Thanks to cell phones, taking pictures at Islamic holy sites—once considered an unimaginable social transgression—has become commonplace. The trip to Saudi Arabia's two sacred mosques is a once-in-a-lifetime event for many Muslims. This was in a person's recollection of the past. Moments of worship are now being filmed and shared immediately thanks to the Kingdom's high-speed internet connection and technological transformation.
 
As more people use cell phones, the selfie craze has been growing.  Video footage shows pilgrims standing in front of the green dome of the Prophet's mosque in Madinah, strolling about the Kaaba, and sitting on the peak of Safa or Marwa in Makkah.  However, a lot of people are obstructing others doing Umarah by snapping pictures and filming videos during the tawaf, which is a seven-time circumambulation around Kaba in Makkah's Grand Mosque.  The selfie craze is denounced by many academics and some pilgrims as touristic behavior.

The Saudi government has often asked pilgrims to concentrate on prayer rather than snapping pictures.  Additionally, they urged tourists to observe the sanctity of Islamic sites and follow moral guidelines when snapping pictures inside the revered mosques.  The Ministry of Haj and Umrah used to warn tourists against taking pictures of other people without their consent.  Selfie adventurism and photography, however, can occasionally cause issues about privacy rights.  Notably, the majority of guests are not aware of Saudi Arabia's cybercrime legislation, which protects individuals' right to privacy.
 
For instance, Article 3 of the legislation stipulates that anybody who uses a mobile phone to take a picture that infringes on another person's private rights and subsequently uploads the image online faces a year in prison or a fine of no more than Saudi Riyal 5,00,000.  Some indian pilgrims have previously been imprisoned for photographing rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo yatra poster and the indian tricolor flag within Haram.
 
 
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SIBY JEYYA

24/02/2025 09:48 AM