Kaaba
Black Stone
Ka'aba, hajr-e-aswad
General Information
Kaaba (Arabic, "a square building"), Islam's most sacred sanctuary and pilgrimage shrine, is located in the courtyard of the Great Mosque of Mecca. According to the Koran, the cubic-shaped structure was built by Adam according to a divine plan and rebuilt by Abraham and Ishmael. A trough in which they reputedly mixed mortar stands near the door and is a popular place of prayer. The Kaaba houses the Black Stone, the most venerated object for Muslims. Probably of meteoric origin, the stone is reputed to have been given to Ishmael by the angel Gabriel. When Muhammad began to preach to the Meccans, the Kaaba was a shrine for the pagan deities of the Arabs. After the Prophet established control of Mecca, the shrine was rededicated to Allah. All Muslims face toward the Kaaba during their daily prayers.