Snapchat’s ability to tell stories from the perspective of the public is one of its major selling points – and the reason it is one of the biggest social platforms in the world today.
And this week, the platform opened Mecca to the rest of the world as thousands shared incredible images of Islam’s holiest city. It was eye-opening to say the least.
The app stitched together images and videos from countless worshippers which showed millions around the world the true, peaceful side of Islam, often neglected by the mainstream media.
Snaps featured posts from waves of people at the event, as well as those who were in transit in order to take part. One image that was tweeted highlighted just how many people were there to pray, and it was a breathtaking sight indeed.
#mecca_live The city that never sleeps? pic.twitter.com/qqCboCB6KV
— نوف.ع (@NH87v) July 13, 2015
Other pictures showed people praying toward the Ka’ba, which is known amongst Muslims as the “house of god”, and Snaps of hundreds of volunteers who provide pilgrims, the poor and the homeless with food, also did the rounds.
Much of the praise for Snapchat’s unbiased streaming of the monumental event came from from both Muslims and non-Muslims on Twitter…
Looks like the #mecca_live snap undid years of negative portrayals of Islam by media and Islamaphobes.
Much appreciated @Snapchat #Peace✌?
— Husain Abdullah (@HAbdullah39) July 14, 2015
MASHALLAH!!! It really makes me glad to see islam and muslims represented in their true light! Thankyou @Snapchat #mecca_live SHUKARALLAH ❤️
— arooj anwar (@aroojanwar) July 14, 2015
In less than 300 seconds @Snapchat's #mecca_live has managed to unravel years of negative portrayals of Islam.
Simply amazing.
— Fazir (@ThatDudeF) July 14, 2015
Not a Muslim, but #mecca_live is something so beautiful that it makes me really want to be one… Maybe one day?
— Mirella J (@JjMirella) July 14, 2015
Wow the Mecca story on #Snapchat is beautiful ?
— Maz Bonafide (@MazBONAFIDE) July 14, 2015
I'm not a Muslim but have family who are and for once it's nice seeing an accurate representation of Muslims. #mecca_live
— Olive Oyl (@RedWhiteNdNaija) July 14, 2015
The Mecca story on @Snapchat of folks celebrating Laylat Al Qadr is an amazing thing to watch from a range of first person POVs. Very cool.
— Orlando Jones (@TheOrlandoJones) July 14, 2015
And possibly one of the most poignant tweets to come out of the trend was this one, showing the contrasts of Islam, or what the mainstream media portray as Islam…
The difference between the real islam on the left and the man-made islam on the right.
#mecca_live #snapchat pic.twitter.com/vNsIeCLr0h
— Mohammed Kabli ✯ (@MoeWKabli) July 14, 2015
Snapchat is used by a range of different people, who all have different outlooks on life, but one thing is for sure after #Mecca_live, socia media continues to let people make their own minds up – and it’s working.
