策劃、編譯■李威撰、謝雯伃

隨著朝聖者人數持續增加，

沙烏地阿拉伯宗教觀光業日益勃興，

當金色輝煌的雄偉麥加鐘塔矗立在聖殿前方、

當五星級建築群提供朝聖者奢華享受時，

瀰漫在聖城中的物質享樂消費主義，

是否與簡樸謙遜的朝聖精神相互衝突？

■圖為《沙烏地新聞社》於8月10日公布的虛擬圖，呈現麥加聖城的四面鐘塔在完工後的模樣。據官方表示，這面鐘的直徑有40公尺，是全世界最大的鐘；並且將置放在約600公尺高的建築物上，高度僅次於杜拜的哈里發塔（Burj Khalifa），為世界第2高的建築物。（圖文／路透）

午夜時分，阿布杜拉還在他位於麥加的小店鋪中，向登門的顧客在玻璃桌上展示東方香水。他已作好準備，要在本月朝聖之旅期間大發利市。

Rashed Abdullah displays Oriental perfumes on a glass table to late-night shoppers in his small shop in Mecca ready for what he hopes will be a sales bonanza during this month's haj 1 pilgrimage.

去年因害怕新流感爆發，許多人沒來前往麥加；今年，阿布杜拉有信心，麥加朝聖將會為他帶來源源不絕的顧客。

He is confident of attracting customers after fears of a swine flu outbreak kept many away last year.

阿布杜拉站在香氛系列產品的後頭說：「今年會是有史以來最好的一年，市場需求很強勁。」麥加大清寺四周有許多紀念品商店，阿布杜拉的店鋪就是其中一家。

"This year will be the best. There is really strong demand," he said, standing behind an incense collection in one of dozens souvenir shops around the Grand Mosque 2 in Mecca.

這座伊斯蘭教最神聖的城市從今年8月到9月的伊斯蘭齋戒月起，生意就開始好轉，齋戒月期間有許多信徒會造訪麥加。

Business has picked up in Islam's holiest city since Ramadan, the Islamic fasting month which fell in August and September when many visit Mecca.

一年一度的麥加朝聖活動是全世界最大型的宗教集會活動之一，將數以百萬計的朝聖者帶到沙烏地阿拉伯這個伊斯蘭教的發源地。

The annual haj is one of the world's biggest religious gatherings, bringing together millions of pilgrims 3 in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam.

2009年，麥加朝聖所吸引的朝聖者人數銳減為250萬人；不過，這個月14日開始的麥加朝聖預計將會創下4百萬人的紀錄。

In 2009, the number of pilgrims fell to about 2.5 million but a record 4 million are expected next week when the haj begins.

來自印度的朝聖者哈比伯表示：「我們去年就想來了，不過有朋友建議我們延期，所以我們今年才成行。」他與4名家人一起來到麥加。

"We wanted to come last year but friends advised us to postpone so we came this year," said Shaikh Habib, a pilgrim from India who came with four members of his family.

去年，麥加和鄰近的港都吉達市（大多數人是搭飛機到此）都有住房率未滿的問題發生，不過今年朝聖季旅館幾乎全被訂滿了。

While last year hotels had trouble filling rooms in Mecca and the nearby port city of Jeddah, where most arrive by air, this year hotels are almost entirely fully booked.

麥加商會的旅宿委員會主席阿布沙巴表示：「大家對來麥加朝聖興致高昂，況且都在試著彌補去年沒能前來的遺憾……與去年相比，今年的景況一定會好得多。」

"People are really interested and everyone is trying to make up for last year ... things will be much better this year," said Walid Abu Sabaa, head of the tourism 4 and hotels committee at the Mecca chamber of commerce.

沙烏地阿拉伯的《國家報》在11月3日報導，麥加省長阿爾費索表示，早已有150萬名海外朝聖者，在朝聖季正式開始前抵達麥加。

Mecca governor Khalid al-Faisal said 1.5 millions foreign pilgrims had already arrived, Saudi daily al-Watan said on Wednesday.

販售念珠和香水的阿爾馬格達說：「商品的銷售量很好，因為有許多朝聖者提前到來。」

"Sales have been going well, many have arrived early," said Salah al-Maqdad who sells prayer beads and perfumes.

即使到了傍晚，燈光輝煌的大清真寺仍擠滿了熙來攘往的朝聖者，同時也有許多朝聖者在鄰近的街道上休息或野餐。大清真寺裡的卡巴神殿是一座古老的立方形神壇，它是世界各地穆斯林每日祈禱時所遙望的對象。

Even in the evening, the floodlighted Grand Mosque -- home to the Kaaba 5, the ancient cube-shaped shrine that Muslims around the world face when they pray -- is packed with worshippers, while dozens rest or picnic in the nearby streets.

哈比伯的兄弟法立歐茲在大清真寺結束晚禱後表示：「我們希望能待多久就待多久。我們還會去麥地那看看。」

"We want to stay as long as possible and we also want to see Medina," said Shaikh Habib's brother Fairouz, after performing evening prayers in the haram.

（路透Reuters）

關鍵字詞Key Words1. haj

(n.) 亦作hajj，朝聖活動

2. mosque

(n.) 清真寺

3. pilgrim

(n.) 朝聖者

4. tourism

(n.) 觀光業、旅遊業

5. Kaaba

(n.) 卡巴聖殿（又稱天房、克爾白）

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