THE HOLY MOSQUE(AL MASJID AL HARAM), MECCA, SAUDI ARABIA.

DESTINATION 6 THE HOLY MOSQUE 

The Holy Mosque Map

The religious center of the Holy City of Makkah is the Haram Mosque (al Masjid al Haram). It is located at Mecca, Arab Saud. The mosque complex covers an area of 356,800 square meters and can accommodate up to 820,000 worshippers during the Hajj. The Holy Mosque is the only mosque that has no qibla direction, since Muslims pray facing the Ka'ba in the central courtyard. The Kaaba, is situated at the heart of the Holy Mosque's central courtyard. 

The Holy Mosque

In The Holy Mosque, every years all muslims around the world will made pilgrimage from their state to Mecca for doing Hajj. "Hajj" means literally "to set out for a place". For a Muslim, they will assembly in Masjidil Haram to praying to their God (Allah). This is rukun Islam at 5 stage and should be done if they afford. Every years Al Haram will be full by muslims around the world.

Kaaba

Umrah is a mini Hajj that can be performed at any time of the year. It can be performed along with Hajj and in other days as well. The Hajj is compulsory in Islam, but Umrah often referred to as the "little pilgrimage". However, the Umrah is recommended by the Holy Qur'an, and is a highly regarded practice in Islam.

There is a close connection between the rituals of the Umrah and the Hajj, to the extent they are often mingled together. There are only minor differences between the first part of the Hajj and the entire Umrah, and according to some views a Hajj automatically includes the Umrah. However, some scholars say that the Umrah is only performed when it is as an independent ritual. The only part which cannot be done all alone, is the shaving after all the other acts.