A Middle East research institute claims there has been negative reaction by Muslims to the Fifth Avenue glass cube, claiming its resemblance to the Ka’ba in Mecca is an insult to Islam. The DC-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) does not name the Arabic-language Web site that complained about the glass cube, but said the posting considers the structure a deliberate provocation to Muslims. A photo accompanying the news item shows Apple’s glass cube still covered with black plastic during construction, and before the store was opened last May 19th.
The complaining site apparently did not realize the store is already open, and mistakenly stated that the “bars” inside are serving alcohol. It also mistakenly claims the structure is officially called “Apple Mecca,” when, in fact, the company has never used that term. The only correct feature mentioned in the complaint is that the store is open 24-hours.
MEMRI is headed by a former Israeli military intelligence officer, and has been variously characterized as pro-Israeli and anti-Arab, or as a useful window into the Arab world.
Update: Apple spokesman Steve Dowling has told a Tech Web reporter the building was not intended to resemble any religious structure, and the company has never referred to it as a “Mecca.” A spokesman for MEMRI refused to divulge the identity of the original Web site that complained about the structure, but claimed the Institute had translated the objections into English from Arabic.
Oct. 12th Update: MEMRI has posted a note on their Web site responding to the growing reaction to their posting, but still not identifying the original source of the criticism of Apple’s Fifth Avenue glass cube. “It should be emphasized that all content published by MEMRI is translated directly from the primary source. MEMRI’s mission is to present material as originally written and read in the Arab world, that would otherwise go unreported,” the note says. Meanwhile, a Muslim-related Web site points out that, “The idea that Muslims might be offended by (the cube) went from blog post to mainstream media, somehow becoming ‘hundreds’ of Muslims ‘infuriated’ along the way. Nobody bothered to ask Muslims, though.”
Oct. 14th Update: A New York Post article says the original objection to the Fifth Avenue glass cube was posted on the Al-Hesbah Web site.
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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Screw the Muslims. They need to get over themselves and stop behaving like paranoid delusional panzy ass whining children.
That’s pretty ridiculous. Not realize the store is open when people are coming and going every day? The structure of the cube is officially called “Apple Mecca”? Come on, people, that’s just crazy! As for Apple Geniuses serving alcohol inside… no comment.
Being a Muslim myself, I think it’s just sad that people are trying to attack miniscule “problems” like these when they can spend their time focussing on the religion itself.
It’s already bad that someone acctualy though Apple would be dumb enough to piss off potential custommers with something like this. It’s worst when they base it on false reasons. The black cover is usual to all Apple stores. And why in the world would Apple offer drinks in a computer store? (Again, the Genius Bar is in the other stores) And again, Steve Jobs would have to be a special kind of idiot to call it Apple Mecca.
For a little bit of extra irony, note that the word ‘alcohol’ is of Arabic origin, and that Steven Paul Job’s biological father was an Egyptian Arab.
Why is that news? If I proclaim Apple is evil because of that whole Adam and Eve thing on my weblog, will some institute link that to my geographic region or Christianity as a whole?
As long as MEMRI doesn’t publish who said what, I’d consider that a agenda-driven opinion piece.
Chyeburashka: Jobs father is a Syrian.
Despite that, “abortion” stems from a latin word, however I fail to see the irony linking it to Christianity.
I am so sick of all religions. No one owns a design, get over it.
I wanted to write some brilliant response to this. I’m sure there is a good line in this story for Leno or Letterman. Something about a man who walks into a “Genius Bar”…..
Back in April, there was a satirical SFGate culture blog entry calling it Apple Mecca, and mentioning alcohol being served, and basically all the complaints of this unnamed “Muslim website”.
I wonder if this MEMRI group took the blog as a serious piece of writing.
MEMRI translated the original from Arabic, so the SFGate article isn’t what is referred to.
MEMRI won’t provide the original source, so there is no way to independently confirm this.
Since when does one loner Muslim in a cave somewhere represent the whole Muslim community, anyway?
Man… do I ever love comments sections…
Without them how would we ever hear amazingly well thought out arguments like Connor has left us… Thanks sir for doing your part in dumbing down the human race.
Apple Gazette summed it up best: http://www.applegazette.com/mac/muslim-community-responds-we-love-the-apple-nyc-cube/
Every culture has it’s “National Enquirer”
I too am muslim, and it is pathetic that our religion would go after such a thing and say that its ” structure a deliberate provocation to Muslims ” Please!?
Don’t we have better things to worry about? We really do not neeed to draw more attention to the religion at this point thanks.
They can’t complain about things as frivolous and as miniscule as architecture in their own countries of Islamic origination, so they all have to whine and protest about what we have here in the U.S.
This is overblown nonsense that is pushed by MEMRI to advance their idea that all of the Islamic world has gone crazy. The site is endorsed by neocons and the Likud and it regularly distorts the discussions in the Arab press to further a negative picture of all muslims. The story represents nothing real, other than neocon propaganda.
This is a non-issue. The allegations were made way back in May before the building was finished. The web site alleged to be making the claim cannot even be identified. Memri needs to put up or shut up.
That’s a shame you folks seem more interested in ripping on MEMRI, one of the few sites out there translating Arab publications and video so that English only speakers can learn more about what is happening in Islam.
If you read the NY Post article on this subject:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10142006/news/regionalnews/qaeda_cube_boobs_mecca_big_stink_regionalnews_patrick_white.htm
You’ll see a reference to a RECENT extremist postings on Al Hesbah, major house organ for Jihad:
http://www.alhesbah.org/
How are your Arabic language skills?
what’s the relatuon between that building and Mecca???
i can see none
but there was a miss understanding … during building that store there were pictures taken when it was coverd with black… that what made us (Mouslim) think there was a connection or slighting of mouslim’s holly place….
that’s all..
thanks
bye
This is a disgrace to Mecca, even if it’s not a world-wide threatening issue. The fact that it’s black like most Apple stores is not the main issue… but it’s a cube, it’s open 24/7, and states that “if someone is in need of anything at anytime, this is the place to come to”, which is pretty much what Mecca is for Muslims… therefore replicating the actual Mecca. Why not another shape or something? It looks exactly like the Ka’aba. [IFO -- The glass cube is not black, but rather the color of clear glass. The cube was temporarily covered by black material during construction, but that was removed before the store opened.]
And for those of you who said they are not serving alcohol at Apple stores, that’s inaccurate. They will be opening an “ipod bar” which serves alcohol. Another insult towards the Kaaba and Mecca. [IFO -- There never has been any drink sales at an Apple store, nor are there any future plans to sell beverages of any kind at Apple stores. The term "bar" is not related to drinking or alcohol, but simply refers to the type of furniture Apple uses at its in-store service locations.]
Get facts straight.
Think logically.