It is also known as Haram Beit-Ullah (translated as “The Sacred House of Allah” or “The Forbidden House of Allah”). It is located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. This mosque is not only the largest in both size and capacity, but also the most significant in the life of followers of Islam.

It is one of the main Muslim shrines; in its courtyard is the heart of the Islamic world - the Kaaba. It is to the courtyard of the Sacred Mosque that the hearts of believers strive throughout their lives. Turning in her direction, they read namaz five times a day. And everyone is obliged, having the opportunity, to make a pilgrimage to the Kaaba.

Over the centuries, the building was regularly rebuilt and reconstructed. The increasing number of pilgrims constantly required greater capacity. The last time major construction took place on its territory was in 1980 - then two minarets and another building of impressive size were added.

The number of minarets in the Al-Haram complex has grown in proportion to the mosque itself, and at the moment there are nine of them; they reach ninety-five meters in height. The area of ​​the entire structure is now 309 thousand square meters. meters. There are four main entrances with gates and 44 secondary ones. Just imagine a building with 48 entrances, into which rivers of believers flow, bringing up to 700 thousand people to prayer.

Those who do not have enough space on the three floors of prayer rooms pray on the roof of the building, which has long been adapted for this purpose and decorated with marble slabs. In the basements there are also chapels, which open on the days of the greatest influx of visitors. The building is equipped with air conditioning, escalators, and modern video cameras. The complex has its own television and radio studios.

To illuminate it, two powerful power plants operate. Looking at how a dense stream of Muslims enter the courtyard of Al-Masjid Al-Haram to the sounds of the adhan, you involuntarily recall the words of the Almighty, transmitted by His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the Holy Quran: “ When the help of Allah arrives and victory comes, and when you see that people in crowds begin to accept the faith of Allah, then give praise to your Lord and ask Him for forgiveness, for He is the forgiving "(Surah An-Nasr, No. 1–3).

Prophet's Mosque (Masjid Nabawi)

This mosque is the second largest in the world, and it, like the largest mosque, is located in Saudi Arabia, only not in Mecca, but in Medina. The second largest, it is also the second holiest shrine of Islam. There was a mosque on this site during the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and subsequently he, Abu Bakr and Umar (the righteous caliphs) (may Allah be pleased with them) were buried here. The grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is located under a green dome. It is believed that he himself took part in the construction of the mosque. Here, the most beloved man of all who lived on earth, for Muslims, read his sermons. Here Islam experienced its first stages of development.

Built in the first year of the Hijra, the mosque was rebuilt many times, expanded, and at the moment its capacity is from 600 thousand people, and its territory is 400-500 square meters. meters. Meanwhile, it is believed that during the Hajj period it can accommodate up to a million people. One of its components is a platform 30 cm high - the Safa veranda, the place where the companions lived who left their homes and moved to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) until they acquired housing. It is believed that the number of Ashabs who lived on it is from 70 to 100 people.

One of the main decorations of the mosque are the columns, each of which has a name and reminds of events that she herself could tell about, if only the Almighty endowed her with the ability to make speeches. The architecture of the entire ensemble is classical. The main architectural features of all mosques in the world have been adopted from this mosque. In front of it is a classic rectangular square where believers pray, hold meetings, classes and legal disputes.

Shah Faisal

The Shah Faisal Mosque is located nearby in Islamabad, Pakistan. Since its construction was financed by Saudi Arabia, the mosque was named after the then King of Saudi Arabia Faisal, they expressed a desire to build a large mosque in Islamabad, when the city itself was just being founded, i.e. in fact, he was the initiator of its construction. For quite a long time, the Shah Faisal Mosque occupied only sixth place in the list of largest mosques. However, the capacity of its adjacent territory was taken into account, and this, in addition to the 100 thousand that accommodate its prayer hall and courtyard, another 200 thousand people - and this brought the mosque to third place on the list, if determined by the parameters of the largest capacity.

The area of ​​the prayer hall of Shah Faisal Mosque is 0.48 hectares and the total area is 18.97 hectares. The height of the dome is 40 m. The minarets rise to the sky to a height of 88 m. In Saudi Arabia, its construction cost 130 million Saudi rials (approximately 120 million dollars). Some sources give it first place in the world, based on the size of the single prayer hall, located under one dome.

