The Heart of Islam

Last November, during Thanksgiving break, my family and I got the opportunity of a lifetime to visit the cities of Mecca and Medina. As Muslims, we believe these are the two holiest cities in the world located in the western Hejaz regions of Saudi Arabia. In Islam, it is obligatory for all Muslims to visit Mecca at least once in their lives and to perform Hajj and/or Umrah. Umrah is a voluntary Islamic pilgrimage that involves specific Islamic rituals like making Tawaf, which is when you circle around the Kaaba (the black box) 7 times, walking in between the hills of Safa and Marwa 7 times. We do this to commemorate the desperate search for water by Hajar for her infant son, Ismail. All together this gives a person many good deeds, forgiveness for bad deeds, and strengthening faith to draw a person closer to Allah (God). Even though we performed Umrah at 1:00 AM, it was still a very busy time, and there were almost half a million people performing Umrah at the same time we were.

This is Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. This picture was taken from the top balcony of the Mosque at 10:00 PM. All of the people are lined up praying towards the Kaaba (the black box) in a circular position. All of those little white and black dots are people praying. As Muslims, we pray to the Kaaba as a command from Allah (God) and in submission to God, and we honor the Kaaba as the first house of worship built by Prophet Ibrahim.

This is Al-Rawdah located within the Prophet Muhammed’s ﷺ mosque. Another name for this is the “Garden of Paradise.”  This is where the Prophet ﷺ was buried under the iconic green dome in Masjid Al-Nabawi, making it a major pilgrimage destination where believers make dua (prayers), seek blessings, and perform mandatory prayers near the pillar of Aisha (the Prophet's 3rd wife).

This is the clock tower in Mecca in front of Masjid Al-Haram, the Grand Mosque encompassing the Kaaba (the black box). This is the largest clock tower in the world standing at 2,000 ft. That is 6 times taller than the London clock tower Big Ben. This tower is a symbol of faith, as it reminds Muslims when it is time for Adhan (prayer time). The top part of the tower has a crescent shape that symbolizes new beginnings and renewal in Islam.

This is Masjid Al-Nabawi which is located in the heart of Medina, Saudi Arabia. This was the home of the Prophet Muhammed ﷺ  after he migrated from Mecca to Medina, and it is also his final resting place alongside his companions Abu bakr and Omar. This symbol ﷺ  means “peace be upon him.”

This is Masjid Quba which translates to “The Mosque of Quba.” Quba means dome or rounded vault. The significance of Masjid Quba is that it is believed to be the first mosque in Islam founded by the Prophet Muhammed ﷺ. It is located in Medina, Saudi Arabia.