Ten little-known facts about the Kaaba
Ten little-known facts about the Kaaba
The Kaaba is the most revered Muslim temple on earth. It is in its direction that all believers pray when standing for namaz. Every year millions of Muslims visit it on small and large pilgrimages (Hajj). But do we know all the facts about the Kaaba? Let us share with you ten interesting facts about this first house on earth.
- There is not one Kaaba, but two.
The Kaaba that we know was built as a prototype of the heavenly temple of Bayt-ul-Mamur. During his ascension to heaven (Mi’raj), Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) visited this heavenly Kaaba of angels. This is how it is reported in the hadith: “Then I was taken up to the Bayt-ul-Mamur temple. Every day seventy thousand angels enter it and never return there again.” (Narrated by Imam al-Bukhari).
- The Kaaba was rebuilt several times.
The tafsir of the Koran “Ruhul Bayan” describes that throughout the history of mankind, the venerable Kaaba was built five times.
It was first built by angels before the prophet Adam (peace be upon him) from red yakhont. During the global flood in the time of Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him), the Kaaba was raised to heaven. The second time the Kaaba was built by the prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) with his son Ismail (peace be upon him). The Kaaba was built for the third time by the Quraish during the times of ignorance. This was 15 years before the beginning of the revelation to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The Kaaba was built for the fourth time during the time of the companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr (may God be pleased with him) after it was destroyed during one of the military conflicts. The Kaaba was rebuilt for the fifth time after Abdullah ibn Zubair (may God be pleased with him) fell as a martyr.
- The Kaaba was not cubic in shape.
Today everyone knows the cube-shaped Kaaba, but not everyone knows that the prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) built it in a rectangular shape. The Kaaba, built by this prophet (peace be upon him), was preserved until its destruction by the Quraish (fifteen years before the beginning of the revelation to the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him). Then they rebuilt it again. The Quraish agreed that they would build the Kaaba only with funds earned in a permitted, honest way. However, due to the fact that there were not enough of them, it was necessary to limit the size of the building, reducing its size on one side by three meters. Now this place is called Hijra Ismail.
- The Kaaba had covers of different colors.
There is an established idea of the Kaaba as a building covered with black veils (kiswa), decorated with gold ornaments and inscriptions of verses of the Holy Koran. However, covering the Kaaba with black fabrics began during the Abbasid era. Before this, the Kaaba had different colors: white, green, red, etc.
- The Kaaba had a window and two doors.
It seems surprising, but the Kaaba had a window. There were also two doors, one for entry and the other for exit. Now the building has no windows and only one door remains.
- The black stone consists of several parts.
Today, the Black Stone, located in one of the corners of the Kaaba, has a silver frame. However, previously it did not exist, because the stone was solid and did not need a frame to hold it. The Black Stone was split in the Middle Ages by representatives of the Kurmutid (Karmatian) sect, who declared the Hajj an act of superstition. They killed tens of thousands of pilgrims, whose bodies were thrown into the Zamzam spring. Nobody could return the Black Stone they stole for twenty-two years. When the sectarians themselves returned the stone, it was already split. It is argued that not all stone fragments were returned.
- There are three columns inside the Kaaba.
Not many people know about the interior decoration of the Kaaba. The ceiling is supported by three columns. Each column bears the name of one of the main angels. At the top of the columns there is a crossbar on which several lighting lamps hang.
Between the columns, opposite the front door, there is a wooden table for incense. Oil for lamps, spare cords for the kiswa and other accessories are stored in the drawers of the table.
Stone floor slabs are very hard and cannot be scratched. But one slab, the mihrab, located against the wall directly opposite the entrance, is different from the others. It is reddish in color with rounded corners and is so worn that it is noticeable below the rest. The mihrab is protected because the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed on it.
On the interior walls there are plaques with the names of the rulers who have ever taken part in the construction or renovation of the Kaaba.
On the right hand of the entrance to the Kaaba there is a small fence with a gilded door called the “Door of Repentance” (Bab at-tauba). Through it is the entrance to the stairs leading to the roof of the Kaaba.
- The Kaaba opened twice a week.
Nowadays, the Kaaba opens only twice a year, and only dignitaries and honored guests can enter. But earlier, when there were not as many pilgrims as there are today, the Kaaba was opened twice a week, and anyone could pray inside it.
- The keys to the Kaaba are in the hands of one family.
When the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) liberated Mecca from the power of the pagans, he was given the keys to the Kaaba. But the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not keep them for himself, but returned them to Usman ibn Talha from the family of Bani Shaiba, whose family was the keeper of the keys to the Kaaba for many centuries. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) approved this honorable role for them until the end of time. And now everyone (from mere mortals to the rulers of the world), honoring the decision of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), asks permission to enter the Kaaba from this small Meccan family.
- It was possible to swim around the Kaaba previously.
The place where the Kaaba is located is the lowest point of a valley surrounded by mountains. The lack of flood prevention technologies led to floods during heavy rains. The water level was so high that the Kaaba was half submerged and people had to swim around the area (tawaf).
