Makkah is the most significant city for the followers of Islam as it is the city where Prophet Muhammad was born. Annually, millions of Muslims from all corners of the globe physically arrive for ziyarat places in makkah to conclude the hajj and to undertake the obligations, which are enjoined by Allah. However, apart from the general areas of Hajj, there are other very special abodes and areas in Makkah that are beneficial and rewarding for the believer to see. These are known as the ziyarat spots Since the early days of Twelver Shi’ite Islam, the imams’ tombs have been endowed with sanctity, and leaving a ziyarat is considered a form of worship. These places are called ‘ziyarat’ sites. Here are some of the top ziyarat destinations in Makkah:

1. Jabal Al-Nour or The Mountain of Light

The first revolution ziyarat place in makkah is Jabal Al-Nour, a small mountain that is 7 kilometers outside the city of Mecca, which is an important place for Muslims as this is the place where the Prophet Muhammad first received the revelations and instructions to write the Holy Quran in 610 CE. Before the cave, there is a steep stone staircase leading up the mountain that is halfway through; there is a cave called Hira Cave that is believed to be the cave where Prophet Muhammad used to meditate. Presently people visit this mountain and Hira Cave to pray and to experience the breathtaking views of the city from up above.

2. Ghar Hira (Hira Cave)

This cave is of great religious importance and is located on the mountain of Jabal Al-Nour; it is the place where the Prophet received the first revelation from the angel Jibreel. The little 3 by 1.5 meters grotto offers a place of relief from the heat and a break in the middle of the urban district. Others come inside for some time, have an occasion to ponder, pray and bless themselves. The cave is in fact accurately inspiring the spiritual mood.

3. Jannat Al-Mualla Cemetery

Another Makkah Ziyarat is the Jannat Al-Mualla Cemetery. The cemetery is believed to be over 1,400 years old and home to the graves of many notable Islamic personalities. One of the most remarkable features of Jannat Al-Mualla is that it contains tombs of not only family members but Sahabah (companions) of the Prophet Muhammad. These are uncle Abbas Ibn Abdul Muttalib, grandfather Abdul Muttalib, and Khadijah, the Prophet’s first wife. People offer their respect to the deceased here and this ziyarat place in makkah is still a very busy and continuing growing cemetery in the present time.

4. Jabal Al-Rahmah (Mount Arafat)

This ziyarat place in makkah Located 14 kilometers to the east of the city, no pilgrimage can be said to have been accomplished without visiting the Jabal Al-Rahmah, the Mount of Mercy at which Prophet Muhammad delivered his memorable and highly revered Farewell Sermon during his last Hajj. Today Mount Arafat is regarded as an important religious site, some people even consider it the second holiest place in the world after Mecca. Year after year, during the holy pilgrimage referred to as Hajj, millions of pilgrims spend hours at this mountain fasting for Allah’s mercy and forgiveness.

5. The First Qibla Mosque: Al-Qiblatain

The first Qiblah in Islamic history was Jerusalem before Muslims started facing towards Kaaba while praying. It stayed like that for a period of 16 months until Allah sent down verses in the Quran, commanding the change of the direction of prayer to Kaaba in Makkah. Any visit to Medina cannot be complete without visiting this mosque of Al-Qiblatain because this mosque is the exact area where the revelation mentioned in the Quran was received. Al-Qiblatain is special because it has two cubicles; one faces Jerusalem and the other is oriented towards the Kaaba. This application of standing in this mosque ties the pilgrims to a particular episode that has altered the dynamics of the Islamic World for the better with the designation of the Kaaba as the permanent Qibla. This place has special importance in the list of Ziyarats in Makkah.

6. Birthplace of Prophet Muhammad

Green domed construction ziyarat makkah located in the courtyard of the Great Mosque of Mecca known as the Masjid al-Haram is, in fact, the place of birth of the Prophet Muhammad in 570 CE. It has religious significance since many tourists come here to visit the place where the last Islamic prophet was born. People make offerings to bow down to his greatness and also contemplate on his works that are still impacting the world today.

7. Ghar Thor Cave

In the list of Ziyarats of Makkah it has its own importance. Just a little distance further up the mountain of Jabal Al-Nour is another small cave which holds importance in Islamic history since this was where Prophet Muhammad together with his companion Abu Bakr sought refuge from the Quraysh persecutors during their migration for Madina in the year 622 CE. They say that during this significant trip called the Hijra, the two slept in this area for three days to escape persecution.

8. Site of Mina

Every Muslim during the last days of their Hajj pilgrimage is required to throw stones at three stone pillars ziyarat makkah known as Jamaraat in the desert valley area of Mina over three or four days. This is the re-enactment of Prophet Ibrahim’s story when Satan tried to tempt him not to offer his son Ismail as a sacrifice to Allah as had been commanded. In re-enacting these stone throws, pilgrims affirm their own anti-souls, denying evil powers and temptation. The ability to see and explore the Jamarat site in Mina will therefore offer a full understanding of this particular hajj act that dates back to the life of prophet Ibrahim and the creation of Kiblah and other Islamic holy places.

Conclusion

These ziyarat places in makkah are just the tip of the iceberg in the hundreds of ziyarat sites in Makkah and over 1500 recognized prayer ziyarats in Makkah that the countless pilgrims from across the globe flock to make their journey to the most revered city in Islam. From grand mosques of famous cities to other simple things like caves, every place reminds the holy event and personalities of the Islamic history. Not only do pilgrims touch this history when they join their prayers to the Kaaba, but also when they pray for spiritual revival other than Hajj and Umrah. Makkah is therefore the city of potential blessings where every stone, every corner positively responds to the sincere seeker. Read also for Madina Ziarat