The King of Saudi Arabia expressed his wish in 1966, and in 1969 there was a design competition. Construction of the mosque began in 1976 and was completed in 1985-86; its architecture combines the traditions of Muslim architecture and modernity of lines and approaches. On the one hand, it has everything that a classical mosque should have: minarets, a prayer hall with paintings and mosaics... And at the same time, it is not like any of them. The Shah Faisal Mosque evokes completely opposite associations, captivating the viewer and keeping him in amazement and admiration.

At the same time, it also looks like the tent of a nomad who stopped for the night in the lower reaches of the mountain, behind which the Himalayas immediately begin, and the traveler decided to rest before the global transition. Associations also arise with an alien spaceship that landed in a mountain valley on planet Earth.

And the four minarets, creating a visual square around the mosque, will remind an experienced traveler of the Istanbul mosque: this is the only thing that the Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay, according to whose design it was built, took from the traditions of his people and transferred to Pakistani soil. All sparkling, the Shah Faisal Mosque looks extremely unusual. Perhaps it would be true to say that it is not like anything else.

The materials used in its construction are marble and concrete. An incredible number of straight lines for a Muslim temple and... an unusual, incredibly beautiful golden ball chandelier. At night it looks even more enchanting, illuminated by lights and illumination.

While construction was underway, the unconventional design of the mosque caused displeasure and squabbles, but this subsequently subsided, giving way to admiration. The mosque is unusual and at the same time magnificent, and can rightfully be called one of the most beautiful mosques in the world. Those praying there can sit not only in the prayer hall, but also on covered balconies and galleries, directly. On the balcony there is a women's hall

The construction of large mosques highlights the growing “demand” for places for collective prayer, all ancient mosques are faced with the need to increase their prayer space - how could this not please the faithful? Moreover, Muslim architecture gave the world beautiful and regular buildings - mosques full of people and angels. Because where people gather for the sake of Allah, angels are invisibly present.

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Today, thousands of mosques have been built in the world, and it is difficult to name the most beautiful one. The mosque is one of the main symbols of religion of all Muslims. All Muslims pray here 5 times a day. The first mosque in history appeared on the Arabian Peninsula. From that time until today, the construction of these magnificent Muslim temples has continued throughout the world. And this article will help you find out which are the most famous mosques in the world and the largest mosques today.

Kaaba

The most famous black square in the world is a dream, the main destination of pilgrimage for all Muslims. When Adam and Eve sinned and came to repent of this to Allah, he forgave them and sent them a small white stone, which over time, having absorbed all the sins of mankind, turned black. The Prophet Muhammad appointed one family to monitor the cleanliness of this sacred place, and to this day it honors and follows his instructions.

Adam and Eve built the first mosque around this stone, but, unable to withstand the global flood, it did not survive. Later, on its ruins, the prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail were able to build a new one.

Ask any Muslim what the largest mosque in the world is, where it is located and what the Kaaba is, and he will answer your question without hesitation. And for those who don’t know, we’ll provide a little information.

  • Country: Saudi Arabia.
  • City: Mecca.
  • Built by: Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham).
  • Size: 11.3x12.26 m.
  • Height: 13.1 m.

But the Kaaba is not the largest mosque in the world. This is a sacred relic and place of pilgrimage for all Muslims, where every Friday their number exceeds 700 thousand people. And the largest mosque in the world is called Al-Masjid al-Haram.

Sermons

Thanks to simultaneous translators, all sermons are translated into 2 languages: Urdu and English. Pilgrims who do not understand Arabic are given headphones with a translation before the prayer begins. Unfortunately, the largest mosque in the world cannot accommodate everyone in its courtyard who wants to purify their souls, so many of them pray on the balconies and roof of Al-Masjid al-Haram. There are also air conditioners and an escalator, and there are ablution facilities, which are divided into men's and women's.

Tragedy

The largest mosque in the world in the last century was captured by militants who put forward 3 demands to the Saudi Arabian government:

Do not sell US oil;
- do not squander the abundance of the state;
- overthrow the Saudi dynasty.

During the assault on the mosque, 450 people died, including 200 terrorists and 250 pilgrims.

Today, the area where the largest mosque in the world is located has the most expensive real estate on earth. Approximate price of 1 sq. m - $100,000.

Top 3 large mosques in the world

In addition to Al-Masjid al-Haram, there are 2 more mosques in the world that are slightly smaller in size.

