Masjid al-Haram, also known as the Sacred Mosque or the Great Mosque of Mecca, is considered to be the most significant mosque in Islam. 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.
Aerial view
The Great Mosque in an illustration of the Dala'il al-Khayrat of Mustafa Halim, 1750
The Great Mosque in an illustration of the Futuh al-Haramayn of Muhi Al-Din Lari, 1582
The mosque in 1850, during the Ottoman period
A mosque, also called a masjid, is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Islamic prayers are performed, such as an outdoor courtyard.
Aerial view of the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid Al-Ḥarām) of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, the largest mosque and holiest site in Islam, with the Kaaba in the center (2010 photo)
The Prophet's Mosque (al-Masjid an-Nabawi) in Medina, Islam's second holiest site
Masjid al-Qiblatayn (Mosque of the two Qiblahs) in Medina
The Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Islam's third holiest site
