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'Al-Masjid al-Ḥarām' ('المسجد الحرام' "The Sacred Mosque"), is a large mosque in the city of Mecca and the largest in the world. It surrounds the Kaaba, the place which Muslims turn towards while offering daily prayer. It is considered to be the holiest place on Earth by devotee Muslims. The mosque is also commonly known as the 'Haram' or 'Haram Sharif'.^[1]
The current structure covers an area of 356,800 square meters including the outdoor and indoor praying spaces and can accommodate up to 820,000 worshippers during the Hajj period.

Contents

History

Religious significance

Qibla

Pilgrimage

Architecture

Kaaba

Imams

Muezzins

Incidents

1979 Grand Mosque Seizure

1987 riots

2007 Intrusion

See also

References

External links

History

According to Islamic theology, the mosque was first built by the angels before the creation of mankind, when God ordained a place of worship on Earth to reflect the house in heaven called al-Baytu l-Maˤmur (Arabic: البيت المعمور), which translates to 'The Worship Place of Angels'. Al-Baytu l-Maˤmur is directly above the Kaaba in heaven. The first Kaaba was built by angels and Adam was the first human to re-build it. From time to time the mosque was destroyed and rebuilt anew. According to popular belief it was famously built by Ibrahim (Abraham), with the help of his son Ismael. They were ordered by Allah to build the mosque, and the ''Kaaba''. The Black Stone is situated near the eastern corner of the Kaaba, and is believed to have 'fallen from heaven' and turned black due to man's misdeeds.
Muslim belief places the story of Ishmael and his mother's search for water in the general vicinity of the mosque. In the story, Hagar runs between the hills of Safa and Marwah looking for water for her son, until God eventually reveals to her the Zamzam Well, from where water continues to flow non-stop to this day.
After the Hijra, upon Muhammed's victorious return to Mecca, the people of Mecca themselves removed all the idols in and around the Kaaba and cleansed it. This began the Islamic rule over the Kaaba, and the building of a mosque around it.
The current structure is the result of a big extension beginning in 1982, under the sponsorship of the late King Fahd.

Religious significance

The importance of the mosque is twofold. It not only serves as the common direction towards which Muslims pray, but is also the main location for pilgrimages.

Qibla

Main articles: Qibla

The qibla—the direction that Muslims turn to in their prayers (salah)—is toward the Kaaba and symbolizes unity in worshiping one God. At one point the direction of the qibla was toward Bayt al-Maqdis, Jerusalem (and it is therefore called the First of the Two Qiblas), however, this only lasted for seventeen months, after which the qibla became oriented towards the Kaaba in Mecca. According to accounts from Muhammad's companions, the change happened very suddenly during the noon prayer at Medina in the Masjid al-Qiblatain. Muhammad was leading the prayer when he received a revelation from Allah instructing him to take the Kaaba as the qibla (literally, "turn your face towards the Masjid al-Haram"). According to the historical accounts, Muhammad, who had been facing Jerusalem, upon receiving this revelation, immediately turned around to face Mecca, and those praying behind him also did so.

Pilgrimage

Main articles: Hajj, Umrah


The Haram is the focal point of the hajj and umrah pilgrimages Hajj to Umrah: From A to Z, , Mamdouh N., Mohamed, Mamdouh Mohamed, 1996, ISBN 0-915957-54-x that occur in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah in the Islamic calendar and at any time of the year, respectively. The Hajj pilgrimage is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, required of all able-bodied Muslims who can afford the trip. In recent times, about 3 million Muslims perform the hajj every year.
Some of the rituals performed by pilgrims are symbolic of historical incidents. For example, the episode of Hagar's search for water is emulated by Muslims as they run between the two hills of Safa and Marwah whenever they visit Mecca.

Architecture

Initially, the mosque was much smaller than it is today but, over time, it has been gradually expanded. Under the Ottomans it grew to roughly the size of the current courtyard. Great expansion work has taken place under the Saudi government along with modernization of architecture. The mosque was transformed into a place of epic proportions, being able to house one million worshippers during the Hajj.It has also been outfitted with modern conveniences such as air conditioners and escalators, of which can transport 100,000 people per hour. The outside of the current mosque has a splendid marble facade, and it has three stories, each of which can hold thousands of worshippers.
The mosque has nine minarets.
This is around the Kaaba and worshippers use this space to perform tawaf and salah.

Kaaba

Main articles: Kaaba

Literally, Kaaba in Arabic means ''square house''. The word Kaaba may also be derivative of a word meaning a cube.
Some of these other names include:

★ '''Al-Bait ul Ateeq''' which, according to one interpretation, means ''the earliest and ancient''. According to another interpretation, it means ''independent and liberating''.

★ '''Al-Bayt ul Haram''' which may be translated as 'the honorable house'.
The whole building is constructed out of the layers of gray blue stone from the hills surrounding Mecca. The four corners roughly face the four points of the compass. In the eastern corner is the ''Hajr-al-Aswad'' (the Black Stone), at the northern corner lies the ''Rukn-al-Iraqi'' ('The Iraqi corner'), at the west lies ''Rukn-al-Shami'' ('The Syrian corner') and at the south ''Rukn-al-Yamani'' ('The Yemeni corner'). The four walls are covered with a curtain (Kiswa). The kiswa is usually of black brocade with the Shahada outlined in the weave of the fabric. About two-thirds of the way up runs a gold embroidered band covered with Qur'anic text.

