Can a Christian go to Mecca? I’m curious and would like to visit but don’t want to offend!

Well, it’s natural enough to want to go and see the place for yourself. Even people who know nothing about Islam use Mecca as a synonym for the ultimate goal. Every Muslim is required to make the pilgrimage (hajj) once in her or her lifetime; it’s one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Non-Muslims are not, however, able to participate in the hajj. The area around the two sacred cities of Mecca and Medina is a sacred area prohibited to non-Muslims. But nothing about the hajj itself is secret. Through several videos, you can vicariously share in the pilgrimage experience. In 1997 a team of Muslim camera men documented the hajj experience for ABC’s Nightline and the 25 minute video is available at this link.