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Articles Hajj Sacred Places Geography of Mecca
Geography of Mecca
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Geography of Mecca
The Mount Haraa and its Cave
The mount Haraa is known as Jabal-Al-Nour,Jabal-Al-Koran and Jabal-Al-Salam. This mountain is one of the holy places of Mecca and is the restage of prophetic period. It is on the northeast of the road to Arafat and located 1050 km away from the right side of the road.
The open side of the cave is toward the north and approximately can hold 5 sitting people. Its height is as tall as a person. The cave Haraa was the Messengers (P.B.U.H) place of worship and his holiness the prophet (P.B.U.H) had been staying there some days each year and particularly the blessed Ramadan month. It was in this cave where the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) received the first inspiration of God. This cave is one of the best and the holiest places of Mecca.
The Mount Thour and the cave Thour
The mount Thour is bigger than the mount Haraa and is located on the southeast of Masjid Al-Haram, far from Mecca. When the polytheists wanted to kill the Messenger of God (P.B.U.H), the Prophet got out of the city and went to the cave Thour. He hid himself there for 3 days and by Gods miracles, a spider web on the polytheists persuaded him to go in the cave.
Shab Abitaleb
Shab Abitaleb or Shab Ali is the place where the polytheists of Mecca sieged the Messenger (P.B. U.H) and Bani Hashem for 3 years. They kept away the people to visit or have any commercial relationship with them. This valley slopes down to the mount Abu Ghabess and is the present place of the Mecca library, which situated next to Masjid Al-Haram.
The Abutalebs graveyard
The Abutalebs graveyard is one of the Muslims shrines in Mecca. It is the burying ground of many of Bani Hashems family and some of the closest friends of the Gods Messenger (P.B.U.H). Abdul Mottaleb- the Messengers grandfather, the uncle of the Prophet, and Khadijeh (A.S) were buried in the Abutalebs graveyard. In this graveyard, a lot of scientists of Shia, who were died or martyred in Mecca, were buried.
Molloud Al-Nabi
The house where the Gods Messenger (P.B.U. H) was born in it is known as Molloud Al-Nabi. At present, the place of Molloud Al-Nabi is destroyed and they built a library in place of that. This library is named Maktabat Macca (library of Mecca)
Safa and Marveh
Safa and Marveh are the names of 2 mountains which where in Masaa. During the ceremony of Hajj, the Hajjis travel 7 times between these mountains. Since increasing measurements of Masjid Al-Haram, Masaa and Masjid Al-Haram were joined together. It is 394.50 m long and 20 m wide and the height of the first floor is 12 m, while the height of the second floor is 9 m. The Masaa has 18 doors totally.
Dare Argam
This is the house of the Gods Messenger (P.B. U.H) and the first Muslims at the first days of Islam have been introduced. They gathered there secretly and worshipped God. Dar Al-Argam was near the Safa and it was out of Masjid Al-Haram. Then a library was built there by the year of 1395 A.H. It was destroyed and now it is part of the square that is located apposite to Safa and Marveh.
The city of Mecca
The city of the great Mecca is located in a set of the valleys of Hejaz mountains, and Masjid Al-Haram is located in the Abrahams valley, and it is located about 227m above the sea level. One of the outstanding specifications of this region is its excessive amount of mountains which some of them had an exciting role in its history. One of them is Jabal Al-Noor where the Messenger (P.B.U.H) worshipped God before his mission.
The other one is Jabal Al-Thour where the Messenger (P.B.U.H) hid himself when he was migrating to Medina. The Heijra of Prophet Abraham (A.S) from Iraq to Palestine and Sahara of Sina (Sina desert) and then to Beyt-Allah- Al-Haram in the great Mecca about 4000 years ago has been specified the northern gates of this city. The other most important gates for the Hajji are: Iraqi gate (Zobeydeh), Egyptian gate, Shami gate and Yemeni or southern gate.
Arafat
It is a 12Km long Sahara and 6.50 Km wide which is located 21 Km away on the north part of Mecca and also in the way of Taef. There is a mountain at the northern side of this Sahara, which is called Jabal Al-Rahmah or Jabal Arafat. The Arafat Sahara has been planted with trees in recent years, and every Haji should stay in this Sahara from 9th Zi Hajjaeh at noon until legal evening of that day.
Mashar Al-Haram
Mashar or Mozdalafeh is the place where the Haji goes after Arafat and stay until after sunrise. Mashar is located between 2 streets of Arafeh and Mohser.
Mena
It is a valley with about 700 meters width and 2. 50 Km length where the Hajis should stay in this place from day 10 at sunrise until day 12 at noon and they cannot leave this place except for permitted hours. It is pronounced Mena, Mana and Mona. They use all three types of pronunciations and also found special narratives to validate their idea.
