mlb jerseys cheap largest religious gatherings in the world.The crane struck a third floor area on the eastern side of the Grand Mosque around 5.45pm, while the building was packed with the 6.30pm Friday prayers approaching. The crane’s arm crashed into the top edge of the building and, crumpling under its own weight, the top section smashed down into the roof.Several cranes surround the mosque to support an ongoing expansion and other construction work that has transformed the area around the sanctuary. inline-image w460 leftAligned inLineImageCaption Construction cranes surround the mosque in an image taken from January (Reuters)The $60 billion redevelopment is being carried out by the Saudi Binladin Group - owned by Osama Bin Laden’s family.In the past, Hajj at Mecca has been the scene of tragedies including stampedes which left many pilgrims dead - in 2006 several hundred people died in a stampede.The huge complex covers more than 88 acres and includes indoor and outdoor prayer areas. It is open 24-hours a day.Steep hills and low-rise traditional buildings that once surrounded the mosque have in recent years given way to shopping malls and luxury hotels — among them the world's third-tallest building, a giant clock tower that is the centerpiece of the Abraj al-Bait complex.The Binladin family - also built the Abraj al-Bait project - has been close to the ruling Al Saud family for decades and oversees major building projects around the country.The project to expand Mecca’s Grand Mosque was launched in 2011 by the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.In July, King Salman bin Abdulaziz announced a further five projects to increase the capacity of the complex, including more tunnels and squares.Eventually the development is expected to double the area around the Kaaba for pilgrims, enabling the number who take part to rise from three million annually to seven million by 2040.Security services often ring Islam's sacred city with checkpoints and other measures to prevent people arriving for the pilgrimage without authorization, and last year the number of pilgrims was restricted as a safety measure because of the construction work. A father-of-four from Bolton was among those killed when a crane operated by the Saudi government crashed into the mosque on Friday ahead of the start of the annual hajj pilgrimage.Dr Hojjat Ramzy, an imam and director of the Oxford Islamic Information Centre, said he was “very saddened” to hear about the deaths and offered condolences to the families of those killed.“But in the same breath, I would like to congratulate those people who lost their lives for going straight to heaven without any question,” he said.“This is great honour from God that every one wishes for but not many will be granted.”Dr Ramzy said that, according to the Koran, “there is no reward for the accepted hajj except paradise”, and added: “Many Muslim pilgrims wish to pass away during the journey of hajj and to have honour of being buried in the holy city of Mecca.”The Saudi King Salman has promised a public inquiry into the cause of the crane collapse, which also injured at least 238 people. Officials have defended safety measures at the construction site, and said the accident occurred during a fierce thunderstorm.? inline-image w460 leftAligned inLineImageCaption Muslim pilgrims take pictures in front of a crane that collapsed at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy Muslim city of Mecca mlb jerseys cheap cheap jerseys wholesale cheap nfl jerseys for sale