Mecca is the epicentre of
the Islamic universe and the
Umm al-Qura (Mother of Cities).
During their lifetime, all able-
bodied Muslims in a position
to travel should make a Hajj
(pilgrimage) to the city’s
ultra-sacred Kaaba (a holy
shrine), during Dhu-al-Hijjah
(the holy month), when the
city’s population swells by
millions. Non-Muslims are
forbidden from entering the
city, but modern technology
is embraced.
MEGA MOSQUE
Masjid al-Harām is the planet’s largest mosque. It can comfortably accommodate
900,000 worshippers, but during the Hajj period as many as four million Muslim
pilgrims squeeze in to walk anti-clockwise around the building. Why? Because it
contains a black, cuboid building called the Kaaba.
THE HAJJ
The Hajj
is a mass annual pilgrimage
to Mecca. With two million people
flocking into the city every year, it’s
believed to be the largest gathering
of humans anywhere on the planet.
So many people packed into one
place can be dangerous, however.
In 2015, over 700 people were
crushed to death, with hundreds
more badly injured.
CLOCKING ON
Abraj Al Bait (The Makkah Royal Clock Tower) is
the planet’s third tallest building and boasts the
biggest clock face in the world. The mega
hotel was built so that Mecca can host
even more pilgrims. Controversially, the
Ajyad Fortress – an 18th-century citadel
– was demolished so the hotel could
overlook the Grand Mosque.
All Muslims must try
and perform the Hajj
at least
once in their lives. It takes place
during the holy month of Dhu al-Hijjah,
the last month of the Islamic calendar.
The timing is different to the Western
(Gregorian) calendar, so the date changes
every year. During the Hajj,
pilgrims wear
white as a sign of purity and perform
rituals – including visiting the plains
of Mount Arafat, spending a night
on the plain of Muzdalifah
and throwing pebbles at
three walls in Mina.
THE KAABA
The Kaaba is Islam’s holiest site.
Apparently older than Muhammad,
the Kaaba is traditionally believed
to be the first house of worship,
built by Abraham and his son
Ishmael directly on God’s
instructions. This building is what
all Muslims turn to face when they
pray, no matter where they are in
the world.
#MECCALIVE
In July 2015, the app Snapchat dedicated its live stream to Mecca. The
response inside and outside the city was massive. Content shot locally
was viewed millions of times per day around the world, and
other social media channels such as Twitter lit up with
#tag mentions, as the non-Muslim world clamoured to
gain a glimpse into this mysterious city.