Kaaba, the ancient stone architectural structure, is the center of the Islamic world, the unifying historic monument which every Muslim desires to visit at least once in life. This is required by one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The pilgrimage to Kaaba is called the hajj. Kaaba is called the house of Allah. It is located inside the Grand Mosque in the ancient city of Mecca (or Makkah), in Saudi Arabia. During their prayers, Muslim all over the world face the direction of Kaaba. This direction is called the Qibla.
The wall adjacent to the Kaaba’s entrance features six tablets decorated with inscriptions. Inside the Kaaba there are three dark red pillars supporting the ceiling. Between one of them and another two there is a small altar. Objects that resemble ancient lamps are hung on a rope connecting the pillars. There is also a staircase that leads to the roof, it is enclosed with separate walls.
Figure 1. Muslims inside the Kaaba
Kaaba is usually covered with a large black cloth which is called the Kiswah. Qur’anic verses are embroidered on the Kiswah with a gold thread. A new verse is created and embroidered each year. The gold embroidery on the Kiswah and the entrance door of Kaaba can be seen on Figure 3.
The entrance into Kaaba is located on the Northeast side a door approximately 7 ft high. In 1627 a gutter was installed in the Kaaba to prevent it from groundwater damage. Near Kaaba there is a low wall made of marble, in a form of a crescent. This wall is called the Hatim. It is believed that this wall was originally a part of Kaaba, so it did not have a cuboid form that is observed nowadays. Some historical sources point that the graves of Ismail and his mother Hagar are located in the space between the Kaaba and the Hatim, so pilgrims are not allowed to walk in there. Figure 2 demonstrates the floor plan of the Kaaba and the Hatim. Also, in the eastern corner there is the famous Black Stone of Mecca (al-Mubarkpuri 13). Muslims believe that this Stone dates back to the dawn of mankind. According to the Islamic tradition, this holy relic was affixed to the walls of Kaaba by Muhammad in 60 A.D (Sarwar 32). The Stone is appears as a fragmented dark rock polished smooth by the hands of pilgrims.
The Kaaba was under repair and reconstruction many times during history. Once it was severely damaged. It happened in 638 during the first siege of Mecca while the Umayyads and Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr were in a state of war. After the war Ibn al-Zubayr rebuilt the structure, and included the Hatim as a part of the building, believing that Muhammad himself has wished it to be constructed like this (al-Roubi 12).
Figure 2. The floor plan of the Kaaba, and the Hatim.
It is a historical fact that unlike nowadays, a long time ago Kaaba had two entrances. It is a big honor to tend to the Kaaba’s door for every Muslim. The door of Kaaba is locked with a key, kept by al-Shaida ( the keepers of the key). Al-Shaida is a family that keeps the honor of having the key to Kaaba’s entrance, and this honor is being inherited for many generations. These people are also responsible for cleaning the Kaaba with rose water.
Figure 3. The Kiswah with gold embroidery, covering Kaaba, and the entrance door.
The Kaaba is an ancient structure that dates back to pre-Islamic times. As believed by Muslims, the constructors of the Holy Kaaba were Abraham (or Ibrahim, in Islamic tradition), and his son Ismail. Historical evidence proofs that back in time Kaaba was a roofless structure. The ceiling and the roof is believed to be built by the Quraysh tribe who ruled Mecca. This was done in 608 CE (Armstrong, 34). The pre-Islamic Kaaba was a house to pagan gods and the Black Stone. It is believed that Muhammad was the one to remove the pagan idols from the Kaaba and making it a holy site for the Muslims. It is also believed that the Black Stone was given to the prophet by the angel Gabriel. It was Muhammad who showed by his example the way pilgrims have to perform the hajj around the Kaaba. From that time the pilgrimage around the Holy Kaaba is called the tawaf, meaning “circling”. They start the circle from the Corner of Black Stone and make seven circles in counterclockwise direction. The Kaaba covered with the Kiswah and people performing tawaf can be seen on Figure 4.
For the Muslims, Kaaba is the most important holy site of all. The simple, unsophisticated architecture of Kaaba is a very strong symbol having big influence on Muslims all across the globe. The simplicity of the structure’s design reflects the essence of Islam.
Islam is described by the Muslims as a very simple religion that does not overburden a person. According to the teachings of Islam, under a simple life is meant a life free from all sorts of formality and pomp. A Muslim is expected to live a life without displaying various attributes of wealth and high social status. The main accent of this ideology is on the fact that a Muslim should not spent time and effort for making an external show.
Figure 4. Pilgrims around Kaaba covered with Kiswah
The fact that a Muslim has to life a simple life and the Islamic religion has simplicity as one of its main features are these words from the Qur’an: “ and has not laid upon you any hardship in religion.” (The Quran 22: 78); “Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put you to difficulties.” (The Quran 2:185); and “Allah does not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to purify you, and to complete his favour on you, that you may be grateful.” (The Quran 5: 6). Prophet Muhammad has also warned against treating Islam as a difficult and overburdening religion: “Indeed this religion is easy and it will defeat anyone who makes it difficult. Indeed the religion most favoured by Allah is one which is convenient and tolerant” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari) (Safi-ur-Rehman al-Mubarkpuri 45).
The perfect example of living a simple life is the way Holy Prophet Muhammad has lead his life. He would eat any food that was placed before him, not willing to have the best meals. Also, he wore modest cheap clothes with any signs of richness (Teresi 87). It is important to understand that under this simplicity Islam does not teach a man to live his life depriving himself from all material pleasures. Islam has never supported a life that is anti-social or ascetic. Instead, Islam requires from a Muslim to have a life with healthy social atmosphere, which will be possible to establish if every member of society will be free from lavishness and extravagance. So is the Holy Kaaba itself, free from sophisticated architectural elements, expensive decorations, exclusive external features.
Works Cited
Al-Roubi, Amaal Muhammad. “A Response to Patricia Crone's Book” . Web. 6 Apr. 2016.
Armstrong, Karen. Islam: A Short History. New York: Modern Library, 2002. Print
Peterson, Andrew. Dictionary of Islamic Architecture. London: Routledge. Print.
Sarwar, Hafiz Ghulam. Muhammad the Holy Prophet. Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, 1964.Print.
Sheikh Safi-ur-Rehman al-Mubarkpuri (2002). Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar): Biography of the Prophet. Riyadh: Dar-us-Salam Publications. Print.
Teresi, Dick. Lost Discoveries: The Ancient Roots of Modern Science—from the Babylonians to the Maya (Reprint, illustrated ed.). New York: Simon and Schuster. Print.
