Sacred Places In Makkah

By Author: Adnan Ijaz
Total Articles: 5
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Makkah is one of the ancient cities that house many significant and sacred places. Makkah is the origin of Islam not just that it dates back to the Prophet Ibrahim’s period. Allah loves Makkah so HE SWT commanded Ibrahim AS to build His House Kaaba in Makkah, so Ibrahim AS with his son Ismail AS constructed the Kaaba to fulfil the divine command of Allah. Every year millions of Muslims travel to Makkah to perform Hajj and Umrah. Umrah can be undertaken anytime in the year, unlike Hajj which is an annual act of worship. Umrah packages are a reliable source to travel hassle-free to Makkah to perform Umrah. So Umrah packages 2023 are being offered by many Islamic Travels, if you want to perform Umrah in Ramadan then Ramadan Umrah packages are a great option to perform Umrah in Ramadan. We have compiled a detail of sacred places in Makkah, which visitor would love to visit during their stay in Makkah. The city has many sacred places which hold great significance and Islamic background.

The Al-Haram Mosque-The Grand Mosque

The holiest ...
... place not just in Makkah but in the whole world is Al-Haram, which houses the majestic Kaaba-the House of Allah, Zamzam well, Muqam-E-Ibrahim, and the symbols of Allah, Al-Safa and Marwah, the Black Stone (Hijr-E-Aswad) and Hateem (station of Ismail AS). The splendid Mosque was built around the Kaaba and over time; it expanded exclusively and is not the largest Mosque in the whole world. The place is famous for the largest annual gathering of Hajj. The holiness of Al-Haram can never be measured it is the most blessed and sacred place in the whole world. The place dates back to the era of Prophet Ibrahim AS, who was commanded to leave his son and wife in the place which was known as Bakkah back then. Hajj is a revival of Sunnah-e-Ibrahim AS and it is performed in the memory of Ibrahim AS to keep his Sunnah alive, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ re-established the rituals of Hajj.

Dar-E-Arqam

Dar is an Arabic singular verb which means “the House” whereas Arqam means the recorder. This place holds a magnificent history, Dar-E-Arqam, is located at the foot of Mount Safa. This area is supposed to be the place where the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ initiated the preaching of Islam secretly during the early days of Islam. The sacred place is Makkah which is why Makkah is known as “the Origin of Islam” the holiest city. The holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gathered a few followers on the first ever Islamic institution in the 3rd year of the Prophethood. Muhammad ﷺ established this institution in the house of Hazrat Arqam Bin Abi Al-Arqam Makhzoumi RA. That is why the name Dar-e-Arqam, was referred to the companion.

Darun Nadwah

This place is known as the assembly house, located on the northwestern side of the Holy Kaaba. This place functioned as the Parliament House for the Quraysh tribe. Darun Nadwah is the same place where the foes of Islam tried to assassinate the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. This place came under Muslim control after the conquest of Makkah. The place has to be the oldest place which was built approximately 150 years before the birth of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Many Muslim leaders and Caliphs stayed there when they performed Umrah and Hajj through Ramadan Umrah packages due to the proximity to Al-Haram, among them, being Umer RA on one occasion as well. The place was included by the Abbasi Caliph Mutadhid Billah in Al-Haram in the year 284.

House of Abbas (Allah be pleased with him)

Abbas RA was a dear companion of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his paternal uncle. When you come outside of the place Sai, you will find the House of Abbas RA. Abbas RA protected Muhammad ﷺ as a shield during his period in Makkah. Prophet’s uncle Abbas Ibn Abdul Muttalib was about three years elder than his nephew. He was among the wealthy merchants of Makkah, he supported and protected Muhammad ﷺ yet he had not accepted Islam. He converted to Islam just before the fall of Makkah, when he got captured in the Battle of Badr. Abbas RA was given the right to arrange Zamzam water for the pilgrim, after his death the rights were passed down to his offspring. He was buried in Jannat-ul-Baqi (the cemetery) in Medina.

House of Abu Bakar RA

Abu Bakar was the first one who accepted Islam. His house is approximate the location in Makkah from where migration to Medina originated. It can be found in the Makkah Towers Hotel block, where Mosque Abu Bakr has been built on the 4th floor. This place holds a noteworthy history, when the Quraysh decided to assassinate the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Allah sent Gabriel AS to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and he revealed the plot and was permitted by Allah to leave Makkah. The holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ came to Abu Bakar’s house and asked: “if there was any stranger in the house”? Abu Bakar RA replied that “there was no one in the house apart from him and his daughters Ayesha RA and Asma RA. It was when Muhammad ﷺ told them and disclosed the command for migration. Upon knowing about Migration Abu Bakr Asked, “who will accompany you on the journey? The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied, “You will accompany me”. This made Abu Bakr RA teary and tears of joy seeped from his eyes. He RA then said, “O Prophet of Allah! I have already bought two she-camels for this purpose and have made them stout and strong and I offer you one. To which Muhammad ﷺ replied. “I will purchase it”.

