Kaaba (Saudi Arabia) - the shrine of Islam

In the city of Mecca, there is the Masjid al-Haram mosque (which means "reserved temple"). And in the inner courtyard of this building stands the main shrine of the entire Muslim world - the ancient Kaaba. Saudi Arabia, on the territory of which the mosque is located, receives millions of pious pilgrims every year arriving in Mecca in order to perform the Hajj. The man who will bypass the Ka'bah (Tawaf) will be cleansed of his sins. The most devout is to touch the main relic - the Black Stone, built into the wall of this structure. The man who performed the pilgrimage to the Kaaba is respected by the Muslims. After all, the faces of all people praying in prayer are addressed in her direction . About who built the Kaaba and when, read this article.

History

In the era of the Gentiles, many nations worshiped stones. It is enough to recall Stonehenge in the UK, menhirs and dolmens scattered all over Europe and the Middle East. A black stone is a meteorite. Therefore, even his heavenly origin made him an object of worship. In the heathen era, he and other stones were gathered in the main temple of the Hijaz. This first Kaaba was rectangular. In the center of the pagan temple was located Hubala - a stone statue of a man with a golden arm. It was the god of thunder and rain, the lord of heaven. For many tribes who inhabited the ancient city of Mecca (Saudi Arabia), the Kaaba was considered a holy place. Near the temple you could not even quarrel, not that you shed blood. The Prophet Muhammad, who came to Mecca, ordered that all the idols be removed from the Kaaba, except for the Black Stone. Now he is called Al-Hajar al-Aswad. This stone is mounted at a height of one and a half meters in the eastern corner of the cubic Kaaba. Pious pilgrims can see only a small piece of it (16.5 by 20 centimeters).

The Tradition of the Qur'an about the Kaaba

It is believed that the first temple was built by heavenly angels in time immemorial. Therefore, in the Muslim world, the Kaaba (Saudi Arabia) has a different name - Bait Al-Atek, which means "the most ancient." Then the temple was built for the worship of God Adam and the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham). The latter was helped by the son of Ismail - the ancestor of all the Arabs. In the place where Ibrahim stood during the construction of the mosque, the feet of the prophet were imprinted in the stone. This is also a monument and an object of worship in the Kaaba. When the prophet Muhammad was 25 years old (605 AD), a sudden flood destroyed the temple. Cracked walls were restored by the Quraysh tribe. They did not have the funds to complete the reconstruction, and they replaced the rectangular building with a shorter - cubic. From this Arabic word الكعبة and takes its name Kaaba. It means simply a "cube". Another name for the Kaaba is Al-Bait Al-Haram. In Arabic it means "sacred house".

Mosque and Kaaba

When the cubic structure became the object of worship of all Muslim believers, the role of Mecca increased. After all, the Prophet Muhammad was born in this city. Around the Kaaba, the Masjid al-Haram Mosque was built. Both the shrine and the temple were repeatedly reconstructed. The mosque was especially in need of restoration. After all, the stream of pilgrims increased year by year. To accommodate all of them, the temple was constantly expanding. In 1953 the mosque was equipped with electric lighting and fans. In 2007, the courtyard was expanded, on which the Kaaba rises. Saudi Arabia has invested a lot of money so that the "carrying capacity" of the shrine increased to one hundred and thirty detours (tawaf) per hour. Now the mosque can accommodate about one and a half million believers. It is equipped with smoke detectors, air conditioners and other modern means of protection.

What is Kaaba

Saudi Arabia prides itself on its territory is the main shrine of Islam. After all, the Ka'ba is a guide (kibla). To her five times a day all Muslims turn their faces, performing prayer. However, I must say that this is not an ideal cube. Parameters of the Kaaba: 12.86 meters long, 11.03 meters wide at a height of 13, 1 meter. Its corners are strictly oriented around the edges of the world. Shrine of Islam Kaaba is made of polished granite and rests on a marble basement. She is constantly covered with sour cream - a cover made of black silk. Among other shrines, mention should be made of Makam Ibrahim (footprints of the prophet) and Hijr Ismail - the grave of the saint and his mother Hagar.

Kaaba: what's inside

Cubic structure has a generously decorated with a golden framed door. It rises at a height of two and a half meters from the ground. Twice a year (two weeks before the onset of Ramadan and the same period before the Hajj), a ladder is attached to it. The key to the door is kept by the local Bani Pike family. According to legend, the founder of the family received it from the Prophet Muhammad himself. But they let in only the most honorable guests. This and mysterious Kaaba. What is inside? - Many people ask this question. Muslims call their shrine another name - Byte-Ullah. This translates as "the house of God." And Allah, as you know, lives in another world. Therefore, the inner room is empty.

Cleansing the Kaaba

This ceremony, as already mentioned, is held twice a year. The duties of keeping the shrine in order lie on the members of the Bani Pike family. They wash the entire structure outside and inside with special water with rose oil. Kiswu is changed once a year. On the ninth or tenth day of the month of Zu-l-hijj. The old blanket is cut into rags and handed out to pilgrims. A new kiswah is woven in a special factory. She releases only this veil. The sacred Ka'ba is not a pagan idol. It rather symbolizes the celestial axis around which the circumvention-tawaf angels are made. In conclusion, it should be added that the authorities of Saudi Arabia prohibit access to Mecca for people not professing Islam.