The Mosque of Mozdalafeh
The mosque of Mozdalafeh is located 6 Km away from the mosque of Namerah and 5 Km away from the mosque of Khaif at Mena. Its area is about 6000 square meters. The other mosque in this region which is located lower than the mosque of Abubakr (at the southwest) is the mosque of Omar. Its area is 123 square meters.
The Mosque of Jinn
This mosque is the most famous and the old mosque in Mecca. It is down the Mount of Hijoon towards the Haram in about 50 meters after the bridge of Hijoon beside the graveyard of Hijoon. It is narrated that this mosque has this name because it is related to some verses of al-Jinn Soreh in the Quran. It seems that the revelation of these verses was in this place.
The Mosque of Shajareh
The mosque of Shajareh which also known as Zolhalifeh is located 10 Km far from Medina in the region of Abar Ali. Abar Ali is a region in which Imam Ali (A.S) dug some wells for the use of pilgrims of Allahs House. This mosque is named Shajareh (ie.tree). because there was a tree there at that time where the prophet (P.B.U.H) put on his Ihram clothes near it. The most important factor regarding this mosque is that the Gods Messenger (P.B.U.H) put on his pilgrimage clothes there for “ Hajjat -ol- Vedae “. The pilgrim, who goes for doing the ceremony of Hajj from Medina to Mecca, put on their pilgrimage clothes in this mosque.
The Mosque of Khaif
Khaif Mosque is in the south, and to the left when you are coming from Arafat. It is said that in his last pilgrimage the Prophet (P.B.U.H) pitched his tent there and performed five prayers, from the noon to the morning, in the spot where the Mihrab (altar) of the Mosque now is.
The Mosque of Namerah
This Mosque was built on a spot where the Prophet (P.B.U.H) put his tent up in his last pilgrimage.
The Mosque of Maaras
The mosque of Maaras is located near the mosque of Shajareh.:”Aris” means sleep of a passenger at the last part of the night in a resting-place. Because the Gods Messenger (P.B.U.H) rested in this mosque and said his morning preyers, this mosque was called the mosque of Maaras. The ruin of this mosque was remained until 1396 A.H. But now we firmly believe that this mosque is at the great mosque of Shajareh or in the squares around it after the new development.
The Mosque of Jaarana
One of the other trysting-places for minor pilgrimage is Jaarana. On his way back from Hunain, the Prophet (P.B.U.H) stayed 15 days in Jaarana where he distributed the spoils of the war against Hawazen among the Muslims. In Jaarana, a mosque known as Masjid al-Rasool is on the left side of its valley. The present area of the mosque is 1600 square meters with a construction similar to the one of Tanieem.
The Mosque of Tanieem
On the road between Mecca and Medina, there is a place called Numan between the two Mountains of naem and naaeem, in about 12 kilometers from Mecca. Tanieem is a known tree in that desert. The nearby mosque there, which is called Tanieem, is a trysting-place (Meeqat) for minor pilgrimage (omreh). The area of this mosque is about 1200 square meters.
The Mount Thour and the cave Thour
The mount Thour is bigger than the mount Haraa and is located on the southeast of Masjid Al-Haram, far from Mecca. When the polytheists wanted to kill the Messenger of God (P.B.U.H), the Prophet got out of the city and went to the cave Thour. He hid himself there for 3 days and by Gods miracles, a spider web on the polytheists persuaded him to go in the cave.
Shab Abitaleb
Shab Abitaleb or Shab Ali is the place where the polytheists of Mecca sieged the Messenger (P.B. U.H) and Bani Hashem for 3 years. They kept away the people to visit or have any commercial relationship with them. This valley slopes down to the mount Abu Ghabess and is the present place of the Mecca library, which situated next to Masjid Al-Haram.
The Abutalebs graveyard
The Abutalebs graveyard is one of the Muslims shrines in Mecca. It is the burying ground of many of Bani Hashems family and some of the closest friends of the Gods Messenger (P.B.U.H). Abdul Mottaleb- the Messengers grandfather, the uncle of the Prophet, and Khadijeh (A.S) were buried in the Abutalebs graveyard. In this graveyard, a lot of scientists of Shia, who were died or martyred in Mecca, were buried.
Molloud Al-Nabi
The house where the Gods Messenger (P.B.U. H) was born in it is known as Molloud Al-Nabi. At present, the place of Molloud Al-Nabi is destroyed and they built a library in place of that. This library is named Maktabat Macca (library of Mecca)
Safa and Marveh
Safa and Marveh are the names of 2 mountains which where in Masaa. During the ceremony of Hajj, the Hajjis travel 7 times between these mountains. Since increasing measurements of Masjid Al-Haram, Masaa and Masjid Al-Haram were joined together. It is 394.50 m long and 20 m wide and the height of the first floor is 12 m, while the height of the second floor is 9 m. The Masaa has 18 doors totally.
Dare Argam
This is the house of the Gods Messenger (P.B. U.H) and the first Muslims at the first days of Islam have been introduced. They gathered there secretly and worshipped God. Dar Al-Argam was near the Safa and it was out of Masjid Al-Haram. Then a library was built there by the year of 1395 A.H. It was destroyed and now it is part of the square that is located apposite to Safa and Marveh.
