Holiest sites in Islam

All Muslims agree that the three holiest sites, in descending order, are Masjid al-Haram (including the Kaaba) in Mecca, the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, and Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Beyond this shared consensus across Sunni and Shia traditions, the two branches place varying degrees of religious and devotional importance on other sites.

In Sunni Islam, sites related to Muhammad's companions, certain mosques, and the graves of the founders of the Sunni schools, have spiritual significance. However, attitudes toward shrine pilgrimage vary among different Sunni schools.

In Shia Islam, sites associated with the Imamate hold an extremely high level of significance. Holy cities such as Najaf, Karbala, Mashhad, Samarra, Kadhimiya, Kufa, and Qom are major pilgrimage centers. The shrines of the Shia Imams are central to Shia devotional life and are visited by millions of pilgrims annually. Additionally, many Sunnis revere the Shia Imams, mainly because of their familial connection to the Prophet or their significance in Islamic history, and may visit their shrines out of respect and love.