Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
significance of mecca hajj
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: significance of mecca hajj
The holy city of Mecca has a meaning that has been transformed recently over the last decade through the construction of new architectural sites. The city is the location that Muslims take a pilgrimage to on a yearly basis called the Hajj. This custom has been going on for centuries, and lasts for about a week. During this time, all, or most Muslims in the world stay in the city at the same time. This helps business and the government in Mecca substantially. To make it more successful, the Mecca Royal Hotel Clock Tower was built in 2010 to house all of the Muslims on their pilgrimage. In addition, there is also a shopping mall on the inside and many other entertainment attractions. For this reason, the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca has changed
• Turned it into more of a tourism site to see rather than a religious voyage
• Many people have a greater interest in staying in the world’s third largest building for a week that towers over the city of mecca instead of taking part in all the rituals o The kaaba and great mosque used to be an extremely holy site in which the hajj took place, but now the attention is drawn away by the clock tower
• As per mohommmad the kaaba contains the stone/rock on the inside
• The largest annual pilgrimage in the world, people are supposed to face the kaaba during prayer
• The very first construction of the kaaba was supposed to have been undertaken by Abraham
• In the Qur’an, holy book, this was the first house built for humanity to worship allah
• Rebuilt in 2130 BCE by Abraham and son Ishmael, black stone inside is the only part that remains from the original construction
• Rebuilt in 600AD by Muhammad
• Set the black stone in by his own hands
• 1629, rebuilt one last time after it collapsed from heavy rains
• only fragments of the black stone exist today embedded in the walls o The grand mosque/sacred mosque itself has been expanded three times so far and is in the process of the fourth at the moment
• During third, more minarets built, more gates, and three domes
The Hajj or pilgrimage to Makkah is one of the five pillars of Islam "arkan-al-Islam”- Its purpose is essentially to facilitate the act of submission to Allah which is pinnacle to all followers of Islam. "Perform the pilgrimage and the visit [to Mecca] for Allah" Surah 2:196. It has enormous significance, not only for the pilgrim undertaking the Hajj but also for the wider Muslim community, the Umma, as it allows for all individuals to gain unification of faith. Such purpose can be examined through considering various rituals; the stand before Allah "wuquf", the stoning of the pillars at Mina, the commemoration of the festival of sacrifice "Id-ul-Adha", the circling of the Ka'bah and drawing water from the well of Zamzam. Such rituals give example to a profound meaning of the Islamic faith and upon completion, the individual is fulfilling to the ultimate goal of Islam, a more perfect submission to Allah.
...l Muhammad’s Islamic forces finally took Mecca in an almost bloodless war. Throughout that time, Muhammad had established the Five Pillars of Islam, a creed and code which is considered obligatory for all followers of the Islamic faith consisting of rules varying from required prayer to mandatory pilgrimage. Eventually by Muhammad’s death, he had united the entirety of Arabian tribes under Islam. In Islamic tradition there are only two official holidays. The first is called Eid-al Fitr, which is celebrated at the end of a month of fasting. Generally this day Muslims around the world give Zakat, or charity in good faith. The second, Eid-al Adha, is celebrated from the tenth to the fourteenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, which is the month of pilgrimage to Mecca. Traditionally on these days an animal is killed, it’s meat distributed between friends, family, and the poor.
Different religions have shaped the cultural landscapes throughout history. In most religions, they have what is known as a sacred site. Many of the sacred sites are near the founding of the religion or near a place where something significant had once occurred. The followers of these religions often build temples to worship their gods. One example, would be the Dome of the Rock, where Muhammad, a prophet of God in the Muslim culture, said to have ascended into heaven.The Dome of the Rock is a masterpiece of Islamic architecture and is the "Noble Sanctuary" by Muslims. The place of worship for Muslims is known as the mosque, but the Dome of the Rock is much more iconic and would be best identified as a Muslim shrine. The temple was originally made for pilgrims and took thirteen years to construct. This is also a significant place for the Muslim community
Hagia Sophia’s design was based on Islamic Mosques and this led to conflicts. This led to conflicts because when the Islamic Ottoman Turks overthrew the Byzantine Empire they turned Hagia Sophia into a Mosque. Because of this, now in the 21st century, people are complexed on whether it should become a church or a Mosque. Why this has also been an issue is people that want
Among the most beloved traditions and rituals of the Islamic faith is a pilgrimage that unites Muslims around the world. It is known as the Hajj, an Arabic word meaning “to set out for a place” (“Short History of Hajj”). It is one of the five pillars that define the Islamic faith. The Hajj itself is a five day trip into Mecca, the Islamic holy city, as well as surrounding areas. It is a trip that thousands of Muslims undergo each year. It is a staple of Islamic faith, as well as a spiritual and emotional journey that brings Muslims closer to God.
