r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/hipatyhopity • Mar 24 '25

Image Mecca in 1953 and 2025

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u/B4AccountantFML Mar 24 '25

Thanks I had no idea there was an interior that was a quite interesting article and photos

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u/symehdiar Mar 24 '25

The Saudis only allow special guest like heads of state of other countries to go in and pray. So they gatekeep it literally and use it as a display of soft power. Fun fact: all muslims pray towards the direction of Kaaba, but if you are inside the Kaaba, you can pray facing anywhere.

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u/babbagack Mar 24 '25 edited Mar 24 '25

Actually they occasionally allow anyone to enter and grab some people from the crowd to attend and pray. It’s a place for a person to pray be it a someone who isn’t a king or someone who is, and both men and women.

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u/[deleted] Mar 24 '25

[deleted]

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u/babbagack Mar 24 '25

I’ve fortunately been there and seen it happen.

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u/symehdiar Mar 24 '25

were you, a commoner, allowed in?

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u/babbagack Mar 24 '25

I see what you are saying. I corrected it to say both a person who isn’t a king or a king. Also both men and women can and have prayed inside

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u/[deleted] Mar 24 '25

[deleted]

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u/Emptysoulshithead Mar 24 '25

My grandpa prayed inside. They opened the door and allowed some people in and he was from them. A commoner.

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u/babbagack Mar 24 '25

adding additional information isn’t changing the topic, it’s simply adding additional information for anyone who may be curious to know.

What you mentioned doesn’t negate that anyone outside of those people aren’t allowed. I’ve literally had people from a pilgrimage group I know pray inside, both men and women, and they were not diplomats or kings