Mecca is Islam’s holiest city.

Mecca has been a sacred site since the year 628 AD and the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad. At its centre is the Grand Mosque, a very important religious building, which houses a large black rock, called the Kaaba. Muslims believe this rock was actually a huge meteorite which fell down to earth at the beginning of time and landed beside Adam and Eve. An important duty of being a Muslim, is to try and take a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual journey to Mecca. This is called a pilgrimage.

What happens during the Pilgrimage?

Every year two million Muslims from many different countries travel to Mecca to take part in the special five-day pilgrimage, called Hajj (and its shorter version called Umraa). All Muslims may attend Hajj though Muslim ladies travel with a male relative or a female group and everyone has to be mindful of certain behaviours and rituals during this time. For example, special prayers must be said and worshippers should take care not to argue with others and refrain from cutting hair and finger nails.