would be torn down after the renovation ended on 2020.

The flyover was only a small part of the massive renovation of Masjid al-Haram and its vicinity. We can say that Masjid al-Haram was rebuilt to be enlarged. The writer, who last visited Masjid al-Haram on 2009, almost do not recognize the landscape of the mosque.

We could see giant wall everywhere, covering the part of the mosque which was under construction. Noise came from construction project.

There are several buildings, uniting as a conglomeration of building, in the outer part of the mosque. The building, which was named Ajyad Fortress, is called Abraj al-Bayt. The tall building consists of shopping mall; five star hotel; apartment and palace. It looks very glamour.

At the top of the building is Mecca Clock Tower. Many Hijaz call it Mecca Big Ben, an older version of London Big Ben - it was built in 1858. The 601-meter Mecca Clock Tower is the second highest tower in the world in 2012, beating 101 Taipei building. The Mecca Clock Tower is now the third highest after Burj al-Arab Dubai and Shanghai Tower. However, as a clock tower, it is still the highest in the world.

Government spent much to build the megatall building complex. Ministry of Wakaf said that the building cost 15 billion USD, while the renovation of Masjid al-Haram cost 60 billion USD.

Seeing from one side, the renovation of Masjid al-Haram is in line with the rising number of hajj pilgrims, mounting to more than 3 million pilgrims. Based on the Ministry of Hajj of Saudi Arabia, the number of pilgrims reached 3.65 million in 2012. However, it declined by a million in 2013 and 2014 due to quota reduction.

The quota reduction of hajj increase the number of umrah pilgrims. Since 2012, the number of umrah pilgrims has reached 6 million. It increased sharply in 2014, especially in Ramadhan. Many people believe that the reward of doing umrah in Ramadhan is equal to hajj.

Nevertheless, the renovation of Masjid al-Haram brings controversy. One of the reasons is that the renovation demolishes historical sites, such as Ajyad Fortress which was built in Usmani Dynasty, or the centuries-old pillars in Masjid al-Haram.

According to the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, the Washington-based Persian Gulf Institute, the renovation of Masjid al-Haram in the last 20 years has destroyed 95 percent of the original building. An Arabian woman from Hijaz told the writer the similar reason. For her, the project is nothing but demolishment.

The critique is also sent to Abraj al-Bayt, a building with high-class facilities, such as 7,000 USD suite hotel room per night or spa facility. It reminds us of glamour life in Las Vegas.

In the middle of the luxury, many hajj or umrah pilgrims are wandering in the street. They are doing hajj or umrah because of their faith, regardless their limit on money. What a contrasting condition in one morning in front of Ka'bah.

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