What Is Hajj and Why Do Muslims Go to Mecca
Mecca stands as the beating heart of the Islamic world, revered for over fourteen centuries as the holiest city in Islam. It is the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad and the site where Muslims believe the angel Gabriel revealed the words of the Quran to him — revelations that became the foundation of one of the world’s largest faiths. Since that moment in the 7th century, Mecca has remained the most important religious center for Muslims everywhere, and every year millions journey to its sacred grounds to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, one of Islam’s five essential pillars.