Recent construction in the Muslim holy city of Mecca has drawn criticism from many corners, but none as strident as those religious and historical scholars who see the recent modern hotels and skyscrapers in Mecca as an affront to the traditional place of Islam’s most sacred city. It is not only the perceived desecration of a sacred space that has critics upset, but also the loss of historical attractions, such as the recently demolished home of one of the Prophet Mohammed’s wives in order to make space for a public lavatory.