the area surrounding the great mosque. the royal palace is on the left. to the mid-right are new and under construction apartment blocks (available as timeshare), and to the right of that is makkah towers hotel. also in the picture is a pilgrim dressed in the ihram (2 sheets that muslim males must wear when performing umrah or hajj) supplicating to allah by facing the holy kaaba. allah's throne is directly above it in heaven. it is said that the tawaaf (circling the kaaba 7 times) is being done by angels in heaven around allah's throne. in makkah it only stops for the 5 compulsory daily prayers. other than that the tawaaf has been going on for more than 1400 years and won't stop until the day of judgment.
