Page 156 - World Religions I - Islam

Appendix D

The Ka'aba

The Ka'aba is a cuboid-shaped building in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and is the most sacred site in Islam.

• The Qur'an states that the Ka'aba was constructed by Abraham (Ibrahim) and his son Ishmael (Isma'il) after
the latter had settled in Arabia (Surah 2:127).
• The Ka'aba has a mosque built around it, the Masjid al-Haram ("The Sacred Mosque").
• Muslims around the world face the Ka'aba during prayers. This is known as facing the Qiblah.
• One of the Five Pillars of Islam requires every able-bodied Muslim to perform the Hajj pilgrimage to
Mecca at least once in his or her lifetime.
o Multiple parts of the Hajj require pilgrims to walk seven times around the Ka'aba in a counter-
clockwise direction. This circumambulation is called Tawaf.

Physical Attributes
• The Ka'aba is a masonry structure in the shape of a cuboid, made of granite.
o It's dimensions are 43 ft (13.1 m) high, with side measuring 36.2 ft (11.03 m) by 42.2 ft (12.86 m).
o The four corners, which roughly point towards the four cardinal directions of the compass, are
each known by specific names:
 The northern corner: "The Iraqi Corner" (Ruknu al-Iraqi) 2. The western corner: "The
Levantine Corner" (Ruknu is- Shami)
 The southern corner: "The Yemeni Corner" (Ruknu al- Yemani)
 The eastern corner contains the Black Stone (al-Hajaru al- Aswad)
o A single set of doors is located 2 m (7 ft) above the ground on the north-eastern wall. The
current doors are made of gold and weigh 300 kg (661 lbs). In modern times, entry to the Ka'aba
interior is only permitted on rare occasions for a small number of guests.
o The interior contains three central pillars with small alters set between them.
 The interior walls are clad with marble halfway to the roof. The marble is inset with
Qur'anic inscriptions.
 The top parts of the walls are covered with a green cloth embroidered with gold
Qur'anic verses.
 The floor is made of marble and limestone.
• The Ka'aba is covered by a black silk and gold curtain know as the kiswah.
o The kiswah is replaced annually during the Hajj pilgrimage on the 9th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the
day the pilgrims leave for the plains of Mount Arafat.
o The kiswah is 658m (7,082 ft ) and is made of 670 kg (1,477 lbs) of silk.
2
2
o The embroidery is made from 15 kg (33 lbs) of gold thread.
 The embroidered text contains Qur'anic verses and includes the Shahada, the Islamic
declaration of faith.
o The present cost (2012) to make the kiswa amounts to 17,000,000 Saudi Riyals (over $4.5
million).
o The kiswah predates Islam.
 Before the conquest of Mecca, the ruling Quraish tribe did not allow Muhammad and
the Muslims to participate in the draping of the Ka'aba.
 Even after Mecca was taken by the Muslims in 630 AD, the original kiswah remained

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