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
Salat al-Eid (Festival Prayer)
The special prayer performed on the two Islamic festival days.
Salat al-Layl (Night Prayer)
The voluntary night prayer consisting of 11 rak'ah, highly recommended in Shia Islam.
Rajab (The Venerable Month)
The seventh Islamic month, filled with special prayers and worship.
Du'a Jawshan al-Kabir (The Great Armor)
A long supplication with 1000 of Allah's names and attributes, recited during Ramadan nights.
Hajj (Pilgrimage)
The annual pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the five pillars of Islam, obligatory for every Muslim with the ability.
Taslim (Concluding Greeting)
The concluding peace greeting that marks the end of the prayer.