House of Khadija RA (Prophet’s First wife)

The place has to be among the sacred places in Makkah, you know why because the house of Khadija RA is the place where Muhammad ﷺ had received some of his early revelations. The area inside the house is known as the Dome of Revelation where Gabriel AS used to descend and carried the messages of Allah and conveyed them to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Muhammad ﷺ lived with his first wife Khadija in her house until he ﷺ migrated to Medina. The House of Khadija RA is located outside the exit of hill Marwa. It was the place where children of the Holy Prophet ﷺ were born and it was the place which was marked as the refugee place of Muhammad ﷺ when He ﷺ was oppressed by the Quraysh in the early years of Prophethood. He ﷺ used to seek refuge in the House of Khadija RA (his wife). The Prophet Muhammad PBUH escaped an assassination attempt from the House of Khadija.

House of Umme Hani RA

The place holds a significant history as one of the greatest miraculous journeys of Al-Asra was called here. The place believed to be on the side of Bab-e-Abdul-Aziz gate is Makkah, where the house of Umme Hani RA was built. Umme Hani was the daughter of Abu Talib and was a cousin and companion of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

It all started when The Prophet Muhammad prayed the evening prayers with Umme Hani and her family, and then they all went to sleep. When the dawn appeared, The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said to them, “I prayed the evening prayers with you in this valley, then I went to Jerusalem where I prayed, and here I am praying dawn prayer with you.” To which Umme Hani Replied, “O! Messenger of Allah, “don’t tell people this they would reject you and injure you.” The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “Indeed I shall tell”. This incident is known as Al-Asra and Allah has mentioned this incident in the Quran in the chapter of “Bani Isreal”.

Mount Arafat

One of the major rituals of Hajj takes place on Mount Arafat. The mountain holds great significance, it is marked as the place where the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ delivered his remarkable sermon “Khutaba-Hijja-tul-widdah which is known as “The Farewell Sermon”. The sermon holds great importance in the history of Islam. While he ﷺ was sitting on his camel, on the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah, he ﷺ addressed pilgrims who were with him in the Urana valley of Mount Arafat, the sermon was delivered for the liberation and welfare of the entire humanity. Allah says in the Quran, “And we have not sent you to, Muhammad ﷺ, except as a mercy to the worlds”.

According to other beliefs, it was the place where Adam and Eve reunited on earth after getting exiled from Heaven when Allah forgave Prophet Adam AS after many years of being on the earth distressed and guilty. Hence this mountain is called Mountain of Mercy and Jabal-Ar-Rahma. A pillar is raised on top of the mountain to show where this event is believed to have taken place.

Muzdalifah

Among the sacred place, one is Muzdalifah, where one of the rituals of Hajj is performed when the sunsets on the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah, pilgrims travel to Muzdalifah and offer evening prayers, Maghrib and Isha there jointly. After offering prayers, pilgrims gather pebbles from the mountain to perform another ritual of Hajj “Rami” which is known as the Rami-al-Jamarat, the literal meaning of Rami-al-Jamarat is stoning the devil. Muzdalifah is an open and level area, close to Makkah in the Hejazi constituency of Saudi Arabia, which is located in the southeast of Mina on the way between Mina and Arafat.

Jabal-An-Noor

Jabal-an-Nur called the “Hill of the illumination” or “Mountain of the Light” is a mountain near Makkah in the Hejaz area of Saudi Arabia. The significant mountain houses the glorious cave of Hira, which holds incredible importance for Muslims around the globe. The beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to spend his time all alone in this cave to meditate. One day he ﷺ was in the cave of Hira when Archangel Gabriel AS appeared and conveyed to him the message of Allah which is known as the revelation, a lesson from the Quran. The breathtaking interaction between the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the angel Gabriel holds a great context in the history of Islam when Gabriel AS conveyed the first five verses of Surah Al-Alaq. That is why the cave is referred to as the “Cave of Lit”.

Mount Abu Qubyas

This mount has to be said the first mountain created on the earth by Allah. This place has to be one of the places where the overwhelming miracles of Prophet Muhammad ﷺtook place “Shaq-al-Qamar. The mount is located adjacent to Mount Safa. It was the place where Muhammad ﷺ was standing and pointed towards the moon and the moon was split into two pieces. Allah has mentioned this phenomenal incident in Quran in the chapter Al-Qamar (The Moon) 54:1-2. The miracle of splitting the moon happened before Muhammad migrated to Medina. The pagans asked the Holy prophet Muhammad ﷺ, “if you are truly a Prophet of Allah, then split the moon in half. Let it be in such a way that one half will appear over Mount Abu Qubyas and the other half must be seen over Mount Quayqian. The Prophet ﷺ asked, “If I do it, will you embrace Islam?

The non-believers answered: “Yes, We will.” In an attempt to stump the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ many of the idolaters stood in front of him from the tribe of Quraysh and demanded him a sign that no one could deny. This led to Allah splitting the moon. This was a supernatural phenomenon. It was witnessed by many companions and many polytheists.

Jannat-ul-Mu’alla

The sacred cemetery is located in Makkah to the southeast of the Grand Mosque. The literal meaning is Garden of Mu’alla, The Most Exalted Paradise. This place is one of the sacred places in Makkah because many beloved family members of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ notably his mother, his wife, his grandfather and other ancestors are buried here. This olden burial place was valued even before Muhammad ﷺ was born, and remains till the day.