Pilgrimage Tourism and Hospitality in Makkah and Madinah: A Global Analysis Through the Lens of Islamic Epistemology and Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah

This paper examines the position of Makkah and Madinah in the global hospitality industry through the dual lens of Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah and Islamic epistemology. Using empirical data drawn from official statistics (Ministry of Hajj and Umrah), policy documents (Saudi Vision 2030 reports), and critical scholarship, the study analyses how rapid commercial development has transformed the hospitality landscape of the holy cities. It shows how luxury hotel construction has displaced local communities, particularly from historic neighbourhoods surrounding the al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, relocating them to peripheral urban areas. The concept of epistemicide is employed as a critical theoretical lens, underscoring how Islamic traditions of hospitality are being overwritten by global capitalist logics. By integrating Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah with tourism theories such as destination lifecycle, carrying capacity, and experiential tourism, this study contributes to religious tourism scholarship by offering a normative yet transferable framework for evaluating hospitality in sacred destinations. The findings highlight the need to balance capacity expansion with equity, spirituality, and sustainability in the future development of Makkah and Madinah.