Maqame Ebrahim

The Maqame Ebrahim refers to the stone on which Ebrahim (a.s.) stood on while he was building the Ka’bah. As Ismail (a.s.) passed stones onto Ebrahim (a.s.) and as Ebrahim (a.s.) continued laying them in place the Maqame Ebrahim miraculously continued rising higher and higher as the walls rose. Allah (swt) caused the trace of his footprints to remain on the stone as a reminder to the believers among his descendants.

 

 

 - It has been reported from Sa’eed bin Jubair (r.a.) that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said:

“The stone is the station of Ebrahim. Allah made it soft and made it a mercy. Ebrahim would stand on it and Ismail would hand the stones up to him.” [Muthir Al-Gharam]

- Ebrahim and Ismail (a.s.) used to mention the following Quranic verse as they were constructing the Holy Ka’bah,

“Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us: for you are the All-Hearing, The All-Knowing.” [2:127]

- Ebrahim (a.s.) constructed the Ka’bah using rocks from five mountains; Hira, Thubayr, Labnaan, Toor and Jabalul Khayr. Toor Seenaa is actually situated in the eastern desert of Egypt.

- When Ebrahim (a.s.) completed the construction of the Ka’bah he was commanded by Allah (swt):

“And proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj).” [al-Hajj 22:27] 

  Ibn Katheer says in his commentary that this verse means: Proclaim (O Ebrahim) the Hajj to the people, calling them to come on pilgrimage to this House which We have commanded you to build. It was mentioned that he said, “O Lord, how can I proclaim it to the people when my voice does not reach them?” He said, “Call and We will convey it.” So he stood at his Maqam (station) – or according to some narrations on al-Safa, or on mount Abu Qubays – and said: “O people, your Lord has taken a House, so come to it on pilgrimage.” And it was said that the mountains lowered themselves so that his voice could reach all parts of the earth and those who were still in the wombs or in men’s loins also heard, and everything that heard him, cities, nomad encampments and trees, and everyone whom Allah has decreed should perform Hajj until the Day of Resurrection responded (saying) Labbayk Allahumma labbayk (Here I am, O Allah, here I am).

This is the summary of what was narrated from Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, ‘Ikrimah, Saeed ibn Jubayr and others (r.a.).

- Umar (r.a.) reports that Allah (s.w.t.) fulfilled three wishes that he had. One of these is that when he proposed to the Prophet (s.a.w.) that the Maqame Ebrahim should be made a place for performing salah (prayer). Allah (s.w.t.) revealed the following verse in the Holy Quran in Surah al-Baqarah:

“Take the Maqam of Ebrahim as a place of salah (a place behind which you perform two rakahs of salah after Tawaf)” [2:125]

- At the time of Ebrahim (a.s.) the Maqam was attached to the Ka’bah. Umar (r.a.), seeing that leaving it where it was would make the space too crowded for Tawaf or for prayers had it moved to the place it is now to make it easier for people. There was consensus among the Sahabah for Umar (r.a.) action, for he was the one who had suggested it should be taken as a place of prayer.

- Juhm bin Hudhayfah (r.a.), a Sahabi who was present when the Quraysh rebuilt the Ka’bah as well as when Abdullah bin Zubair (r.a.) rebuilt it says that the blessed footprints of the Prophet (s.a.w.) very closely matches those of Ebrahim (a.s.). The Prophet (s.a.w.) also mentioned:

“From all the children of Ebrahim (a.s.) it is I who resembles him the most.” [Bukhari]

- Although the Arabs worshipped stones during the Period of Ignorance, no one ever worshipped the Hajar al-Aswad or the Maqame Ebrahim even though the Arabs revered them. It appears that it was Allah’s explicit intention to protect the Maqame Ebrahim from Shirk and all types of worship.

- Note that the significance of the Maqame Ebrahim is that it is a place for the performance of salah and not for touching or kissing. When there are lots of people performing tawaf it is better to perform salah some distance away from the Maqame Ebrahim to avoid causing unnecessary inconvenience to others.

