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The Sacred Mosque of Mecca | |
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Al-Masjid Al-Ḥarām (ٱَلْمَسْجِدُ ٱلْحَرَام) | |
Religion | |
Affiliation | Islam |
Branch/tradition | Muslims |
Leadership | Abd ar-Raḥman as-Sudais (as President of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques and Chief Imam) Ali Ahmed Mullah (Chief Mu'athin) |
Location | |
Location | Mecca, Hejaz (present-day Saudi Arabia) [1] |
Administration | General Presidency of Haramain |
Geographic coordinates | 21°25′21″N39°49′34″E / 21.42250°N 39.82611°E |
Architecture | |
Type | Mosque |
Date established | 638 |
Specifications | |
Capacity | 3.0 million [2] |
Minaret(s) | 7, (6 more under construction) |
Minaret height | 139 m (456 ft) |
Site area | 356,000 square metres (88 acres) [3] |
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Islam |
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Masjid al-Haram (Arabic : ٱَلْمَسْجِدُ ٱلْحَرَام, romanized: al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, lit. 'The Sacred Mosque'), [4] also known as the Sacred Mosque or the Great Mosque of Mecca, [5] is considered to be the most significant mosque in Islam. [6] [7] It encloses the vicinity of the Kaaba in Mecca, in the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia. It is among the pilgrimage sites associated with the Hajj, which every Muslim must perform at least once in their lives if able. It is also the main site for the performance of ʿUmrah, the lesser pilgrimage that can be undertaken any time of the year. The rites of both pilgrimages include circumambulating the Kaaba within the mosque. The Great Mosque includes other important significant sites, such as the Black Stone, the Zamzam Well, Maqam Ibrahim, and the hills of Safa and Marwa. [8]
As of 2024, [update] the Great Mosque is both the largest mosque in the world, and the most expensive building in the world. It has undergone major renovations and expansions through the years. [9] It has passed through the control of various caliphs, sultans and kings, and is now under the control of the King of Saudi Arabia who is titled the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. [10]
The Great Mosque contends with the Masjid As-Sahabah in the Eritrean city of Massawa [11] and Quba Mosque in Medina as the oldest mosque. [12] According to Islamic tradition, Islam as a religion precedes Muhammad, [13] [14] [15] representing previous prophets such as Abraham. [16] According to Islamic scholars, Abraham is seen as having built the Kaaba in Mecca, and consequently its sanctuary, which according to the Muslim view is seen as the first mosque [17] that ever existed. [18] [19] [20] According to other scholars, Islam started during the lifetime of Muhammad in the 7th century CE, [21] and so did architectural components such as the mosque. In that case, either the Mosque of the Companions [22] or Quba Mosque would be the first mosque that was built in the history of Islam. [17]
According to Islamic tradition in the Quran, Abraham, together with his son Ismael, raised the foundations of a house, [23] which has been identified by commentators as the Kaaba. According to Islamic tradition, it is said that Allah showed Abraham the exact site, which was previously built by Adam, very near to what is now the Well of Zamzam. After Abraham had built the Kaaba, an angel is said to have brought him the Black Stone, a celestial stone that, according to tradition, had fallen from Heaven on the nearby hill Abu Qubays. The Black Stone is believed by Islamic scholars to be the only remnant of the original structure made by Abraham.
After placing the Black Stone in the Eastern corner of the Kaaba, Abraham reportedly received a revelation in which God told the aged prophet that he should now go and proclaim the pilgrimage to mankind, so that men may come both from Arabia and from lands far away, on camel and on foot. [24]
Upon Muhammad's victorious return to Mecca in 630 CE, Ali broke the idols in and around the Kaaba, [25] similar to what, according to the Quran, Abraham did in his homeland. Thus ended polytheistic use of the Kaaba, and began monotheistic rule over it and its sanctuary. [26] [27] [28] [29]
The first major renovation to the mosque took place in 692, on the orders of Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan. [30] Before this renovation, which included the mosque's outer walls being raised, the mosque was a small open area with the Kaaba at the center. By the end of the 8th century, the mosque's old wooden columns had been replaced with marble columns and the wings of the prayer hall had been extended on both sides along with the addition of a minaret on the orders of Al-Walid I. [31] [32] The spread of Islam in the Middle East and the influx of pilgrims required an almost complete rebuilding of the site which included adding more marble and three more minarets.[ citation needed ]
In 1570, Sultan Selim II commissioned the chief architect Mimar Sinan to renovate the mosque. This renovation resulted in the replacement of the flat roof with domes decorated with calligraphy internally, and the placement of new support columns which are acknowledged as the earliest architectural features of the present mosque. These features are the oldest surviving parts of the building.
During heavy rains and flash floods in 1621 and 1629, the walls of the Kaaba and the mosque suffered extensive damage. [33] In 1629, during the reign of Sultan Murad IV, the mosque was renovated. In the renovation of the mosque, a new stone arcade was added, three more minarets (bringing the total to seven) were built, and the marble flooring was retiled. This was the unaltered state of the mosque for nearly three centuries.
