Al-Masjid al-Ḥarām (Arabic: المسجد الحرام, pronounced [ʔælˈmæsdʒɪd ælħɑˈrɑːm], “The Sacred Mosque”) or the Grand Mosque surrounds Islam’s holiest place, the Kaaba. It is located in the city of Mecca and is the largest mosque in the world. Muslims around the world turn toward Kaaba while performing any prayer. One of the Five Pillars of Islam requires every Muslim to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, at least once in his or her lifetime if able to do so, including circumambulation of the Kaaba.
The current structure covers an area of 356,800 square metres (88.2 acres) including the outdoor and indoor praying spaces and can accommodate up to four million worshipers during the Hajj period, one of the largest annual gatherings of people in the world. Unlike many other mosques which are segregated, men and women worship at Masjid al-Haram together.
According to Islamic tradition the very first construction of the Kaaba, the heart of the Masjid al-Haram, was undertaken by Abraham. The Qur’ân said that this was the first house built for humanity to worship Allah. As time continued the Kaaba was demolished completely and forgotten.
With the order of the God [Quran 22:26], Abraham and his son Ishmael found the original foundation and rebuild the Kaaba [Quran 2:125] [Quran 2:127] in 2130 BCE. Hajar-ul-Aswad, the Black Stone situated on the lower side of the eastern corner of the Kaaba, is believed[by whom?] to be the only remnant of the original structure made by Ibrahim.
Muslim belief also places the story of Ishmael’s mother searching for water in the general vicinity of the mosque. In the story, Hagar runs between the hills of Safa and Marwah looking for water for her infant son until God eventually reveals her the Zamzam. The “Zamzam well” and “Safa and Marwah” are structures in the Masjid al-Haram.
First Islamic Era:
Upon Muhammad’s victorious return to Mecca in 630, Muhammad and his son-in-law, Ali ibn Abi Talib, broke all the idols in and around the Kaaba and ended its pagan use. This began the Islamic rule over the Kaaba and the building of the Masjid al-Haram around it.
The first major renovation to the Mosque took place in 692. Before this renovation, which included the mosque’s outer walls being raised and decoration added to the ceiling, the Mosque was a small open area with the Kaaba at the centre. 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. 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.
In 1570, Sultan Selim II commissioned the chief architect Mimar Sinan to renovate the Masjid. 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.
After heavy rain and flood in 1621 and more in 1629, the walls of the Kaaba fell down and the Masjid suffered damage. In 1629, during the reign of Murad IV, the Kaaba was rebuilt with stones from Mecca and the Masjid was renovated. In the renovation of the Masjid a new stone arcade was added, three more minarets (which made the total number 7) were built and the marble flooring was retiled. This was the unaltered state of the Mosque for nearly three centuries.
Saudis | Minarets of the Masjid al-Haram
The first major renovation under the Saudi kings was done between 1955 and 1973. In this renovation, four more minarets were added and the ceiling was refurnished and the floor was replaced with artificial stone and marble. The Mas’a gallery (Al-Safa and Al-Marwah) is included in the Masjid via roofing and enclosements. During this renovation many of the historical features built by the Ottomans, particularly the support columns, were demolished.
The second Saudi renovations under King Fahd, added a new wing and an outdoor prayer area to the Masjid. The new wing, which is also for prayers, is accessed through the King Fahd Gate. This extension is considered to have been from 1982-1988.
The third Saudi extension (1988–2005) saw the building of more minarets, the erecting of a King’s residence overlooking the Masjid and more prayer area in and around the Masjid itself. These developments have taken place simultaneously with those in Arafat, Mina and Muzdalifah. This third extension has also resulted in 18 more gates, three domes corresponding in position to each gate and the installation of nearly 500 marble columns. Other modern developments include the addition of heated floors, air conditioning, escalators and a drainage system.
Current expansion project:
In 2007, the Masjid went under a fourth extension project which is estimated to last until 2020. King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz plans to increase the Masjid’s capacity to 2 million.
Northern expansion of the mosque began in August 2011 and is expected to be completed in 1.5 years. The area of the mosque will be expanded from the current 356,000 m2 (3,830,000 sq ft) to 400,000 m2 (4,300,000 sq ft). A new gate named after King Abdullah will be built together with two new minarets, bringing their total to 11. The cost of the project is $10.6-billion and after completion the mosque will house over 2.5 million worshipers. The mataf (the circumambulation areas around the Kaaba) will also see expansion and all closed spaces will be airconditioned.
