The history of Kaaba plays a vital role in Islamic culture as it teaches Muslims to live with unity and believe in one God. Kaaba is a black stone building in a square shape situated in the Masjid al-Haram in the holy city of Mecca. Kaaba is considered as a sacred site in Islam where the pilgrims visit to perform prayers of Hajj and Umrah. The masjid where the Kaaba is situated is a religious place that is quite important in Islam. During the season of Hajj, the crowd of pilgrims is evidence of how much the history of Kaaba means to the Muslims.
Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam which is obligatory for every Muslim to perform at least once in their lifetime if their physical and financial capability allows them. The significance of Kaaba in Islam is a lot meaningful. This is why, the pilgrims from all over the world travel to Kaaba to perform this holy act of worship. Moving forward, the article explains a detailed history of Kaaba and the evolution of Kaaba over the years.
Significance of Kaaba in Islam
The black cubical building inside the grand mosque is Kaaba. Kaaba history Islam says that it is considered as the holiest place. People also call this sacred site bayt Allah, i.e., the house of God. Other than that, the significance of Kaaba in Islam has so much to do with faith, unity, and forming a connection with Allah. There are many reasons why the Black Stone Kaaba history is so important for Muslims. Considering the history of Kaaba, the following reasons are:
1- It is the Direction of Prayer
In the history of Kaaba, Muslims consider the site as the qibla, known as the direction they follow while performing the 5 prayers of the day. It was chosen to be the focal direction that every Muslim has to follow when they are offering prayers. The reason behind that was to prevent them from offering prayers in different directions. It shows in Islam that the devotees are showing faith in Allah by honouring him.
2- Situated in the Centre of the World
Mecca is the centre of the world and Kaaba is situated at the centre of the Masjid al-Haram. The legend has it that the Kaaba is the first place created by Allah. Thus, bowing down is a symbol of respecting the sacred place.
3- Symbolises Allah
The Black Stone Kaaba history shows that it is the house of Allah and all the pilgrims from all over the world circle around Kaaba while performing Hajj and Umrah. Tawaf is one of the main rituals of Umrah which is circling around Kaaba. Doing so around the Black Stone is an essential ritual that symbolises one God which is Allah.
4- It is the Main Part of the Pilgrimage
The history of Kaaba shows that this black cube is the focal point of the masjid al-haram. In the Islamic tradition, the pilgrims circle around the place in an anticlockwise direction. When the pilgrims visit the mosque for the annual Hajj prayer, they must perform this ritual otherwise the journey will be incomplete.
5- Kaaba has the Sacred Black Stone
The history of Kaaba says that the sacred Black Stone is placed here. People believe that when God banished Adam from heaven, he gave him this stone to wash off his sins. The legend has it that the stone was initially white but after people touched it and kissed the stone, it turned black by absorbing people’s sins. Since then, people who circle around the Kaaba are required to touch, kiss, or point at it if they can’t reach it as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did the same. Also, it is a symbol of paying respects and asking forgiveness for their sins.
History and Evolution of Kaaba
The history of Kaaba shows that this sacred Islamic place came into existence in the pre-Islamic era. According to the holy book Quran, it is believed that Abraham and his son Ismail built the Kaaba. Earlier, the structure of Kaaba was roofless and rectangular in shape. It is also a Muslim belief that the angel Gabriel presented Abraham with the sacred Black Stone to use in the construction of the holy Kaaba.
Kaaba history Islam says that later when the Quraish tribe ruled over Mecca around 603 C.E., they reconstructed Kaaba using masonry and wood. They also installed a door placed a few feet above the ground level to protect the shrine from intruder attacks and prevent floods from clogging the entrance.
Somewhere around 630 C.E., another evolution of Kaaba happened when Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, returned to Mecca, Kaaba became a focal point of Muslim worship. Since then, many pilgrims come to visit this shrine to pray. Muhammad also cleansed the shrine and in 632 C.E., he finished the pilgrimage and made the rites. It was also the year of his demise.
The Black Stone Kaaba History Over the Years
After Muhammad established the rites of the pilgrimage, many attempts were made to ruin and steal the Black Stone. The history of Kaaba says that in 683 C.E., the Umayyads caused a fire. It was the first siege of the holy city of Mecca. Later, the Qarmatians stole the sacred Black Stone and held it with them for around 20 years for ransom. Moving forward, flood destroyed the surroundings of the mosque and during 1631 C.E., the mosque’s surroundings were rebuilt.
How does it Look Today?
The current structure of today compared to Kaaba history Islam has changed a lot. Now, the mosque has a wide open space with pillars on the four sides. In addition, the mosque also has seven minarets. It contains the highest number of minarets in the world, which any mosque contains.
During 1950 C.E., the Government of Saudi Arabia made several modifications in Mecca. This is done to ensure that the pilgrims who visit the city for Hajj and Umrah can be accommodated easily. Now, Kaaba is stretched into quite a large area which is about 627 square feet. Also, the walls are around 43 feet wide from each side. Moreover, the Kaaba is covered in “kiswah” which is a large brocade cloth.