 

 

References:
The History of Makkah – Dr Muhammad Ilyas Abdul Ghani
Holy Makkah – Shaikh Safiur-Rahman Mubarakpuri

Hateem/Hijr Ismail

The Hateem is the crescent shaped area immediately adjacent to the Ka’bah. Part of it is also known as the ‘Hijr Ismail’ as this was the place where Ebrahim (a.s.) constructed a shelter for Ismail (a.s.) and his mother Hajrah (a.s.).

 

 

 

 - The grandfather of the Prophet (s.a.w.), Abdul Muttalib, loved to be near the Ka’bah and he would sometimes order a couch to be spread for him in this space. One night, when he was sleeping there a shadowy figure came to him in a vision and instructed him where he would find the Zamzam well, which had laid buried from the time of the Jurhum tribe.

- When the Prophet (s.a.w.) was 35 years old, a devastating flood damaged the Ka’bah and, as it had already been weakened by an earlier fire, was in danger of collapse. Seeing that their house of worship was under threat, the Quraysh decided to rebuild the Ka’bah. They resolved not to taint the project with resources gained through usury (interest), prostitution, or thieving. They came to know of a Roman ship that had become wrecked at a nearby port and a contingent went to purchase the wood of the ship. They also contracted a carpenter, named Baqoom and who had been one of the passengers on the ship to come and reconstruct the walls. The construction started with each tribe being allocated specific duties. The nobles among them carried pieces of stone and piled them up in one place. The Prophet (s.a.w.) and his uncle Abbas were among those carrying stones. However, the tribes were unable to collect enough money to rebuilt the Ka’bah completely so a small wall was built showing the boundaries of the original foundation laid by Ebrahim (a.s.). This small walled enclosed an area on the northern side of the Ka’bah and is called Hijr Ismail.

- Some scholars have mentioned that the graves of Ismail (a.s.) and his mother Hajra (r.a.) lie buried beneath the Hijr Ismail. However, others have dismissed the narrations as being Da’eef (weak).

- Aisha (r.a.) reports that when she asked the Prophet (s.a.w.) whether the Hateem was part of the Ka’bah, he replied that it was. When she further asked why it was then not included in the walls of the Ka’bah, the Prophet (s.a.w.) replied, “Because your people (the Quraysh) did not have sufficient funds.” [Bukhari]

- Aisha (r.a.) says, “When I expressed the wish to perform salah within the Ka’bah, the Prophet (s.a.w.) took me by the hand and led me into the Hijr (Hateem) where he said, ‘Perform salah here if you wish to enter the Ka’bah because this is part of the Baytullah.”

- It must be noted here that an area of approximately 3 meters adjacent to the wall on the side of the Hateem actually constitutes as being part of the Ka’bah, the rest falls outside the Ka’bah. It is however clear that Tawaf must be performed outside the complete area of the Hateem.

- Another narration states that Rasulullah (s.a.w.) said, “O Aa’isha! Had your people not very recently been in the Period of Ignorance, I would have had the Ka’bah demolished and included the left-out portion within its walls. I would have also brought the inside of the Ka’bah to ground level and added two doors, with one on the eastern wall and the other on the western wall. In this manner, it would be according to the building and foundation of Ebrahim (a.s.).” In the year 65 AH., Abdullah bin Zubayr (r.a) had the Ka’bah constructed according to this wish of the Prophet (s.a.w.).

- There is a water outlet that channels water from the roof of the Ka’bah down to the Hateem area. This was first constructed by the Quraysh and is known as the ‘Mizaab Rahmah’ (the water outlet of mercy).

References:
The History of Makkah Mukarramah – Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Abdul Ghani
Holy Makkah – Shaikh Safiur-Rahman Mubarakpuri
When the Moon Split - Shaikh Safiur-Rahman Mubarakpuri

Hateem/Hijr Ismail

Meezab

The Meezab is the golden spout from where rainwater on the roof of the Ka’bah falls onto the Hijr Ismail. It is reported that the Prophet (s.a.w.) supplicated under the Meezab.

 

- It is commonly referred to as the 'Meezab-e-Rahmah' (The water outlet of mercy).

- The Quraysh were the first to construct a roof on the Ka’bah and therefore the first to attach this downpipe. Before their construction, there was neither a roof nor a downpipe.