Controversies on expansion projects:
Destruction of early Islamic heritage sites:
There has been some controversy that the expansion projects of the Masjid and Mecca itself is causing harm to early Islamic Heritage. Many more than millennium old buildings have been demolished for expansion and development projects of Masjid al Haram, new malls and hotels. Some examples are:
- Bayt al-Mawlid, the house where Muhammad was born demolished and rebuilt as a library.
- Dar al Arqam, the first Islamic school where Muhammad taught flattened to lay marble tiles.
- The house of Abu Jahal has been demolished and replaced by public washrooms.
- Dome which served as a canopy over the Well of Zamzam demolished.
- Some Ottoman porticos at the Masjid al-Haram demolished and the remaining under threat.
- House of Muhammed in Medina where he lived after the migration from Mecca.
The importance of the mosque is twofold. It not only serves as the common direction towards which Muslims pray, but is also the main location for pilgrimages.
The Qibla – the direction that Muslims turn to in their prayers (salah) – is toward the Kaaba and symbolizes unity in worshiping one Allah (God). At one point the direction of the Qibla was toward Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) (and is therefore called the First of the Two Qiblas), however, this only lasted for seventeen months, after which the Qibla became oriented towards the Kaaba in Mecca. According to accounts from Muhammad’s companions, the change happened very suddenly during the noon prayer at Medina in the Masjid al-Qiblatain.
Pilgrimage | Hajj and Umrah
The Haram is the focal point of the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages that occur in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah 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, about 3 million Muslims perform the Hajj every year.
Some of the rituals performed by pilgrims are symbolic of historical incidents. For example, the episode of Hagar’s search for water is emulated by Muslims as they run between the two hills of Safa and Marwah whenever they visit Mecca.
The Hajj is associated with the life of the Islamic prophet Mohammad from the 7th century, but the ritual of pilgrimage to Makkah is considered by Muslims to stretch back thousands of years to the time of Ibrahim (Abraham).
Architecture and Structures: This section requires expansion. (June 2012)
Kaaba | Pilgrims circumambulating the Kaaba.
The Kaaba (Arabic: الكعبة) is a cuboid-shaped building in the center of the Masjid al-Haram and is the most sacred site in Islam. All Muslims around the world face the Kaaba during prayers, no matter where they are. This is called facing the Qiblah. The Hajj require pilgrims to walk seven times around the Kaaba in a counter-clockwise direction. This circumambulation, the Tawaf, is also performed by pilgrims during the Umrah (lesser pilgrimage).
The Black Stone (Arabic: الحجر الأسود al-Ḥajar al-Aswad) is the eastern cornerstone of the Kaaba. It was set intact into the Kaaba’s wall by Muhammad in the year 605, five years before his first revelation. Since then it has been broken into a number of fragments and is now cemented into a silver frame in the side of the Kaaba. Its physical appearance is that of a fragmented dark rock, polished smooth by the hands of millions of pilgrims.
Many of the pilgrims, if possible, stop and kiss the Black Stone, emulating the kiss that Islamic tradition records it having received from Muhammad. If they cannot reach it, they point to it on each of their seven circuits around the Kaaba.
The Maqām Ibrahim (Ibrahim’s place of standing) is a rock that reportedly has an imprint of Ibraham’s foot which is kept in a crystal dome next to the Kaaba. Ibraham is said[by whom?] to have stood on this stone during the construction of the upper parts of the Kaaba, raising Ishmail on his shoulders for the uppermost parts.
Mount Safa in Masjid al-Haram
Al-Safa and Al-Marwah (Arabic: الصفا Aṣ-Ṣafā, المروة al-Marwah) are two hills, now located in the Masjid al-Haram. In Islamic tradition, Ibrahim’s wife Hagar runs between the hills of Safa and Marwah looking for water for her infant son Ishmael until God eventually reveals her the Zamzam. Muslims also travel back and forth seven times during the ritual pilgrimages of Hajj and Umrah as a remembrance her. Safa – from which the ritual walking (Arabic: سعى saʿy) begins – is located approximately half a mile from the Kaaba. Marwah is located about 100 m (330 ft) from the Kaaba. The distance between Safa and Marwah is approximately 450 m (1,480 ft)
Zamzam Well | Inside the well house
The Zamzam Well (Arabic: زمزم) is a well located 20 m (66 ft) east of the Kaaba. It began circa 2150 BCE when Abraham’s (Ibrāhīm) infant son Ishmael (ʼIsmāʻīl) was thirsty and kept crying for water. The well has never gone dry despite the millions of liters of water consumed every year. It had been deepened several times in history during periods of severe droughts.
