Mecca, in a desert valley in western Saudi Arabia, is Islam’s holiest city, as it’s the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and the faith itself. Only Muslims are allowed in the city, with millions arriving for the annual Hajj (pilgrimage). Dating from the 7th century, the central Masjid al-Haram (Sacred Mosque) surrounds the Kaaba, the cloth-covered cubic structure that’s Islam’s most sacred shrine.Muslim pilgrims perform the Umrah at the Holy Kaaba, as they start arriving to perform the annual Haj at the Grand Mosque, in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, June 25, 2023. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany