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The Ka'aba
The Ka'aba is housed in the Holy Mosque, which, according to Islamic tradition, was built by the Prophet, Ibrahim and his son Ismail. On one corner of the Ka'aba there is a Black Stone which marks the starting point for the seven circumambulations of the Holy Mosque, which every Hajji must complete. Once the rituals are complete, the pilgrims then shave their heads, perform an animal sacrifice, and celebrate the four-day global festival of Eid al-Adha or 'Greater Eid'. The word Ka'aba means 'cube', and it is a small, marble lined, chamber made from black basalt from the surrounding moun- tains. It is usually draped in the Kiswah, black silk decorated with gold embroidery. Inside the Ka'aba, there is a marble floor and marble-clad walls, inlayed with tablets of Quranic inscriptions. At the time of Prophet Muhammad, the Ka'aba stood in an open space, but by 685 AD a fence had been built around it and houses in the immediate surroundings were removed to create a larger area for the mosque. The expansion of the Holy Mosque has continued until recent times.
Holy Mosque
The largest extension to the Holy Mosque was carried out in 1989 under the orders of King Fahd. This was a monumental under- taking as the area was well developed and regularly frequented by worshippers. The work had to be carried out with minimum disruption to the movement of pilgrims and the normal life of the Holy City of Makkah. The area designated for the expansion contained a number of utilities which had to be removed and replaced elsewhere without interrupting supplies, disrupt- ing the commercial activities of the city or impeding the progress of pilgrims. The extension to the Holy Mosque had to be joined to the existing structure seam- lessly without damaging the old structures. The additions included a new gate called the King Fahd Gate and 14 additional side gates. Two new minarets were also added at this time. With this latest extension, the total floor area of the Holy Mosque has reached 366,168 square metres.
Well of Zamzam
As grand as it is, the mosque is not the only attraction in Makkah. It sits besides the sacred Well of Zamzam Ð which was shown to Hagar by the Angel Jibreel (Gabriel), so that her son Ismail would not die of thirst. The well is believed to be a source of heal- ing water with its high levels of calcium and magnesium. It is possible to drink from the well, and water is dispensed through coolers at various sites, including in the Holy Mosque.
Jebel Mina
Several other sights of great significance in- clude Jebel Mina, which is situated to the east of Makkah, between Alaqabah on the west and Muhassar on the east.
Hajjis gather in the Mina valley to throw stones at Jamarat Al Aqaba, which is the larg- est of three pillars built to signify the Prophet's refusal of the devil when asked to sacrifice his son. The stone throwing is performed on the Day of Slaughtering Ð the last day of the Hajj. This small four-kilometre square valley, between Makkah and Arafat, is also used for accommodating hajjis.
Jebel Al-Rahma
Arafat is a wide levelled valley, 20 kilometres from Makkah, surrounded by a circle of high mountains. Jebel Al-Rahma is a small hill in the valley, the top of which has been levelled and paved since ancient times. More recently a staircase has been built to facilitate climbers.
Jebel Al Noor
Jebel Al Noor lies to the east of the Ka'aba and was mentioned in the Holy Quran. It is the location of the Hira cave where the Prophet is believed to have received the first calling of Jibreel.
Jebel Al Noor has become an unplanned visitor attraction for hajjis and Umrah visitors. The Hira cave is 270 metres up the moun- tain and at the height of the Hajj up to 5,000 people a day have been counted climbing the mountain.
Djinn Mosque
The Djinn Mosque is believed to be the site where the Prophet recited the Qur'an to the Djinnis people and took bai'et (an oath of allegiance) from them. It is located to the northeast of Al-Haram, and is known by several names including Masjid Bai'et and the Harras Mosque.
The Jannat al-Mu'alla graveyard is nearby, which is understood to house the mother, first wife and son of the Holy Prophet, along with his grandfather and great-grandfather. Applications for Hajj and Umrah must be submitted through authorised agencies, tourist companies, or charitable organisa- tions certified in the visitor's country of ori- gin. An approval letter, issued by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj, is required to confirm that the authorised agent, tour company or Hajj group meets the necessary requirements regarding their pilgrims.
saudiarabia 2011
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