Administration | Muadhins
Nowadays, several families share adhan (call to prayer) duties in the Masjid al-Haram, including Mulla, Shaker, Rayes, Al al-Abbas, Hadrawi, Basnawi, Khouj, Marouf and Feedah. Some of these families held this position for hundreds of years; for example,the al-Abbas. There are 16 muadhins at the mosque, and during Ramadan an additional six are appointed. Apart from adhan, a muadhin also supports imams by repeating what they say in a loud voice.
- Ahmad Mohammad Al al-Abbas (أحمد بن محمد بن أمين آل العباس), died 1924
- Mohammed Hassan Al al-Abbas (محمد حسن بن أحمد آل العباس), died 1971
- Abdulaziz Asad Reyes (عبد العزيز أسعد ريس), died 2011
- AbdulHafith Khoj (عبد الحفيظ خوج)
- AbdulRahman Shaker (عبد الرحمن شاكر)
- Ahmad Shahhat (أحمد شحات)
- Hassan Zabidi (حسان زبيدي)
- Ali Ahmed Mulla (على أحمد ملا), The longest serving muadhin in recent years
- Abdullah Asad Reyes (عبد الله أسعد ريس)
- Mohammed Ali Shaker (محمد علي شاكر)
- Mohammad Ramul (محمد رمل)
- Mohammed Yousif Shaker (محمد يوسف شاكر)
- Ibrahim Mohammed Hassan Al-AlAbbas (ابراهيم محمد حسن آل العباس)
- Majid Ibrahim Al al-Abbas (ماجد ابراهيم آل العباس)
- Farouk Abdulrahman Hadrawi (فاروق عبد الرحمن حضراوى)
- Naif bin Salih Wa’dhudeen (نايف فيدة), Chief of Muadhins since October 2010
- Ahmed Abdullah Basnawi (أحمد عبد الله بصنوي)
- Ali Mohammed Moammar (علي محمد معمر)
- Toufik Khouj (توفيق خوج)
- Mohammed Siraj Marouf (محمد سراج معروف)
- Ahmed bin Younas Khoja
Imams | Former Imams
The imams have a set rota to decide who leads prayer.
- Abdullah Al-Khulaifi (عبد الله الخليفي)
- Ali Jaber (على بن عبد الله جابر)
- Umar Al-Subayyil (عمر السبيل)
- Muhammed Al-Subayyil (محمد السبيل)
- Abdullah Al Humaid (عبد الله الحميد), former Chief Justice of Saudi Arabia
- Abdullah Al-Harazi (عبدالله الحرازي), former Chairman of Saudi Majlis al Shura
- Abdullah Khayyat (عبدالله خياط)
- Ali Bin Abdur Rahman Al Hudhaify, now chief imam of Al-Masjid an-Nabawi
- Salah Ibn Muhammad Al Budair, now in Al-Masjid an-Nabawi
- Adil Kalbani
- Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais (عبد الرحمن السديس), Chief of imams at Masjid al-Haram
- Saud Al-Shuraim (سعود بن إبراهيم الشريم), Deputy Chief of imams at Masjid al-Haram, judge at Mecca High Court
- Abdullah Awad Al Juhany (عبدالله عواد الجهني), appointed in July 2007
- Maher Al Mueaqly (ماهر المعيقلي), appointed in July 2007
- Khalid Al Ghamdi (خالد الغامدي), appointed after Hajj 2008
- Salih bin Abdullah al Humaid (صالح بن حميد), chairman of Saudi Majlis al Shura
- Usaama bin Abdullah al Khayyat (أسامة بن عبدالله خياط)
- Saleh Al-Talib (صالح ال طالب), appointed in 2003, judge at Mecca High Court
- Faisal Jamil Ghazzawi (فيصل غزاوي), appointed after Hajj 2008
Al-Masjid al-Ḥarām | The Sacred Mosque
- Coordinates: 21.422°N 39.826°ECoordinates: 21.422°N 39.826°E
- Location: Saudi Arabia Mecca, Saudi Arabia
- Established: At the time of Prophet Abraham.
- Branch/tradition: Islam
- Administration: Saudi Arabian government
- Leadership: Imam (s): Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, Saud Al-Shuraim, Maher Al Mueaqly
- Architectural information
- Capacity: 900,000 (increased to 4,000,000 during the hajj period)
- Minaret(s): 9
- Minaret height: 89 m (292 ft)