Rhinocrisy

In this morning’s paper I read that the Saudi Binladen group is constructing a giant hotel/shopping mall complex called Abraj al Bait across the street from the Masjid al Haram, the “Sacred Mosque” of Islam which houses the Ka’aba, the black stone building which is believed to be the first human house, constructed by Adam and later rebuilt by Abraham. The Abraj al Bait shopping center is a 600-retail outlet mall which includes a Tiffany’s, a Starbucks and an H&M.

As you might imagine, upon reading this story my hair curled and turned the color of ash and I vomited fire and blood all over the page and the room. But in case you cannot appreciate the reason for the violence of my reaction, in case some lingering doubt or foolhardiness prompts you to ask, “But, Saurabh, what’s so wrong with building a shopping mall there?”, let me elaborate.

Before:

After:

Images courtesy of Invincible Armor

One of the most prominent historical ironies was that which led to the Great Schism and the Protestant Reformation, the practice of selling indulgences. By allowing the sinner to escape punishment merely by dint of purchasing forgiveness, the Church created an additional, eighth Sin. Viz., Indulgence: wallowing in your own turpitude and loving it. This is the Sin that makes up the mortar in the construction of every shopping mall in the world. This is really what capitalism excels at. The clean, packaged product presented in a glass case, or framed by handsome stained wood furnishings. There are no bones or bits of skin, no drained, festering pits, no pools of foul liquids with only polysyllabic names. There is no guilt. Just the smiling face of the attendant who takes your money, and the satisfaction of your newly acquired pleasure.

Indulgence. Pay, and fear not.

And as with the corrupt Church that Martin Luther railed against, there is the opposing side: pay not, and be damned.

This is the world view that is making its introgression into Mecca, into the most sacred site in all of Islam, where millions of people come every year in the spirit of brotherhood. The hajj is the great equalizer - all Muslims must make the pilgrimage, if they can, and they should help those of their fellows who cannot. All are equal in their humility before god. Except, apparently, those who have money.

I am not a religious person, and I do not believe man should humble himself before god. But I do believe in culture. And while I might celebrate some reversals of culture in the Muslim world, this particular one cannot possibly appear to me as anything other than a retrogression.

Ah, but the salivating dogs have caught the sharp, metallic scent of coin. So let them build, and feast. We can have the bones.