Makkah for mankind

There are good reasons why Allah almighty let Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) to construct the Holy Kaaba – the House of Allah in Makkah. Prophet Ibrahim was born well before other three important Prophets – Musa, I’sa and Muhammad (peace be upon them all), and is highly revered by the followers of all three monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Allah refers to Makkah in the Holy Quran as a sacred place of worship for all of humanity. This is captured in Surah Al Imran, Verse 96, where Allah says, “Surely the first House [of worship] established for humanity is the one at Bakkah—a blessed sanctuary and a guide for [all] people.”

History says Allah almighty instructed Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) to leave his wife Hajar and his newborn son Ismail in a desolate desert in the middle of nowhere. Following Allah’s command, Ibrahim travelled with his family a great distance and reached the mountains of Safa and Marwaa, which are now the epicentres of the holy city of Makkah.

As Ibrahim prepared to leave Hajar and Ismail in the barren desert, Hajar asked if he was doing so at Allah’s command. When the Prophet responded affirmatively, she immediately accepted Allah’s decree without question, allowing Ibrahim to leave.

When their food and water ran out, and young Ismail began crying from extreme thirst, Hajar desperately ran between the hills of Safa and Marwa seven times, searching for water. Suddenly, she saw a stream of water gushing from the earth right where she had left her son.

Hajar immediately stopped her search to help Ismail drink from this miraculous spring, a mercy from Allah. Soon after, a caravan of merchants stopped nearby and asked for her permission to drink from the newly flowing stream.

Over time, the easy availability of water from this well—later named Zamzam—attracted traders and travellers, transforming the area into a major trading hub. Thus, the city of Makkah was born from the piety of a woman who accepted Allah’s command without hesitation.

Years later, when Ismail was older, Prophet Ibrahim returned to his family. Commanded by Allah, he began constructing a house near Safa and Marwa, which would become the Kaaba. Today, this structure serves as the Qibla—the direction of prayer for all Muslims—and symbolises the ultimate sacrifice and devotion of Prophet Ibrahim.

Allah has made pilgrimage to this House an obligatory act of worship for all Muslims, known as Hajj. As part of this pilgrimage, believers must perform the crossing between Safa and Marwa, a ritual known as Sa’i.

Thus, during Hajj, Muslims commemorate the trials of Prophet Ibrahim by circling the Kaaba and honour the piety of Hajar by performing the Sa’i between Safa and Marwa.

Prophet Ibrahim, known as Abraham in the Holy Bible, is revered as the “Father of a Nation.” Similarly, his wife Hajar (known as Hagar) and Prophet Ismail (known as Ishmael) are highly respected figures in Christianity and Judaism.

The deep association of Makkah with Prophet Ibrahim and his family presents a profound opportunity for humanity to unite and transcend religious differences. Based on this, here are some ideas for transforming Makkah into a meeting place for people of all faiths, which would also promote Saudi Arabia’s religious tourism.

Step 1: The Ministry of Tourism in Saudi Arabia may launch a global campaign to highlight the deep-rooted connection between Prophet Ibrahim, his family, and the city of Makkah. The campaign would aim to attract tourists to Saudi Arabia through a dedicated website or mobile app and would be promoted across all print, electronic, and social media platforms.

Step 2: To visit Makkah, a prospective tourist would first encounter a page with several conditions they must agree to by ticking “Yes.” Only by accepting all of these conditions can they proceed to the next step. The conditions would be as follows: (a) Do you believe in one God? (b) Do you believe in all Angels of God? (c) Do you believe in all Prophets of God? (d) Do you believe in all scriptures sent from God? (e) Do you believe in the hereafter and the final judgement day?

Visa and Tour Packages. Upon answering “Yes” to all five questions, users would proceed to the visa application page for Saudi Arabia. Once their visas are approved, they could then select their preferred tour operator based on the packages offered. All tour packages would include a two-night complimentary stay in Medina in addition to the time spent in Makkah.

Gifts and Education. When leaving Saudi Arabia, all tourists would receive a free copy of the Quran and a compilation of key Hadith from Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). This compilation would cover essential aspects of Islamic life and law, including faith, prayer, fasting, zakat, hajj, leadership, interpersonal relations, business, human rights, governance, the treatment of women, justice, and religious prohibitions.

A Call for Discussion: As the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the leader of the Muslim world, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a paramount responsibility to spread the message of Allah globally. This proposal is therefore presented to the relevant government officials and religious scholars for further discussion. [Proposal submitted to the Saudi Ministry of Tourism on September 19, 2025, Reference Number: S-003798]

Mabroor Mahmood is the Founder of IDEAS FOR DEVELOPMENT (IFD). He can be reached at ideasfd@gmail.com