Title: Non-Muslims visiting Mekkah Question: This question was asked on the Larry King show and none of the participants seemed to have an answer. Why non-Muslims are not allowed to visit Mecca and enter the boundaries of The Kaba ? Not at the time of Hajj but in general. Also when and by whom was this made law? Richard Arnholt Answer: Although it is a generally held concept of the Muslims that non-Muslims cannot enter or visit the Ka`bah , which according to the adherents of this opinion is based on the Qur'an, yet in my opinion, this opinion is not correct. The referred generally held opinion of the Muslim scholars is based on Al-Taubah 9: 28. The verse reads as follows: Believers, these polytheists are unclean. Therefore, they should not even come near the Sacred House, after this year. It is quite clear that the verse only prohibits the polytheists from coming close to the Ka`bah . This prohibition does not include the non-polytheistic creeds, like for instance, the Jews or the Christians. In my opinion, therefore, the referred opinions of the Muslim scholars is not very accurate. The Qur'an does not prohibit the Jews and the Christians from visiting the Ka`bah [1] . Regards, Moiz Amjad October 17, 2001 [1] For further details, please refer to one of my earlier responses to a similar question .