- The Meezaab was remodelled when the Ka’bah was renovated in the year 1417 A.H. The dimensions were retained as they were when the Ottoman Emperor Sultaan Abdul Majeed Khan renovated the Meezaab in the year 1273 A.H.

References:
Guide to visiting Makka and Madina – Sh. Abdul Aziz Ahmed
The History of Makkah Mukarramah – Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Abdul Ghani

Rukan Yamani

This corner of the Ka’bah is called the Rukan Yamani because it is situated on the side of the Ka’bah which faces the land of Yemen. It is on the wall opposite to that of the Hajar al-Aswad.

 

 

- Because this corner is still standing on the foundation that Ebrahim (a.s.) built, the narration of Abdullah bin Abbas (r.a.) states that the Prophet (s.a.w.) made “Istilaam” of it.

- “Istilaam” refers to the touching of the corner whether this is done by hand or by kissing. As the Prophet (s.a.w.) touched the Rukn Yamaani by hand, this practise is Sunnah. However, there is no harm if one is unable to touch it due to the crowds.

- It was the practice of the Prophet (s.a.w.) that when he passed between the Rukn Yamani and the Hajar al-Aswad, he recited the following du’aa:

“O Rabb, grant us (all that which is) good in this world, (all that which is) good in the Aakhirah and save us from the punishment of the fire (of Jahannam).” [Surah Baqarah, verse 201]

References:
The History of Makkah Mukarramah – Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Abdul Ghani

Door of Ka’bah

This is entrance of the Ka’bah on its eastern side. Originally it was at ground level but was raised when the Quraysh rebuilt the Ka’bah.

 

 

- When Ebrahim (a.s.) built the Ka’bah, the entrances of the Ka’bah were on ground level. People entered from the eastern entrance and exited through the western entrance.

- Aisha (r.a.) once asked the Prophet (saw) what reason the Quraysh had for raising the door above the ground. The Prophet (saw) replied, “Your people did it so that they could permit into the Ka’bah only those people whom they approved of and could prevent those whom they pleased. Had your people not been recently removed from ignorance and had I not feared that they would be averse to change, I would have included the Hateem within the Ka’bah and brought the door level with the ground.”

- At the top of each door is inscribed: "Allah Jal jalaalah Muhammad sallallaahu alaihi wasallam"

Beneath all of this is inscribed: "In the name of Allaah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful."

“Enter with peace and safety” [Surah Hijr, verse 46]

"Allah has made the Ka’bah the sacred house, as well as the sacred months a means by which (the physical and spiritual safety and well-being of) mankind is maintained." [Surah Maa’idah, verse 97]

Say, “O my Rabb! Allow me to enter a pleasant place, allow me to leave pleasantly and grant me such authority from Yourself that is coupled with (Your) assistance.” [Surah Israa, verse 80]

"Your Rabb has made mercy (towards you) compulsory upon himself." [Surah An’aam, verse 5]

Your Rabb says, “Supplicate to Me and I shall respond.” [Surah Mu’min, verse 60]

Beneath all of this is inscribed: Say, “O My bondsmen who have wronged their souls (by committing kufr or other sins)! Never lose hope of Allah’s mercy.” [Surah Zumar, verse 53]

The words “Allahu Akbar” is inscribed on the two rings and Surah Faatiha has been engraved beneath the lock.

References:
The History of Makkah Mukarramah – Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Abdul Ghani

Multazam

The area between the Hajar al-Aswad and the Door of the Ka’bah is called the Multazam. It is approximately two metres wide and is a place where duas (supplications) are accepted.

 

- The Multazam is an area where du’aas are accepted . It is sunnah to hold on to the wall of the Ka’bah in such a manner that a cheek, chest and hands are against the wall. It is reported that Abdullah bin Umar (ra) once completed the Tawaf, performed the salah and then kissed the Hajar al-Aswad. Thereafter, he stood between the Hajar al-Aswad and the door of the Ka’bah in such a manner that the cheek, chest and hands were against the wall. He then said, “This is how I saw Rasulullaah (saw) do.”

