Thread by @IslamicLandmark

The Ka’bah, also known as Baytullah (The House of Allah) is the first house built for humanity to worship Allah (ﷻ).

The small, cubed building may not rival other famous buildings in terms of size but its impact on history and human beings is unmatched.

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The Ka'bah functions as the Qiblah, the direction to which all Muslims pray five times a day. Muslims do not pray to the Ka’bah, it functions merely as a unifying direction point.

This graphic shows how some countries around the world are aligned to the Ka'bah.

Regarding the Ka’bah, Allah (ﷻ) mentions in the Quran in Surah Al-Ma’idah:

“Allah has made the Ka’bah, the Sacred House, an asylum of security and benefits (e.g. Hajj and Umrah) for mankind.” [5:97]

The Ka’bah has been built or adjusted on several occasions throughout history. The most famous builders are:

- Prophet Adam (a.s.)
- Prophet Ebrahim (a.s.) with help from his son Ismail (a.s.) [see photo]
- The Quraysh during the Jahiliyyah period
- Abdullah bin Zubair (r.a.)

Directly above the Ka’bah, at its zenith, there is a corresponding place in the heavens called the Baytul Ma’moor which holds the same status there as the Ka’bah does here on earth.

Each day 70,000 angels engage in worship there and none of them get a second opportunity.

During the Night of Ascension (mi’raj) when the Prophet (ﷺ) reached the seventh level of heaven, he met Prophet Ebrahim (a.s.) resting against the Baytul Ma’moor.

Ebrahim (a.s.) returned the greeting of his descendant and testified that Muhammad (ﷺ) was the Prophet of Allah.

Abdullah bin Abbas (r.a.) reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“One hundred and twenty mercies descend upon the Ka’bah every day and night; sixty for those performing tawaf, forty for those engaged in salah and twenty for those who are merely looking at the Ka’bah.” [Bayhaqi]

The covering of the Ka’bah is known as the Kiswah and was first placed by the prophet Ismail (a.s.).

During his time in Makkah, the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed towards Masjid al-Aqsa ( in Jerusalem), with the Ka’bah in front of him.

When he migrated to Madinah, he prayed towards Masjid al-Aqsa for 16 months, but he hoped the qiblah would be changed to the Ka’bah.

Allah (ﷻ) then revealed the following verses:

“Verily, We have seen the turning of your face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qibla (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of al-Masjid al-Haram (at Makkah)...” [2:144 ]

There are Ahadith that confirm that the Ka’bah will be destroyed towards the end of time.

Abu Hurairah (r.a.) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The Ka’bah will be destroyed by Dhus-Suwaiqatain (a man with thin legs) from Abyssinia (present day Ethiopia).” [Bukhari]

Graphic showing the main parts of the Ka'bah.

Click on the link to access a bigger image and to learn more about the Ka'bah: bit.ly/2YVkFLR