The Masjid Al-Nabawi Mosque is also located in Saudi Arabia and is the second most important shrine of all Muslims. It is located in the city of Medina (Yathrib).

After the Prophet Muhammad began to call on the Arabs to abandon polytheism and convert to the true faith, they united against him. The opposition was too great for the Prophet and he was forced to flee to the city of Yathrib (Medina). It was here that the Masjid Al-Nabawi mosque was erected by the hands of the Prophet Muhammad. It was rebuilt and expanded several times, and since the prophet died in this city, it is his burial place. The tomb of the Prophet Muhammad is located under 1 dome (there are 12 domes in total in the mosque). 700,000 Muslims can pray at Masjid Al-Nabawi at the same time.

The three largest mosques in the world include the Mausoleum of Imam Reza located in the city of Mashhad (Iran). It is also considered a holy site for Muslims, which is an amazing complex. There is a library, other mosques and the tomb of the imam himself. The bodies of other imams are also buried here and the magnificent Govarshad Mosque, built in the 15th century, is located here. This mosque and the tombs of the imams formed a ring around the tomb of Imam Revza. The recently built minarets formed a second ring, and the construction of the third will soon be completed. Every year this place receives about 200 million Muslim pilgrims from all countries. After the explosion in 1994, all pilgrims are subject to security screening.

Top 10 largest mosques in the world

We found out where the largest mosque in the world is and what 2 other holy places are, slightly smaller in size. But besides them, there are 7 more sacred temples for Muslims in the world, which are located in different parts of the world:

1. Faisal Mosque is located in Pakistan, Islamabad. It has an interesting design (no domes) and looks more like a huge Bedouin tent. The building has 4 minarets.
2. Taj-ul-Masjid is located in the city of Bhopal. Its construction began in 1800 and lasted for 100 years. The reason for such a long construction period is the unstable situation in the political arena and lack of money.
3. Istaklal Mosque was built in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia. The country's independence was declared in 1945, and as a sign of this event, the main dome of the mosque has a 45-meter diameter.
4. Hassan Mosque - Casablanca, Morocco. It is famous for the world's largest minaret (210 meters) and a beautiful garden with 42 fountains.
5. The Badshah Mosque, built in Pakistan, combines Islamic character, Persian culture and Indian style.
6. Jama Masjid is another structure built in India. He keeps the relic in the form of a sacred book, the Koran, written on deer skin.
7. And the list ends with the Saleh Mosque in Yemen. This is not only a landmark of the country, but also its largest structure. The mosque has a library, parking and air conditioning.

The most beautiful in the world

Of all the existing masjids, it is impossible to choose the most beautiful one. But travelers have ranked the 10 most beautiful mosques in the world. It is they who differ from the rest with their unusual and rich interior and magnificent design.

1. Sultan Omar Saifuddin Mosque.
2. Hassan II Mosque.
3. Sheikh Zayed Mosque.
4. Masjid al-Nabawi.
5. Al-Masjid al-Haram.
6. Djenne Mosque.
7. Umayyad Mosque.
8. Faisal.
9. Sultanahmet.
10. Al-Aqsa.

2 mosques, which amaze with their wealth and majestic appearance, deserve special attention.

Sultanahmet - the heart of Istanbul

It’s not for nothing that Turkey is called the land of mosques. The most important attraction of the city of Istanbul is the Sultanahmet, or Blue Mosque. Sultan Ahmet wanted to outshine the Hagia Sophia standing opposite and ordered the architect to build golden minarets. But here there was a misunderstanding. In Turkish, the word golden is translated as "altyn". The architect did not hear the last letter in the order and built 6 minarets (6 - “alts”). They did not shower the 6 minarets with gold, but left them as is. The huge mosque can accommodate 100,000 people. And the name “Blue Mosque” appeared thanks to the 20,000 blue tiles that decorate the interior.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

This structure is truly considered a miracle and one of the many amazing structures in the United Arab Emirates. Every brochure, guidebook and every guide starts the tour from this place. The structure, more reminiscent of a palace from the cartoon "Aladdin" or the fairy tale "1001 Nights", is actually more than just a mosque. It represents the respect and tribute of all the people of the Emirates to the ruler Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan. This man created and raised the Emirates from the poor Bedouin population of the country. And what this country is now is the merit of Sheikh Zayed. The largest carpet in the world (627 sq. m), weighing 47 tons, covers the floor of the mosque. Until the summer of 2010, the complex, consisting of 7 chandeliers that adorn the ceiling of the mosque, was considered the largest in the world. Its weight is approximately 12 tons.

