Kaaba

The Kaaba, also known as al-Kaʿbah al-Musharrafah, is a cuboid structure located at the center of the Masjid al-Haram, the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is the holiest site in Islam and the qibla toward which Muslims face during daily prayers.

The structure measures about 13 meters in height, with a base of roughly 11 by 12 meters, and is built of granite. It is covered by the kiswah, a black silk and gold-embroidered cloth that is renewed annually during the Hajj season. The eastern corner houses the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad), a religious relic set into the wall; pilgrims may touch or kiss it as part of certain rites during Tawaf, though it is not mandatory.

Islamic tradition holds that the Kaaba was originally built by Abraham (Ibrahim) and his son Ishmael. The present building has undergone several renovations over the centuries. After the Prophet Muhammad’s conquest of Mecca in 630 CE, the Kaaba was cleansed of idols and restored as a house of monotheistic worship. It remains part of the Masjid al-Haram complex and serves as the central point of pilgrimage and devotion for Muslims.

Significance and practices: Muslims face toward the Kaaba in prayer, and during the Hajj and Umrah, pilgrims perform tawaf, seven counterclockwise circumambulations around the Kaaba as a key ritual. The site is a focal point of unity in the Islamic world and a primary symbol of Muslim worship.

Access and administration: The Kaaba and surrounding mosque are managed by Saudi authorities. The interior is generally closed to the public, with occasional limited entries on special occasions. The kiswah is produced in Mecca and replaced each year.