Every Muslim at least once in your life should make the Hajj - to visit Mecca. In centuries past it was difficult, troublesome and sometimes even dangerous. Hajj takes place under conditions of sufficient funds to visit Mecca and to ensure the family before returning pilgrim. If there are conditions, and Hajj is not accomplished, the sharia threatens the offender is a heavy punishment in the hereafter, and despising that debt equates to an unbeliever. On the contrary, the hajj fulfilled promises complete forgiveness of sins committed before that time, and the perpetrators of this pilgrimage proudly wore their white turban - a sign of the hajj.

In the past, everyone who came to Mecca had to find a matvafa - a guide who will provide not only a pilgrim accommodation and food, but will make sure that he did not commit errors in performing the rituals and prayers. Hajj procedure has so many subtle nuances that no Muslim (even the most earnest) on their own are difficult to handle.

At the heart of the hajj is tawaaf - a seven-fold treatment of the Kaaba. This procession symbolises the divine order in which all beings are subject to a single center - the solar system, as embodied in God. During breaking the Kaaba pilgrims reverently kiss the Black Stone, because deeply believe in Judgement Day he will call and talk to Allah the names of all the faithful, who kissed it with clean lips.

On the eighth day of Hajj from Mecca sent a huge procession to the hill of Arafat, to listen to the sermon of the Imam and perform special prayers. Approaching the hill, all the pilgrims pray without ceasing, and exclaim: "Lyabbayk" ("I obey you!"). In the valley at the foot of the hill Arafat, believers should spend the night, and only visited this hill the pilgrims receive the title of "Haj".

Kaaba Black Stone

In a small valley among the mountains, hidden from the world, is Islam's holy of holies - the city of Mecca. It is to him five times a day, turning the eyes of Muslims around the globe.

In contrast to other eastern cities of Mecca was not surrounded by a wall, and a natural fence of her have always been a mountain. Through the entire city stretches wide street Massana, to which many tiers down from the mountains slip at home - big and small. Middle of the street, at the very bottom of the valley, is located the area where the mosque stands the famous Al-Haram Al-Sharif, which means "House of God." Muslims believe that in this place is the center of the universe, because it did not even land, overturned on the ground of the sky. And in the last day of the world it to heaven and back.

The territory of "Sacred Mosque" - a sacred place for Muslims around the world. Have repeatedly referred to in the second sura of the Quran: "And no matter where you came out, pay your face in the direction of the mosque, and wherever you are, turn your face toward her." The area is similar to the traditional eastern courtyard, only a very large size. It is surrounded by three, and where the four rows of columns of marble, granite and stone of the ordinary. On top of the column are connected by pointed arches and domes are covered with small white, and towering above them seven slender minarets.

Go to Mecca turned their eyes the ancient Arabs, because of their pagan gods were also in the Kaaba. This church was the true pantheon of gods and could satisfy all requests. It was centered about 360 different idols and sculptures of deified persons. Among them - the Arab gods Ilatov, Uzza, Hubal and others, the Assyrian-Babylonian Marduk, Assor, Sin, Sumas and Astarte, the Jewish patriarch Abraham and Mary with the Christ Child in her arms.

According to legend the Arabs, the Kaaba was built as an altar for prayer, the ancestor of humans Adam. Adam suffered greatly from the fact that not only lost paradise, but also the temple where he used to pray to heaven. Then God will have mercy, and a copy of the temple was lowered to the ground.

In the center is a large stone cube height of about thirteen feet with a flat roof. This is the Kaaba, once a pagan sanctuary, and now the main temple of the Muslim world.

According to one version, it was Adam's guardian angel, overlooking the stone after the fall made his charge. When the Black stone descended from heaven, he was so white and shone so that it could be seen for four days' journey to Mecca. But gradually, from the sins of the human it darkened and darkened, until he was turned to black.

The nature of the Black Stone is still unknown. Some scientists consider it a very large meteorite, other researchers see it as a big chunk of volcanic rock of unknown, because the stony Arabia is replete with many extinct volcanoes.

When in 1630, Mohammed returned to Mecca from Medina, he threw out all the pagan idols of the Kaaba, but respectfully kissed his staff to the Black Stone. But even before Muhammad preached in Mecca decided to repair the severely ramshackle Kaaba. When it was necessary to move the black stone or other place it was a dispute between the families, which one is most worthy of this sacred mission. And then Mohammed will solve this problem very clever: he spread on the floor of the Kaaba his coat, put on his black stone, and then the elders of all the noble families raised the cloak from the stone.

Mecca - the most visited city in the world.

MECCA - the holy city of all Muslims, the full name of Al-Makkah Al-Mukarramah, which means "brilliant Mecca".

Mecca is located in the western part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the historic Hejaz region, located about 75 km from the Red Sea. Mecca is at an altitude of 300 meters in a valley surrounded by low mountains.

Mecca is known from the IV century AD. In Mecca, 570, was born the founder of the Islamic religion - prophet Muhammad (Muhammad). Here, about 610, he began to preach his ideas on the basis of which arose a new religion - Islam. In the 624, while in exile in Medina, the Prophet Muhammad introduced a rule according to which his followers, which was called "Muslims" should seek in prayer toward Mecca. (Before that, for several years, Muslims turned prayeing towards Jerusalem). In 630, when Muhammad after the exile returned to Mecca, he cleared the Ka'bah of pagan idols (and according to legend, these idols have been 340) and proclaimed it to the main shrine of Muslims . Since Mecca is the spiritual center of Islam, a sacred city for all Muslims. "Mother of cities" - Mecca is called in the Qur'an.

Century have passed away... Today Mecca is a modern city with a population of over 1 million people. But today, just as many years ago, life is connected with Mecca, the Muslim holy sites - and the Ka'ba was built around the Haram. Holy Haram Mosque (Al-Masezh al-Haram, which in Arabic means "Sacred Mosque"), located in the heart of Mecca.

Inside the building mosque is equipped with an the high level. It is enough to say that the building has 7 escalators and air is conditioned in rooms. There are special rooms for prayer and committing ablutions, and these rooms are divided into male and female.

Haram Mosque can accommodate up to 700 thousand people, true believers are placed at the same time, even on the roof of the building, which, however, for this and specially designed.

In the center of the mosque on the square, lined with marble slabs, is a sanctuary Kaaba, which Muslims are often referred to as al-Bait al-Haram, which means "sacred house".

Kaaba is a cube-shaped stone building, whose base is 10 m by 12 m and height is 15 meters (Incidentally, the word "Kaaba" comes the word "cube".) Corners of the Ka'ba are oriented to the cardinal. Kaaba is covered with a black silk cloth, having a special name "kiswa". The veil is changing every year. The upper part of the curtain is decorated with gold-embroidered sayings from the Koran. Maxims from the Koran adorn the veil, closing the door to the Kaaba. This door, by the way, is made of pure gold and weighs 286 kg.

Mecca and its environs are considered sacred ground: are forbidden the wars, cutting trees, killing living beings, except for slaughter of animals for food and sacrifice. Haram ( "Sanctuary") sometimes called the Mecca of all the surrounding areas.

Mecca is probably the most visited city in the world. At present only during the hajj Mecca is visited by 2 million people. Therefore, virtually all life in Mecca associated with servicing the pilgrims visiting the city. For the pilgrims in Mecca are built modern hotels, many of which are located in the vicinity of the Haram. However, during the Hajj pilgrims, most people are living in tents in special camps.