The most important difference between the mosque and the rest is free entry for everyone, regardless of their religion. But there are also rules here. Men must enter wearing clothing that completely covers their arms and legs. Women have a stricter dress code. Clothing should cover the arms and legs, not tight to the body, and there should be a scarf on the head that completely covers the hair. Also, smoking, drinking (even mineral water) and eating are prohibited on the premises of the mosque.

A mosque is not only a place of worship for followers of Islam, but also a place that plays a social, aesthetic and political role in Muslim society. The first mosques were built on the Arabian Peninsula, then as Islam spread, mosques also began to be built throughout the world. The size of mosques can be determined by various criteria: the area of ​​the building, the area of ​​the entire occupied territory, capacity, that is, the number of believers that the mosque and its main courtyard can simultaneously accommodate. It was the last criterion that became fundamental for the mosque of the world in the rating presented below.

1

This first shrine of Islam is known as the House of God. Its history begins in 638 AD. e. It has 9 minarets, each 89 m in height. The total area is 88.2 hectares.

2 Masjid Al - Nabawi (Saudi Arabia) - about 1 million believers


The second largest mosque in the world is located in the Medina area and was opened in 622 AD. e. It was built by Muhammad next to the house where he settled after his trip to Medina. A characteristic feature is the green dome and 11 minarets, each 105 m high.

3 Imam Reza Temple (Iran) – 700 thousand believers


This huge complex marks the death site of the seventh Shia Imam, Reza. It has seven courtyards, each of which can simultaneously accommodate 100 thousand people. Located in Mashhad.

4 Faisal Mosque (Pakistan) – 300 thousand believers


Pakistan's largest mosque is located in the capital Islamabad. This huge and spacious mosque has a unique design - it imitates a Bedouin tent. Thus, it does not have a traditional dome. However, it is decorated with 4 minarets, each 90 m high. Occupies an area of ​​5 thousand m. sq.

5 Taj-ul-Masjid (India) – 175 thousand believers


Located in the city of Bhopal in India. Construction of the mosque began in the 1800s, but, unfortunately, due to political instability and lack of funds, it was delayed and ended, according to some sources, in 1901, according to others, it was opened in 1985. The architectural style is typical of the architecture of the Great Mughal.

6 Istaklal Mosque (Indonesia) – 120 thousand believers


Opened in memory of Indonesian independence in 1978 in Jakarta. The main dome has a diameter of 45 meters, symbolizing the year of Indonesian independence - 1945. It is distinguished by a modern style, which has prompted critics to question its similarities with Islamic and Indonesian culture.

7 Hassan II Mosque (Morocco) - 105 thousand believers


The largest mosque in Morocco was completed in 1993 in Casablanca. It has the tallest minaret in the world - 210 m. Around the mosque there is a beautiful garden with 41 fountains.

8 Badshahi Mosque (Pakistan) – 100 thousand believers


The construction of this mosque was completed in 1673 during the Mughal rule. The architecture shows a symbiosis of Islamic, Persian culture and Indian style. It has 3 domes - one central and two located to the right and left of the main dome, 4 minarets 15 m high.

9 Jama Masjid (India) – 75 thousand believers


Located in Delhi. Built of sandstone and white marble in 1656. Keeps many relics, including the Holy Koran, written on deerskin.

10 Saleh Mosque (Yemen) – 44 thousand believers


Opened in 2008, it is not only the largest mosque in Yemen, but also the main attraction of the country. Has special areas intended for women. The mosque is equipped with a modern sound system, air conditioning, a library and parking space.

There are three main mosques in the Muslim world: Al-Haram (Forbidden Mosque) in Mecca, Al-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina and Al-Aqsa (Remote mosque) in Jerusalem.

All these mosques are very important for Muslims, and each of them has its own specific meaning.

Al-Haram Mosque (Forbidden Mosque)

Al-Haram Mosque is the main Muslim temple located in Saudi Arabia, in Mecca. The Kaaba is located in the courtyard of this mosque.