- Abdullah bin Abbas (r.a.) says “The signs of acceptance for any dua made between the Hajar al-Aswad and the door of the Ka’bah will certainly be seen."

- Mujaahid (r.a.) says, “The area between the Hajar al-Aswad and the door is called the Multazam. Allah will grant a person whatever he asks for there and save him from whatever he seeks refuge from there.”

References:
The History of Makkah Mukarramah – Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Abdul Ghani

Hajar al-Aswad

The picture above shows the Hajar al-Aswad (The Black Stone), which is set in the eastern corner of the Ka’bah. Tawaf is started and ended by facing this sacred stone. Throughout the ages, innumerable people including many of the Prophets (a.s.), the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) himself, the Sahabah (r.a.), pious personalities and millions of Muslims who have performed Hajj and Umrah have placed their blessed lips on it.

- The Hajar al-Aswad was brought from Jannah and presented to Ebrahim (a.s.) to be placed on the corner of the Ka’bah. Ibn ‘ Abbas (r.a.) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said:

“The Black Stone came down from Paradise and it was whiter than milk, but the sins of the sons of Adam turned it black.” [Tirmidhi]

- Du’as are accepted at the Hajar al-Aswad and on the Day of Judgement it will testify in favour of all those who kissed it. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said:

“By Allah! On the Day of Qiyaamah, Allah will present the Hajar al-Aswad in such a manner that it will have two eyes and a tongue to testify to the Imaan (faith) of all those who kissed it.” [Tirmidhi]

- When the Quraysh demolished the Holy Ka’bah in order to reconstruct it, a dispute arose when the building reached the level of the Black Stone. They differed on the issue of who was eligible to restore the Black Stone to its original place. A civil war was about to break out. Banu Abdu’d-Dar brought a bowl full of blood and all of the tribes inserted their hands in it, which meant that they had made up their minds to fight one another. But Abu Umayya Ibn al-Mugheera , their elder, asked Quraysh to agree on the judgement of the first person to come through the Bani Shaibah gate and they all agreed on this suggestion. The first to come through this gate was the Prophet (s.a.w.). This was five years before his mission. He put the Black Stone in the middle of a piece of cloth, and asked a representative of each tribe to hold one of the edges of the cloth and raise it close to its place. Then the Prophet (s.a.w.) picked it up with his own noble hands and restored it to its original place. This was how the Prophet (s.a.w.) prevented a war from breaking out among the Quraysh by a supreme demonstration of wisdom.

- Ibn Abbas (r.a.) relates that the Prophet (s.a.w.), while leaning against the Ka’bah said:

“The Hajr al-Aswad and al-Maqam (Ebrahim) are two jewels from the jewels of Paradise. Had Allah (swt) not concealed their radiance, they would illuminate everything between the East and the West.” [Tirmidhi]

- Umar (r.a.) once kissed the Hajar al-Aswad and said, “I know well that you are just a stone that can do neither good nor harm. Had I not seen THE Prophet (s.a.w.) kiss you, I would not have done so.” Umar (r.a.) made the statement because there were many people who were newly converted to Islam and he did not want them to get the impression that Muslims also revered stones as the Arabs revered and worshipped stone idols during the Period of Ignorance. Umar (r.a) made it clear that he was following the Sunnah practice of the Prophet (s.a.w.) and that although the stone is blessed, it can do neither harm nor good.

- The Hajar al-Aswad was stolen from the Ka’bah around 930 CE by Qarmatian warriors who were an Ismaeeli Shia sect. They sacked Makkah, desecrating the Well of Zamzam with Muslim corpses and carried the Black Stone away to their base in Ihsaa, in medieval Bahrain. According to the historian Al-Juwayni, the Stone was returned in around 952 CE and restored to its original location.

- The Hajar al-Aswad was originally a complete stone but due to various historical incidents now consists of eight pieces of varying sizes affixed to a large stone and encased in a silver frame. The silver frame was first made by Abdullah bin Zubayr (r.a.) and replaced by later Khalifas as the need arose.

