Meca

The sanctuary Mecca, Saudi Arabia, this is the central focus of the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. Devout pilgrims circle the draped, black stone (ka’aba), seen in the upper center of the crowd-upon which, it is believed, one can see the footprints of Abraham. To the left and front of the Ka’aba is the tomb of Ishmael, from whom the Muslim traces their decent. According to the Saudi Hajj ministry, each year about two million Muslim pilgrims from around the world arrive at Mecca to perform Al-Hajj or Bilgirame. However one fundamental principle of the Muslim faith is “Five Pillar of Islam”. They are the five obligations present in every Muslim. The first is Shahadah meaning “the recitation of the Muslim act of faith that there is one God and that Muhammad is God’s messenger. The second is Salat which is the “obligation to pray five times a day in a direction that point to the Ka’aba in Mecca”. Soon there was added the obligation to participate in Friday prayers as a community and hear sermons. The third is the Zakat which is to “donate a portion of the surplus of one’s wealth to charity”. The fourth is Sawm which is “to fast during the holy month of Ramadan; a total abstinence of all food and drink from sunrise to sunset”. Finally the fifth was the Hajj which was to” make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least one in a life time. The ritual that Muslim performed at the Ka’aba, were The Hajj, Cleaning of the Ka’aba and Qibla. Basically the Hajj is a revelation of the Muslim people, and how their surrendered to God Allah. After that there is the Cleaning which is a ceremony that is performed twice in a year. The first is on the third day, before Ramadan month. Second in before the start of the annual pilgrimage. There Member of the tribe, diplomats and governor perform the cleaning of the structure. Finally the last ceremony is the Qibla; there they face to the Qibla and start worshiping and praying.