w/c 13th JuneIslam – Special Places -Mecca

Knowledge Recall!

What are the Five Pillars of Islam?

Today we are focusing on…

The fifth pillar - HajjPilgrimage

Where is Mecca?

Mecca, also spelled Makkah, is a city in Saudi Arabia.

Can you find it in the Atlas / using Google Maps?

Mecca

Mecca

Why is Mecca a sacred place for Muslims?

• Mecca is the birthplace of prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

• In the centre of the mosque in Mecca, is the cube-shaped building called a Kaaba (Ka'bah) is found.

• All Muslims face the direction of the Kaaba during ritual prayer (Salat).

• Every Muslim family, no matter where they live, knows what direction the Kaaba is from their house.

The Kaaba• Muslims believe that the Kaaba is

the holiest place on earth. It is generally thought to have been built by Prophet Abraham.

• It is used only as a focal point for prayer (not worshiped) and simply signifies a direction, imposed by God to maintain unity and uniformity among worshipers.

• The Kaaba is draped with a black cloth, which is covered with verses from the Qur’an that are embroidered in gold and silver thread.

The Hajj Ceremony

Pilgrims wear simple white clothes called Ihram. They perform different rituals for five days.The final part of the ritual is visiting the Kaaba.A Muslim walks seven times, in a clockwise direction, around the Kaaba and then he or she kisses and touches the Black Stone.Muslims believe the prophet Mohammad once kissed the stone. If they are unable to, they simply point to it every time they pass on their seven-circle journey around the Kaaba.https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=video+showing+mecca+hajj&&view=detail&mid=EE2F413D5BBA8C327EC3EE2F413D5BBA8C327EC3&&FORM=VRDGAR

Your TaskUsing the given word bank, write a paragraph to explain why Mecca is a sacred

place for Muslims.

You might have a family member who has been there or you may have been there yourself – you could write about their / your experience.