The first major renovation under the Saudi kings was done between 1955 and 1973. In this renovation, four more minarets were added, the ceiling was refurnished, and the floor was replaced with artificial stone and marble. The Mas'a gallery (As-Safa and Al-Marwah) is included in the Mosque, via roofing and enclosures. During this renovation many of the historical features built by the Ottomans, particularly the support columns, were demolished.
On 20 November 1979, the Great Mosque was seized by extremist insurgents who called for the overthrow of the Saudi dynasty. They took hostages and in the ensuing siege hundreds were killed. These events came as a shock to the Islamic world, as violence is strictly forbidden within the mosque.
The second Saudi renovations under King Fahd, added a new wing and an outdoor prayer area to the mosque. The new wing, which is also for prayers, is reached through the King Fahd Gate. This extension was performed between 1982 and 1988. [34]
1987 to 2005 saw the building of more minarets, the erecting of a King's residence overlooking the mosque and more prayer area in and around the mosque itself. These developments took place simultaneously with those in Arafat, Mina and Muzdalifah. This extension also added 18 more gates, three domes corresponding in position to each gate and the installation of nearly 500 marble columns. Other modern developments added heated floors, air conditioning, escalators and a drainage system.[ citation needed ]
In addition, the King Fahd expansion includes 6 dedicated prayer halls for people with disabilities. These halls have ramps to facilitate entry and exit with wheelchairs, as well as dedicated paths and free electric and manual carts for their use. [35]
In 2008, the Saudi government under King Abdullah Ibn Abdulaziz announced an expansion [36] of the mosque, involving the expropriation of land to the north and northwest of the mosque covering 300,000 m2 (3,200,000 sq ft). At that time, the mosque covered an area of 356,800 m2 (3,841,000 sq ft) including indoor and outdoor praying spaces. 40 billion riyals (US$10.6 billion) was allocated for the expansion project. [37]
In August 2011, the government under King Abdullah announced further details of the expansion. It would cover an area of 400,000 m2 (4,300,000 sq ft) and accommodate 1.2 million worshippers, including a multi-level extension on the north side of the complex, new stairways and tunnels, a gate named after King Abdullah, and two minarets, bringing the total number of minarets to eleven. The circumambulation areas (Mataf) around the Kaaba would be expanded and all closed spaces receive air conditioning. After completion, it would raise the mosque's capacity from 770,000 to over 2.5 million worshippers. [38] [39] His successor, King Salman launched five megaprojects as part of the overall King Abdullah Expansion Project in July 2015, covering an area of 456,000 m2 (4,910,000 sq ft). The project was carried out by the Saudi Binladin Group. [40] In 2012, the Abraj Al Bait complex was completed along with the 601 meter tall Makkah Royal Clock Tower.
On 11 September 2015, at least 111 people died and 394 were injured when a crane collapsed onto the mosque. [41] [42] [43] [44] [45] Construction work was suspended after the incident, and remained on hold due to financial issues during the 2010s oil glut. Development was eventually restarted two years later in September 2017. [46]
On 5 March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the mosque began to be closed at night and the Umrah pilgrimage was suspended to limit attendance. [47] The resumption of Umrah service began on 4 October 2020 with the first phase of a gradual resumption that was limited to Saudi citizens and expatriates from within the Kingdom at a rate of 30 percent. [48] Only 10,000 people were given Hajj visas in 2020 while 60,000 people were given visas in 2021.
The Great Mosque is the main setting for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages [55] that occur in the month of Dhu al-Hijja in the Islamic calendar and at any time of the year, respectively. The Hajj pilgrimage is one of the Pillars of Islam, required of all able-bodied Muslims who can afford the trip. In recent times, over 5 million Muslims perform the Hajj every year. [56]
There has been some controversy that the expansion projects of the mosque and Mecca itself are causing harm to early Islamic heritage. Many ancient buildings, some more than a thousand years old, have been demolished to make room for the expansion. Some examples are: [65] [66]
Mecca is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the holiest city according to Islam. It is 70 km (43 mi) inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley 277 m (909 ft) above sea level. Its metropolitan population in 2022 was 2.4 million, making it the third-most populated city in Saudi Arabia after Riyadh and Jeddah. Around 44.5% of the population are Saudi citizens and around 55.5% are Muslim foreigners from other countries. Pilgrims more than triple the population number every year during the Ḥajj pilgrimage, observed in the twelfth Hijri month of Dhūl-Ḥijjah. With over 10.8 million international visitors in 2023, Mecca was one of the ten most visited cities in the world.