The city of Mecca
The city of the great Mecca is located in a set of the valleys of Hejaz mountains, and Masjid Al-Haram is located in the Abrahams valley, and it is located about 227m above the sea level. One of the outstanding specifications of this region is its excessive amount of mountains which some of them had an exciting role in its history. One of them is Jabal Al-Noor where the Messenger (P.B.U.H) worshipped God before his mission.
The other one is Jabal Al-Thour where the Messenger (P.B.U.H) hid himself when he was migrating to Medina. The Heijra of Prophet Abraham (A.S) from Iraq to Palestine and Sahara of Sina (Sina desert) and then to Beyt-Allah- Al-Haram in the great Mecca about 4000 years ago has been specified the northern gates of this city. The other most important gates for the Hajji are: Iraqi gate (Zobeydeh), Egyptian gate, Shami gate and Yemeni or southern gate.
Arafat
It is a 12Km long Sahara and 6.50 Km wide which is located 21 Km away on the north part of Mecca and also in the way of Taef. There is a mountain at the northern side of this Sahara, which is called Jabal Al-Rahmah or Jabal Arafat. The Arafat Sahara has been planted with trees in recent years, and every Haji should stay in this Sahara from 9th Zi Hajjaeh at noon until legal evening of that day.
Mashar Al-Haram
Mashar or Mozdalafeh is the place where the Haji goes after Arafat and stay until after sunrise. Mashar is located between 2 streets of Arafeh and Mohser.
Mena
It is a valley with about 700 meters width and 2. 50 Km length where the Hajis should stay in this place from day 10 at sunrise until day 12 at noon and they cannot leave this place except for permitted hours. It is pronounced Mena, Mana and Mona. They use all three types of pronunciations and also found special narratives to validate their idea.
The Mosque of Mozdalafeh
The mosque of Mozdalafeh is located 6 Km away from the mosque of Namerah and 5 Km away from the mosque of Khaif at Mena. Its area is about 6000 square meters. The other mosque in this region which is located lower than the mosque of Abubakr (at the southwest) is the mosque of Omar. Its area is 123 square meters.
The Mosque of Jinn
This mosque is the most famous and the old mosque in Mecca. It is down the Mount of Hijoon towards the Haram in about 50 meters after the bridge of Hijoon beside the graveyard of Hijoon. It is narrated that this mosque has this name because it is related to some verses of al-Jinn Soreh in the Quran. It seems that the revelation of these verses was in this place.
The Mosque of Shajareh
The mosque of Shajareh which also known as Zolhalifeh is located 10 Km far from Medina in the region of Abar Ali. Abar Ali is a region in which Imam Ali (A.S) dug some wells for the use of pilgrims of Allahs House. This mosque is named Shajareh (ie.tree). because there was a tree there at that time where the prophet (P.B.U.H) put on his Ihram clothes near it. The most important factor regarding this mosque is that the Gods Messenger (P.B.U.H) put on his pilgrimage clothes there for “ Hajjat -ol- Vedae “. The pilgrim, who goes for doing the ceremony of Hajj from Medina to Mecca, put on their pilgrimage clothes in this mosque.
The Mosque of Khaif
Khaif Mosque is in the south, and to the left when you are coming from Arafat. It is said that in his last pilgrimage the Prophet (P.B.U.H) pitched his tent there and performed five prayers, from the noon to the morning, in the spot where the Mihrab (altar) of the Mosque now is.
The Mosque of Namerah
This Mosque was built on a spot where the Prophet (P.B.U.H) put his tent up in his last pilgrimage.
The Mosque of Maaras
The mosque of Maaras is located near the mosque of Shajareh.:”Aris” means sleep of a passenger at the last part of the night in a resting-place. Because the Gods Messenger (P.B.U.H) rested in this mosque and said his morning preyers, this mosque was called the mosque of Maaras. The ruin of this mosque was remained until 1396 A.H. But now we firmly believe that this mosque is at the great mosque of Shajareh or in the squares around it after the new development.
The Mosque of Jaarana
One of the other trysting-places for minor pilgrimage is Jaarana. On his way back from Hunain, the Prophet (P.B.U.H) stayed 15 days in Jaarana where he distributed the spoils of the war against Hawazen among the Muslims. In Jaarana, a mosque known as Masjid al-Rasool is on the left side of its valley. The present area of the mosque is 1600 square meters with a construction similar to the one of Tanieem.
The Mosque of Tanieem
On the road between Mecca and Medina, there is a place called Numan between the two Mountains of naem and naaeem, in about 12 kilometers from Mecca. Tanieem is a known tree in that desert. The nearby mosque there, which is called Tanieem, is a trysting-place (Meeqat) for minor pilgrimage (omreh). The area of this mosque is about 1200 square meters.
