What is the History of Kaaba?

The Kaaba is a holy building with a cube-like shape that is located in Makkah. It is situated in the center of Makkah’s most respected mosque (Masjid al-Haram). Thousands of Muslims circumambulate the Holy Kaaba each year. Muslims also refer to it as “the house of God”.

Kaaba is regarded as Islam’s holiest place and millions of Muslims pray five times a day facing it. The cube-shaped building is at the center of the grand mosque. In its interior, there are three pillars to support the roof and gold hanging lamps. It is covered with a black cloth which is called “Kiswa”.

Note: If you don't know about the history of Kaabah then you have to know it then book your Umrah and Hajj Package. Because this is very helpful for you.

Who built the Kaaba?

Before Islam, the Kaaba served as a place of worship. Muslims believe that it was built by Prophet Ibrahim (A.S) and His son Ismail (A.S). Allah Almighty commanded Him to make the small structure and by making it the center towards which all Muslims have to face in prayer. Prophet Ibrahim also fix the Black Stone in the Kaaba structure while He was constructing. Muslims consider this stone very sacred sent from Jannah through the angel Jibrail.

Before Islam, the Kaaba was reconstructed by the Quraysh tribe, who ruled Mecca, in 608 CE. They used wood and masonry for changes. A door was placed above the ground level to keep intruders and flood water out of the building.

After the Prophet’s return to Mecca in 629 AD, it was the main place of worship and pilgrimage for Muslims. In return to Makkah, it is said that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) cleansed the Kaaba from idols.

 

Modifications in Kaaba

Several modifications were take place in the history of Kaaba. The following points will serve the changings made from time to time:

Changing during Caliph Umar’s era:

The Kaaba has undergone many changes over the years. The second caliph, Prophet Umar (A.S) expanded the area of the Mosque. He did it to accommodate the increasing number of pilgrims. Likewise, the boundaries of Al-Haram are also surrounded by Caliph Uthman (A.S). He also added other important monuments to the Grand Mosque.

 

During the war between Ibn Zubair and Caliph Abd al-Malik:

During the conflict between Makkah’s ruler Ibn Zubair and the caliph Abd al-Malik in 683 CE, the Kaaba was destroyed. The Black Stone split into three pieces which Ibn Zubair mend it using silver. He rebuilt the Kaaba in wood and stone using Ibrahim’s (A.S) original measurements. After regaining control of Makkah, Abd al-Malik rebuilt the portion of the structure that Muhammad (PBUH) claims to have designed.

 

During the Umayyad Caliph al-Walid:

During the era of Umayyad caliph al-Walid (15-705), the mosque was decorated with mosaics also found in the Mosque of Damascus. The Kaaba is covered with Kiswa (a black cloth) which changed every year during the annual pilgrimage Hajj.

Today, the Kaaba is a cube-shaped structure that corresponds to four cardinal directions. It attracts millions of Muslims every year. The Saudi government made it clearer and more beautiful by doing minor changes. 

Conclusion

The history of the Kaaba is not only interesting but also interprets a real symbol that unites all Muslims. It is considered to be the first structure ever created in Islamic tradition. So, getting to this center is not impossible in the 20^th century. People can easily visit Kaaba during the pilgrimage by booking the Umrah packages.