Al-Haram Mosque (Forbidden Mosque) during Hajj

The Kaaba is the shrine of Islam, which is a cubic stone structure in the courtyard in the center of the Holy Mosque (al-Masjed al-Haram) in Mecca. It is the main sanctuary of Islam, which Muslims call al-Bayit al-Haram, meaning "the sacred house". The name “Kaaba” itself comes from the word “cube”. The height of the building is 15 meters. Length and width are 10 and 12 meters respectively. The corners of the Kaaba are oriented according to the cardinal points, and each of them has its own name: Yemeni (southern), Iraqi (northern), Levantine (western) and stone (eastern). The Kaaba is made of granite and covered with fabric, and inside it there is a room where a door made of pure gold leads, which weighs 286 kilograms.

Almost three hundred kilograms of pure gold were used to decorate the door.

A Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Eswad), bordered by a silver rim, is mounted in the eastern corner of the Kaaba at a level of one and a half meters. It is a hard stone of irregular oval shape, black with a scarlet tint. It has red spots and yellow wavy lines where the broken pieces meet. The diameter of the stone is about thirty centimeters. He, as Muslims are sure, was sent from heaven by Allah. The Black Stone is the most famous sacred meteorite, the nature of which is still unknown. The stone is very fragile, but it floats in water. After the Black Stone was stolen in 930, upon its return to Mecca, its authenticity was established precisely by its property of not drowning in water. The Kaaba burned twice, and in 1626 it was flooded - as a result, the Black Stone split into 15 pieces. Now they are held together with cement mortar and enclosed in a silver frame. The visible surface of the stone is 16 by 20 centimeters. It is believed that Allah sent the Black Stone to Adam and Eve as a sign of forgiveness.

To this day, the seven fragments of the Stone are held in place by a large silver frame that goes around the corner of the Kaaba and hides most of it, leaving only a small hole for pilgrims to kiss and touch.

Governor of Mecca Prince Khaled Al-Faisal at the Black Stone during the traditional washing of the Kaaba

The Kaaba has special significance in Muslim rituals. Muslims all over the world face the direction of the Kaaba during prayer. Muslim believers perform rituals around this structure during the Hajj tawaf - ritual circumambulation of the Kaaba seven times counterclockwise. During this ritual, the Iraqi and Yemeni corners of the Kaaba are worshiped, in which pilgrims touch with their hands, kiss this building and pray near it. According to Muslim tradition, a stone was placed in the Kaaba, which God gave to Adam after the Fall and expulsion from paradise, when the first man realized his sin and repented of it. Another legend tells that the stone is the guardian angel of Adam, who was turned into stone because he overlooked and allowed the fall of the first person entrusted to his protection. According to Arab legend, after being expelled from paradise, Adam and Eve (Hawa) were separated - Adam ended up in Sri Lanka (the island of Ceylon), and Eve - not far from Mecca, on the shores of the Red Sea, in the place where the port of Jeddah is now located. On the outskirts of this city, Khava’s grave is supposedly still located. They met with Adam only two hundred years later, and this happened in the Mecca area. After a long separation, they got to know each other on Mount Arafat, which is also sacred to the Arabs. Adam, however, even after meeting his wife, missed the temple in which he prayed in paradise. Then God lowered a copy of that temple from heaven for him. According to legend, when the Black Stone was lowered from the sky, it was dazzling white and shone so much that it could be seen four days' journey to Mecca. But over time, from the touch of numerous sinners, the stone began to darken until it became black. The time of construction of the Kaaba and its builders are unknown. According to legend, the Kaaba was built by the first man, Adam, but it was destroyed by the Flood, and even the place where it stood was forgotten. The shrine was restored by Patriarch Abraham (Ibrahim) and his son Ismail, the ancestor of the local peoples. Abraham built the Kaaba using one miraculous device. It was a flat stone on which the forefather Abraham stood, and this stone could fly above the ground and rise to any height, serving as a mobile scaffolding. It has been preserved, is located a few meters from the Kaaba and is called Makam Ibrahim (place of standing of Ibrahim) and, despite the fact that it has long lost its flying properties, it is also a Muslim shrine. The imprint of Abraham-Ibrahim's foot remained on it. Over time, a dome was erected over this stone. Ibrahim was helped in the restoration of the Kaaba by the Archangel Gabriel (Jabrail). From him, Ibrahim and Ismail learned that the temple they had built was an exact copy of the temple in which Adam prayed. For the peoples and tribes of the Arabian Peninsula, the Kaaba has traditionally been a sacred building long before the rise of Islam. The Kaaba was the main sanctuary of the Hijaz, a historical region in the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula. Since ancient times, the Arabs believed that the Kaaba was the house of God and made pilgrimages to it.

