Careful with cellphones in Mecca

Muslim pilgrims pray as the sun sets at the Plain of Arafat during the annual pilgrimage, known as the hajj, near Mecca, Saudi

Arabia, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014. Saudi Arabia sought to assure the public that the kingdom was safe and free of health scares

as an estimated 2 million Muslims streamed into a sprawling tent city near Mecca for the start of the annual Islamic hajj

pilgrimage. AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed

By Los Angeles Times, adapted by Newsela staff on 10.06.14

Word Count 476

Level 680L

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Mecca and Medina, both in Saudi Arabia, are holy sites for the world's Muslims. Every year,

millions of Muslims travel to both places. They come to visit mosques and sites that are

important to the religion of Islam. The journey is known as the hajj. It has been happening for

centuries.

This year, 2 million Muslims will arrive in Saudi Arabia. For them, the hajj experience will be

safer and more comfortable than ever before. They have several big changes to thank for that.

For one thing, smartphones are now allowed at the holy places. They can be used in case of

emergencies.

Phones are being used for social purposes too. Young pilgrims have taken to snapping photos

of themselves. They are taking selfies with holy places in the background. Some shoot

pictures of themselves kissing the Grand Mosque’s black stone. Then, they post their pictures

online.

Many Muslim scholars are not happy about the selfies.

Taking Selfies Is "Showing Off"

Teacher Zahra Mohammad said taking selfies is wrong. Hajj, he said, is supposed to be free

of “boasting or showing off.”

Scholar Sheik Abdul Razzaq al-Badr agreed.

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“It is as though the only purpose of this trip is to take pictures and not worship,” he said.

Still, many appreciate other new changes. They have made things much safer, they say.

In the past, the hajj has seen serious problems. Deadly stampedes and heat stroke are just

two of the things pilgrims faced.

Many Changes Were Made To Help People

It can get very crowded during the hajj. Hundreds of thousands of people walk around inside

the mosques at the same time.

Very hot weather is often a problem. Pilgrims pray outdoors in temperatures that can go above

120 degrees. In the past, there was nothing to protect them from the sun.

At Mecca’s Grand Mosque, a courtyard has been changed. It should help with crowding. Now

the mosque can handle 130,000 pilgrims an hour.

Improvements have also been made at the Masjid al-Nabawi mosque in Medina. Giant

umbrellas have been placed over the courtyard. They shade pilgrims from the afternoon sun.

Sliding roofs have also been set up outside the mosque. They can be opened to provide

protection from the sun.

Some Phones Have Special Apps

Sixty thousand guards will protect this year’s hajj.

Saudi doctors will keep a close watch at Jidda airport. They will check arriving African pilgrims

for the Ebola virus. The goal is to prevent the disease's spread.

For the first time, 300 Indian pilgrims will be given free cellphones. The phones are loaded with

a special new app. The app translates Arabic and gives directions. It will be offered to people

in other countries next year.

People getting the new cellphones might want to avoid one thing, though. They probably

should not use them to take selfies.

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Quiz

1 Which section from the article explains why Saudi Arabia is changing the hajj?

(A) Introduction [paragraphs 1-4]

(B) "Taking Selfies Is Showing Off"

(C) "Many Changes Were Made To Help People"

(D) "Some Phones Have Special Apps"

2 In the section "Taking Selfies Is Showing Off" select the paragraph that BEST explains one of the

main ideas of the article.

3 Read the sentence from the section "Many Changes Were Made To Help People."

Pilgrims pray outdoors in temperatures that can go above 120degrees.

Which word could replace the word "pilgrim" as it is used in the sentence above?

(A) tourist

(B) newcomer

(C) traveler

(D) colonist

4 Read paragraph 4 from the section "Taking Selfies Is Showing Off." What is the meaning of the

following sentence?

Still, many appreciate other new changes.

(A) Everyone is happy about the changes.

(B) Most people are happy about the changes.

(C) Some people are happy about the changes and some are not.

(D) No one is happy with the changes.

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Answer Key

1 Which section from the article explains why Saudi Arabia is changing the hajj?

(A) Introduction [paragraphs 1-4]

(B) "Taking Selfies Is Showing Off"

(C) "Many Changes Were Made To Help People"

(D) "Some Phones Have Special Apps"

2 In the section "Taking Selfies Is Showing Off" select the paragraph that BEST explains one of the

main ideas of the article.

Paragraph 8:

Still, many appreciate other new changes. They have made things much safer,

they say.

3 Read the sentence from the section "Many Changes Were Made To Help People."

Pilgrims pray outdoors in temperatures that can go above 120degrees.

Which word could replace the word "pilgrim" as it is used in the sentence above?

(A) tourist

(B) newcomer

(C) traveler

(D) colonist

4 Read paragraph 4 from the section "Taking Selfies Is Showing Off." What is the meaning of the

following sentence?

Still, many appreciate other new changes.

(A) Everyone is happy about the changes.

(B) Most people are happy about the changes.

(C) Some people are happy about the changes and some are not.

(D) No one is happy with the changes.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 5