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According to the teachings of Islam, the Kaaba (Ka'abah, Ka'ba, Ka'bah) was originally built by Adam and later reconstructed by Ibrahim and Ismail. The Kaaba was the first house of worship built for Muslims and was the holiest place in Islam. The Kaaba was the focal point of Muslim prayers. All Muslims worldwide turn to this cube shaped structure (Kaaba was Arabic for cube) based in the city of Makkah (Mecca) in their five daily prayers. Over the years, the Kaaba has been reconstructed or renovated several times. The Masjid al Haram mosque was build around the Kaaba. A large masonry building fifty feet high, thirty five feet wide and forty feet long, the Kaaba was covered with the kiswa (a black silk cloth with gold-embroidered calligraphy that was replaced every year. The interior of the Kaaba has a marble floor, a cross beam from which lamps hung, a small table for incense burners, green cloth covering the top part of the walls decorated with gold embroidered Quranic verses, and marble inlaid with Quranic inscription tablets on the lower part of the walls. Al-Hajarul Aswad (The Black Stone), one of the holiest relics of Islam, was the cornerstone of one of the four corners of the Kaaba. Muslims believe that the stone was found by Ibrahim and his son Ismail when they were collecting stones to build the Kabaa. In 930 CE, the stone broke apart into several pieces when it was stolen by Ismaili warriors who had pillaged Makkah (Mecca).
Twenty-two years later it
was returned. Silver nails were used to fasten the broken pieces to the stone. Muslims believed that the stone was
worthy enough to serve as a cornerstone for the Kaaba. The black stone, which was about 50
cm in diameter was surrounded by a silver band.
Some Muslims view the stone as nothing more than a stone. Some Muslims believe that during the time of Adam, the stone fell like a meteorite from the sky bringing with it a powerful purity that could cleanse the faithful of their sins. Originally thought to be dazzling white in colour, the stone turned black after absorbing sins for long period of time. Some Muslims think that the stone can only eradicate minor sins, and, that the stone will give favorable testimony on Judgement Day to Allah about those who have kissed it. The second Caliph kissed the stone before the assembly stating that he had also seen Allah's Messenger kissing the stone. During Hajj pilgrims perform the ritual of tawaf where the pilgrims circle the Kaaba seven times in a counterclockwise direction. Most Hajj pilgrims nowadays are not able to get close enough to touch or kiss the stone and must hail Al Hajarul-Aswad (Hajar el Aswad) solemnly from a distance when they perform. Makkah al-Mukarramah is located 73 kilometers inland from Jaddah in the historic Hijaz region in the Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. Makkah al-Mukarramah (Makkah, Mecca), the capital city of the Makkah province, is revered as the holiest site of Islam. All Muslims who can afford to go are required to make a pilgrimage there. In the 1980's, the government of Saudi Arabia changed the official spelling of the city's name from Mecca to Makkah. They did so because the word Mecca, which is a transliteration of the original Arabic, became part of the English language and over time took on other meanings such as any gathering place where multitudes of people who shared a common interest congregated. Making a pilgrimage to Makkah is one of the Five Pillars of the Islamic faith. Every year around three million people gather there for Hajj, the major pilgrimage during the Muslim month of Dhu'l-Hijjah. Many more Muslims perform Umrah, a minor pilgrimage that may be made any time of the year. Non-Muslims are not permitted to view the Hajj rites and rituals or to enter Makkah and Madinah. The Ka'bah, the "House of God" built by Abraham and his son Ishmael is the focal point of Makkah. Muslim pilgrims circle the gold-embroidered black fabric covered Ka'bah seven times and might also attempt to kiss or touch the Black stone cornerstone. Afterwards, they drink water from well of Zamzam which is believed to have special properties. All Muslims, wherever they are on the planet, pray five times a day in the direction of the Ka'bah in Makkah. Of incalculable significance to the practice of Islam, pray in the direction of the Ka'bah in Makkah is called qiblah. During Hajj, the Muslim pilgrims also travel to a small village called Mina where they ritually stone the Devil, symbolized by stone columns. Then they go to the Hill of Arafat, where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final Sermon, for prayers.
The prophet Muhammad was
born in Makkah in 570 ACE. In 622 ACE, he migrated to Madinah then which also
became an Islamic holy city. The Haram Mosque, comprised
of a central quadrangle surrounded by stone walls, is the holiest shrine of
Islam because the Ka'bah is located in the middle of the central courtyard of
the mosque.
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