The Ka'bah
The Sacred House of Allah
The Ka'bah
The Ka'bah is the Sacred House of Allah, and the greatest building for Muslims. It enjoys a great prestige and a glorious history. It was built by Abraham and his son, Ismail, peace be upon both of them.
It is the first house that Allah placed on earth so that mankind may worship Him alone, without ascribing any partner to Him. The Almighty says, "The first House (of Prayer) established for mankind is the one at Bakkah: a blessed place and a guidance for the worlds." It is the qiblah of Muslims and the thrust of their hearts. It is the only structure which they circumambulate in worship to Allah.
The Ka'bah has several features that can be observed during circumambulation:
Al-Hatim (Hijr Ismail)
It is an open semi-circular space next to the Ka'bah. A portion of it was part of the Ka'bah. Prayer inside this enclosure is equivalent in reward to prayer inside the Ka'bah.
Door of the Ka'bah
The door of the Kaaba is located on the eastern side of the Kaaba. Today it is made of pure gold. It is 222cm above the ground.
Al-Multazam
It is the eastern wall or part of it. It is located between the Black Stone and the door of the Ka'bah. Iltizam (holding) means that a person presses his chest, face, arms and hands against this wall, and supplicates Allah Almighty. This may be difficult, even impossible, during crowded seasons.
The Roof Gutter
It is the part installed on the surface of the Ka'bah to drain water to Hijr Ismail.
Shazrawan
It is a supporting structure for the Ka'bah. It encompasses it like a dress. It is not part of the Ka'bah. Rather, it was originally built to strengthen the structure of the Ka'bah and protect it from torrential rains. It has been preserved over the centuries. Today, it is covered with white marble.
The Black Stone
The Black Stone came from Paradise, as the Prophet, blessing and peace be upon him, said. It marks the starting and concluding points of one's circumambulation. After a part of the building of the Ka'bah was demolished by rain, the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, put the Black Stone back in its place when people differed over who would put it in its place.
The Yemeni Corner
The Yemeni Corner is one of the four corners of the Honored Ka'bah. It is called "Yamani" because it faces Yemen. This corner and the Black Stone are called "the two Yemeni corners."