Hajj is the annual pilgrimage that Muslims undertake to Mecca. (see link)
At the centre of a large space is the Kaaba ("cube") around which thousands of pilgrims walk respectfully in a counter-clockwise direction.
Obviously this takes up quite a bit of time and only so many can share the amazing experience due to the duration and dynamics of the moving mass of people.
To speed up the whole event, and allow an even greater number to participate, I propose motorising the central Kaaba, so that it gently turns in a clockwise direction.-- xenzag, Oct 09 2010 Hajj http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hajj [xenzag, Oct 09 2010] the cube http://www.itv.com/entertainment/thecube/ [po, Oct 09 2010] Kissing the Black Stone http://muslimmatter...k-stone-every-time/Interesting article on just how hard it is to kiss: competition, shoving; I doubt any woman can do it nowadays... [Wily Peyote, Oct 11 2010] perhaps involve phillip schofield and a large cash prize?-- po, Oct 09 2010 Rotating the Kabba might strike too many concerned parties as impious, but building a huge turntable *around* it seems almost feasible. Evidently the Saudis take Hajj-crowd- management very seriously, and are keen to prevent episodes like the one in 1990. And, of course, they can afford big construction projects.-- mouseposture, Oct 09 2010 Xenzag, I take back all those things I said about you to the press. This is a brilliant idea. [+]-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 09 2010 Brilliant, indeed. Here's one rather large rotating bun. [+]-- Grogster, Oct 09 2010 I have no idea how this idea would be accepted by Muslims, but it sounds great to me.
(Will someone take a picture of me with this group of Master HalfBakers who posted above?!? Whoo hoo!) [+]-- Boomershine, Oct 09 2010 In a few thousand years, when there are gobs - (the technical term) - more people on every Hajj, something like this might just need to be done
Since the goal is to go by "The Black Stone" (meteorite in SE corner) 7 times, and, like Muhammed, be able to kiss it if possible - (most Haji's / Haja's are only able to point at it) - at the very least there might be a conveyor belt right next to the Kaaba (since that seems to be the most dangerous place). [+]-- Wily Peyote, Oct 09 2010 I think the Hajj should rotate amongst different cities. It would be a good use for all of those former Olympic venues and give security services a nice workout.-- RayfordSteele, Oct 09 2010 Might a number of layers (say 7) of rotating platforms add to the worshipping capacity in a suitably pious manner?
Call it The 7 Levels Of Hajj.-- infidel, Oct 10 2010 Would it not be more effective to put the thing into orbit?-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 10 2010 <Contemplates "Wall of Death" Hajj posting>
<Contemplates possible fatwah>
<Decides to do it anyway and blame it on [21Quest]>-- 8th of 7, Oct 10 2010 // Would it not be more effective to put the thing into orbit? //
Do you mean with an nuclear blast? Er...-- Wily Peyote, Oct 10 2010 A spiral moving walkway that goes around 7 times, passes within kissing range on the last pass and then drops down (turns into an escalator?) and passes under the rest of the conveyor sections to pass people back out?-- MechE, Oct 11 2010 One word: Moebius strip conveyer belt.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 11 2010 so confused. would you mind hyphenating that for me so I can count the words?-- Voice, Oct 11 2010 In German, it probably *is* one word.-- mouseposture, Oct 11 2010 One-word:-moebius -strip-conveyer-belt-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 11 2010 //moebius strip//
a spiral, painted on the ground, which turns seven times around the hajj, terminating at the black stone; when the stone is kissed a trap door opens, depositing the supplicant in the gift shop in the exit tunnel where you can buy kabba hajj keychains, 'Koran for Dummies' books and Burqa Barbies.-- FlyingToaster, Oct 12 2010 And small cubes of black stone, coated with the saliva of 1.4 million Arabs.-- infidel, Oct 12 2010 BURN THE INFIDEL-- Voice, Oct 12 2010 Actually, it would be fascinating to take swabs from the surface of the Cube and do a metagenomics project. There'd be all sorts there.
Actually, what would happen if some kabbalist-saboteur wore ricin-flavoured lipstick (and was very careful not to lick their lips)?-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 12 2010 //<Contemplates possible fatwah>//
All right, who fatwahd?-- doctorremulac3, Oct 12 2010 //wore ricin-flavoured lipstick //
They'd go purple in the face and stop kicking after a while, as the chemical penetrated the skin on their lips and began to poison them.
Angelina Jolie might be safe, with her inner tube, rubber lips. Same applies to Mick Jagger.-- infidel, Oct 12 2010 Bad news. Just checked, and ricin is a non-starter as an oral poison - you'd need loads.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 12 2010 Probably not going to do much if you smeared a bit on a block of stone that the faithful feel the need to spit upon, then?-- infidel, Oct 12 2010 Have we done Hoverburkas already?-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 12 2010 How about rotate the entire Kaaba complex; stone, buildings, everything? If you randomly choose the speed and direction each day, it would be great fun to watch as the haji lose track of how many times they've circumnavigated, especially if the central stone rotated independently of the rest. Am I moving faster, is time passing slower, or is the guy next to me walking backwards?-- neutrinos_shadow, Oct 13 2010 I am not a Muslim either, but I wonder if this is a good idea. The cube might be required to be oriented in a particular order to the poles/stars/moon, etc.-- kamathln, Oct 14 2010 Well I can answer that question. It's clearly not a "good" idea. It's a Halfbaked idea, which is why it's here. When I have a "good" idea, I register them for patents and copyright, or I turn then into products.-- xenzag, Oct 14 2010 The four corners of the Kaaba point roughly to the cardinal points of the compass. The Eastern corner has the famous black stone (possibly a meteorite, about 30cm in diameter) embedded in it.-- infidel, Oct 14 2010 //The Eastern corner has the famous black stone (possibly a meteorite, about 30cm in diameter) embedded in it.//
Hold on a sec. You mean this cubic building was supposedly struck by a meteorite, which just "stuck"?
If so, the alleged meteorite ought to be removed for proper investigation. Fascinating stuff.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 14 2010 No. It was one of three holy Kaaba sites, that predate Islam. The Red and White Kaaba sites were destroyed. The black one was appropriated by Mohammed, who had all of the 360 or so idols that were associated with the black Kaaba destroyed. They apparently included likenesses of Jesus and Mary, though the three Kaaba also predated Christianity, I think.
The black stone is the holy icon or relic, which has been incorporated into a built structure that was supposedly fashioned from the timbers of a Greek shipwreck.
It's all pretty fuzzy, as is most of the story in major religions. The myth has it that Abraham designed the black Kaaba building.-- infidel, Oct 14 2010 Sounds like Star Trek to me. Ah well.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 14 2010 //It's a Halfbaked idea, which is why it's here. When I have a "good" idea, I register them for patents and copyright, or I turn then into products.//
I knew I was doing it wrong...-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Oct 14 2010 random, halfbakery