Mecca Essay

The pilgrimage to Mecca during the Hajj is the defining moment in a Muslims life. Every Muslim is required to visit Mecca and participate in the rituals. The pilgrimage to Mecca is one of Islam’s Five Pillars of Faith. This pilgrimage shows a Muslim’s devotion to Allah (God). In the Muslim religion, Mecca is considered the holiest city. It is regarded so highly that non-Muslims are not allowed to enter Mecca. The celestial house of God, the Kaaba, is located in the center of Mecca.
“Mecca, known to the Muslim faithful as ‘the mother of all cities,’ is the holiest place in the Islamic world” (Steiger). It is the destination of the Hajj, or pilgrimage. The pilgrimage to Mecca is the fifth pillar of faith that all Muslims are required to do at least once in their lifetime. Mecca is also the sacred city were the Prophet Mohammed was born and grew up. The Great Mosque is located in the heart of the city of Mecca. Outside the mosque, there is a courtyard. Inside the courtyard is the most sacred place of Islam, the Kaaba. The Kaaba is “the house of god, believed by Muslims to have been built by Abraham and his son, Ishmael” (Religion Facts). The "the black stone" plays a very important part in the Koran. According to the Five Pillars of Faith, Muslims must pray five times a day facing the Kaaba. On each day of the Hajj, pilgrims must take part in a different ritual in the city of Mecca. “To prepare for the Hajj, the Koran instructs pilgrims to enter a state of consecration called the Ihram: A pilgrim must avoid angry words, sexual intercourse, and the cutting of hair or nails” (Creighton). After the pilgrims have finished preparing, they perform the Tawaf. This is where the pilgrims walk seven times counter-clockwise around the Kaaba. According to Dr. Zakir Naik, “Muslims circle the Kaaba to indicate that there is one center meaning that they all worship the same God, Allah.” Next, is the Sa’l. This is when the pilgrims run seven times between two hills. This