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The Mountain of Uhud is one of great beauties- not for its look but for its meaning. The mountain is famous for the Battle of Uhud- when the holy prophet fought with the Kaafir or non-believers in 625 CE.. The mountain itself is located in Medina and is the largest mountain in Mecca and Medina. It is currently surrounded by roads and shops. The battle of Uhud was Prophet Muhammad’s army VS. the Quraish- the non-believers. Although the army of the Prophet was significantly smaller as Islam was still spreading through cities and nations (700 solides VS. 3,000)- they still managed to persevere and win the battle. However, they were not winners for long due to the fact the soldiers left their positions and were attacked once again- which ultimately ended their victory. It is said that after the battle, the mountain itself stirred and began to move- the Prophet turned to the mountain and explained how it must stay put for there are martyred men at its feet. The significance of this battle is important because it showed the muslims just how important the Prophet's Ummah or tribe was to him, and how he was willing to go to battle for them.

Tariq, Arsalan. “Mount Uhud: Everything You Need to Know |.” Pilgrim, March 28, 2023. https://thepilgrim.co/mount-uhud/.

The battle of uhud | al-islam.org. Accessed July 8, 2023. https://www.al-islam.org/articles/battle-uhud-shaykh-muhammad-jawad-chirri.

“Battle of Uhud: History of the Second Important Islamic Battle.” Zamzam Blogs, June 9, 2022. https://zamzam.com/blog/battle-of-uhud/.

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Masjid al- Aqsa is the mosque that is located in Jerusalem. This mosque has great significance in Islam due to its part in Al-Isra Wal- Miraj or The Night Journey. It is said in Islam that the Holy Prophet Muhammad, traveled during the night from Mecca to Jerusalem. It is said that he had this spiritual journey in which he rode a flying horse named Buraq- alongside the Archangel Gabriel. When he reached Masjid al- Aqsa in Jerusalem, he ascended a set of stairs. Those stairs took him to Jannah or Heaven. Muslim’s believe that there are seven levels of heaven and that Prophet Muhammad was able to get a tour of all levels- he was also able to see hell. During this journey it is told that the holy prophet was able to meet all the prophets that came before him, like Jesus, Abraham, Moses, Noah, etc. This journey was crucial for muslim’s because it solidified the Idea of an afterlife. In recent years, getting into Masjid al- aqsa due to the turmoil between Israel and the surrounding land. Many Isralites have tried to burn down the holy mosque- which caused lots of damage to the holy place. The Dome of the Rock is located in the vicinity of the Masjid. It is said that The Dome of The Rock is where Abraham or Issac in christianity- was prepared to sacrifice his son Isma’il. 

The dome of the rock. Accessed July 7, 2023. https://www.bu.edu/mzank/Michael_Zank/Jerusalem/domeoftherock.html.

Zeidan, A.. "Al-Aqṣā Mosque." Encyclopedia Britannica, May 29, 2023. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Al-Aqsa-Mosque.

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Masjid al- Nabwi or the Masjid of the Prophet, is a masjid located in the holy city of Medina. The masjid was built by Prophet Muhammad  during the first year of Hijrah- the pilgrimage from Mecca to Medina. This masjid is also the burial ground of the holy prophet- which is why it is called “ Masjid of the Prophet”. This Masjid was built around 622 A.D by the Prophet and his companions. Currently, the masjid is the second largest mosque in the world, following Masjid al- Haram where the Kaaba is located. This masjid is also home to Jannat al- Baaqi which is a graveyard in which many of the prophet’s friends, family, and companions are buried. Although in recent years this holy place has been renovated to keep the masjid looking clean. The last time the masjid was renovated was in the 1990s, it has not been renovated since. The masjid is built by white tile and a large green dome which is right above the holy prophet’s grave. The tile is used to cool down the masjid in harsh summers in Saudi Arabia- as the masjid has no roof in most parts of the mosque it attracts sunlight. 

 The grave of the holy prophet resides within the walls of the Masjid. There is a golden vault and within that vault is the grave. Only men are allowed to go near the vault, women are only allowed to see the vault from behind a curtain. Additionally, tourists are told to reserve time slots to enter the grave sites as it gets crowded. The holy prophet is also buried next to his two companions and closest friends; Umar Ibn al- Khattab and Abu-Bakr al- Siddiq. There are viewing holes on the door of the vault to see the graves. 

It is necessary to be in a state of holiness and purity when entering the Masjid. A person may see people praying in front of the vault. Many muslim’s also are known to get emotional when coming upon the vault- as the importance of the location is very high. Additionally, the holy cities of Mecca and Medina are only open to Muslims- individuals of other religions are prohibited to enter in order to protect the peace of the cities. 

Imtiaz. “The Grave & Tomb of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (the Sacred Chamber).” Hajj and Umrah Planner, March 24, 2022. https://hajjumrahplanner.com/prophet-muhammad-grave/.

Tariq, Arsalan. “Masjid Al Nabawi: The Mosque Built by Prophet Muhammad |.” Pilgrim, May 27, 2023. https://thepilgrim.co/masjid-al-nabawi/.

N.d. ZamZam. https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=AB5stBjADX-Dqff6c7VV-Yl_XBOH33wL0g:1688779210564&q=masjid+al+nabawi&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjdi8zn-P3_AhVWFVkFHSzDDysQ0pQJegQIDRAB&biw=1440&bih=683&dpr=2#imgrc=TiHXB4YYvvygwM.

