Ramadan 2026 (1447 AH) – Great Mosques of the World
Every year in Ramadan, we like to reflect on how travel enhances our faith. One of the great joys of travelling is being able to reinforce our connection to the Ummah by joining the jamaat to pray in one of the world’s great mosques.
"Say, [O Muhammad], 'Travel through the land and see how He originated the creation'" [Surah Al-Ankabut, 29:20]
Eyüp Sultan Mosque, Istanbul
Istanbul is home to many mosques which testify to the splendour of the Ottoman Empire, including the Süleymaniye Mosque, masterpiece of the great architect, Sinan; and Sultan Ahmet Mosque, commonly known as the Blue Mosque after its iconic tiles.
However, the most sacred mosque in Istanbul is Eyüp Sultan Mosque, close to the Golden Horn, named after Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (RA), the companion and standard-bearer of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). He took part in the famous battles of Badr and Uhud and died here during the first siege of Constantinople. His mausoleum is in the courtyard of the mosque.
Al Masjid an-Nabawi, Madinah
The second holiest site in Islam was built by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and stands on the site of his home. It is also the place where he is buried. Its stunning courtyard with its iconic umbrellas and vibrant green dome, impart a serene and spiritual atmosphere.
During Ramadan, before and after Maghrib, the streets of Madinah are crowded with Muslims making duas. Local helpers clean and decorate the mosque and equip it with essential supplies. They prepare Iftar tables with dates, rice, meat, juices, coffee, tea, and Zam Zam water inside and outside the mosque. The poor and needy are also invited, which strengthens the sense of companionship and brotherhood among people.
Madinah is home to many of the most important sites of the seerah. Masjid Quba was the first place of worship in Islam, built shortly after the hijrah from Makkah to Madinah in 1 AH (622 CE). Around 4 km from the Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah, the original construct was built with mud bricks and date palm trunks.
Whilst in Madinah, you should also visit Masjid Qiblatain, also known as the Mosque of the Two Qiblas, it is where the Qibla was shifted from Al Quds (Jerusalem) to Makkah in 2 AH. During prayer, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was commanded by a Quranic revelation to change direction to the Kaaba in Makkah. All the Sahaba immediately followed suit. It is one of the few mosques in the world to have contained two mihrabs (niches indicating the qibla) facing in different directions.
Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakech
The Koutoubia mosque takes its name from the booksellers, who once surrounded it. Its distinctive red minaret towers over the old medina of Marrakech, at a height of almost 70 metres. Its intricate design is a reminder of the close ties between this region and the golden age of al-Andalus in what is now Spain’s Andalusia.
First commissioned in 1157 by the Almohad Sultan and Caliph Abd al-Mu’min, it is every bit as impressive as the Giralda, originally built as the minaret of the Great Mosque of Seville, one of the finest examples of Moorish architecture remaining in Spain.
If you are blessed enough to visit during Ramadan, you can join the throng of worshippers for Taraweeh prayers, often spilling out to the surrounding streets, with prayers from the mosque being relayed over a loudspeaker to those standing outside.
Masjid al-Haram, Makkah
There can be no more fitting way to end our Ramadan series of great mosques of the world than by focusing on Masjid al-Haram, also known as the Great Mosque of Makkah, the most sacred mosque of Islam.
It surrounds the Kaaba, which is the focal point, the Qibla, which all of us throughout the world face when we pray. It is also the world’s largest mosque, currently undergoing its most extensive expansion ever, which will allow it to accommodate over 2 million worshippers at one time, and improve comfort and accessibility. It has 13 minarets, the first of which was erected in 139 AH and over 210 wooden gates, adorned with intricate copper motifs.
If you haven’t yet visited and seen it for yourself, why not make this the year to plan an independent Umrah? It’s become so much easier now that you can get your visa and make all of your travel arrangements online. If you want to have a view of the Haram, or even the Kaaba itself from your hotel room, simply use our unique filters to select your hotel.
