Virtues of Makkah – pt1

The virtues of Makkah hold a special place in the hearts of Muslims around the world. As the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and the site of the sacred Kaaba, Makkah is a city of immense spiritual significance. This article explores the unique blessings, status, and rewards associated with this holy city according to the Qur’an and Hadith.

Virtues of Makkah According to Hadith

1. Rasullullah (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) stated in a Hadith- “The best and the most beloved city on the face of this earth to Allah is Makkah.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
2. Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) stated: “The earth was rolled out from Makkah. Allah stretched (the earth) from underneath it. Thus it is called the mother of all cities.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
3. Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) stated: “The best, purest, holiest and closest spot to Allah, is the place between the Marwah and the Maqam.” (Sahih Bukhari , Sunan Ibn Majah)
4. “The best valley on the face of this earth is the valley of lbrahim (alaihis salaam).” (Sahih Bukhari, Sunan Tirmizi)
5. “The best well on the face of this earth is the well of Zamzam.” (Sahih Muslim)

Spiritual Virtues of Makkah in Islam

1. While departing from Makkah, Rasullullah (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) halted on a plateau, faced the Qibla and said: “By Allah! You are the most beloved portion of Allah’s earth to me, and verily you are the most beloved portion of the earth to Allah too. Verily you are the best, spot on the face of the earth. And the most beloved to Allah. If your people did not expel me, I would not have departed from you.” (Al-Muatta)
2. “There is no city on earth to which all the prophets, the angels, the holy messengers and all the pious servants of Allah, who reside in the heavens and on earth, including the jinn, flocked to, except Makkah.” (Sunan Ibn Majah)
3. “Each pious deed performed therein is multiplied a hundred thousand fold.” (Sunan Abu Dawud)
4. “There is no city on earth through which Allah multiplies one good deed by a hundred thousand except Makkah.” (Sahih Bukhari , lbn Hibban)
5. Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) stated: “The space between the Ruknul Yamani and the Hajre Aswad is a garden from the gardens of Jannah.” (Sahih Muslim, Sunan Tirmizi)

Blessings of Living in Makkah

1. “Anyone who falls ill in Makkah for one day, Allah renders his body and his flesh haram (forbidden) from the fire of Jahannam.” (Sahih Bukhari)
2. “Anyone who endures the heat of Makkah with patience for an hour of the day, Allah will distance that person from the fire of Jahannam by a distance of a journey of five hundred years and bring him closer to Jannah by a distance of a journey of two hundred years. Indeed Makkah and Madinah eject any impurities within them like flames eject rust from iron. Understand carefully! Difficulties and calamities abounded in Makkah right from its inception. Great stages are realised by enduring these difficulties.” (Sahih Muslim)
3. “Anyone who endures any difficulty experienced in Makkah (with patience), I will intercede and bear witness for him on the day of Qiyamat.” (Sunan ibn Majah)
4. Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) stated: “Anyone who falls ill in Makkah for one day, Allah records for that person the rewards of having done good deeds equivalent to sixty years worship in any other place.” (Muatta)

Rewards of Praying in Masjid Haram Makkah

1. “Whosoever offers a salat therein, then that salat is enhanced a hundred thousand fold over.” (Sahih Muslim / Sunan Nisai)
2. “The salat offered in Musjid-ul-Haram is increased by a hundred thousand salaah. For verily one obtains one hundred and fifty million (150 000 000) rewards for a salaah offered therein.” (Sahih Bukhari , Sahih Muslim)
3. “Anyone who offers salah behind the Maqam has attained safety.” (Sahih Bukhari, Sunan Nisai)
4. “There is no city on the face of this earth in which a person offers a salah in accordance with a command which Allah issued to his Nabi Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam except Makkah.” (Sunan Ibn Majah)
5. “The most beloved spot to Allah is the area between the Maqam-e-lbrahim and the Multazam.” (Sunan Tirmizi , Abu Dawud)

Rewards of Good Deeds in Makkah

1. “Whosoever gives one dirham therein in charity, Allah writes for him the reward of having spent a hundred thousand dirhams in charity.” (Ibn Abi Zubair in the Jamul Latif from Sunan Tirmizi)
2. “Anyone who completes the recitation of the full Qur’an once therein, Allah records for him the reward of a hundred thousand recitations.” (Baihaqi , lbn Majah)
3. “Whosoever glorifies Allah once therein, for him is recorded the rewards of having glorified Allah a hundred thousand times elsewhere. Every good deed which a servant enacts in the haram is equivalent to a hundred thousand deeds enacted elsewhere.” (Sunan Nasai)

Other Ahadith on the Virtues of Makkah

1. “The first mountain that was placed on the earth was Abu Qubais.” (Ibn Abi Shiba, Ibn Abi Hatim and Dailmi from Ibn Abbas.) (Abu Qubais is the name of a mountain near Makkah.)
2. “The angels were the first beings to circumambulate around the sacred house, two thousand years before Allah created Adam.” (Ibn Abi Duniya from Anas lbn Abi Shiba from lbn Abass/ Shafi from Ka-ab Alqirti)
3. “Around the Ka’bah lies the graves of three hundred prophets.” (Sahih Muslim / Bayhaqi)
4. “It is not known of any other city from which Allah will, on the day of Qiyamah, resurrect as many Ambiya, Allah-fearing souls, pious people, truthful ones, martyrs, religious people, Ulama, jurists, sages, ascetics, devotees, pilgrims, chosen ones and mystics, both males and females as Makkah. Verily they will be resurrected in a state wherein they will be safe from Allah’s punishment.” (Sahih Bukhari , Sahih Muslim)
5. Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) stated: “A person who passed away while performing the hajj or umrah will not be questioned (in the qabr) nor will any reckoning be taken from him (on the day of Qiyamah). He will be told: “Enter Jannah in peace with those who have attained salvation.” (Bayhaqi)
6. Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) stated:”Anyone who observes the fasts of the month of Ramadan in Makkah, Allah records for him the reward of a hundred thousand months of fasting in any other city.” (Sunan Ibn Majah)
7. “For verily, anyone who touches the Hajre Aswad is cleansed of his sins just as he was on the day his mother gave birth to him.” (Musnad lmam Ahmad)
8. “There is no city in the world in which one finds an object, which when touched by any human being, cleanses him of his sins and leaves him in the same state as he was on the day his mother gave birth to him, except Makkah.” (Muatta)

Source: Al Islaah publications

Why Makkah is Sacred in Islam

The city of Makkah holds unmatched spiritual and historical significance in Islam. It is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and home to the Kaaba—the first house of worship built for the One true God, by Ibrahim (a.s). Muslims around the world face the Kaaba in prayer, making it the Qibla (direction of prayer) for over a billion believers. The city is mentioned repeatedly in the Qur’an and Hadith for its virtues. Makkah is also the destination for Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, making it a central place of worship, unity, and divine blessing in Islam. Umrah is also performed year round by Muslims in Makkah so it truly is the City that never sleeps, as someone is always engaging in Salaah, Tawaaf, Zikr, Tilawat of the Qur’an at all times of night or day!