Why Should you Visit Mecca

3. Mecca in the Muslim religion
The two main branches of Islam, Sunni and Shiite, consider this city holy, since it is the hometown of the prophet of Islam and refers to the period before the schism.
Mecca is a fundamental center of Muslim religious life. One of the five pillars of Islam stipulates that every believer must make a pilgrimage to Mecca, if he has the means. This pilgrimage is called hajj (or hadj, according to the spelling). Every year, 2.5 million Muslims gather in Mecca to perform hajj during the month of dhu alhijja. A much larger number makes the minor pilgrimage (ummra), which can be performed at any time of the year, but especially during Ramadan.