- Six (additional) pieces are claimed to be in Istanbul, Turkey. One is displayed in the mihrab of the Blue Mosque, one above the entrance of the tomb of Sulaiman the Magnificent and four in the Sokullu Sehit Mehmet Pasa Camii masjid (one over the mihrab, one below the lower pulpit, another is above the upper pulpit and the last is over the entrance door). The authenticity of these additional pieces has been questioned, although the Turks did rule over what is now Saudi Arabia for many years and hold many historical Islamic relics. And Allah (swt) knows best.

- Note that when kissing the Hajar al-Aswad, one should neither push people nor harm anyone because while kissing the Hajar al-Aswad is Sunnah, causing harm to people is a forbidden act (haram). When the area is crowded, it will suffice to merely point towards the Hajar al-Aswad with one’s hand or a stick while reciting the Takbeer and then to kiss the hand or stick. Although the Prophet (s.a.w.) kissed the Hajar al-Aswad directly, he also pointed towards it when the area was crowded, it is therefore clear that both kissing it and pointing towards it are Sunnah.

References:
The History of Makkah Mukarramah– Dr Muhammad Ilyas Abdul Ghani
Holy Makkah – Shaikh Safiur-Rahman Mubarakpuri
Wikipedia

Inside the Ka'bah

The diagram above shows a rare view of what the interior of the Ka’bah looks like. The construction made by Ebrahim (a.s.) contained no roof, it was the Quraysh who raised the walls of the Ka’bah and added a roof. Today, only a privileged few have had the opportunity to step inside the Ka’bah.

- During the times of Jahiliyyah (Ignorance), a man and woman from the Yemenite tribe of Jurhum called Isaf and Na’ilah committed adultery inside the Ka’bah. Allah (s.w.t.) turned them into stones. When they were found the next day, they were carried outside and were set up at the Ka’bah as a warning. Over time these two stones were worshipped along with the other idols. One of the stones was placed right next to the Ka’bah; the other one was set up at the spring of Zamzam. Finally, the Quraysh ordered that the stone next to the Ka’bah to be carried to the other one at Zamzam. From then on, people slaughtered their sacrificial animals at that spot.


 
 
 
- When Islam began to spread, the Quraysh became more embittered and could not tolerate the Prophet (s.a.w.) any longer. The chiefs drew up a document which called for the social and economic boycott of the Prophet (s.a.w.) and all those who supported him and his family. All of them signed this document on 1st Muharram of the seventh year of the Prophethood and the scroll was hung up inside the Ka’bah to give it full sanctity. For three long years the Prophet (s.a.w.) and his kinsmen were ostracized in a narrow valley in Makkah. Food was so scarce that they had to resort to eating leaves of trees and their children’s cries could be heard all over the valley. At last by the Grace of Allah, the scroll was eaten up by white ants save for the name of Allah and the boycott was uplifted.

- When the Prophet (s.a.w.) arrived in Makkah on the day of victory, he made tawaf around the Ka’bah seven times and touched the Hajar al-Aswad with his staff. He then asked Uthman bin Talha to open the door of the Ka’bah. The Prophet (s.a.w.) entered the Ka’bah accompanied by Usama bin Zaid, Bilal and Uthman bin Talha. He closed the door, performed prayer, stayed for some time and then went out.

- Inside the Ka’bah were statues of Ebrahim (a.s.) and Ismail (a.s.) along with pictures of angels and a picture of Ebrahim (a.s.) with divining arrows in his hand. It has also been reported that there was an icon painting of the Virgin Mary and the child Christ which had been done by a Christian. The Prophet (s.a.w.) ordered all of them to be destroyed.

- The two horns of the ram which Ebrahim (a.s.) slaughtered were hung inside the Holy Ka'bah. When Abdullah bin Zubair (r.a.) demolished the Holy Ka'bah to rebuild it, he found the horns had disintegrated due to previous damage and age.

- The Quraysh had erected their chief idol, Hubal, within the centre of Ka’bah. It was made of red carnelian and shaped like a human with the right hand broken which the Quraysh had replaced with gold. In front of the idol were seven arrows of fate and when the pagan Arabs were undecided on a matter they would go to Hubal and throw the arrows in front of him and took ‘advice’ based on how the arrows appeared.