Thanks to this shrine, Mecca became famous - now it is the holy city of Islam, located seventy kilometers from the Red Sea coast, in a very dry and unsuitable area for agriculture. The only factor that made these places attractive for people to settle there was the source of fresh water - Zamzam. The location of Mecca on the trade routes of the region also turned out to be successful. The appearance of the source, according to local legend, happened miraculously - God created it for the sake of the patriarch Abraham (Ibrahim) and his son Ismail, the ancestor of the Arab tribes. It was considered one of the seven holy places by the Sabaeans of Persia and Chaledonia. The rest of their shrines were considered: Mars - the top of the mountain in Isfahan; Mandusan in India; Hay Bahar in Balkh; Ghamdan House in Sana'a; Kausan in Fergana, Khorasan; House in Upper China. Many of the Sabaeans believed that the Kaaba was the House of Saturn, since it was the oldest known structure in that era. The Persians also made pilgrimages to the Kaaba, believing that the spirit Brake lived there. Jews also treated this shrine with respect. They worshiped one God there. Christians also came to the Kaaba with no less respect. However, over time, the Kaaba became an exclusively Muslim shrine. The idols revered by the pagans were destroyed in 630 by the Prophet Muhammad, who was born in Mecca and was, according to the Koran, a descendant of the Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim). He left only the images of the Virgin Mary and Jesus that were there. Their images were placed there not by chance: Christians lived in Mecca, and besides them - Jews, as well as Hanifs - righteous followers of the faith in one God, who were not part of any religious community. The Prophet not only did not cancel the pilgrimage to the shrine, but he himself respectfully touched the Kaaba with his staff. In the second year after the Hijra, or according to the calendar more familiar to us - in 623-624 AD, the Prophet Muhammad established that Muslims should pray facing the Kaaba. Before that, they prayed, turning towards Jerusalem. Muslim pilgrims flocked to the Kaaba in Mecca. They believe that the shrine is a prototype of the heavenly Kaaba, around which angels also perform tawaf. The holy place was also destroyed in 930, when the Qarmatians, Shia Ismaili sectarians from Bahrain, stole the Black Stone, which was returned to its place only 21 years later. After this incident, some doubts arose about its authenticity, but they were dispelled by an investigative experiment: they threw the stone into the water and made sure that it did not sink. But the adventures of the Black Stone did not end there: in 1050, the Caliph of Egypt sent his man to Mecca with the task of destroying the shrine. And then the Kaaba was engulfed in fire twice, and in 1626 - a flood. As a result of all these disasters, the stone broke into 15 pieces. Nowadays they are fastened with cement and inserted into a silver frame. Respect for the Kaaba is also expressed in wrapping the relic with a special blanket - kiswa. It is updated annually. Its upper part is decorated with sayings from the Koran embroidered in gold; 875 square meters of material are used to make a kiswa. The first to cover the Kaaba with canvases decorated with silver embroidery was the tubba (king) of Yemen, Abu Bakr Assad. His successors continued this custom. Various types of fabrics were used. The tradition of covering the Kaaba has undergone significant changes: initially, before the pilgrimage to Mecca of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mahdi in 160 after the Hijra, the coverings on the structure were simply placed on top of each other. After the cover wore out, a new one was placed on top. However, the servants of the Forbidden Mosque expressed their fears to the ruler of the Caliphate that the building simply could not withstand the weight of the blankets piled one on top of the other. The Caliph agreed with their opinion and ordered that the Kaaba be covered with no more than one blanket at a time. Since then, this rule has been strictly observed. The inside of the building is also decorated with curtains. The family of Benny Scheibe monitors all this order. The shrine is open to the public only during the ceremony of washing the Kaaba, and this happens only twice a year: two weeks before the start of the holy month of Ramadan and two weeks after the Hajj. From Abraham's son Ismail, the Kaaba was inherited by the southern Arab tribe of the Jurhumits, who enjoyed the support of the Babylonians. And in the 3rd century AD they were supplanted by another southern Arab tribe, Banu Khuzaa. Out of despair, the Jurhumits, leaving Mecca, destroyed the Kaaba and filled up the Zamzam spring. The Khuzaites restored the Kaaba, and from the middle of the 3rd century BC, the Kaaba became the pantheon of the Arab tribes. The leader of the Khuzaites at that time was Amr ibn Luhey, who became the ruler of Mecca and the patron of the Kaaba. Contrary to the original monotheism of Abraham Ibrahim and his son Ismail, he placed idols in the Kaaba and called on people to worship them. He brought the first idol he erected - Hubal - from Syria. The Quraysh were another Arab tribe that lived in the Mecca area and descended from Adnan, one of the descendants of Ismail, and his wife, the daughter of a Khuzai chieftain, who drove the Khuzaites out of Mecca and gained control of the city and temple around 440-450. The prophet Muhammad, who glorified the Kaaba throughout the world, came from this tribe. Before his preaching, the Kaaba was the center of numerous religious cults. In the center of the Kaaba stood the idol of Hubal, the deity of the Quraish tribe. He was considered the lord of the skies, the lord of thunder and rain. Over time, another 360 idols of pagan gods worshiped by the Arabs were placed there. Near them they made sacrifices and told fortunes. Quarrels and bloodshed were strictly prohibited at this place. It is interesting that among the characters of pagan cults there were images of Abraham (Ibrahim) and Ismail with prophetic arrows in their hands; Isa (Jesus) and Mariam with the baby (Virgin Mary). As we see, everyone found in this place something close to their faith. Pilgrims arrived in Mecca regularly. Twice a year, many people came to the local fair. The Kaaba was known and revered far beyond the Arabian Peninsula. She was revered by the Hindus, according to whose beliefs the spirit of Siwa, the third person of the Trimurti, accompanied by his wife during a visit to the Hijaz, entered the Black Stone.

