Mecca, along with Medina, is a sacred site of pilgrimage for Muslims. File:Placeholder It was largely destroyed during World War III by Israeli nuclear missiles and is now only temporarily inhabited. All Muslims make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lives and have opted since the nuclear war to do so mainly in old age or when terminally ill, and almost always after childbearing years, since although they take steps to protect themselves from nuclear fallout and considerable efforts have been made to clear up the site, the majority of them are fatally affected by the high level of radiation there. This is considered to be a mark of honour by Hajjis and they are generally understood in Islam to have died a martyr's death if this takes place. It is in fact a major cause of death