As the first verse of the holy Quran says, "Allah SWT is the God of all." This means that Islam is a religion of love, brotherhood, and peace between people. The house of Allah SWT, which is in Makah, is the holiest place on earth. This makes Makah the most important city in the world. The same is true of Medina, which is the second holiest city in the world because it is where our beloved prophet Muhammad SAW is buried. Muslims go to these two cities because they love Allah SWT and Muhammad SAW, his prophet. One of the main reasons we go to these cities is for the Hajj and Umrah, which give us a chance to visit the house of Allah SWT. Travel planners offer Easter Umrah Packages, which are the best way to visit the holy cities. In this article, we'll find the answer to a question that gets asked a lot: Can people who aren't Muslims go to Makah?
Can Non-Muslims Enter Into Holy Cities Makah & Medina?
The answer is a loud, clear NO. People who don't believe can't go into the holy cities. If you go to Saudi Arabia and get close to the entry points, there are signs that say clearly that non-Muslims are not allowed in the Holy cities. Because of this, no visas are given to these cities. People who don't believe in Islam can move to another part of Saudi Arabia for work, fun, or as a tourist, but they can't go to Makah or Medina. Still, there have been reports of non-believers trying to get into the holy cities. In some cases, they are taken into custody, and in other cases, they can't go where they want to go. Now, the question is why non-Muslims can't do this. Let's look at them in the light of the Quran and Sunnah to find out why.
Makah’s significance in the eye of Islam:
Makah has always been the centre of Islamic traditions, from Prophet Adam AS to Prophet Muhammad SAW. Makah was the main city of Islamic customs and traditions, which then spread all over the world. When Allah SWT told Prophet Ibrahim AS to move his family to Makah and build the House of Allah SWT, that's when the city where Holy Prophet Muhammad SAW was born really came into the spotlight.
All Muslims know how to get to the Kaaba because Allah SWT told them all the same way. Muslims began to Tawaf around the holy Kaaba because that is what Prophet Ibrahim AS did. This Tawaf ritual still exists and will continue to exist forever. When Allah SWT told people to change the direction of Qibla, Makah became more religiously important than ever. Since the beginning of Islam, Muslims have gone to Makah, walked around it seven times (called Tawaf), and asked Allah SWT for his many blessings.
Makah & Quran: In the Quran, Allah SWT says that the Makah is a holy place. Non-believers are dirty, so don't let them into the holy masjid-al Haram after this year, as the verse in the Quran says. The verse says that anyone who is not a Muslim can't go into the city of Makah. The Quran says that non-believers can't go into the Haram. This order was meant to make the Kaaba holy.
Saudi Govt. & Restriction Rules:
Allah SWT set a sacred boundary between the Kaaba and the Haram that can't be crossed. This is a law from Allah SWT that everyone has to follow, including the leaders of today. Because of this, this rule has been followed since the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad SAW, and it was also made to cover the whole Makah. During the time of the caliphs, there were no such rules for Medina, but as the population grew, it was decided that Medina should also have sacred areas where non-Muslims were not allowed.
No Visa for Non-Muslims to Enter Makah & Medina:
The Saudi government makes sure that no non-Muslims are allowed in the holy areas, like Makah and Medina. The government doesn't let anyone who doesn't believe in Islam into Makah or Medina by giving them a visa. There are a lot of rules, and if a non-believer is caught crossing the border between Makah and Medina, they will be charged with serious crimes and given harsh punishments, according to Islamic law. Muslims are the only ones who can enter the Haram, and even they can't bring non-Muslim friends into the holy city.
Why it is Necessary to Restrict the Non-Believers:
Peace and brotherhood are at the heart of Islam. Non-Muslims have a special place in this religion, and it is made clear that you should not hurt them if they don't fight against you. But even so, Makah and Medina are very important parts of Islam, especially when it comes to certain things. Allah SWT doesn't want non-Muslims to come to the holiest place because that would make it dirty. As non-Muslims don't have a pure heart toward the oneness of Allah SWT and also don't have a pure and clean body according to Islamic traditions, they are not welcome in the sacred place of Muslims, where many Prophets and followers have been.
Does anyone break this Restriction Law Ever?
Many people, both believers and nonbelievers, are interested in the holy place of Muslims. So, they try to get to Makah by giving themselves a fake name and religion. At the moment, a Jewish journalist has made up a fake religion and fake documents to get to Makah. Same number of people try new ways to lie, and some succeed while others are caught by the Saudi Government and punished. More rules for checking documents at the door are being added over time to deal with these fake IDs. Like a new Muslim needs to get a personal check from an Imam in his or her area in order to come to Makah and Medina for the obligation.
Allah SWT has told us to keep Haram holy, and we must do so. Organizers must also make sure that only Muslims are allowed in both holy cities. Muslims can come to this holy place for free to pay their respects or to fulfil their religious duties like Hajj and Umrah by using Hajj and September Umrah Packages.
No comments yet