Masjid al-Haram (The Sacred Mosque)
The holiest mosque in Islam, located in Mecca, which surrounds the Kaaba.
Masjid al-Haram (The Sacred Mosque) in Mecca is the holiest mosque and the holiest place in Islam. It surrounds the Kaaba, toward which Muslims face in prayer five times daily. The mosque is the destination for Hajj and Umrah and can accommodate over two million worshippers.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "One prayer in Masjid al-Haram is better than one hundred thousand prayers elsewhere" (Sunan Ibn Majah). This enormous reward makes prayer in Masjid al-Haram the most valuable prayer a Muslim can perform.
The mosque contains several sacred sites: the Kaaba, al-Hajar al-Aswad (the Black Stone), Maqam Ibrahim (Abraham's Station), the Zamzam well, Safa and Marwa. The qibla direction emanates from the Kaaba, and all of the world's mosques are oriented toward this sacred house. Allah says in the Quran: "The first house established for the people is the one at Bakkah — blessed and a guidance for all the worlds" (3:96).
Related terms
Mab'ath (The Prophet's Calling)
The day when Prophet Muhammad received the first revelation and was called to prophethood.
Nafilah (Voluntary Prayer)
Voluntary extra prayers beyond the five obligatory daily prayers.
Zakat (Alms)
The obligatory alms that the Quran mentions alongside prayer.
Taqlid (Following a School of Law)
The practice of following a qualified scholar's legal opinions without necessarily knowing the evidence.
Salat al-Ghufaylah (Prayer Between Maghrib and Isha)
A specially recommended prayer prayed between Maghrib and Isha in Shia Islam.
Tashahhud (Testimony of Faith in Prayer)
The testimony of faith recited in the sitting position during prayer.