Al-Masjid al-Haram: Difference between revisions

[[File:Masjid al-Haram.jpg|360px|thumbnail|right|Aerial view of Masjid al-Haram in the heart of [[Mecca]], with the [[Ka'ba]] visible in the center of the courtyard.]]

'''Masjid al-ḥarām''' (Arabic: المسجدالحرام) is the best-known and the most sacred [[mosque]] in the Islamic world, located in [[Mecca]] in [[Saudi Arabia]] in which the [[Ka'ba]] and the [[qibla]] of Muslims is located. In addition to the Ka'ba, there are other sacred buildings, objects, and places inside Masjid al-Haram, such as the [[Black Stone]] (al-Hajar al-Aswad), [[al-Multazam]], [[al-Mustajar]], al-Hatim, and [[Hijr Isma'il]] all of which are of a high religious and spiritual place for Muslims. In Islamic jurisprudence ([[fiqh]]), Masjid al-Haram is subject to some special laws in addition to the general laws of [[shari'a]] applied to mosques. In [[Islam]], it is obligatory ([[wajib]]) for every Muslim to travel to Mecca (for [[hajj]]) at least once in his or her lifetime if he or she is capable of doing so([[Mustati']]). There are some rituals of hajj that should be done inside Masjid al-Haram.

Islamic sources, and in particular the [[Qur'an]], imply that Masjid al-Haram was called so by people of [[Hijaz]] even before the emergence of [[Islam]], and even though there used to be no buildings or walls around the [[Ka'ba]], the area in which the pilgrims circumambulate ([[Tawaf]]) around the Ka'ba was known as Masjid al-Haram. The descriptive phrase "al-Masjid al-Haram" is repeatedly used in the Quran; for example in a [[verse]] stating that [[polytheist]]s should not be allowed to pilgrim the Ka'ba and perform [[hajj]]:

|{{center|وَ ما لَهُمْ أَلاَّ يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَ هُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرامِ}}

Masjid al-Haram is located in [[Mecca]] in [[Saudi Arabia]] surrounded by the mountains [[mount Abu Qubays|Abu Qubays]], [[mount Ajyad|Ajyad]], [[mount Hindi|Hindi]], and [[mount 'Umar|'Umar]]. The current boundaries of Masjid al-Haram are as follows: from the east to the Abu Qubays mountain, from the west to the 'Umar mountain and Shubayka Street, from the north to Shamiyya Street and the Hindi mountain, and from the south to Ajyad Street and Masfala.

The boundaries of the sacred area ([[haram]]) is different from different points: 6150 meters from [[Tan'im]] to Masjid al-Haram, 18000 meters from [[Ji'rana]] to Masjid al-Haram, 15500 meters in the way to [[Ta'if]] from Huda to Masjid al-Haram, 17000 meters from the Layth way to Masjid al-Haram, and 11000 meters from the [[Jadda]] path to Masjid al-Haram.

==The virtues of Masjid al-Haram==

Masjid al-Haram has long been a sacred and respectful place for people of [[Hijaz]]. It is not historically known when it found such a prestige. According to religious and local accounts, the place was venerated since the genesis of the Earth. And according to [[hadith]]s, Masjid al-Haram is the most venerable place on the Earth.

According to a hadith by [[the Prophet (s)]], Masjid al-Haram is the oldest [[mosque]] on the Earth and it was built before [[Masjid al-Aqsa]] (or Jerusalem).

According to a hadith known as [[shadd al-rihal]], the Prophet (s) has said: "do not travel except to visit three mosques..." one of which is Masjid al-Haram.

According to local accounts, the mausoleums of 70 [[prophethood|prophet]]s, including [[Hud (a)]], [[Salih (a)]] and [[Isma'il (a)]] are located in Masjid al-Haram.

There are special laws of [[shari'a]] concerning Masjid al-Haram and [[Mecca]]. For example, war in Masjid al-Haram and even in the whole sacred area (haram) of Mecca is a [[major sin]], except for defense. Worships, such as performing [[prayer]]s, have more spiritual rewards ([[thawab]]) when done in Masjid al-Haram than in other places.

Masjid al-Haram has undergone many events, restorations, reconstructions, and expansions as witnessed by sources of history and [[hadith]]s. Here are some important ones.

Before [[Islam]], the area of [[Ka'ba]] with the area around it was called Masjid al-Haram.

In this period, Masjid al-Haram had no walls or buildings; it was just an area in which the Ka'ba was located. It is not historically known exactly when the area was recognized as a [[mosque]] (masjid), but there are some [[hadith]]s in this regard. According to these hadiths, the current location of Masjid al-Haram was chosen before the creation of human beings and the Ka'ba was built by [[angel]]s.

There is a hadith from [[the Prophet (s)]] to the effect that Masjid al-Haram was built by Ibrahim (a). This hadith took Masjid al-Haram to be the oldest mosque on the Earth.

