Masjid al-Haram

Al-Masjid al-Ḥarām ( "The Sacred Mosque"), is a large mosque in the city of Mecca. It surrounds the Kaaba, the place which all Muslims turn towards each day in prayer, considered by Muslims to be the holiest place on Earth.

History

According to Islamic belief, the Haram sheriff was first built by the angels before the creation of mankind, God ordained a place of worship on Earth to reflect the house in heaven called al-Baytu l-Maˤmur (Arabic: البيت المعمور) the worship place of angels, it is believed that that al-Baytu l-Maˤmur is directly above the Kaaba in heaven. The first Kaaba was built by angels and Adam was the first human to re-build it. Time to time the mosque was destroyed, due to many causes. According to popular belief it was last built by the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) with the help of his son Ishmael. They were ordered by Allah to build the mosque, and the Ka'bah. The Black Stone is situated on the fourth corner of the Kaaba, and is believed to have fallen from heaven and turned black due to man's misdeeds.

The story of Ishmael and his mother's search for water also takes place in the general vicinity of the mosque. In the story, Hagar runs between the hills of Safa and Marwah looking for water for her son, until God eventually reveals to her the Zamzam Well, from where water continues to flow non-stop to this day. The episode of Hagar's search for water is emulated by Muslims as they run between the two hills whenever they visit Makkah.

Importance

The mosque has always been an important part of Arab culture. In pre-Islamic days it was a site for pilgrimages by pre-monotheistic Arabs, who filled the Kaaba with idols of the gods they worshipped. This episode is seen as a corruption of what the Kaaba was meant for, and the fact that they had strayed from the path of God explains why God sent Muhammad as a messenger to mankind in general, and the people of Makkah in particular. Muhammad's grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, was a caretaker of the Kaaba, and Muhammad spent much time there in prayer and reflection. The current caretaker of the mosque is the King of Saudi.

After the Hijra, Muhammad was forced to withdraw to Medina. Upon his return to Mecca, years later, he ritually smashed all the idols in the Kaaba and cleansed it. This began Islamic rule over Kaaba, and the building of a mosque around it.

Qibla

The Kaaba is the direction that the Muslims turn to in their prayers (Salah). This is to symbolize unity in worshiping one god.

Hajj

The mosque is the focal point of the hajj that occurs in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah in the Islamic calendar (pilgrimage; one of the Five Pillars of Islam; required of all able-bodied Muslims who can afford the trip). The mosque also serves as a regular mosque every day. Closer to 3 million muslims perform hajj every year.

Umrah

The mosque is also the site of the Umrah which can be performed at anytime during the year.

Architecture

Ka'bah

Literally, Ka'bah in Arabic means a high place with respect and prestige. The word Ka'bah may also be derivative of a word meaning a cube. Some of these other names include:

Bait ul Ateeq which, according to one interpretation, means the earliest and ancient. According to another interpretation, it means independent and liberating. Both meanings could be taken.
Bayt ul Haram which may be translated as 'the honorable house'.

The whole building is constructed out of the layers of gray blue stone from the hills surrounding Makka. The four corners roughly face the four points of the compass. In the eastern corner is the Rukn-al-Aswad (the Black Stone), at the northern corner lies the Rukn-al-Iraqi ('The Iraqi corner', at the west lies Rukn-al-Shami ('The Levantine corner') and at the south Rukn-al-Yamani ('The Yemeni corner'). The four walls are covered with a curtain (Kiswa). The kiswa is usually of black brocade with the Shahada outlined in the weave of the fabric. About two-thirds of the way up runs a gold embroidered band covered with Qur'anic text.

Courtyard

This is around the Kaaba and worshippers use this space to perform tawaf and salah.

Mosque

Initially, the mosque was much smaller than it is today but, over time, it has been gradually expanded. Under the Ottomans it grew to roughly the size of the current courtyard. Great expansion work has taken place under the Saudi government along with modernization of architecture. It has also been outfitted with modern conveniences such as air conditioners and escalators. The outside of the current mosque has a splendid marble facade, and it has three stories, each of which can hold thousands of worshippers.

External links

3D Kabah has some computer generated images and clickable panoramic views of parts of the Masjid al-Haram.
Google Maps Masjid al Haram on Google Maps (poor quality).
Great Mosque of al-Haram [Image Gallery
QiblaLocator.com can find the direction of the kabah from anywhere in the world.

Mecca mosques

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