"Selfie fever" has taken over the hajj — the pilgrimage to Mecca made by millions of Muslims to fulfill one of the five pillars of faith.
According to Arab News, this trend of selfies at Islam's holiest sites is not going down well with Muslim clerics and scholars.
The hajj, one of the world's largest gatherings, is perceived as the "religious high point of a Muslim's life." This year's hajj is expected to fall between Oct. 2 and Oct. 7.
Saudi authorities forbid taking photographs at the Holy Mosque in Mecca and the courtyard around it, and could deny entry to those found with cameras or cameraphones.
However, people usually sneak their phones in, and in recent years officials have relaxed the rules on taking photos inside the premises.
In the wake of the global selfie trend, an increasing number of Muslims now document their pilgrimage on social media.
Some even had their own hajj version of the famous Oscar selfie.
A few brave pilgrims wielded the selfie stick.
But some clerics have condemned the selfie fever as "touristy behavior" that destroys the tranquility and humility required for acts of worship during the holy pilgrimage, Arab News reported.
Pilgrims posting their Kaaba selfies on Facebook and making it into a social media event ruins "their act of ibadah (worship) by humble-bragging," an Islamic studies teacher told Arab News.
"Taking such selfies and videos defy the wish of our prophet," a Jeddah-based scholar said. "When the prophet went for hajj he said, 'O Allah, I ask of you a pilgrimage that contains no boasting or showing off.'"
"It is as though the only purpose of this trip is take pictures and not worship," another Muslim scholar told Arab News.
Muslim Matters, a blog for Muslims in the West, threw the hajj selfie topic open for debate on Twitter.
Some called the trend a "social menace."
Many agreed it went against the purpose of doing the hajj.
Others approved of it, but only in moderation.
Some believed it was a good way to remember such a significant event.