Before [[Qusayy b. Kilab b. Murra b. Ka'b]], the fourth ancestor of the Prophet (s) and the head of [[Quraysh]], people of [[Mecca]] did not build houses near Masjid al-Haram. However, Qusayy encouraged people to build houses near the Ka'ba, though with a certain space that allows [[tawaf]] (circumambulation around the Ka'ba).

The first change in the area of Masjid al-Haram occurred in the period of the [[Second Caliph]]. He purchased some houses around it and attached them to it. A short wall was built around the mosque, with some candles on them to illuminate the mosque.

Since the number of pilgrims increased, the [[Third Caliph]] destroyed more houses around Masjid al-Haram and attached them to it; he also built a porch and a ceiling for the mosque.

===The Umayyad era===

[[Walid b. 'Abd al-Malik al-Umawi]] (reign: [[86]]-[[96]]/ 705-715) added an area of 1725 square meters to Masjid al-Haram and reconstructed it. He built porches around it with large pillars. The pillars were nicely decorated and partly gilded. Walid made a golden downspout for the [[Ka'ba]] that is still known as the golden downspout.

===The Abbasid era===

[[Al-Mansur al-'Abbasi]], the second [[Abbasid]] [[caliph]], (reign: [[136]]-[[158]]/ 754-775) doubled the area of Masjid al-Haram in [[137]]/755, adding an area of around 5000 square meters to its northern and western sides. He also made porches around it, built a minaret in its western side, and made more decorations on its walls and pillars.

[[Al-Mahdi al-'Abbasi]], al-Mansur's son, (reign: [[159]]-[[169]]/ 775-785) destroyed more houses around Masjid al-Haram and attached them to its area. Thus 8,380 square meters were added to it and many doors were opened to the mosque from different sides—the doors remained so for many centuries.

In [[164]]/780, al-Mahdi al-'Abbasi expanded Masjid al-Haram from its southern part as well in order to turn the whole mosque into a square at the center of which the [[Ka'ba]] was located. Thus 6,560 square meters were added to the area of the mosque, porches were built around it, and pillars were made. These pillars are still there with the Al-Mahdi's inscription of on it.

In [[281]]/894, upon the suggestion of [[Mecca]]'s ruler, [[al-Mu'tadid al-'Abbasi]] (reign: [[279]]-[[289]]/ 892-902) issued an order to build a place for the residence of [[hajj]] pilgrims.

[[Al-Muqtadir al-'Abbasi]] (reign: [[295]]-[[320]]/ 908-932) added an area to Masjid al-Haram on the side where Bab Ibrahim (the gate of Ibrahim) is located.

In the period of [[al-Mustansir Billah al-'Abbasi]] (reign: [[623]]-[[640]]/ 1226-1242) a lot of attempts were made to renew Masjid al-Haram. In particular, they reconstructed [[mataf]] (the area in which [[hajj]] pilgrims perform tawaf around the [[Ka'ba]]).

===The Saudi period===

In [[1368]]/1948, the King 'Abd al-'Aziz Al Saud issued an order to expand Masjid al-Haram in all its sides. The expansion began in [[1375]]/1955 and the area of the mosque was expanded to 160,861 square meters. The area was intended for a population of over 300,000 worshippers. The doors of Masjid al-Haram was increased to 64 ones.

In [[1409]]/1988, Malik Fahd started an unprecedented expansion of Masjid al-Haram. The studies for the project and the purchase of places around the mosque had started from [[1403]]/1982. It was the largest expansion of Masjid al-Haram ever in the history. An area of around 76,000 square meters were added to the western side of the mosque. Two monumental 89-meter high minarets were built in this area. Three large domes were built in the middle, each resting on 4 pillars. Currently the number of Masjid al-Haram's minarets is 9.

Today Masjid al-Haram is a very large complex with an area of over 88,000 square meters, containing approximately one million worshippers. Masjid al-Haram has three floors, and its third floor is a very vast roof.

The [[Ka'ba]] is the well-known cube-shaped building at the center of Masjid al-Haram in [[Mecca]]. It is the [[qibla]] of Muslims and their most important place of worship. It is obligatory for Muslims to visit the place as part of the [[hajj]] rituals at least once in their lifetime if they meet some conditions such as financial ability.

The [[Black Stone]] (al-Hajar al-Aswad) is a sacred stone with an old history and a special place in the Islamic culture and [[hajj]] rituals. It is located in the eastern side of the Ka'ba (also known as al-rukn al-aswad, that is, the black side, or al-rukn al-hajari, that is, the stone side) 1.5 meters higher than the ground.

