The basic reason for banning non-Muslims from entering Makkah is to preserve the sanctity of a sacred city. Makkah is a hub of pilgrims of Hajj and Umrah. Almost 2.5 million Muslims visit this holy city during the Hajj every year. Most Islamic followers in the world come here.
A verse of the Quran mentions the primary reason for no entry:
Allah says in 28 verses of Surah al Tawbah:
O, believers!
Indeed, the polytheists are ˹spiritually˺ impure, so they should not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year. If you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you out of His bounty, if He wills. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
Source: https://quran.com/en/at-tawbah/28
Who is non-Muslim?
Those who do not believe in one God and His last Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) are non-Muslims.
Can followers of Christian and Jewish religions come to Makkah?
No, they cannot come to Makkah. Christians and followers of Judaism certainly believe in the Bible and the Psalms, respectively. But they do not believe in the Qur’an. Therefore, followers of these religions are not allowed to enter Makkah.
Can foreigners with tourist visas enter Makkah?
Yes, holders of tourist visas enter Makkah but the condition is Muslim only. The Saudi government launched a visit visa scheme in 2019 to boost tourism in the kingdom. Many non-Muslims have visited the Middle Eastern country since the issuance of the visit visa. They can be seen visiting the land without hindrance by the Saudi government.
Non-Muslim tourists have visited historical and sacred sites in Saudi Arabia, and even selfies of some of them in other Saudi mosques have gone viral on various social platforms. But all non-Muslims are completely banned in Makkah.
Note: Tourist visa holders can do Umrah and they can get their visit visa while booking Umrah Packages 2022.
5 Possible reasons for banning non-Muslims from entering Makkah:
- According to Quora and Yahoo, a popular public forum, non-Muslims cannot enter Makkah because it is a holy place.
- According to an intellectual class, the sacred place of any religion is the place of meditation. However, Makkah is the centre of two important acts of worship (Hajj and Umrah). Therefore, the whole land of this holy city is like a place of meditation for Muslims.
- Makkah is an ancient city, but it is also a source of spirituality for Islamic followers. That is why non-Muslims are banned.
- The worldly reason for banning non-Muslims is to protect the sanctity of the holy city. If the Saudi government allows them to enter the city on tourist visas, there may be a decline in the spiritual journey.
- The last 5th reason behind the no entry is verse 28 of Surah At-Tawbah. Makkah is the holy land that was last purified by the last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The gates of this city are also closed to those Muslims who are not pure.
Note: Unholy Muslims refer to those Muslims who claim that we are Muslims but their actions and way of life are against Islam. Muslims who are temporarily unclean by human nature are also unholy.
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Suggestion:
All our decisions and speculations are subject to the teachings of the Qur’an. If we have differences like mustard seeds in our minds then we are out of Islam. Therefore, the verse of Surah At-Tawbah is sufficient for us in this matter.
During the Hajj and Umrah journey, you can see non-Muslims coming to Madinah shopping malls, but they are not allowed to enter the Prophet’s Mosque.
Public Note: If anyone wants to book Hajj Package 2022 from the UK, be sure to check the ATOL number of the relevant travel agency.
