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
Ziyarah (Visitation Prayer)
Visitation and greeting to the Prophet, the Imams, and holy persons at their graves.
Fard (Obligatory)
The obligatory acts in Islam, including the five daily prayers.
Mihrab (Prayer Niche)
The semicircular niche in the mosque wall that indicates the qibla direction.
Nahj al-Balagha (The Peak of Eloquence)
Imam Ali's collection of sermons and wise sayings, central to Shia prayer tradition.
Takbir (Allahu Akbar)
The exclamation "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is the Greatest), marking transitions in the prayer.
Sahih Muslim (Muslim's Authentic Collection)
The second most authoritative hadith collection in Sunni Islam, compiled by Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj.