Ka’ba-Mecca
Other Sacred Sites and Religious Art | March 31, 2010The Ka’ba (Arabic word meaning ‘cube’) is the holiest pilgrimage site of Islam. It is a cube shaped building located within the courtyard of al-Haram Mosque in Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Qibla, the direction towards which the Muslims face during their prayer, is the direction facing the Ka’ba. The Ka’ba houses a mysterious Black Stone, which was highly revered in Mecca during the pre-Islamic days as well. Muslim pilgrims circumambulate (Tawaf) the Ka’ba during Umrah (lesser pilgrimage) while about three million pilgrims circle the holy building on a single day during Haj. The building dates back to pre-Islamic times and according to tradition, the first building at the site was erected by Abraham, the great patriarch known to be the ‘Father of the people of Israel’. The Ka’ba is open mainly for the Muslim devotees.
Ka’ba is opened two times in a year for cleaning ceremony. This ceremony takes place about a fortnight before the start of Ramadan as well as before the start of the annual pilgrimage.
The keys to the Ka’ba are held by the Banî Shaybat tribe and members of the tribe receive the visitors to Ka’ba during the cleaning ceremony.
Changing hands:
It is said that the Ka’ba was rebuilt during Muhammad’s youth. During the years of conflict between Ibn Zubayr of Mecca and the Umayyad Caliph Mu’awiyah, the Ka’ba was set on fire and the Black Stone broke into three pieces, which were later reassembled with silver by Ibn Zubayr. He also ordered rebuilding of the Ka’ba as it was originally conceived by Abraham. In 692, Umayyad Caliph Abdul Malik bin demolished the Ka’ba and rebuilt it based on the Qurayshi version. In 1553, Sultan Süleyman I renovated the roof of the holy. The Ka’ba was badly damaged by flood in 1611 and was rebuilt yet again, this time in 1629 by Sultan Murad IV. The new foundation was laid according to Abraham’s plan.
Mecca:
Mecca, along with Medina, is the holiest pilgrimage site in Islam. It is located on the Sirat Mountains and is just 73 km from Jedda harbour. The city which is the capital of Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Province in Hejaz region, came under the Saudi rule in 1924 after the fall of the Ottoman Empire.
How to Get to mecca:
By air:
King Abdulaziz International Airport and Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport are the entry points and it is also accessible to non-Muslims.
By bus:
Saudi Arabian Public Transport Company (SAPTCO) runs luxurious buses from most parts of Saudi Arabia at cheap rates. Other private operators also run buses.
Time to visit:
October to May is the best time to visit this part of the world.
Mecca Attractions:
- The cube shaped building made of granite from the hills near Mecca. Ka’ba is 15 metres high and is covered by a black silk cloth (‘kiswah’) decorated with gold-embroidered calligraphy.
- Semi-circular wall measuring about a quarter metre in height on the southwestern side of Ka’ba. The wall marks its border (al-hatim).
- King Fahad Gate of Masjid al-Haram
- Zamzam holy well
Mecca Accommodation:
Le Meridien Towers Makkah- Makkah Hilton Hotel & Towers
- White Palace Hotel
- Al Marwa Rayhaan by Rotana-Makkah
- Mercure Hibatullah
- Mercure Grand Umm Al Qura
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According to Islamic belief, God ordained a place of worship on Earth to reflect a house in heaven.
Muslims believe that Adam, the first man, was the first to build such a place of worship.
According to the Qur’an, the Ka’ba that stands today was built by the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and his son Ismail (Ishmael).