The Prophet's Mosque is the second mosque built by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in Medina, after the Quba Mosque, as well as the second largest mosque and holiest site in Islam, after the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, in the Saudi region of the Hejaz. The mosque is located at the heart of Medina, and is a major site of pilgrimage that falls under the purview of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
Safa and Marwa are two small hills, connected to the larger Abu Qubais and Qaiqan mountains, respectively, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, now made part of Al-Masjid al-Haram. Muslims travel back and forth between them seven times in what is known as saʿī ritual pilgrimages of Ḥajj and Umrah.
Saud ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Shuraim ; born 19 January 1966) is a Quranic reciter who was one of the prayer leaders and Friday preachers at the Grand Mosque Masjid al-Haram in Makkah. He also holds a Ph.D degree in Sharia at the Umm al-Qura University in Mecca. Shuraim was recently appointed as dean and "Specialist Professor in Fiqh" at the University.
The Clock Towers, is a government-owned complex of seven skyscraper hotels in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. These towers are part of the King Abdulaziz Endowment Project that aims to modernize the city in catering to its pilgrims. The central hotel tower, which is the Mecca Clock Royal Tower, is the fourth-tallest building and sixth-tallest freestanding structure in the world. The clock tower contains the Clock Tower Museum that occupies the top four floors of the tower.
The Mīqāt Dhu al-Ḥulayfah, also known as Masjid Dhu al-Hulayfah, is a miqat and mosque in Abyār ʿAlī, Medina, Saudi Arabia. The miqat mosque is located west of Wadi al-'Aqiq, where the final Islamic prophet, Muhammad, entered the state of ihram before performing 'Umrah, after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. The mosque is located 7 km SW of the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi and was defined by Muhammad as the miqat for those willing to perform the Hajj or Umrah pilgrimages from Medina. It is the second-largest miqat mosque after the Miqat Qarn al-Manazil in As-Sayl al-Kabir.
The miqat is a principal boundary at which Muslim pilgrims intending to perform the Ḥajj or ʿUmrah must enter the state of iḥrām, a state of consecration in which certain permitted activities are made prohibited.
The holiest sites in Islam are located in the Arabian Peninsula. While the significance of most places typically varies depending on the Islamic sect, there is a consensus across all mainstream branches of the religion that affirms two cities as having the highest degree of holiness, in descending order: Mecca, and Medina. Mecca's Al-Masjid al-Haram, and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina are all revered by Muslims as sites of great importance.
The Masjid al-Qiblatayn, also spelt Masjid al-Qiblatain, is a Sunni Islam mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia. The mosque is believed by Muslims to be the place where the final Islamic prophet, Muhammad, received the command to change the Qibla from Jerusalem to Mecca. The mosque was built by Sawad ibn Ghanam ibn Ka'ab during the year 2 AH and is one of the few mosques in the world to have contained two mihrabs in different directions.
Ali Ahmed Mullah, is the veteran muazzin at the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia for the past four decades. Ali Ahmed Mulla is the longest serving muazzin for the Masjid al-Haram and has been following his family tradition in this profession since 1975.
The destruction of heritage sites associated with early Islam is an ongoing phenomenon that has occurred mainly in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, particularly around the two holiest cities of Islam, Mecca and Medina. The demolition has focused on mosques, burial sites, homes and historical locations associated with the Islamic prophet Muhammad, his companions, and many of the founding personalities of early Islamic history by the Saudi government. In Saudi Arabia, many of the demolitions have officially been part of the continued expansion of the Masjid al-Haram at Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina and their auxiliary service facilities in order to accommodate the ever-increasing number of Muslims performing the pilgrimage (hajj).
The Kaaba, sometimes referred to as al-Ka'ba al-Musharrafa, is a stone building at the center of Islam's most important mosque and holiest site, the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is considered by Muslims to be the Baytullah and is the qibla for Muslims around the world. The current structure was built after the original building was damaged by a fire during the siege of Mecca by the Umayyads in 683 CE.
Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for capable Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and of supporting their family during their absence from home.
The Masjid Al-Taneem is a mosque in the area of Al-Hil, approximately 8.0 kilometres from the Kaaba, in the neighbourhood of At-Tan'im in Makkah, western Saudi Arabia.
Abu Qubays is a sacred mountain which resides on the eastern frontier of Al-Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca, in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah Awad Al Juhany, is one of the nine Imams of the Grand Mosque Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. He holds a B.A. from the faculty of Qur'an at the Islamic University of Madinah, and a doctorate (Ph.D.) from Umm al-Qura University in Mecca.
Masjid an-Namirah or Masjid Nimrah is a mosque in Wadi Uranah near Mecca in the Hejazi region of Saudi Arabia. It is believed to be where the Islamic prophet Muhammad stayed before delivering his last sermon in 'Arafat. It is one of the most important landmarks during the Hajj, as it is where the khutbahs are delivered to pilgrims during the Day of Arafah during the Dhuhr and Asr prayers. It is located near Mount Arafat.
Usama bin Abdullah Khayyat, born in 1956 in Mecca, is a Saudi Islamic scholar, imam and preacher. He is among the current imams of Masjid al-Haram.