Prohibition of non muslims from entering Mecca

[Seraphina]

Assalamu alaikum everyone, I hope youre all fine,
Can anyone answer me why are non muslims forbidden from entering Mecca? I mean, i am aware of 9:28, but I didnt know Masjid-al-Haram includes all of Mecca! Has anyone been in Saudi Arabia? Is it true that saudis forbid non muslims from entering in Mecca?
Can brother Joseph or/and anyone please explain if this restriction in the Quran includes only Kaaba or all of Mecca, and if yes then is it only during hajj periods or during all year? As for Madina some say anyone can visit it, some say it is same as Mecca. What's the Quran's word on it?
God bless you all,
Your sister Seraphina

[wanderer]

Firstly, I don't know where you got this idea from, but as far as I know Saudi Arabia allows non Muslims into Mecca.
Secondly, Saudi Arabia has many laws that have no Quranic basis or are even directly contradictory to it. Simply because they inhabit the same territory that Islam was born in, doesn't mean they represent it.
Regards
wanderer

[Amira]

Hi Seraphina Wanderer, Saudi Arabia does prohibit non-Muslims from entering Mecca. They're not allowed in Medina either.

I think 9:28 is referring specifically to the polytheists at the time of the Prophet, stating that they would henceforth be prohibited from entering the mosque. I doubt the verse refers to non-Muslims today.

[munir rana]

Salam

022.027

"And proclaim to mankind the pilgrimage. They will come to thee on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every deep ravine"

As the hajj is open to all mankind then how can it be prohibited for non-muslims?

[Duster]

Shalom / peace Munir ....22.17 was proclaimed by prophet Abraham after he built the original house.....also need to understand who is referred to by 'Naas' in this context.....is there any point opening Hajj to disbelievers that don't even believe in Allah and wouldn't be interested or risk some causing mischief in the land??? ....as for the people of the Book Allah has given everyone their own qibla - rites and places of worship.....not sure what all the fuss is about quite honestly.....

[munir rana]

Duster,
Salam
Thanks.

You are right. 22:27 is related to Abraham (pbuh). It was a quick remark which i should not do. I must take a look over the hajj related verses.

May be it is a good logic that there is no point of opening hajj to disbelievers that don't even believe in Allah. ( But there are believers among other relegions also. They are also not expected there.) And I see in 22:25 Allah says that Al Masjid Al-haram is open to all mankind. If any do wrong then Allah will punish them. If it is only for believers, then why Allah put the word  mankind (`naas') instead of `believers'. In some other verses related to hajj the term `naas' is also used.(2:189, 9:3) Why? I believe the words of Quran were coined wisely, not haphazardly. May be I have failed to understand something here.

There is also allegations for many years causing mischief by some people of different countries during hajj and they are believers. Some accuse people of Iran, some accuse the Saudi Govt for their poor management etc. Fixation of the four months time span within a few days cause mischief also. (2:197).

22:25
As to those who have rejected (Allah), and would keep back (men) from the Way of Allah, and from the Sacred Mosque, which We have made (open) to (all) men - equal is the dweller there and the visitor from the country - and any whose purpose therein is profanity or wrong-doing - them will We cause to taste of a most Grievous Penalty.

[Wakas]

peace seraphina, munir, all,

You ask an interesting and potentially significant question, however I do wonder if we are ready for the answer.

Firstly, whatever Saudia Arabia does or does not do is not necessarily based on Al Quran. It's more productive to focus on what Quran says.

Secondly, the problem seems to arise from interpretation of Al Quran itself. The Traditional/common understanding is riddled with many problems. Interestingly, from my study, even Quran based understandings are riddled with problems.

If you wish to ponder over the issues, many of them are discussed here:
http://mypercept.co.uk/articles/meaning-masjid-al-haram-Quran.html
http://mypercept.co.uk/articles/meaning-hajj-Quran.html

If you decide to read them, let us know your thoughts. Thanks.

[Zack]

Hello Wakas,

Thanks for your post and the links. It makes a lot of sense, and I would have to re-read it to give any meaningful input.

I want to ask for now, and I am sure you have been asked this many times, what is your view of the understanding in Qur'an Geography, by Dan Gibson? (Which he says is taking the Qur'an at face value and deviating tradition) A  scholar in this field said to me it hasn't received recognition in the academic world because the theory hasn't been tested in journal publications etc.

However that doesn't sit with me very well, and no-one has given a strong case why this is not credible. What would you say are the 3 strongest reasons why an alternate Holy City, as explained in Quran Geography, is NOT what the Qur'an describes, and instead the outline as has been presented in the link you provided?

I have no allegiances to any belief, just want to pursue truth.

Wasalam

Zack

[Seraphina]

Salam everyone,
Thank you all for taking time to reply, im deeply grateful to all of you. I hope I didnt overburden you
What I could notice is that entry to Masjid al Haram is forbidden, but that doesnt include the whole Mecca or the whole Madina.
As for Masjid al Haram, thats the house of God. And God, as the head of that house, has all the right to forbid entrance to the people who deny Him or worse, who waged war on Him and his believers. But people have no right to expand that order to the whole Mecca or Madina.
Allah knows best,
Salams