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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Al-Masjid Al-Ḥarām
Masjid al-Haram (Arabic: ٱَلْمَسْجِدُ ٱلْحَرَام‎, romanized: al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, lit. 'The Sacred Mosque'), 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.

As of 2024, the Great Mosque is both the largest mosque in the world, and the most expensive building in the world. It has undergone major renovations and expansions through the years. It has passed through the control of various caliphs, sultans and kings, and is now under the control of the King of Saudi Arabia who is titled the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

History

Further information: Islamic architecture

The Great Mosque contends with the Masjid As-Sahabah in the Eritrean city of Massawa and Quba Mosque in Medina as the oldest mosque. According to Islamic tradition, Islam as a religion precedes Muhammad, representing previous prophets such as Abraham. According to Islamic scholars, Abraham is seen as having built the Kaaba in Mecca, and consequently its sanctuary, which according to the Muslim view is seen as the first mosque that ever existed. According to other scholars, Islam started during the lifetime of Muhammad in the 7th century CE, and so did architectural components such as the mosque. In that case, either the Mosque of the Companions or Quba Mosque would be the first mosque that was built in the history of Islam.

Era of Abraham and Ismael

According to Islamic tradition in the Quran, Abraham, together with his son Ismael, raised the foundations of a house, which has been identified by commentators as the Kaaba. According to Islamic tradition, it is said that Allah showed Abraham the exact site, which was previously built by Adam, very near to what is now the Well of Zamzam. After Abraham had built the Kaaba, an angel is said to have brought him the Black Stone, a celestial stone that, according to tradition, had fallen from Heaven on the nearby hill Abu Qubays. The Black Stone is believed by Islamic scholars to be the only remnant of the original structure made by Abraham.

After placing the Black Stone in the Eastern corner of the Kaaba, Abraham reportedly received a revelation in which God told the aged prophet that he should now go and proclaim the pilgrimage to mankind, so that men may come both from Arabia and from lands far away, on camel and on foot.

Era of Muhammad

Upon Muhammad's victorious return to Mecca in 630 CE, Ali broke the idols in and around the Kaaba, similar to what, according to the Quran, Abraham did in his homeland. Thus ended polytheistic use of the Kaaba, and began monotheistic rule over it and its sanctuary.

Umayyad era

The first major renovation to the mosque took place in 692, on the orders of Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan. Before this renovation, which included the mosque's outer walls being raised , the mosque was a small open area with the Kaaba at the center. By the end of the 8th century, the mosque's old wooden columns had been replaced with marble columns and the wings of the prayer hall had been extended on both sides along with the addition of a minaret on the orders of Al-Walid I. The spread of Islam in the Middle East and the influx of pilgrims required an almost complete rebuilding of the site which included adding more marble and three more minarets.

Ottoman era

In 1570, Sultan Selim II commissioned the chief architect Mimar Sinan to renovate the mosque. This renovation resulted in the replacement of the flat roof with domes decorated with calligraphy internally, and the placement of new support columns which are acknowledged as the earliest architectural features of the present mosque. These features are the oldest surviving parts of the building.

During heavy rains and flash floods in 1621 and 1629, the walls of the Kaaba and the mosque suffered extensive damage. In 1629, during the reign of Sultan Murad IV, the mosque was renovated. In the renovation of the mosque, a new stone arcade was added, three more minarets (bringing the total to seven) were built, and the marble flooring was retiled. This was the unaltered state of the mosque for nearly three centuries.

The Saudi era

Huge uncontrolled crowds in Haram have caused stampedes causing suffocation and deaths.

First Saudi expansion

The first major renovation under the Saudi kings was done between 1955 and 1973. In this renovation, four more minarets were added, the ceiling was refurnished, and the floor was replaced with artificial stone and marble. The Mas'a gallery (As-Safa and Al-Marwah) is included in the Mosque, via roofing and enclosures. During this renovation many of the historical features built by the Ottomans, particularly the support columns, were demolished.

On 20 November 1979, the Great Mosque was seized by extremist insurgents who called for the overthrow of the Saudi dynasty. They took hostages and in the ensuing siege hundreds were killed. These events came as a shock to the Islamic world, as violence is strictly forbidden within the mosque.

Second Saudi expansion

The second Saudi renovations under King Fahd, added a new wing and an outdoor prayer area to the mosque. The new wing, which is also for prayers, is reached through the King Fahd Gate. This extension was performed between 1982 and 1988.

1987 to 2005 saw the building of more minarets, the erecting of a King's residence overlooking the mosque and more prayer area in and around the mosque itself. These developments took place simultaneously with those in Arafat, Mina and Muzdalifah. This extension also added 18 more gates, three domes corresponding in position to each gate and the installation of nearly 500 marble columns. Other modern developments added heated floors, air conditioning, escalators and a drainage system.

In addition, the King Fahd expansion includes 6 dedicated prayer halls for people with disabilities. These halls have ramps to facilitate entry and exit with wheelchairs, as well as dedicated paths and free electric and manual carts for their use.

Third Saudi expansion

In 2008, the Saudi government under King Abdullah Ibn Abdulaziz announced an expansion of the mosque, involving the expropriation of land to the north and northwest of the mosque covering 300,000 m (3,200,000 sq ft). At that time, the mosque covered an area of 356,800 m (3,841,000 sq ft) including indoor and outdoor praying spaces. 40 billion riyals (US$10.6 billion) was allocated for the expansion project.

In August 2011, the government under King Abdullah announced further details of the expansion. It would cover an area of 400,000 m (4,300,000 sq ft) and accommodate 1.2 million worshippers, including a multi-level extension on the north side of the complex, new stairways and tunnels, a gate named after King Abdullah, and two minarets, bringing the total number of minarets to eleven. The circumambulation areas (Mataf) around the Kaaba would be expanded and all closed spaces receive air conditioning. After completion, it would raise the mosque's capacity from 770,000 to over 2.5 million worshippers. His successor, King Salman launched five megaprojects as part of the overall King Abdullah Expansion Project in July 2015, covering an area of 456,000 m (4,910,000 sq ft). The project was carried out by the Saudi Binladin Group. In 2012, the Abraj Al Bait complex was completed along with the 601 meter tall Makkah Royal Clock Tower.

On 11 September 2015, at least 111 people died and 394 were injured when a crane collapsed onto the mosque. Construction work was suspended after the incident, and remained on hold due to financial issues during the 2010s oil glut. Development was eventually restarted two years later in September 2017.

COVID-19 Pandemic

On 5 March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the mosque began to be closed at night and the Umrah pilgrimage was suspended to limit attendance. The resumption of Umrah service began on 4 October 2020 with the first phase of a gradual resumption that was limited to Saudi citizens and expatriates from within the Kingdom at a rate of 30 percent. Only 10,000 people were given Hajj visas in 2020 while 60,000 people were given visas in 2021.

List of current and former Imams

Current Imams

  • Al-Waleed al-Shamsan, appointed Guest Imam in Ramadan 2024, appointed permanent imam 7 months later in October 2024.
  • Badr al-Turki, appointed Guest Imam in Ramadan 2024, appointed permanent imam 7 months later in October 2024.

Former Imams

Imams:

  • Ahmad Khatib (Arabic: أَحْمَد خَطِيْب‎), Islamic Scholar from Indonesia, appointed as Imam during Ottoman rule.
  • Abdullah Abdul Ghani Khayat (Arabic: عبد الله عبد الغني خياط), appointed Imam and Khateeb from 1953 to 1984.
  • Abdullah Al-Khulaifi (Arabic: عَبْد ٱلله ٱلْخُلَيْفِي), appointed Imam and Khateeb from 1953 until death in 1993.
  • Abdullah Ibn Humaid, served as Imam from 1957 until 1981. He also served as President of Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques and as Chief Justice of Saudi Arabia.
  • Mohammad Al-Subayyil (Arabic: مُحَمَّد ٱلسُّبَيِّل‎), served as Imam and Khateeb from 1965 to 2008. He was Chief Imam and President of the Agency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques until 2008.
  • Ali bin Abdullah Jaber (Arabic: عَلِى بِن عَبْدُ ٱلله جَابِر‎), Imam from 1981 to 1983, guest Imam for Ramadhan 1986–1989.
  • Ali bin Abdur-Rahman Al-Huthaify (Arabic: عَلِي بِن عَبْدُ ٱلرَّحۡمٰن ٱلْحُذَيْفِي‎), guest Imam for Ramadhan 1981, 1985–1986, 1988–1991, now Chief Imam of The Prophet's Mosque.
  • Umar Al-Subayyil (Arabic: عُمَر ٱلسُّبَيِّل‎), Imam and Khateeb from 1993 until death in 2002.
  • Salah Ba'uthman (Arabic: صلاح باعثمان‎), guest Imam for Ramadan in 2016 and resigned in 2017
  • Abdullah Al-Harazi (Arabic: عَبْد ٱلله الْحَرَازِي‎), former Chairman of Saudi Majlis al-Shura.
  • Salah ibn Muhammad Al-Budair (Arabic: صَلَاح ابْن مُحَمَّد ٱلْبُدَيْر‎), led Taraweeh in Ramadan 1426 (2005) and 1427 (2006), now Deputy Chief Imam of The Prophet's Mosque.
  • Adil al-Kalbani (Arabic: عَادِل ٱلْكَلْبَانِي‎), served as Imam for Tarawih prayers in 2008.
  • Saleh Al-Talib, appointed Imam and Khatib in 2002 and served until July 2018, got imprisoned by Saudi Authorities for criticizing their actions in August of 2018 and is serving 10 years in jail since then
  • Khalid al Ghamdi, retired as Imam and Khatib of Masjid Al Haram in September 2018, 10 years after appointment.
  • Saud Al-Shuraim, appointed Imam and Khatib in 1992 and resigned in 2022.

Pilgrimage

Main articles: Hajj and Umrah

The Great Mosque is the main setting for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages that occur in the month of Dhu al-Hijja in the Islamic calendar and at any time of the year, respectively. The Hajj pilgrimage is one of the Pillars of Islam, required of all able-bodied Muslims who can afford the trip. In recent times, over 5 million Muslims perform the Hajj every year.

Structures

  • The Kaaba
    The Kaaba
  • The Black Stone
    The Black Stone
  • Maqam Ibrahim's crystal dome
    Maqam Ibrahim's crystal dome
  • Mount Marwah within the mosque
    Mount Marwah within the mosque
  • Mount Safa
    Mount Safa
  • The well of Zamzam located beneath the floor (entrance now covered)
    The well of Zamzam located beneath the floor (entrance now covered)

Destruction of heritage sites

Main article: Destruction of early Islamic heritage sites in Saudi Arabia

There has been some controversy that the expansion projects of the mosque and Mecca itself are causing harm to early Islamic heritage. Many ancient buildings, some more than a thousand years old, have been demolished to make room for the expansion. Some examples are:

  • Dār Al-Arqam, the Islamic school where Muhammad first taught, was flattened to lay marble tiles.
  • The house of Abu Jahal has been demolished and replaced by public washrooms.
  • A dome that served as a canopy over the Well of Zamzam was demolished.
  • Some Ottoman porticos at the Mosque were demolished.

See also

Further reading

Online

References

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