About Makkah al-Mukarramah

Geography and Significance

Makkah Mukarramah is situated on the northern part of the Arabian Peninsula, at an elevation of 280 meters above sea level, in a valley known as Batn Makkah (also called Beke). At the center of this valley lies the Kaaba. It is surrounded by the Hira and Sebir mountains to the northeast, the Abu Qubays hill to the east with Safa and Marwah, the Kuaykian hill to the west, and the Sevr hill to the southwest.

Makkah Mukarramah is:

The location of the Kaaba, the qibla of Muslims.
The site of the Masjid al-Haram, where every act of worship is rewarded manifold.
The birthplace of our Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
The place where Prophethood and Messengership were bestowed upon him.
The city where many verses of the Holy Quran were revealed.
The sacred city where the obligatory duty of Hajj is performed.

Names in the Quran and Symbolism

Makkah has been mentioned with various names in the Holy Quran, highlighting its esteemed status:

Makkah
Bakkah
Umm al-Qura (Mother of Cities)
Al-Balad
Al-Balad al-Amin (The Secure City)
Al-Balad al-Haram
Haramain Amin
In the Valley of Zer
Ma’ad (Place of Return)
Qaryah
Al-Masjid al-Haram

The world is shaped like a circle with the Kaaba at its center. Each country in the world faces one side of the Kaaba. Therefore, the act of Tawaf (circumambulation) around the Kaaba symbolizes the rotation of the world around its own axis. The Kaaba is the noblest point on earth and the center of the universe.

The Sacred Sanctuary: Haram and Hill

Haram:

On the day Allah created the heavens and the earth, He declared Makkah as a sacred sanctuary (Haram). The reason for the name “Haram” is that within its boundaries, it is forbidden (haram) to kill any living creatures (except those that are harmful) or to harm vegetation. All forms of aggression are prohibited, making the area safe and inviolable. The boundaries of the Haram are marked by stones called “alem,” covering an area of 550 km².

Important: In the Haram area, both the rewards for good deeds and the consequences of sins are multiplied.

Hill:

The region between the Haram and the miqat points is known as Hill. In this area, the specific restrictions of the Haram are lifted.

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) stated that the land closest and dearest to Allah on Earth is the vicinity of the Kaaba. During his migration, he turned to Makkah and said, “I swear by Allah! You are the best of Allah’s lands, and the most beloved to Him. If I were not driven away from you, I would never have left.”