- Abdul Muttalib, the grandfather of the Prophet (s.a.w.) had made a vow that if he ever had ten sons he would sacrifice one of them to God in front of the Ka’bah. When he subsequently fathered ten grown up sons up he announced his vow to them and had their names written on arrows of fate which were mixed and then one drawn out. Destiny fell upon Abdullah, his youngest and dearest son, who was to become the father of the Prophet (s.a.w.). Not wanting to sacrifice Abdullah, Abdul Muttalib consulted a soothsayer to see how he could be exonerated from his vow and in return for Abdullah’s life he gave away 100 camels. Hence the Prophet (s.a.w.) is called the descendant of the “two sacrificed ones” (Ismail (a.s.) and his own father, Abdullah). Similarly, he is referred to as the descendant of the “two elders held for ransom,” for Ismail (a.s.) was ransomed for a ram and his father for a hundred camels.

- The Prophet (s.a.w.) had Hubal destroyed after the conquest of Makkah.

References:
Kabahinfo.com
Symbols of Islam – Tanja Al-Hariri-Wendel
Muhammed the last Prophet – Sayyed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi
When the Moon Split – Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri
Muhammad – Martin Lings 

Ka'bah

The Ka’bah, also known as Baytullah (The House of Allah) is the first house built for humanity to worship Allah (swt). The small, cubed building may not rival other famous buildings in terms of size but its impact on history and human beings is unmatched. It functions as the Qibla, the direction to which all Muslims pray five times a day.

 

 

 

 

 
- Regarding the Ka’bah, Allah (swt) mentions in the Holy Quran in Surah Al-Ma’idah:

“Allah has made the Ka’bah, the Sacred House, an asylum of security and benefits (e.g., Hajj and Umrah) for mankind.” [5:97]

- The Ka’bah has been built or adjusted on several occasions throughout history. The most famous builders are; the angels who originally constructed it; the first man and prophet, Adam (a.s.); Ibrahim (a.s.) with the help of his son Ismail (a.s.); by the Quraysh during the Jahiliyyah period (this was witnessed by the Prophet (s.a.w.) when he was 25 years old) and by Abdullah bin Zubair (r.a.) in 65 AH who rebuilt it according to the wish of the Prophet (s.a.w.).

- Directly above the Ka'bah, at its zenith, there is a corresponding place in the heavens called the Baytul Ma’moor which holds the same status there as the Ka’bah does here on earth. Each day seventy thousand angels engage in worship there and none of them get a second opportunity to present themselves there again. The Baytul Ma’moor is such a sacred and honoured place that Allah (swt) takes an oath on it in the Holy Quran in Surah Toor:

“And I swear by the Baytul Ma’moor.” [4:52] - Hadhrat Abdullah bin Abbas (r.a.) reports that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said:

“One hundred and twenty mercies descend upon the Ka’bah every day and night; sixty for those performing tawaf, forty for those engaged in salah and twenty for those who are merely looking at the Ka’bah.” [Bayhaqi]

- During the Night of Ascension (mi’raj) when the Prophet (s.a.w.) reached the seventh level of heaven, he met the Prophet Ebrahim (a.s.) resting against the Baytul Ma’moor. Ebrahim (a.s.) returned the greeting of his descendant and testified that Muhammed (s.a.w.) was the Prophet of Allah.

- The noblest shade on earth is that of the Holy Ka'bah. Khabbab (r.a.) reports, “We once approached the Prophet (s.a.w.) with a difficulty and found him sitting in the shade of the Ka’bah, leaning on his shawl.”

- During the era of Abdullah-bin-Zubair (r.a.) the Ka’bah was damaged by catapult fire in 64 AH when the army of Yazeed-bin-Muawaiya laid siege to Makkah. One of Abdullah-bin-Zubair’s companions lit a fire, a spark flew off and set alight the kiswah (covering) of the Holy Ka'bah. The wooden portions of the Ka’bah were burned which necessitated its demolition and reconstruction. Abdullah-bin-Zubair (r.a.) reconstructed it on the foundations of Ebrahim (a.s.), thus fulfilling what the Prophet (s.a.w.) had wished for, as the construction made by the Quraysh was about three meters short because they had run out of lawful earnings to finance the build.

