Makkah
The Ka'bah
The House of Allah - first house of worship established for humanity.
What is the Ka'bah and why do Muslims face it in prayer?
The Ka'bah is a cube-shaped structure at the centre of Masjid al-Haram, first built by Prophet Ibrahim ﷺ and his son Isma'il ﷺ. It is not worshipped - Muslims face it as a unified qiblah when praying to Allah alone.
Significance & history
The Ka'bah is a cube approximately 15 m tall, covered by the Kiswah - a black silk cloth embroidered with gold-thread Qur'anic verses. Built and rebuilt across history - by Ibrahim ﷺ, later by Quraysh in the Prophet's ﷺ youth, then during Ibn al-Zubayr's time, and by Hajjaj - it is the physical qiblah of over 1.8 billion Muslims.
【BOOK】 The author's chapter on first sighting the Ka'bah from Bab al-Salam will appear here.
Role in the ritual
Tawaf - circling the Ka'bah seven times anti-clockwise starting from the Hajar al-Aswad corner - is the central rite of Umrah and part of Hajj. Every daily prayer around the world is offered toward it.
Etiquette
- Do not push others to touch or kiss the Ka'bah - intention matters more than physical contact.
- Maintain khushū' (humility) during Tawaf; avoid loud conversation and photography.
- Women perform Tawaf modestly covered but without Ihram cloth requirements.
- Do not touch the Kiswah or attempt to climb the Ka'bah's steps.
Duas
- Between the two corners: Rabbanā ātinā fid-dunyā ḥasanah...
Key Facts
The Ka'bah is the first House of worship built for humanity (Qur'an 3:96).
The Kiswah is replaced every year on the 1st of Muharram.
Its four corners are called Aswad, Yamani, Shami, and Iraqi.
The interior contains three pillars and a small altar; it is not routinely open to the public.
Visitor information
- Location
- Centre of Masjid al-Haram, Makkah
- Timings
- Accessible whenever the Mataf is open (nearly 24 hours, with brief cleaning breaks).
- - First-time pilgrims should walk once around the outer perimeter before joining Tawaf.
- - Perform Tawaf on the ground floor only if you can maintain a steady flow - otherwise use upper levels.
- - Keep the Hajar al-Aswad corner in view to know when each circuit begins.