The question has to do with this equality. Recently, a colleague of mine (who is a Hindu) told me he wanted to visit Mecca and Medina as a tourist. I had heard somewhere that non-Muslims are not allowed near the Kaaba. Is that true? Please let me know.
This is not a question of equality, it is a question of safeguarding Mecca from visitor's intrusion. History tells us that in the pre-Islamic period there was no such restriction. But, the idol-worshiping visitors started keeping their idols in the Kaaba, and the number of idols reached 360. After having this experience, Islam imposed the above restriction.