Maqam Ibrahim is a stone on which [[Ibrahim (a)]] is believed to had stood, when he was reconstructing the Ka'ba, in order for his hands to reach the upper parts of the wall. On one account, the stone used to be inside the [[Ka'ba]] before [[Islam]], but when the [[verse]] "make Maqam Ibrahim [the place where Ibrahim stood] as a place of prayer" (the Qur'an, 2:125) was revealed, the Prophet (s) ordered it to be taken out of the Ka'ba and put around it.

[[Hijr Isma'il]] is the space between the [[Ka'ba]] and a half-circled wall extending from the northern part of the Ka'ba (al-Rukn al-'Araqi) to its western part (al-Rukn al-Shami). It is also called Hatim or Huzayra. When Ibrahim (a), [[Hajar]] and their infant, [[Isma'il (a)]], entered the area of Mecca, [[Gabriel]] guided them to reside where Hijr is now located. Then Hajar and Isma'il dwelled there under a canopy, made of woods, with their sheep. After their death, both Hajar and Isma'il were buried there. Hijr Isma'il was venerated before [[Islam]]. After his [[bi'that]], [[the Prophet (s)]] sat in this place, worshiped, recited the [[Qur'an]], and answered people's questions there. According to the majority of [[Imamiyya]] jurisprudents ([[faqih]]s), and by an appeal to reliable [[hadith]]s, Hijr Isma'il is not part of the Ka'ba.

According to [[shi'a|Shiite]]s, al-Multazam is part of the wall behind the Ka'ba, where [[al-Mustajar]] and al-Rukn al-Yamani are located. On one side of al-Multazam, the [[Black Stone]] is located and on the other side of it the door of the [[Ka'ba]]. This is called "multazam" (the place held or adhered by people) because [[hajj]] pilgrims stand there and hold to the wall and recite their prayers and orisons. According to some [[hadith]]s, [[the Prophet (s)]] put his face and hands on this part of the wall. He is reported as having said that [[God]] listens to people's prayers in this place. One supererogatory ([[mustahab]]) action in this place is to confess one's sins to God and ask for His forgiveness.

There is a water well on the eastern side of Masjid al-Haram that is variously called the [[Zamzam Well]], [[Isma'il (a)|Isma'il]]'s well, [['Abd al-Muttalib]]'s well, Shafa' al-Suqm (healing of the disease), 'Afiya (health), Maymuna (blessed), Tu'm (tasty), Baraka (blessing), and Barra. The well is located underground near [[Maqam Ibrahim]] about 18 meters from the Ka'ba.

===The doors of Masjid al-Haram===

Masjid al-Haram has over 60 doors. Its three main doors are Bab al-'Umra, Bab al-Salam, and Bab Malik 'Abd al-'Aziz.

==Written sources about Masjid al-Haram==

There are many written works concerning Masjid al-Haram. These works can be classified into two categories: some are directly concerned with Masjid al-Haram, and others mainly concern the city of [[Mecca]]. The oldest available work that has described Masjid al-Haram in detail is ''Akhbar Makka wa ma ja'a fiha min al-athar'' authored by Abu al-Walid al-Azraqi in the third century/ninth century and then ''Akhbar Makka fi qadim al-dahr and hadithih'' written by Muhammad b. Ishaq b. 'Abbas al-Fakihi al-Makki in the same century.

* ''Al-'Iqd al-thamin'' by Taqi al-Din Fasi (d. 832/ 1428) which is one of the most important source concerning the history of [[Mecca]] and Masjid al-Haram.

* ''Tarikh Makka wa al-Masjid al-Haram wa al-Madina al-munawwara  wa al-qabr al-sharif'' (history of Mecca and Masjid al-haram and Medina and the blessed mausoleum) by Muhammad b. Muhammad b. Ahmad b. al-Diya' al-Maliki (d. 885/ 1480).

There is a great deal of information about [[Mecca]] and Masjid al-Haram in the travel literature. Most travel logbooks in this literature are reports of their authors' [[hajj]] pilgrimage, containing information about Masjid al-Haram as well. Two of the most important and the oldest hajj logbooks, containing precious historical information, are ''Tadhkir bi al-akhbar 'an ittifaqat al-amsar'' by Ibn Jubayr ([[450]]-[[614]]/ 1145-1217) and ''Tuhfa al-nuzzar'' by Ibn Batuta (d. [[779]]/ 1369).

[[Iran|Iranian]] [[Shi'a|Shiite]]s have shared a lot of information about Masjid al-Haram in their hajj logbooks. Some important works in this literature are ''Safarnama'' by [[Nasir Khusrow]] (d. [[481]] / 1088), ''Safarnama'' by [[Farhad Mirza Mu'tamad al-Dawla]] (d. [[1305]]/ 1887), and ''Dalil al-anam fi sabil ziyarat bayt Allah al-haram wa al-Quds al-sharif wa madinat al-salam'' by Hisam al-Saltana (d. [[1300]]/ 1882).