Mehmet Y. Yilmaz: Saudi construction and English names
Güncelleme Tarihi:
We learned with the destruction of the Ecyad Castle, a structure left over from the Ottoman period, how much "respect" Saudi Arabia has for history. In the place of the Ecyad Castle, the Saudia built some luxury towers. And now today, in the Hurriyet, you might read about the fact that the area around the "stoning of satan" region in Mina is being completely rebuilt. What is clear is that the Saudis "knowledge of history and environment" has spurred them to turn this region, which is very important in Islamic history, into some sort of "Formula One" racetrack. And thus we see that the area around Mina Mountain, where the Prophet Mohammed spent three days on his way from Mecca to Medina, has been razed in preparation for a giant construction project.
I guess we just have to be grateful that they haven't destroyed the entire mountain.
One striking aspect of this project around Mina is the fact that a VIP section has been set aside for those casting stones at satan. There is even going to be a helicopter pad or two.
Of course, I myself cannot judge how appropriate the idea of a "VIP Hajj" is.
Let me write about something else though, as long as I am on the subject: One of the luxury towers being built on the site where the old Ottoman Ecyad Castle once stood is called the "Zemzem Tower"!
Yes, I checked it out on a web site, that's exactly how it's written. Yes, "TOWER." So, while Arabic is one of the richest languages in the world, a building built near the holiest Islamic city in the world is going to be called by its English name, "tower." The contradictions are enough to make you scratch your head for awhile, no?