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المسجد الحرام
Masjid al-Haram (The Sacred Mosque) in Makkah is the largest mosque in the world, with a capacity exceeding 1.5 million worshippers. It surrounds the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam. A single prayer performed here equals 100,000 prayers elsewhere, according to hadith. It is the destination of Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
Masjid al-Haram's origins trace back to the time of the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), who, along with his son Ismail, raised the foundations of the Kaaba and established the sacred precinct around it. For centuries, the area around the Kaaba served as an open-air place of worship. The first formal enclosure walls were built by the Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) around 638 CE, when he purchased surrounding houses to expand the prayer area and erected a low wall around the compound. The Caliph Uthman ibn Affan further expanded the mosque in 647 CE, adding a covered colonnade (riwaq) to provide shade for worshippers. Successive Islamic dynasties — the Umayyads, Abbasids, Mamluks, and Ottomans — each enlarged and embellished the mosque. The Abbasid Caliph al-Mahdi (775-785 CE) carried out one of the most significant expansions, extending the mosque to encompass the Mas'a (the Sa'i corridor between Safa and Marwa) and adding the first minarets. The Ottoman Empire maintained and renovated the mosque for over four centuries. Sultan Selim II commissioned major repairs after a devastating flood in 1571, and subsequent sultans added architectural refinements including the distinctive Ottoman-style minarets. However, the most dramatic transformation came under the Saudi government. King Abdulaziz initiated the first Saudi expansion in 1955, and King Fahd's expansion (1982-1992) more than tripled the mosque's area, adding the landmark King Fahd Gate and air-conditioned prayer halls. The most recent and largest expansion project, begun under King Abdullah in 2011 and continued under King Salman, aims to increase the mosque's capacity to over 2.2 million worshippers. This expansion added the massive northern prayer area with retractable domes, new escalator towers, and a redesigned Mataf (tawaf area) with expanded capacity. The project also modernized infrastructure including cooling systems, crowd management technology, and accessibility features. Today, Masjid al-Haram covers approximately 356,800 square meters of indoor prayer space, with additional outdoor areas bringing the total usable area to over 750,000 square meters. The mosque features 13 minarets, each standing 89 meters tall, and 210 gates. The complex includes the Zamzam Well, Maqam Ibrahim, the Mas'a corridor, underground prayer levels, and extensive service facilities for millions of annual visitors.
Masjid al-Haram holds the highest rank among all mosques in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'One prayer in my mosque is better than one thousand prayers elsewhere, except Masjid al-Haram, for one prayer in Masjid al-Haram is better than one hundred thousand prayers elsewhere' (Ahmad and Ibn Majah). This immense reward reflects the mosque's unique status as the house surrounding the Kaaba, the first house of worship established for humanity. The Quran designates the precincts of Masjid al-Haram as a sanctuary where violence is forbidden and all creatures are protected. It is one of only three mosques to which Muslims may undertake a special religious journey, as stated in the hadith: 'Do not set out on a journey except to three mosques: Masjid al-Haram, my mosque (Masjid an-Nabawi), and Masjid al-Aqsa' (Bukhari and Muslim). The mosque is also the site of the Isra and Mi'raj, the night journey and ascension, from which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was transported to al-Aqsa and then to the heavens.
Masjid al-Haram is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and there is no admission fee. The mosque can be entered through any of its 210 gates, with the most prominent being King Abdulaziz Gate (Gate 1), King Fahd Gate, and Umrah Gate. Security screening is required at all entrances. Visitors must remove their shoes before entering the prayer halls; shoe storage racks are available at all gates, though carrying shoes in a bag is recommended during peak times to avoid loss. The mosque is fully air-conditioned, with temperatures maintained at a comfortable level even during the extreme summer heat. Zamzam water stations are located throughout the mosque. Wheelchair services are available, and the entire facility is accessible via ramps and elevators. Electric scooters for tawaf can be rented on the roof level. The mosque provides free Qurans in multiple languages, and translation services for sermons are available via FM radio receivers. During Hajj season and Ramadan, the mosque experiences its highest crowd density. Pilgrims should plan their visits during off-peak hours when possible — the period between Dhuhr and Asr prayers, and the late-night hours after Isha, tend to be least crowded. The mosque management has implemented a sophisticated crowd flow system with color-coded zones and digital signage to manage pilgrim movement. Separate prayer areas for women are available on all levels.