What are the three holy mosques in Islam?

The three holy mosques in Islam are Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, the Prophet's Mosque (Masjid an-Nabawi) in Medina, and Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. They are the only mosques the Prophet ﷺ named as worth a special journey, and prayer in them carries extra reward.

Why these three?

Every mosque is a house of Allah, and you can pray in any of them. But the Prophet ﷺ singled out three: "Do not set out on a journey except to three mosques: al-Masjid al-Haram, this mosque of mine, and al-Masjid al-Aqsa" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1189). Each one is tied to a major chapter of the story of the prophets, from Abraham and Ishmael to David, Solomon, Jesus and Muhammad ﷺ.

سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِۦ لَيْلًا مِّنَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ إِلَى ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْأَقْصَا ٱلَّذِى بَـٰرَكْنَا حَوْلَهُۥ "Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed." Quran 17:1

1. Masjid al-Haram, Mecca

This is the Great Mosque around the Kaaba, the direction every Muslim faces in prayer. When the Prophet ﷺ was asked which mosque was built first on earth, he said al-Masjid al-Haram, then al-Masjid al-Aqsa, forty years later (Sahih al-Bukhari 3366). It is the centre of Hajj and Umrah. See What is Umrah?

2. The Prophet's Mosque, Medina

The Prophet ﷺ helped build this mosque with his own hands after the migration to Medina, and he is buried right next to it. He said a prayer in his mosque is better than a thousand prayers elsewhere, except Masjid al-Haram (Sahih al-Bukhari 1190). Visiting it is not part of Hajj, but most pilgrims go there before or after.

3. Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem

Al-Aqsa was the first qibla: the early Muslims faced Jerusalem for about sixteen or seventeen months before the direction changed to Mecca (Sahih al-Bukhari 40). It is also where the Night Journey ended before the Prophet ﷺ ascended to the heavens. See What is Isra and Mi'raj?

What this means for you

You don't have to visit any of them to be a good Muslim, apart from Hajj once in a lifetime if you are able. Your local mosque, your living room and your office floor are all valid places to pray. Still, many converts find it moving to learn that the same mosques honoured by Abraham and Jesus are honoured in Islam too. If you hope to go one day, see Can I visit Mecca as a new Muslim?

Key points

The three holy mosques are in Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem.
They are the only mosques worth a special journey for worship.
Prayer in Mecca and Medina carries multiplied reward.
Al-Aqsa was the first qibla and the destination of the Night Journey.

Tip: Learn the order with a simple line: "Mecca first, Medina second, Jerusalem third." It matches how most scholars rank them in virtue.