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Although this small cave may look ordinary- it has a very important meaning to Muslims. In early Muslim civilization, around 610 C.E. Muhammad (peace be upon him) became the last Prophet of Islam. He is known to be the teacher, the role model and the messenger for the Muslim Ummah- meaning group or tribe. The cave pictured above is called Jabal- al Nour or Cave Hira. It is a small cave atop a mountain, where Prophet Muhammad would ascend daily- which was no easy task as the hike was one of great struggle. So why is Cave Hira so impactful? This is the very cave where the Angel Gabriel came to the prophet on The Night of Power and bestowed the first few verses of the Quran to the messenger. This was an astonishing sight because the Prophet was not well versed in reading and writing- however he was able to read the text as well as remember it. This cave was the first area of the world that was touched by anything of the Islamic religion.The prophet would often visit the cave to get away from the busy life of Mecca prior to the revelation of the Quran- he would often meditate or even nap in the cave.  The cave has since been a popular tourist destination for muslim’s- especially during Hajj. As you ascend the mountain towards the cave, you will be surrounded by stone and dirt as wide as the eye can see. The hike is rigorous and requires physical strength. 

Google Search. Google. Accessed July 7, 2023. https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=AB5stBg_COJ6Rf6xj8CC3aiPyAjsjAl3Bg%3A1688776648091&q=cave%2Bhira&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiYiNuh7_3_AhXbKFkFHVAcARcQ0pQJegQICxAB&biw=1440&bih=740&dpr=2#imgrc=DmBVquZZGZilCM.

Google Search. Google. Accessed July 7, 2023. https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=AB5stBg_COJ6Rf6xj8CC3aiPyAjsjAl3Bg%3A1688776648091&q=cave%2Bhira&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiYiNuh7_3_AhXbKFkFHVAcARcQ0pQJegQICxAB&biw=1440&bih=740&dpr=2#imgrc=DmBVquZZGZilCM.

Landmarks, Islamic. “Jabal Al-Hira (Mount Hira).” IslamicLandmarks.com, May 9, 2023. https://www.islamiclandmarks.com/makkah-other/jabal-al-hira.

“The Cave of Hira in Jabal Al Noor: History and Importance.” Zamzam Blogs, June 4, 2023. https://zamzam.com/blog/cave-of-hira/.

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The Kaaba is the holy worship ground for Muslim’s all around the world. Residing in Saudi Arabia within Mecca- the structure is 50 feet high and 30 by 40 feet at its base (Encyclopedia Britannica). The history of the Kaaba is truly a beautiful and captivating story for Muslims. The Kaaba was built by Isma’il and Abraham, who were said to be prophets according to the Islamic faith. They wanted a place where everyone could worship God. The Kaaba was built long before the birth of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad. So why was the Kaaba built? 

Within the Islamic faith, Muslim’s are asked to perform Hajj/Umrah- in other words a pilgrimage. It is said in the Quran, the holy book for Muslim’s, that an individual who believes themselves to be Muslim must complete at least one Hajj(pilgrimage) to the Kaaba in their lifetime. However, if you are ill or cannot afford the journey- then it is permissible to excuse yourself from it. 

Hajj is mandatory, whereas Umrah is merely recommended or encouraged. Hajj is far more extensive, it can only be done during Dhul-al- Hijjah which is the last month on the Islamic calendar. In order to complete Hajj or Umrah, an individual must be in the state of Ihram or holiness. In order to achieve Ihram- an individual must perform Wudu or ablution. A man must cover himself with two white cloths that have no seams. A woman must be covered head to toe with only her hands, feet, and face showing(you can see an example with the picture shown above). During Hajj or Umrah, a woman MUST be accompanied by a man or her Mehram ( either her husband, or a man she cannot have intimate relationships with, for example her brother, father, uncle, grandfather, etc)this is to protect the woman from physical harm during her pilgrimage. When beginning Hajj, an individual must walk around the Kaaba seven times while reciting various different prayers. Secondly, if it’s safe to do so and it’s not too crowded an individual should try and touch Hajar-al Aswad or the black rock. It is said in Islam that the Black Stone used to be as white as milk and it was thrown from Heaven to earth, as the human race progressed it became jet black due to Sins. After touching the stone, muslim’s run between the mountains (more like hills) Safa and Marwa seven times. They must then go to Jabal- al Rahmah, Mina, and Muzdalifah and slaughter a cow- in honor of Abraham’s sacrifice (his son who God turned into a cow to test Abraham’s faith in him). Next, the men shave their heads and women cut off an inch of their hair. Finally, they throw seven stones at three pillars that represent the devil. To finish their Hajj, they must go back to Mecca and complete 7 final rounds around the Kaaba. Umrah is similar, but the only difference is that they only do the seven rounds around the Kaaba and run back and forth between the two mounts. 

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. "hajj." Encyclopedia Britannica, June 30, 2023. https://www.britannica.com/topic/hajj.

Macaulay, Dr. Elizabeth, and Dr. Elizabeth Macaulay. “The Kaaba.” Smarthistory, smarthistory.org/the-kaaba/. Accessed 7 July 2023.