Why Are Non-Muslims Prohibited From Entering Makkah and Madinah?
People ask: “Why can’t non-Muslims visit Makkah? Isn’t that discrimination?” No. It’s protection. Allah ﷻ made Makkah sacred before humans even existed. Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام built the Ka’bah as the House of Allah ﷻ. It’s not a tourist site. It’s not a museum. It’s the spiritual heart of Islam, where Allah’s name is glorified constantly. Non-Muslims—by definition—reject Allah ﷻ or associate partners with Him. Their spiritual state (shirk/kufr) is described as “najasun” (impure) in Surah 9:28. Allowing them into Makkah would be like allowing someone to smoke inside an oxygen chamber. The sanctity would be compromised. This ban was implemented in 9 AH and remains until Judgment Day.