All Muslims

All Muslims, wherever they are on the earth, are required to pray five times a day in the direction of the Ka'bah in Mecca. The direction of prayer is known as the qiblah. Muslims regard the al-Masjid al-Haram as the holiest place on Earth. Both the mosque and the city itself are strictly off-limits to non-Muslims. For Muslims, a pilgrimage to Mecca is required as one of the Five Pillars of Faith of the faith. In recent years, about two to three million have gathered for the major pilgrimage or Hajj, during the Muslim month of Dhu'l-Hijjah, and many more perform the minor pilgrimage or Umrah, which may be performed at any time of year. Few non-Muslims have ever seen the rites and rituals of the Hajj as non-Muslims are strictly prohibited from entering Mecca and Madinah. Muhammad (s.a.w) was born in makkah. Makkah is locatedin souther part of hijaz. Makkah is the most loved place of Almighty Allah. Also makkah is founded by the prophet Ibrahim Al- Khalil. Makkah is surrounded by dry hills and mountains. The city is located 70 km (43 mi) inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of 277 m (909 ft) above sea level. Its resident population in 2012 was roughly 2 million, although visitors more than triple this number every year during Hajj period held in the twelfth Muslim lunar month of Dhu al-Hijjah.
As the birthplace of Muhammad and a site of Muhammad's first revelation of the Quran (the site in specificity being a cave 3.2 km (2 mi) from Mecca), Mecca is regarded as the holiest city in the religion of Islam and apilgrimage to it known as the Hajj is obligatory for all able Muslims. Mecca is home to the Kaaba, by majority description Islam's holiest site, as well as being the center of the Islamic universe. Mecca was long ruled by Muhammad's descendants, the sharifs, acting either as independent rulers or as vassals to larger polities. It was absorbed into Saudi Arabia in 1925. In its modern period, Mecca has seen tremendous