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Makkah Overview |
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Makkah (also spelt Mecca by some westerners) is located 70 km inland and is served by the sea and airport of Jeddah. It has a population of over 1,300,000, which temporarily increases by a further 2 to 3 million during the Hajj pilgrimage.
Makkah (Mecca) is the holiest city for Muslims and is the location where the Prophet Muhammad was born. It is the city where God's message was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad after his return from Madinah (Medina) in 622 A.D.
5 times a day, the world's Muslims, wherever they may be in the world, face the direction of the Ka'bah in the Holy City of Makkah (Mecca) and pray. Ka’bah means "House of God". It is covered by “kiswah”, a black fabric embodied with gold. Muslim pilgrims circle the Ka'bah 7 times and may also try to kiss or touch the Black Stone, its cornerstone. The pilgrims then also drink water from the well of Zamzam. The water of Zamzam is believed to have special and health properties. Also the pilgrims return from the Hajj with bottles of water from the well.
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