Masjid Al Haram: History, Significance, and Renovations
Location of Masjid Al Haram:
Masjid Al Haram is around Kabba. This is one of the world’s largest mosques. Masjid Al Haram is a spiritual location for Muslims, open for pilgrimage not only during the month of Dhul-Hijjah but all year round for Umrah. Hajj is an important pillar of Islam that must be completed by those who are financially and physically capable.
The Great Mosque is not just the world’s biggest mosque, but also the most costly building ever constructed. It has undergone substantial renovation and expansion throughout the years. Throughout history, several caliphs, sultans, and kings have controlled it. It is presently under the jurisdiction of Saudi Arabia’s King, also known as the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
Historical Background of Kabba:
In numerous verses of the Quran, Allah mentions the beginning of the Kaaba. According to the Quran, Kaaba was the first sacred place where people might pray to Allah. Allah said in the Quran.
And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House with Ishmael, [saying], “Our Lord, accept [this] from us.” Indeed, you are the Hearing and Knowing. [Al-Baqarah, 127].
After Ibrahim finished building the Kaaba, it is stated that an angel delivered him the Black Stone (a celestial stone) that had fallen from the neighboring Abu Qubais mountain, which is considered sacred. According to Islamic historians, the Black Stone is the only unaltered component of Ibrahim’s original design.
“And [mention, O Muhammad], when We specified for Abraham the place of the House, [saying], “Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House for those who perform ‹Tawaf, those who stand [in prayer], and those who kneel and prostrate.” (Surah Al-Hajj; 26).
The period of Prophet Muhammad:
For centuries the Kaaba has been threatened due to the natural disasters and even attacks, these utilizing the damages and sometimes even requiring its complete reconstruction. Nevertheless, both of the rebuilding carried much adherence to the structures established by Prophets Ibrahim and Ismail. Its major renovation was around 605 AD before the prophet of Islam was born, also showing that the Kaaba had ongoing importance.
For example, it was rather surprising to read that the Masjid al-Haram did not even have walls at the beginning. As for Gates, the doors were between the houses which, in a way, encircled the Kaaba. Originally, it was limited to the gap between these houses and the Kaaba, which was called Mataf then and al-Mas’a now, where pilgrims performed important activities. Reflecting on the context provided above, it is now possible to understand the process through which the building that is now known as the Masjid al-Haram developed.
During the period of the Umayyads there were changes in the appearance of the Great Mosque of Mecca. It developed from a simple building that enclosed the Kaaba to a first addition and decoration in 692 under the reign of Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan. This included raising and decorating the outer roof; among other changes that were made on the new design of the building.
A major renovation was finally conducted during the reign of Al-Walid I in the early 8th century. This introduced the use of marble in place of the wooden form of structure, increased the size of the area, and new minarets. This expansion was thus aimed at providing adequate room for the increasing population of Muslims in the Middle East, which was a result of the Islamic faith’s expansion in the area. More construction works were done to the mosque by adding marble and three more minarets making it a symbol of worship for the expanding Muslim population.
Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca was renovated in 1570 by the sultanate of Selim II who commissioned chief architect Mimar Sinan for the renovation. This change included replacing the flat roof with domes with calligraphy inscriptions and addition of new support columns. Most importantly, those columns has been claimed to be the oldest architectural features of the present mosque.
Sulayman, heavy rains and floods caused great damage to the Kaaba and mosque in 1068/ 1621 and again in 1086/1629. But what is more important, large-scale restoration work was carried out in 1629 with the onset of the reign of Sultan Murad IV. To these were added a new stone arcade, three new minarets, which raised the total number to seven new marble floors on the interior of the mosques. This made the last significant change to the mosque for nearly three centuries.
A massive restructuring of the Great Mosque was launched between 1955 and 1973 under the leadership of Saudi kings. This included increasing the height of the building, the construction of four minarets, redoing the ceiling, and putting red artificial stone and red marble on the floor. In particular, the Mas’a gallery was connected with the mosque by roofing and with other parts by enclosures. However, this next stage of renovation completely eradicated several architectural elements which were of historical significance, specifically the supporting pillars of Ottoman civilization.
It was a bloody year when on November 20, 1979, militant fanatical muslims occupied the Great Mosque to incite the overthrow of the Saudi Arabian dynasty. The residence of the Siamese delegation inside this mosque, its subsequent bombardment, hostages’ seizure, and the deaths of several hundreds of people came as a specific traumatizing experience for the Islamic population for several reasons: first, the mosque; second, non-permissiveness of fighting in mosques in Islam.
King Fahd’s second phase of expansion added more features and doubled up the seating capacity of the mosque. A new wing for the prayer was created along with an outside prayer.chapel opens through the King Fahd Gate. These extensions were put up between the years 1982 and 1988.
From 1987-2005, more minarets were added and on the portion of the mosque, king’s house overlooking the mosque and other prayer areas added within or around this mosque. All these were being made alongside additions and expansions in Arafat, Mina, and Muzdalifah. Newfangled eighteen gates, along with three domes and almost five hundred marble columns have also been provided to the construction of the mosque. Other additional facilities which were included within this period included under floor heating, air conditioning, escalators, and a proper drainage system.
One of the features that can be highlighted as a specific characteristic of King Fahd’s expansion is six prayer halls specifically designed for persons with disabilities. These halls have provision for ramps for wheelchair bound people, pathways, and free electric and manual trolleys for their use.
King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz in 2008 launched a mega construction project of the Great Mosque. Land was purchased to the north and north west of the site, approximately 300,000 meters. It entails construction of a Multipurpose Mosque with enhanced accommodation facilities of the increasing population of worshippers thus costing 40 billion Saudi Riyals (US$10. 6 billion).
More information was revealed in August, 2011 about the four leveled extension on the north side, staircases and passages, gate at the plaza level to be Abdullah’s gate and additional two minarets. This expansion sought to create places for 1. 2 Million worshiper-Capacity increased more than three fold than the existing capacity of the Masjid.
King Salman, Abdullah’s successor, has taken the process forward in 2015 that has initiated five megaprojects of 456 thousand square meters. The Saudi Binladin group conducted all these initiatives. Furthermore the construction of the mosque was accompanied by the Abraj Al Bait complex and the Makkah Royal Clock Tower ‘the tallest building in the world’ measuring 601 meters was also constructed in 2012.
However, the said project encountered a major blow in September 2015 when a crane accident which caused over one hundred fatalities and many more injuries occurred. Criticisms arose from the fact that construction was temporarily frozen and bad financial circumstances owing to a glut in the demand for oil. Nevertheless, the progress of development was resumed in September, 2017 that indicates the continuation of the growing process of the mosque.