- When Hajjaj-bin-Yusuf had the governership over Makkah he informed the Ummayad Khalifah Abdul Malik Ibn Marwan that Abdullah-bin-Zubair had changed the Ka’bah to something that was different to how it was in the lifetime of the Prophet (s.a.w.). He gave permission to change it again and in 73 AH it was changed to its previous state. However, when Abdul Malik came to know the Hadith of the Prophet (s.a.w.) of how he had desired the Ka’bah to have been on the original foundations of Ebrahim (a.s.) he was full of remorse about what he had done.

- Muslims do not pray to the Qibla, it functions merely as a unifying direction point. During his time in Makkah, the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) used to pray towards Bait-al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), with the Ka'bah in front of him. When he migrated to Madinah, he prayed towards Jerusalem for 16 months, but he hoped it would be changed to the Ka'bah. Allah (swt) then revealed the following verse in the Holy Quran in Surah al-Baqarah:

"Verily, We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad's) face towards theheaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction." [2:144 ]

- There are Ahadith that confirm that the Ka’bah will be destroyed towards the end of time. Abu Hurairah (r.a.) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said:

“The Ka’bah will be destroyed by Dhus-Suwaiqatain (a man with thin legs) from Abyssinia (Ethiopia).” [Bukhari]

 

References:
The History of Makkah Mukarramah– Dr Muhammad Ilyas Abdul Ghani
Holy Makkah – Shaikh Safiur-Rahman Mubarakpuri
Kabahinfo.com

The city of Makkah

Makkah is the blessed city which is the most beloved land in the sight of Allah (swt) and the chosen location of His House. It was here that the final prophet and guide of the whole of mankind, Muhammad (s.a.w.), was born and commenced his Prophethood.

- Allah (swt) has called Makkah by five names in the Holy Quran: Makkah, Bakkah, Al-Balad, Al-Qaryah and Ummul-Qura.
 

- In Surah Al-Imran, Allah (swt) states:

“Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for Al-Alamin (mankind and jinn).” [3:96]

- When the Muslims conquered Makkah. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said,

“Allah had made this city sacred the day He created the heavens and the earth and it’s sanctity shall remain until the Day of Qiyaamah (Day of Judgement). Its thorns cannot be broken, its animals cannot be harmed and things fallen on its ground cannot be picked up unless with the intention of returning it to its owner or making public announcements (to locate the owner). It is also forbidden to cut the grass that (naturally) grows here.” [Muslim]

- The reward of prayer offered in Masjid al-Haram is multiplied many times. Jabir bin Abdullah (r.a.) narrates that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said:

“A prayer in in this mosque of mine is better than one thousand prayers anywhere else, except for Al-Masjid Al- Haram. A prayer in Al-Masjid Al-Haram is better than one hundred thousand prayers (anywhere else).” [Ahmad]

- The Prophet (s.a.w.), sitting on his camel in the Al-Hazwarah market, addressed Makkah saying,

“By Allah, you are the best land of Allah, the most beloved land of Allah to Allah. Had I not been driven out of you, I would not have left you.” [Zaadul Ma’aad]

- The Prophet (s.a.w.) once remarked:

“There is no city in which Dajjal will be unable to enter besides Makkah and Madinah. Every street will be lined with angels standing in rows to protect them.” [Bukhari]

- In the time of the Prophet (s.a.w.), camel caravans were a major part of Makkah’s bustling economy. Alliances were struck between the merchants in Makkah and the local nomadic tribes, who would bring goods – leather, livestock, and metals mined in the local mountains – to Makkah to be loaded on the caravans and carried to cities in Syria and Iraq. Historical accounts also provide some indication that goods from other continents may also have flowed through Makkah.

- Muslim scientists have provided evidence to show that Makkah is the true centre of the Earth, one argument being that unlike other longitudes, Makkah's is in perfect alignment to magnetic north.

References:
The History of Makkah Mukarramah – Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Abdul Ghani
Holy Makkah – Shaikh Safiur-Rahman Mubarakpuri
Wikipedia