As I had began my journey across Africa, and the Islamic holy land of Mecca, I envisioned flourishing commerce and busy streets, and that is exactly what I had foresaw. The streets were bustling with markets and shops for the purpose of buying and selling. I can still remember the vibrant and strong smell of the spices hitting my nose as I pass by numerous stands. My restless pilgrimage to the Middle East was one worth remembering. The richness in the Islamic culture found throughout my
The second pillar is prayer. Devote Muslims pray five times a day, at dawn, midday, mid-afternoon, sunset and nighttime (Molloy, 432). The prayer process for Muslims is rich with ritual. Prayers are called together by a muezzin from atop a tower called a minaret. Another ritual involved with prayer includes a purification process with water or sand, where the believer cleanses their hands, arms, face, neck and feet before beginning. Believers always pray facing Mecca, regardless of whether they are praying in a mosque, at home, or somewhere else. However, if they are praying in a mosque, there will be a leader that orchestrates the recitation, as well as instructs followers on various body posi...
Essentially unchanged for more than thirteen centuries, the Dome of the Rock remains one of the world’s most beautiful and enduring architectural treasures. Adorned with its magnificent gold dome and elaborate quranic inscriptions, the structure intimately represents the world’s second largest religion in a city historically associated with the three Semitic faiths. Representation, however, is not the only effect of this site. Despite its intended purpose, the Dome of the Rock inherently stands as the focal center of a millennium-old religious controversy. Located on what is essentially the world’s holiest site (obviously a speculative assertion) and inscribed with proclamations of Islamic religious superiority, the Dome symbolizes far more than Muhammad’s ascension to heaven.
Nowadays a mosque facilitates the emergence of a city centre for most Muslims, offering services such as family support service, counselling clinic and Shariah counsel besides many more . However the main purpose of a mosque is to perform Salah. I however argue that Muslims do not need to pray in a mosque to do this and what is important is that they carry out the obligatory five daily prayers, whether it is in their own house or somewhere else as long as it is a suitable environment.
Mecca is also known as Makkah and its full name is Makkah al-Mukkaramah. Mecca is a city in the Hijaz region of western Saudi Arabia. It is known as the holiest site in the Islamic religion. The history of Mecca goes back as early as the fifth century. It was an independent and powerful city in pre-Islamic times. It is the religious center for Islamic people and it houses the Kaaba and the Great Mosque. It is also the birthplace of Muhammad, the first capital of caliphate, and the center of present day mosques. In 630 Muhammad and some of his followers went into the city of Mecca and captured it. Mecca is said to have started one of the most important religions in the world and it brings together the Islamic religion.
The mosque is designed in the Neo-baroque style. Neo Baroque style is an architectural style of the late 19th century, also called the Second Empire Architecture in France. The mosque has a two story structure which was the sultan’s apartment; the sultan’s apartment is a ‘U’ shaped structure. Then there is the square shaped main structure which is the actual mosque and has the dome. This square shaped structure has the main chamber. The mosque has one dome and two minarets; each minaret has a single small balcony, reached by a flight of stairs. A minaret is a slender tower, minarets are part of the mosques, they have a balcony and usually summon to prayer is cried out from there. The entrance of the mosque is not very huge. On entering the mosque’s main chamber, the interior is so elegant and detailed that one cannot decide which part of the mosque should be observed first. There are magnificent crystal chandeliers hanging which are twinkling in the sunlit mosque. There are two rows of large windows through which the warm sunlight enters the mosque and illuminates the main area of the mosque. The light through the windows is refracted and has a
...xpected to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his or her lifetime. The pilgrimage proper takes place during the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. The pilgrimage requires ritual purification, which is symbolized by the wearing of white garments. Men shave their heads and wear white sheets. Women may wear simple, national dresses and a head covering. Neither jewelry nor perfume is permitted; sexual activity and hunting are also prohibited. The pilgrims make their way to Mecca and perform many ritual activities. The five pillars are the core of a Muslim's duty to worship God.
Driving along the highway, all eyes are drawn as a magnet to the unique building with its golden dome and unusual architecture. The Islamic Center is located at the base of a residential street in a small neighborhood. The center houses an Islamic school, a community center, an international school and the Mosque, which is the place of worship for Muslims.
A mosque is generally a very symbolic place for a Muslim, being a humble way for Muslims to recreate pure divine presence on earth. The primary purpose of the mosque is to serve as a place where Muslims can come together for prayer. Nevertheless, mosques are known around the world nowadays for their Islamic architecture but most importantly for its general vitality to the Muslim Ummah (community).
The large piece of architecture symbolises love to many who come and visit this Mughal era architecture. May tourists who visit feel peaces and calmness overcome them and they fell overwhelmed by the beauty of the Taj Mahal its significance that it embodies the cenotaph of Shah Jahan’s wife Mumtaz Mahal and when Shah Jahan died three decades he was also laid to rest next to his beloved wife. It is also said that the ‘coffins bearing their remains lie in the spaces directly beneath the cenotaphs’ (Kapadia, 2015). Also after the addition of the Taj Mahal into the world heritage site in 1983, the Taj Mahal started to receive more worldwide recognition and soon became one of the most famous and favourite tourist destinations in the world today. It is said that the Taj Mahal attracts over one million visitors both local and foreign per year. Tourists enjoy viewing the architectural site and are mesmerised by its enormous and lavish exterior and interior which are carved and crafted, as they depict stories of love, death, memory and beliefs along the