Sakralitas dan Komoditas Eksistensi Kafe di Sekitar Masjidil Haram
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37329/kamaya.v9i1.5171Keywords:
Cafes, Commercial, Masjid al-Haram, Sacredness, TransformationAbstract
Mecca has transformed into a cosmopolitan city, sparking a debate between the preservation of sacred values and the logic of global capitalism. The purpose of this study is to analyze the commercialization process of cafes around the Masjidil Haram and its impact on the sanctity of worship spaces. Data collection was conducted through participatory observation and in-depth interviews with 22 informants, using descriptive-analytical qualitative methods. The results show that the presence of cafes is a response to Saudi Vision 2030, transforming the area around the mosque into a hybrid space that combines worship and lifestyle. Theologically, the sanctity of the core of the Grand Mosque (al-sawabit) remains firmly intact, but the atmosphere in the outer zone (al-mutaghayyirat) has undergone a shift in meaning due to the normalization of the culture of “hanging out” and consumptive behavior. Cafes serve as transitional spaces that bridge physical needs with rituals, but they have the potential to distract from solemnity. The implications of this research emphasize the need for strict spatial and zoning policies to balance the comfort of modern facilities with spiritual integrity, ensuring that market dominance does not erode the essence of worship in the Holy Land. This study contributes to the study of the sociology of religion and sacred cities by conceptualizing cafes around the Grand Mosque as hybrid transitional spaces, sharpening our understanding of the sacred-profane relationship in the dimension of religious space.
References
Aisyah, U., & Prasetyo, R. A. (2019). Pergeseran Makna Ritual Ibadah di Era Digital. JSPH: Jurnal Sosiologi Pendidikan Humanis, 4(1), 14-20.
Alhowaish, A. K., Bafgeesh, A., & Aljarboe, A. (2015). Spatial Economic Development of Mecca Region Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Science and Research, 4(12), 1746-1755.
Baker, L. (2025). Holy Grounds and Coffee Grounds: Tourism, Authenticity, and the Adaptive Reuse of Sufi Shrines in Tunisia. Tunisia and Italy: Politics and Religious Integration in the Mediterranean, (2), 36.
Barau, A. (2019). The Changed City Of Mecca: Understanding Its Transition To Deep Globalisation. In Gulf Research Meeting 2016, 146-164.
Çevik, N. (2025). A Comparative Study on the Architectural and Symbolic Values of Masjid al-Haram and Masjid an-Nabawi. Tasavvur/Tekirdağ İlahiyat Dergisi, 11(1), 333-369.
El-habashi, A. E., & El-refai, S. H. (2021). Pilgrimage Sites-Heritage Sites: The Evaluation of Authenticity of Selected Cases. ERJ: Engineering Research Journal, 44(2), 233-244.
Elbelkasy, M. I., AlSalafi, J. M., & Mahmoud, M. F. (2015). Re-Use Of Historical Buildings In The Holy City Of Makkah: Case Study Selection Guidelines. WIT Transactions on The Built Environment, 153, 63-74.
Fuad, S. (2022). Commodification of Religious Rituals: a Portrait of the Meaning of Hajj and Umrah in Indonesia. Mimbar Agama Budaya, 38(2), 165-178.
Hariyanto, D., Marijan, K., Meidi, D., Utomo, B., & Aesthetika, N. M. (2020). The Commodification of Umrah Pilgrimage in Indonesia: Between Worship and Lifestyle. International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, 13(10), 1550-1566.
Holina, H., & Waluyajati, R. R. S. R. (2023). Komodifikasi Agama: Masjid Agung As-Salam Kota Lubuk Linggau sebagai Destinasi Wisata Religi. Jurnal Iman Dan Spiritualitas, 3(3), 455-464.
Kinninmont, J. (2017). Vision 2030 and Saudi Arabia’s Social Contract Austerity and Transformation. London: Chatham House.
Küresel, S., Göstergesİ, R., & Eren, B. (2015). Pemetaan Negara Saudi, Bab 7: Penghancuran Situs-Situs Keagamaan dan Budaya. Ege Eğitim Dergisi/ Ege Journal of Education, 1-16.
Lakhani, M., & Abbas, M. (2022). Sustainable Conflict Resolution: A Case Study of the Conquest of Makkah. Al Misbah Research Journal, 2(4), 1-10.
Makin, A. (2016). Antara Ziarah Religius dan Kapitalisasi di Era Globalisasi: Catatan Etnografis Umrah. Afkaruna: Indonesian Interdisciplinary Journal of Islamic Studies, 12(1), 114-134.
Makin, A. (2017). Tuhan Di Antara Desakan Dan Kerumunan: Komodifikasi Spiritualitas Makkah Di Era Kapitalisasi. Epistemé: Jurnal Pengembangan Ilmu Keislaman, 12(1), 1-28.
Maspul, K. A. (2023). Coffee Shops As Interfaith Spaces: Bridging Divides And Embracing Inclusivity. Journal of Sustainable Communities and Development, 1(2), 60-79.
Maspul, K. A. (2025). Integrating Specialty Coffee into Pilgrimage Tourism: Cultural and Economic Opportunities in Makkah and Madinah. Qomaruna Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 2(2), 99-109.
Masyhar, M. (2020). Sakral Dan Profan Tinjauan Antropologis Religius Atas Pemikiran Hasan Hanafi. Biopsikososial: Jurnal Ilmiah Psikologi Fakultas Psikologi Universitas Mercubuana Jakarta, 4(1), 199.
Omer, S. (2019). Masjid al-Haram Expansion: Acceptance or Criticism ? In Appreciating the Architecture of Shamiyyah. Kuala Lumpur: Dar Al Wahi Publication.
Pratiwi, A., & Muslikhati, S. (2024). Implementation of Saudi Vision 2030 Towards Saudi Arabia’s Internationally Open Tourism Industry. Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Sains, 5(1), 85-102.
Qurashi, J. (2017). Commodification Of Islamic Religious Tourism: From Spiritual To Touristic Experience. International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, 5(1), 89-104.
Said, I. G., Maram, A. N., & Imam, M. F. N. (2023). Dynamics of Contested Sanctity in Mosques: A Historical Perspective. Pharos Journal of Theology, 104(5), 1-13.
Thimm, V. (2023). Shopping With Allah. London: UCL Press.
Zaidan, Y. F., Priyatna, A., & Mulyadi, R. M. (2020). Place of Worship as Capital Space: The Relationship between Masjid Raya Bandung and Shopping Centers. Wawasan: Jurnal Ilmiah Agama Dan Sosial Budaya, 5(2), 137-156.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Kamaya: Jurnal Ilmu Agama
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
An author who publishes in the Kamaya : Jurnal Ilmu Agama agrees to the following terms:
- Author retains the copyright and grants the journal the right of first publication of the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal
- Author is able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book) with the acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Author is permitted and encouraged to post his/her work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of the published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Read more about the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