The building itself was rebuilt many times. For the first time - under the second righteous caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Khattab. During the Umayyad dynasty, Caliph Abd al-Malik restored the building, expanded the boundaries of the Holy Mosque, and installed arches decorated with mosaics, which were specially brought from Syria and Egypt. During the Abbasid period, on the orders of Caliph Abu Jafar al-Mansur, the mosque was further expanded and a gallery was erected along its perimeter. The area around the Kaaba was also thoroughly rebuilt by the Ottoman Sultan Abd al-Majid. And in the recent past, in 1981, the space around the relic was reconstructed by the King of Saudi Arabia, Fahd ibn Abd al-Aziz. Today, the territory of the Mesjed al-Haram mosque with the area around the Kaaba is 193,000 square meters. 130,000 Muslims can visit it at the same time. At the corners of the mosque there are 10 minarets, six of which (together with the crescent-shaped superstructures) reach a height of 105 meters. What the Black Stone embedded in the structure is is still unknown. Some scientists consider it a very large meteorite. This opinion is challenged by a strong argument that the stone cannot be an iron meteorite, based on its cracks, nor can it be a stone meteorite, since it cannot withstand movement and floats in water. Other researchers tend to see the stone as a large piece of unknown volcanic rock: rocky Arabia is rich in extinct volcanoes. It is known that this is not basalt or agate. However, the expressed opinion that the stone is not a meteorite is subject to serious criticism. In 1980, researcher Elizabeth Thomsen suggested that the Black Stone is of impact nature - it is molten sand mixed with meteorite material. It comes from the Wabar crater, located 1,800 kilometers from Mecca, in the Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia. The rock from this crater is frozen porous glass, it is quite hard and brittle, can float in water and has inclusions of white glass (crystals) and grains of sand (streaks). However, such a harmonious theory has its weak point: the conclusion made by scientists based on the results of several measurements indicates the age of the crater to be only a few centuries. Adding to the confusion are data from other measurements, suggesting that the crater is about 6,400 years old. There are actually three craters in Vabar. They are scattered over an area of ​​about 500 by 1000 meters and have diameters of 116.64 and 11 meters. The Bedouin nomads call this place al-Hadida - iron objects. In an area of ​​half a square kilometer lie many fragments of black glass, white stones made of baked sand and pieces of iron, partially covered with sand. Iron stones from the vicinity of the Wabar craters have a smooth surface covered with a black coating. The largest piece of iron and nickel that scientists found there weighs 2,200 kilograms and is called Camel's Hump. It was discovered by a scientific expedition in 1965 and was later put on display at the Royal University of the Arabian capital Riyadh. The smooth, cone-shaped stone appears to be a piece of a meteorite that fell to the ground and broke into several fragments. The holy book of Muslims - the Koran contains a story about the king of the city of Ubar named Aad. He mocked the prophet of Allah. For their wickedness, the city of Ubar and all its inhabitants were destroyed by a black cloud brought by a hurricane. English researcher Harry Philby became interested in this story. He considered the Empty Quarter to be the most likely location for the lost city. However, instead of ruins - the work of man, he found fragments of a meteorite in that place. From the traces left by this event, it was established that the energy released when the meteorite fell was equivalent to a nuclear explosion with a yield of about 12 kilotons, which is comparable to the explosion in Hiroshima. There are other places where meteorites fell that caused even more powerful impacts, but the case of Vabar has an important feature. The meteorite fell in an open, sandy area that was dry and sufficiently isolated to provide an ideal natural repository. There it was easy to discover both for the nomads of antiquity and for modern scientists. The latter cannot yet give a definitive answer to the riddle of the Black Stone.

