The Kaaba

The Kaaba in Mecca is Baitullah (The House of Allah (swt)). It is square building made of stone 60 feet long, 60 feet wide, 60 feet high. The prophet Adam (AS) was ordered by Allah (swt) to make a place for worship and Allah (swt) sent down the angel Gabril (Jibril (AS)) who lay the foundations at this precise place. Then they made tawaf (went round the Kaaba seven times in an anti-clockwise direction). The Kaaba is the exact replicate of a house of worship to Allah (swt) on the seventh heaven (Bait-ul-Mamur) where 70,000 angels do tawaf seven times and leave only to be replaced by another 70,000 angels. There are so many angels that an angel will not get a turn to do tawaf again (till the Day of Judgement is here).

There are certain points on the Earth where Allah (swt)’s blessings are directed like a conduit, as the Kaaba is directly below Bait-ul-Mamur (in the 7th Heaven) this is the main one. The prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that a prayer at the Kaaba is rewarded 100,000 times more than elsewhere in the world (except the Prophet’s masjid in Medina), also every prophet has made tawaf around the Kaaba.

Narated By Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "One prayer in my Mosque is better than one thousand prayers in any other mosque excepting Al-Masjid-Al-Haram." Sahih Bukhari Volume 002, Book 021, Hadith Number 282

Narrated that Jaabir said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘One prayer offered in al-Masjid al-Haraam is better than one hundred thousand prayers offered elsewhere.’ (Ahmad (14284) and Ibn Maajah (1406); Al-Haafiz said: the men of its isnaad are thiqaat (trustworthy). It was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 1129)

The tawaf is done anti-clockwise which is the natural order of the universe, the Earth rotates anti-clockwise on it’s axis, the Earth revolves around the Sun anti-clockwise, the Sun rotates anti-clockwise on it’s axis and electrons of an atom revolve around it’s nucleus in the same manner (anti-clockwise).

Allah (swt) instructed prophet Abrahim (Ibrahim (AS)) and his first son, prophet Ishmael (Ishma’il (AS)) to build the Kaaba on the foundations set by prophet Adam(AS) and the angel Gabril (Jibril (AS)), a stone with the foot print of the prophet Abrahim (AS) is located near the door of the Kaaba. In one corner (the Eastern corner) of the Kaaba there is the Black stone (Hajar al Aswad) which is a stone from the heavens.

Narated By 'Abis bin Rabia: 'Umar came near the Black Stone and kissed it and said "No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit anyone nor harm anyone. Had I not seen Allah's Apostle kissing you I would not have kissed you." Sahih Bukhari Volume 002, Book 026, Hadith Number 667

Do muslims worship a black cube building is a question some people think, well the answer is no, muslims worship the one and only god Allah (swt) and not the Kaaba. The Kaaba is the qibla (direction to which a muslim faces five times a day to pray to Allah (swt)), muslims can even stand on the Kaaba and pray. Bilal(RA) companion of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was instructed by the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to climb up the wall of the Kaaba and give the call to prayer (the Azan).

And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of al-masjid-al-haram (at the Kaaba), and wheresoever you are, turn your faces towards it (when you pray) so that men may have no argument against you except those of them that are wrong-doers, so fear them not, but fear Me! – And so that I may complete My Blessings on you and that you may be guided.
(Quran, Surah Al-Baqara, Chapter 2, Verse 150).

1. Hajarul-Aswad, "the Black Stone", is located in the Kaaba's eastern corner.
2. The entrance is a door set 2.13 m (7 ft) above the ground on the north-eastern wall of the Kaaba, which acts as the facade.
3. Rainwater spout made of gold. This was added in the rebuilding of 1627 after the previous year's rain caused three of the four walls to collapse.
4. Gutter, also added in 1627 to protect the foundation from groundwater.
5. Hatim, a low wall originally part of the Kaaba. It is a semi-circular wall opposite, but not connected to, the north-west wall of the Kaaba known as the hatīm. This is 90 cm (35 in) in height and 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in width, and is composed of white marble. At one time the space lying between the hatim and the Kaaba belonged to the Kaaba itself, and for this reason it is not entered during the tawaf.
6. Al-Multazam, the part of the wall between the Black Stone and the entry door.
7. The Station of Abraham, a glass and metal enclosure with what is said to be an imprint of Abraham's foot.
8. Corner of the Black Stone (East).
9. Corner of Yemen (South-West).
10. Corner of Syria (North-West).
11. Corner of Iraq (North-East).
12. Kiswa, the embroidered covering. Kiswa is a black silk and gold curtain which is replaced annually during the Hajj pilgrimage.
13. Marble stripe marking the beginning and end of each circumambulation.
14. The station of Gabriel.