Imams

Imams at Haram Sharif are:

★ His Eminence Sheikh Dr.Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais (Arabic:عبد الرحمن السديس)

★ His Eminence Sheikh Dr.Saud Al-Shuraim (Arabic:سعود الشريم)- Judge in Mecca High Court

★ His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Salih bin Abdullah al Humaid (Arabic:صالح بن حميد)- Chairman Saudi Majlis al Shura

★ His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Usaama bin Abdullah al Khayyat (Arabic:أسامة خياط)

★ His Eminence Sheikh Salih Al-Talib (Arabic:صالح الطالب)

★ His Eminence Sheikh Muhammed Al-Subayyil (Arabic:محمد السبيل)

★ His Eminence Sheikh Salah Al Budair (Arabic:صلاح البدير) (from 2005 during Ramadhan for taraweeh prayers; He is permanent Imam of Prophet's Mosque in Madinah)

★ His Eminence Sheikh Abdullah Awad Al Johany (Arabic:عبدالله الجهني) (from 2005 during Ramadhan for taraweeh prayers. Recently appointed as full Imam of Kaabah in July 2007)

★ His Eminence Sheikh Mahir Al-Muaiqely Recently appointed in July 2007
Former Imams include:

★ The Late Sheikh Ali Bin Jabir (Arabic:على بن جابر)

★ The Late Sheikh Umar Al-Subayyil (Arabic:عمر السبيل) (son of Muhummad Al-Subayyil)

★ Sheikh Ali al Ajmy

★ The Late Sheikh Abdullah al Humaid - Chief Justice of Saudi Arabia

★ The Late Sheikh Abdullah Khayyat

★ The Late Sheikh Abdullah Al-Khulaifi

Muezzins

Muezzins at the Haram Sharif include:

★ Sheikh Ali Ahmed Mulla (Arabic:على أحمد ملا)

★ Sheikh Mohammed Farouk Abdul Rahman Hadhrawi (Arabic: محمد فاروق عبد الرحمان حضراؤى), Muezzin of Masjid al-Haram and Masjid Namirah, on the day of Arafah.

★ Sheikh Mohammed Shaker Muezzin (Arabic:محمد مؤذن).

★ Sheikh Ahmed Raiyes (Arabic:أحمد ريس)

★ Sheikh Majid Ibrahim Abbas (Arabic:ماجد ابراهيم عباس)

★ Sheikh Abdullah Basnawi

★ Sheikh Abdul Rahman Basamji

★ Sheikh Ahmad Toufik

★ Sheikh Naif

★ Sheikh Faisal Nu'maan
Muezzins at the Haram Sharif should have certain qualities, most importantly good morals and a good voice in addition to Islamic knowledge which all help him perform his duty in the best manner.
There are 16 muezzins at the mosque now, and during Ramadan an additional six are appointed. Apart from adhan, a muezzin also supports imams by repeating what they say in a loud voice. This is important, especially during Ramadan, when a large number of worshippers throng the mosque.

Incidents

1979 Grand Mosque Seizure

Main articles: Grand Mosque Seizure

A terrorist attack on the mosque took place on November 20, 1979. The seizure by the dissidents (men and women) was led by Juhayman al-Otaibi. This event shook the Muslim world as the holiest of Islamic sites saw violence and killing, when hundreds of pilgrims present for the annual hajj were taken hostage, and in the aftermath, large numbers of both Saudi forces and of the militants were killed in the ensuing battles for control of the site.

1987 riots

Main articles: 1987 Iranian pilgrim riots

On July 31, 1987 Iranian pilgrims staged demonstration in the Grand Mosque and tried to take over the control of the Masjid al-Haram. In the result of the intervention of the Saudi security forces 402 people were killed (275 Iranians, 85 Saudis including policemen, and 45 pilgrims from other countries) and 649 wounded (303 Iranians, 145 Saudis, and 201 other nationalities).

2007 Intrusion

On 1 February, 2007, Saudi police arrested a man because he appeared to be acting strangely. He was carrying a revolver and a sub-machine gun under his clothes, and was wearing what appeared to be a suicide belt but which later proved to be fake. The man's nationality was not clear but a Saudi official confirmed the arrest on the same day.

See also

★ H-R-M

★ Incidents during the Hajj

★ Islamic architecture

★ List of buildings

★ List of famous mosques

★ Masjid al Nabawi

★ Mecca

★ Medina

References

1. http://www.cgijeddah.com/cgijed/haj/orient/visitharam.htm

External links

★ 3D Kabah has some computer generated images and clickable panoramic views of parts of the Masjid al-Haram.

★ QiblaLocator.com can find the direction of the ka'bah from anywhere in the world.

★ Great Mosque of al-Haram