Bridging the Muslim-Western Cultural Divide, With a Mall

by Andrew Bast

(from Metro)

World War III? A Christian crusade? A Zionist ploy? Relentless jihad? Hardly. World leaders and radical revolutionaries rattle off these inflammatory phrases to describe today’s often despicable state of world affairs, but in the vein of a bleeding-heart humanist, I hereby declare that the Muslim world and the West have much more in common than any of us ever thought possible. Yes, it’s true — apparently there’s one place to which we all journey, no matter if we’re atheist, agnostic, Muslim, Christian or Jew. When you strip us all down, where is it we all love to go? The mall.

In the holy city of Mecca, on the western coast of Saudi Arabia, there stands Masjid al-Haram, or “the Sacred Mosque,” the largest in all of Islam. It is a glorious structure that can accommodate more than 800,000 worshippers during the annual Hajj. Only, Masjid al-Haram no longer dominates the skyline, because it now sits in the shadow of latticed construction cranes and skeletal, half-finished towers. Make way for Abraj Al Bait, a brand-spanking new mall.

The Abraj Al Bait complex, currently under construction by the Saudi Binladin Group, is billed as “Mecca’s most prestigious retail address” only “steps away from the Holy Mosque.” When it is completed in 2008, its towers will reach 1,591 feet into the air, more than 100 feet taller than the Empire State Building. It will house a 600-retail-outlet mall. In comparison, the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., the largest mall in this country, has just 520 stores. According to Hassan Fattah’s brilliant report in The New York Times, there will also be a five-star hotel, a hospital, prayer halls, Tiffany’s, Starbucks (yes, really) and H&M.

As if anyone doubted it, there is no longer any escape from the forces of capitalism, not even the mosque in Mecca. Talking markets, Abraj Al Bait makes perfect financial sense. Travelers are captive spenders. Though, I wonder how many tens of thousands making the journey from Cairo, Jakarta or Islamabad will be able to afford four nights in five-star digs and a sterling silver souvenir keychain from Tiffany’s? I’ll venture a guess: only a privileged few.

Five times a day, the billion Muslims in the world kneel down to pray toward Mecca. And if the West pays daily homage, it’s all about the Benjamins. Have faith — we’re all growing closer every day.

(Photo of Masjid al-Haram with towers of Abraj Al Bait rising in the background from Time Light's flickr.)