The faith of up to 1.8 billion people, roughly a quarter of the world’s population, dictates each one of them pray five times a day in the direction of a small, cubic building in Saudi Arabia. This ...

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Around 2 million Muslims from around the world are beginning the five-day hajj pilgrimage on Saturday. They will circle Islam’s most sacred site, the cube-shaped ...

Over 2 million Muslims from around the world are beginning the five-day hajj pilgrimage on Sunday. They will circle Islam’s most sacred site, the cube-shaped Kaaba in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca, ...

MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — As a child, Osama al-Bar would walk from his home past Islam’s holiest site, the Kaaba, to the market of spice and fabric merchants where his father owned a store. At that ...

He said the ritual usually takes an hour. Before leading his guests into the Kaaba, Prince Khaled al-Faisal, appointed Mecca governor last year, and his guests circled the cube seven times. Some ...

As a child, Osama al-Bar would walk from his home past Islam's holiest site, the Kaaba, to the market of spice and fabric merchants where his father owned a store. At that time, Mecca was so small, ...