“Sacred” is how many describe this place. The Masjid al-Haram stands before us. It is Islam’s most significant mosque. It encloses the Kaaba in Mecca Saudi Arabia.
The Masjid al-Haram is central to the Hajj pilgrimage. Every Muslim must perform Hajj once if able. It is also the main site for Umrah. Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage. Both pilgrimages include walking around the Kaaba. The Great Mosque also holds other significant sites. These include the Black Stone and the Zamzam Well.
Masjid al-Haram history is long. Islamic scholars believe Abraham built the Kaaba. They consider its sanctuary the first mosque. Other scholars say mosques started with Muhammad in the 7th century.
In 630 CE Muhammad returned to Mecca. Ali then broke the idols in and around the Kaaba. This ended polytheistic use. Monotheistic rule began.
A major renovation happened in 692. Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan ordered it. Before this the mosque was small. It was an open area with the Kaaba. By the late 8th century marble columns replaced wood ones. Prayer halls expanded. More minarets appeared.
In 1570 Sultan Selim II told Mimar Sinan to renovate. The flat roof became domes. These domes featured calligraphy. New support columns were placed. These columns remain the mosque’s oldest parts.
Heavy rains damaged the Kaaba and mosque in 1621 and 1629. Sultan Murad IV renovated in 1629. A new stone arcade appeared. Three more minarets brought the total to seven. The marble flooring was retiled.
The first Saudi expansion occurred from 1955 to 1973. Four more minarets were added. The ceiling was refurnished. Artificial stone and marble replaced the floor. The Mas’a gallery joined the Mosque. Many Ottoman features were lost during this renovation.
Extremist insurgents seized the Great Mosque on November 20 1979. They called to overthrow the Saudi dynasty. They took hostages. Hundreds died in the siege. Violence is strictly forbidden. The event shocked the Islamic world.
King Fahd oversaw the second Saudi renovations. A new wing and outdoor prayer area were added. More minarets were built from 1987 to 2005. King’s residence overlooked the mosque. More prayer areas were added. Eighteen more gates appeared. Nearly 500 marble columns were erected. Heated floors and air conditioning were installed.
King Abdullah announced another expansion in 2008. It covered land to the north and northwest. The mosque then covered 356800 square meters.
In August 2011 the government shared more expansion details. It would cover 400000 square meters. It could hold 1.2 million worshippers. The Mataf around the Kaaba would expand. All closed spaces gained air conditioning. The mosque’s capacity would rise greatly.
COVID-19 caused closures in 2020. The Umrah pilgrimage was suspended. Service resumed gradually in October 2020.
The Masjid al-Haram has many Imams. Abd ar-Rahman as-Sudais is the Chief Imam. He was appointed in 1984.
The Kaaba is central. It is a cuboid-shaped building. The Black Stone is the eastern cornerstone. Maqam Ibrahim has Abraham’s foot imprint. Safa and Marwa are two hills. The Zamzam Well is a water source.
Expansion projects have caused controversy. Some say they harm early Islamic heritage. Many old buildings have been demolished.
Masjid al-Haram is more than a building. It is a center of faith. It is a testament to history. It is a place of pilgrimage. Its story continues to unfold.