Mecca news stories on Newser

Angry Kin: 9/11 Memorial in Pennsylvania 'Looks Muslim'

Mary Papenfuss — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 07:12:00 CDT

The latest Muslim brouhaha to erupt in the US involves an earthen memorial to 9/11 victims that "looks" Islamic, according to furious critics. The father of a passenger killed on Flight 93, which went down in Pennsylvania, is taking out an ad in a local newspaper blasting the planned "Field...

New Mecca Clock Challenges Greenwich Mean Time

Rob Quinn — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 07:00:00 CDT

Greenwich Mean Time should make way for Mecca Mean Time, according to Saudis building a giant clock. The timepiece, which boasts four faces, each 151 feet high, will sit atop the 2,000-foot Royal Mecca Clock Tower in Islam's holiest city when completed. Islamic scholars hope the clock will eclipse...

Indonesian Muslims Were Praying in Wrong Direction

tricksy_rabbit — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 07:16:21 CDT

Indonesian Muslims discovered that they have been praying in the wrong direction on Friday when the country's highest Islamic authority admitted that the instructions it gave to face west had worshipers turned toward Africa instead of Saudi Arabia. Muslims are always supposed to face the holy city of Mecca while...

Karzai Seeks Saudi Help in Taliban Talks

Kevin Spak — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:18:12 CST

Hamid Karzai arrived in Riyadh today, hoping to secure Saudi Arabia’s help in peace negotiations with the Taliban. Karzai and his entourage will first make a pilgrimage to Mecca, then meet with King Abdullah tomorrow to discuss the reconciliation process. Abdullah has said his government won’t participate as a mediator...

Architects Compete for Massive Mecca Makeover

Katherine Thompson — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:45:02 CST

Norman Foster and Zaha Hadid are among the 18 architects reportedly in the running for the daunting job of remaking Mecca: designing a mosque complex to accommodate the 3 million pilgrims making the yearly Hajj. The "new architectural vision" would more than triple the complex's capacity and make it the...

Mecca Time Plugged for World Standard

Nick McMaster — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:57:37 CDT

A group of Muslim scholars wants Mecca time to replace Greenwich Mean Time as the world's default setting, the BBC reports. As Islam’s holiest city lies in perfect longitudinal alignment to magnetic north, scientists told a Qatar conference that Mecca was the “true” center of the earth. GMT, they argue,...

Fatah and Hamas Sign Deal, But Feuding Continues

Wesley Oliver — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:02:23 CDT

In a second attempt to mend fences, rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas agreed to resume direct talks today to resolve disputes and revive their failed coalition. A Hamas official called the deal “a new beginning and the start of a new stage,” but just hours after signing the Yemeni-sponsored...

57 Saudi Men Arrested for Flirting

Wesley Oliver — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 13:03:54 CST

Authorities in Saudi Arabia arrested 57 young men accused of flirting with girls at shopping malls in Mecca, the BBC reports. Prosecutors say the men wore indecent clothing, played loud music, and danced to attract the girls’ attention. The arrests were prompted by Saudi’s Commission for the Promotion of Virtue...

Pilgrims Use Wi-Fi at Hajj for First Time

Wesley Oliver — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 15:06:54 CST

Muslim pilgrims had free access to Wi-Fi for the first time during the Hajj, which ended yesterday in Saudi Arabia. The short-term service, provided by two telecom firms, had 70 access points around holy sites and took only two months to assemble. Pilgrims say that online access helped them seek...