Al-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque)

Al-Nabawi (Mosque of the Prophet) is the second most important Muslim mosque (after the Forbidden Mosque), located in Saudi Arabia, in Medina. Under the Green Dome of the Al-Nabawi Mosque is the tomb of the prophet and founder of Islam, Muhammad. The first two Muslim caliphs, Abu Bakr and Umar, are also buried in the mosque.

Al-Nabawi Mosque (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina

Green Dome (Prophet's Dome)

Tomb of the Prophet Muhammad. The first two caliphs, Abu Bakr and Umar, are buried next to it, and on the other side there is another area that looks like an empty grave. Many Islamic scholars and Qur'anic scholars believe that this grave site is reserved for the prophet Isa (Jesus), who will return to Earth to kill the Dajjal (Antichrist) and then rule the revived Caliphate for 40 years

The first mosque on this site was built during the lifetime of Muhammad, who himself took part in the construction. The layout of this building was adopted for other mosques around the world. When Muhammad was forty years old, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to him and called him to serve. Muhammad began his sermons in Mecca, trying to turn the Arabs away from pagan polytheism and convert them to the true faith. In 622, due to strong pressure from the religious leaders of Mecca, Muhammad was forced to flee to the city of Yathrib, located several hundred kilometers away. In Yathrib (which was later renamed Medina) he managed to organize the first Muslim community. Within a few years, the Muslim movement had grown so much that Muhammad was able to create a large army, which in 630 captured Mecca without a fight. Thus the first Muslim state was formed.

Al-Aqsa Mosque (Remote Mosque)

Al-Aqsa Mosque (Arabic: المسجد الاقصى‎‎ - extreme mosque) is a Muslim temple in the Old City of Jerusalem on the Temple Mount. It is the third holiest shrine of Islam after the Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. Islam associates isra (the night movement of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem) and miraj (ascension) with this place. At the site of the al-Aqsa mosque, the Prophet Muhammad prayed as an imam with all the prophets sent before him.

Al-Aqsa Mosque (Remote Mosque) in Jerusalem

Founded in 636 by Caliph Omar on the site of a Jewish temple destroyed by the Romans, Al-Aqsa Mosque was significantly expanded and rebuilt under Caliph Abd Al-Malik in 693. Under Caliph Abd Al-Malik, another mosque was built near Al-Aqsa, called Qubbat As-Sakhra (Dome of the Rock). Nowadays, the Dome of the Rock mosque is often confused with the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Qubbat Al-Sakhra Mosque (Dome of the Rock)

Often the huge golden dome of the nearby Qubbat al-Sahra Mosque ("Dome of the Rock") is confused with the more modest dome of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, calling the said golden dome of Qubbat al-Sahra the dome of the "Mosque of Omar". But it is Al-Aqsa that has as its second name the name “Mosque of Omar” in honor of its founder Caliph Umar (Omar) and is the historical center of two mosques on the Temple Mount, and not the Qubbat al-Sahra Mosque, which, nevertheless, in architectural plan is the center of the complex.

Temple platform