Kaaba
The Kaaba, also known as the Kaba, is a cube-shaped structure located at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and is the holiest site in Islam. It serves as the focal point for Muslim prayer and rituals, embodying centuries of religious significance. Believed to have been built by the prophets Adam and Ibrahim (Abraham), the Kaaba is said to replicate a celestial temple where angels worship God. The structure has undergone numerous renovations and reconstructions throughout history, particularly after sustaining damage from natural disasters and invasions.
Muslims from around the world aspire to undertake the pilgrimage known as hajj at least once in their lifetime, during which they perform a series of rituals, including circling the Kaaba seven times counterclockwise. The building is covered by a black cloth called the kiswa, adorned with gold Arabic inscriptions, which is replaced annually. While the interior remains inaccessible to non-Muslims, it is described as having marble walls and a limestone floor. The Kaaba features a significant black rock, believed by Muslims to signify God's covenant, and acts as a central point in their acts of worship, emphasizing their devotion to Allah.
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Kaaba
The Kaaba, also known as the Kaba, Ka'bah, or Ka'aba, is a building that is considered the most sacred space on earth for Muslims. Shaped like a cube, the Kaaba is found at the Grand Mosque at Mecca and is at the center of Muslim rituals that are centuries old. The size and even the shape of the building have changed over the years as it has fallen victim to age and attack, but it is still revered because Muslims believe it was built and rebuilt by several generations of prophets. It is the desire of devout Muslims to make at least one pilgrimage, or hajj, to the Grand Mosque to see and walk around the Kaaba.
Background
Kaaba is derived from an Arabic word for "cube." However, the name in Arabic more literally refers to a high place worthy of prestige and respect. The Kaaba is also sometimes referred to as Baitul Ateeq, which means "earliest and ancient" or "independent and liberating." Muslims believe that it was built as a house of worship by Adam, the first man made by Allah, or God. It is said to replicate a temple in heaven where the angels worship God. Later, it was rebuilt by Ibrahim (also known as Abraham) and his son, Ismail (Ishmael). The Jewish and Christian Bibles both mention Abraham building several altars; in the Muslim Scriptures, the Qur'an, Allah directs Ibrahim to build one of these altars at a site at Mecca that will be the center of worship for the faithful.
According to Islamic tradition, the Kaaba was originally a rectangular structure with slightly irregular walls, with the long walls measuring between 46.6 and 48.5 feet (about 14 to 15 meters) and the short walls between 30 and 33 feet (about 9 to 10 meters). It is built on a site where Muslims believe Ismail and his mother, Hagar, rested and were miraculously provided with water while fleeing in the desert.
In the center of the Kaaba is a large black rock said to have been placed there by Ibrahim and Ismail as a sign of God's covenant that Ismail would be a ruler of twelve princes. Scientists have determined that the rock is a meteorite. The building itself has been damaged and rebuilt at least five times, and at one time, the black stone was shattered into pieces by an invading army. The pieces were recovered and placed back together inside a silver form that holds the rock in place.
The prophet Muhammad was also part of one of the reconstructions. Before he was known as a prophet, the Kaaba was damaged by a flood. The four tribes that were responsible for its reconstruction could not agree on who should have the honor of replacing the stone. An older person suggested that the first man to enter the mosque in the morning should decide. Muhammad was the first person to enter and proposed that the rock be carried in a cloak held by a leader from each tribe. Muhammad himself put the stone in its place.
It was also during this reconstruction that the Kaaba changed from a rectangular to a cube shape. The tribes had decided that no money gained from illicit sources such as gambling or prostitution could be used to construct such a holy site. When the tribes did not have enough untainted money, they shortened its length from a rectangle rather than use money from unsavory sources.
The most recent reconstruction took place in 1996. While this rebuild left some of the original stones, most of the building is now made of contemporary materials. Caretakers hope that this will help the structure stand for many more years.
Overview
Conflicting reports about the exact size of the Kaaba after its last reconstruction leave some doubt about its dimensions. The Kaaba is said to be between 40 and 60 feet tall (12 to 18 meters) with sides of approximately 36 to 42 feet (11 to 13 meters) in length. It is made of granite from the hills of the surrounding countryside but is nearly always covered with a black cloth embellished with Arabic inscriptions in gold. This cloth, called a kiswa, is replaced annually.
The descriptions of the inside of the building cannot be confirmed. Non-Muslims are not allowed inside, and the building itself is no longer open to the public; only select dignitaries are allowed in on special occasions. However, it has been described by those who have been inside as having marble walls lined with plaques commemorating those who helped rebuild it over the centuries, a limestone floor, and a wood ceiling. The ceiling is supported by two to three pillars, and lanterns hanging from the ceiling provide light because the interior of the Kaaba has no electricity. The building can hold about fifty people. The Kaaba originally had two doors and one window; now, a single door remains. Outside, a low wall called the Hateem marks the original dimensions of the building from Muhammad's time, when insufficient funds to rebuild it to full size required changes to reconstruction work.
Observant Muslims face Mecca five times a day to pray and are thus facing the Kaaba. They are not worshiping the building, but rather they are using it as a focal point for their worship of Allah. The heart of the building is the black rock that Muslims believe was placed there by the father of their faith, Ibrahim.
Muslims observe the Five Pillars, or guiding principles, of their faith. These include prayer, worship, and almsgiving. One of the five pillars of Islam is the hajj—the pilgrimage to Mecca and the Kaaba—that devout Muslims are called upon to try to make during their lifetime. Pilgrims come on a daily basis to complete this obligation. Once a year, near the holiday Eid al-Adha, many tens of thousands of faithful Muslims travel to the mosque at Mecca and the Kaaba.
During the hajj, the pilgrims, mostly wearing white, will walk in a counterclockwise circle around the Kaaba seven times. This is said to replicate the way the angels circle the original Kaaba temple in heaven. As they pass, those who are able will try to touch the black stone, which has been worn smooth from many centuries of such contact by pilgrims.
Bibliography
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