3 Holy Sites in Islam which are known globally

The Holy month of Ramadan has come to us once again. This month is all about practicing good behaviour, charity, patience and humility. Although as Muslims, we should be doing all that on a daily basis, Ramadan is a month of reflection. For us to be humbled by our blessings from Allah (s.w.t), to repent for our sins and to be guided by Allah (s.w.t).

With that being said, the theme for the upcoming weeks will be revolving around the beautiful religion of Islam : such as teachings of Islam, Islamic history, Sunnah’s of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) and more.

We begin our journey with acknowledging 3 of the holiest sites in Islam, and a brief history.

1. Masjid al-Haram, Makkah

The holiest site known to each and every Muslim has to be Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. Not only is it the largest mosque in the world, but it also encases the Kaaba.

The Kaaba is a huge and sacred symbol in Islam. It was the first house of worship made, that worshipped Allah (s.w.t) and Him alone. It was constructed by Prophet Ibrahim (p.b.u.h) and his son Ismail (p.b.u.h) (who also became a prophet later).The Kaaba is how we direct our prayers each and every day.

The Kaaba also holds an unworldly stone, the Black stone, that was sent down by Allah (s.w.t). Masjid al-Haram also holds the site of where thousands of years ago, a surge of water emerged from the ground by Allah (s.w.t). We call this zamzam water. This was after Hajar ran seven times from Mount Safa and Marwah to find a water source for her infant son, Ismail.

Masjid al-Haram is also a key place in which Umrah and Hajj, major pilgrimages, are conducted. Therefore, causing it to be the most visited mosque in the world. With over 2 million worshippers gathering there everyday, for prayers, for solace and for the repentance.

2. Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, Madinah

The second holiest site in the world is the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)’s mosque : Masjid an-Nabawi. The prophet (s.a.w) was instructed by Allah (s.w.t) to build this mosque in Medina, where people were very open and welcoming to the Prophet and the muslims of Mecca. The prophet (s.a.w) was heavily involved in the creation of this mosque, and even built his own quarters (for Him and his wife Aisha) next to it.

Masjid an-Nabawi is also the resting site of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) and his two companions, Abu Bakr and Umar. Many Muslims from all over the world take their chances in visiting and paying their respects to the Prophet, as well as to pray where he once prayed thousands of years ago.

Extending from the Prophet’s house and his pulpit (raised platform to give sermons) is a special sanctuary called Rawdah, which the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said : “lies a garden from the gardens of Paradise” according to Hadiths. Rawdah, in the masjid, is marked with green carpet as opposed to the red carpeting that is seen in the rest of the masjid. Within Rawdah are a few pillars that are significant in Islamic history and will be explored in another blog post.

3. Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem

The third holiest site in Islam is not in Saudi Arabia, but rather in the Old City of Jerusalem : Al-Aqsa Mosque. During the time of the Prophet (s.a.w), al-Aqsa mosque was the furthest mosque from the Kaaba, that was made by Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)’s instruction after Caliph Umar conquered Jerusalem. Al-Aqsa mosque was also the direction of the Qiblat before it was changed to the Kaaba.

Unlike Makkah and Madinah, Jerusalem is a holy city for Muslims, Jews and Christians, with each holy scripture holding significance to this area. For Muslims, we consider this mosque holy due to the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)’s night journey : Isra and Miraj.

Isra' refers to the Prophet (s.a.w)’s journey from Kaaba to the farthest mosque, Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem. It was said that Angel Gabriel (Jibreel) took the Prophet (s.a.w) at night and told him that Allah (s.w.t) may “show him some of His signs”.

Miraj refers to the Prophet (s.a.w) ascending from Jerusalem to the Heavens above. From there, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) met with previous great prophets (p.b.u.h) and even Allah (s.w.t) Himself, encircled by angels. It was there that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) was given the message of five obligatory daily prayers.

At this mosque, lies the site, under the Dome of Rock, where Prophet Muhammad ascended into the Heavens.

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Sources :

http://topyaps.com/top-10-muslim-holy-sites-in-the-world

http://www.boldsky.com/yoga-spirituality/faith-mysticism/2012/holiest-cities-islam-029974.html

http://peopleof.oureverydaylife.com/holy-places-islamic-religion-4522.html

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Article is written by: 

Fatin Najwa binti Daud, is a medical student studying at IMU Malaysia. She is a freelance writer of this blog at Zaahara. Interests include music, art, sports and travel.

-Photos are taken from google images

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