Mecca is located in Western Saudi Arabia. Thousands of people visit this sacred place daily. But most Muslims gather here during the Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, the great pilgrimage. About two million people wanted to visit the Kaaba temple in Mecca in 2015.
Holy cube
According to the Koran, the Kaaba is the first temple in the world built to worship Allah. According to legend, the building was laid long before the beginning of the prophecy of Muhammad, and the construction was completed by the prophet Ibrahim.
The Kaaba is not a masterpiece of Saudi Arabia's architecture as such, it does not look rich in appearance, is not decorated with stucco moldings and bas-reliefs. Her appearance is a cube of inconspicuous gray stone, usually covered with heavy black cloth. On a magnificent smooth surface of silk, lines from the Koran are embroidered in gold. This bedspread is called Kiswa and changes once a year.
Throughout its existence, the Holy Cube has been rebuilt and reconstructed more than once. The temple was last fortified and renovated in 1996. Now he retains the look that he had under the Prophet Muhammad. The sacred Kaaba inside contains tablets with the names of the rulers, during which the next reconstruction took place.
Black stone
During the Hajj, pilgrims go around the cube 7 times and say the words of prayer. The Black Stone was used to indicate the place from which to start this ritual . It is noteworthy that several times the stone was stolen, which contributed to its split. Now the sacred relic is framed by silver and mounted in one of the corners of the cube. During the Hajj, every believer dreams of touching and kissing the Black Stone. According to Muslim tradition, it was originally white, but changed color, since it absorbed the sins of all believers who touched it.
What is inside the Kaaba?
Millions of Muslims have seen the Holy Cube, but what's inside the Kaaba? The fact is that the entrance to the mosque is accessible only to a very limited circle of people, and it is not possible for simple pilgrims to get there. However, until some time, everyone could find out what was inside the Kaaba. Several times a week, any Muslim could pray in the temple itself.
The interior of the Holy Cube is not luxurious. There are no expensive fabrics, stunning stained glass windows and murals, the walls are not inlaid with stones, as is done in other temples and mosques. Inside the Kaaba there are three pillars supporting a decorative ceiling, lamps hanging from above, and a simple incense table. However, every Muslim dreams of, if not praying in the temple, then at least touching it outside and giving his prayers to Allah.
Dream price
To feel the atmosphere of the Hajj, kiss the Black Stone, pay homage to Allah, find out what is inside the Kaaba - this is one of the most important desires in life for many Muslim believers. But to realize your dream, you need to make a lot of effort.
Seats on the Hajj are strictly limited and are allocated separately for each country in the amount of one seat per 1000 Muslim believers. The cost of a trip for one person is from $ 3000, people have been saving for their hajj for years. But this does not guarantee a pilgrimage - annually there are much more people who want to visit Mecca than free quotas.
Allah obliged to perform the Hajj only to those who can fully provide for their family and themselves during the pilgrimage. And people who are willing to sell their property in order to raise enough money to travel to Mecca are strictly forbidden to do so.
Muslims make pilgrimages daily to touch the holy relics of Islam, go around the Kaaba and pray where the prophets prayed.