What is Inside the Holy Kaaba?
The holy Kaaba, also written as Kaabah, is a sacred shrine located in the center of the Masjid Al-Haram or Great Mosque of Makkah. Muslims worldwide follow Qiblah, i.e., face the Kaaba while praying and circle seven times around the Kaaba on their holy pilgrimage (Hajj or Umrah) to Makkah. But many are not aware of what is inside the Kaaba. Hence, let’s state some facts about what is and was inside the Kaaba.
Kaaba in Arabic means cube; thus, it’s a cubical structure made of grey stone and marble which is 50 feet in height and about 35 by 40 feet at its base. It is believed that the stone dates back to the time of Adam and Eve. Moreover, the belief is that it was given to Adam on his dismissal from heaven to seek forgiveness for his sins.
There is ambiguity regarding the early history of Kaaba; however, as per the holy Quran, the first construction of Kaaba was done by the Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) and his son Ismail to worship God. It was originally an unroofed rectangular structure that has been damaged and rebuilt several times. The Saudi government did the major modification of the structure in 1950 to accommodate increasing numbers of pilgrims. In the year 1982, the door of Kaaba was made of solid gold. The holy Kaaba is covered with the Kiswa — a large silk cloth that was earlier sent from Egypt, which is now made in Saudi Arabia. Every year the cloth is replaced with a white cloth which relates to the white robes worn by the pilgrims, and by the end of the Hajj is replaced with new Kiswa.
What is inside the holy Kaaba?
The holy Kaaba is a black stone structure in the middle of the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah. The black stone is believed to have fallen from heaven during the period of Adam and Eve and was the first house of God on earth. As per the Islamic traditions, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) kissed the stone inside the holy Kaaba. Thus, pilgrims try to kiss it when performing Hajj or Umrah.
Area & Structure of the Kaaba
It has an area of 180 square meters; the ceiling is supported by three wooden columns, each about 1,350 years old and has a perimeter of 150cm. Through the column passes a pillar that is used to suspend gifts in the building. The pillars were built by eminent Muslim leader Abdullah bin Zubair, who was one of the compilers of the Quran also a companion of the Prophet. An enclosed staircase exists, leading to a closed rectangular structure without windows and a door leading to the ceiling. A curtain made of silk with gold and silver engravings covers the door. The roof of Kaaba was built by the Quraysh tribe, and they also closed the west door. The holy Kaaba has a marble floor. The floor has a specific marking that symbolizes the spot where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was believed to have prayed when he got into the Kaaba. The right to enter the holy Kaaba is only given to the Muslim dignitaries.
The Black Stone
The black stone inside Kaaba was originally a single piece of rock, but now it consists of several pieces, and three large pieces joined together by a silver band. It is believed that the stone was originally white in color and turned black due to the sins of the pilgrims. The stone is today protected by 24 guards.
As mentioned in the holy Quran, the Kaaba is the first house built for humanity and worship of the Quran. During the pre-Islamic period, Kaaba housed the black stone and idols of various gods. On his return to Makkah, Prophet Muhammad removed the idols and turned the shrine to the monotheism of Ibrahim.
Despite having gone through many structural changes, the holy Kaaba holds a special place in the Islamic traditions. Muslima doesn’t worship the Kaaba, whereas they consider it as a symbolic house of God; that’s why they circle it. The black stone signifies the unification of all Muslims. Further, it is important for offering prayers and also while completing the pilgrimage of Hajj and Umrah.
Credit to ZamZam