“Masjid al-Haram, located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is the holiest site in Islam. It surrounds the Kaaba, the direction (qibla) towards which Muslims around the world pray. According to Islamic tradition, the Kaaba was originally built by the prophets Ibrahim (Abraham) and his son Ismail (Ishmael) on the instructions of Allah. Over time, the Kaaba became a central place of worship for various tribes and underwent several reconstructions."