Masjid al-Haram

Makkah, Saudi Arabia · The first House set up for mankind, and the qibla of hearts

The greatest and holiest place on earth and the qibla of Muslims. The Kaaba stands at its center, and a prayer here equals a hundred thousand prayers elsewhere.

Did you know?

Quraysh rebuilt the Kaaba when the Prophet ﷺ was thirty-five, and he placed the Black Stone with his own hands on a cloth that all the tribes carried together.
Quraysh ran short of lawful money for the rebuilding, so the Hijr of Ismail remained outside the Kaaba's walls to this day, though it is part of the House.
The well of Zamzam, which gushed forth for Ismail (peace be upon him), lies inside the Haram, and its water has been given to pilgrims for thousands of years.
The mosque has been expanded again and again over the centuries until it now holds millions of worshippers during Hajj and Ramadan.

History and architecture

In a barren valley, Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them) raised the foundations of the House and prayed that their Lord would make people's hearts yearn for it. The Kaaba remained the heart of Makkah until Quraysh rebuilt it before the Prophethood, and the Prophet ﷺ settled their dispute over placing the Black Stone with a wisdom that united the tribes. In the year of the Conquest he ﷺ entered it, destroyed the idols and purified the House for the worship of the One God. The mosque then grew around the Kaaba generation after generation: Abbasid arcades, Ottoman domes some of which still stand, and vast modern expansions with many floors and wide courtyards. Through all these changes the center has remained the same: the noble Kaaba, which people circle day and night, and toward which every Muslim turns in prayer from anywhere on earth.

Founded: Since Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them) raised the foundations of the House

Religious significance

Allah says: “Indeed, the first House established for mankind was the one at Bakkah, blessed and a guidance for the worlds” (Al Imran 3:96).

The Prophet ﷺ said: “A prayer in this mosque of mine is better than a thousand prayers elsewhere, except al-Masjid al-Haram, and a prayer in al-Masjid al-Haram is better than a hundred thousand prayers elsewhere” (Ahmad and Ibn Majah; authenticated by al-Albani).

It is the first of the three mosques to which people may set out on a special journey: “Do not travel specially except to three mosques: al-Masjid al-Haram, the Mosque of the Messenger ﷺ, and al-Masjid al-Aqsa” (Bukhari and Muslim).

The rites of Hajj and Umrah are performed here, and from every corner of the world Muslims face it five times a day.

Visiting tips

Best time: After the Fajr prayer or late at night outside the peak seasons, when the crowds in the mataf are lighter.
Photography: From the upper floors overlooking the mataf, to capture the Kaaba and those circling it, while respecting worshippers' privacy and the etiquette of the place.
Nearby: Jabal al-Nour and the Cave of Hira, Jabal Thawr, Al-Mualla Cemetery, The holy sites: Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat

Explore Islamic places in the app

Muflihin Pro brings Islamic places, the Quran, adhkar, prayer times and Qibla together in one app. Free on Google Play.

Get it on Google Play

Frequently asked questions

Where is Masjid al-Haram?

Masjid al-Haram is in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

When was Masjid al-Haram founded?

Since Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them) raised the foundations of the House