Islam Guidance

BEWARE, THIS IS THE PRECINCT OF THE KAABA, AND A HOLY PLACE

BEWARE, THIS IS THE PRECINCT OF THE KAABA,
AND A HOLY PLACE
This is the place before which all the prophets from Adam (a.s) to the seal of the prophets (saw) as well as the immaculate Imams were humble, made circumambulation, and prostrated themselves. Traditions say that after the descending of Adam (a.s) ?from Paradise-, God made a dome of white pearl in the present place of the Kaaba for him to circumambulate it. The dome survived until the time of Noah's flood when God took it to the heavens. Since then, the site of the Kaaba became a place for circumambulation for the prophets (a.s) until the time of Prophet Ibrahim (a.s) who was missioned by God to build the Kaaba. وإِذْ بَوّأْنا لإِبراهِيمَ مَكانَ البَيتِ

?And when we assigned to Ibrahim the place of the House. (The Holy Quran; 22:26). وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبَرَاهِيمُ القَواعِدَ مِنَ البَيْتِ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ
?And when Ibrahim and Ismail raised the foundations of the House. (The Holy Quran; 2:127)?
With the passage of time, the Kaaba was sometimes completely or partially subject to changes. Yet it continued to survive with its majesty and glory and the ummah is enjoying its blessings.

SURVIVAL OF THE KAABA, A WONDER
It is a wonder that all the royal palaces built throughout history have been demolished but the Kaaba, a house built of mud and stone about four thousand years ago by Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail (a.s) in a parched land is still upright and will continue to be loved by human beings until the Day of Judgment.
What is more wonderful is the attraction of this House. So many glorious and majestic buildings in the world are found in areas of good climate, but the Kaaba attracts people to itself without having means of entertainment or being satisfying people's pleasure. The reason however is natural. It is God Himself Who has created this attraction in people's hearts through Prophet Ibrahim's supplication: وَأَذِّنْ في النَّاسِ بالحَجِّ يأْتُوكَ رِجَالاً وَعَلى كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يأْتِينَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ.
?And proclaim among men the pilgrimage: they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, coming from every remote path. (The Holy Quran; 22:27)?
A quotation from Imam Sadiq (a.s) refers to the same secret:

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لمّا أُمِرَ إبرَاهِيمُ وإسْماعِيلُ عَليهِما السّلامُ ببناءِ البَيتِ وتَمَّ بِناؤهُ قَعَدَ إِبراهيمُ عَلى رُكْنٍ ثُمّ نادَى: هَلُمّ الحَجَّ، هَلُمّ الحَجَّ... فَلَبّى النّاسُ في أصْلابِ الرّجالِ لَبَّيكَ دَاعِيَ اللهِ لَبّيكَ داعِيَ اللهِ عزّ وجَلّ. فَمَن لبّى عَشْراً يحِجَّ عَشراً ومَن لَبّى خمْساً يحِجَّ خمْساً ومَن لَبّى أكثَرَ مِن ذلكَ فَبِعَدَدِ ذلكَ ومَن لَبّى واحِداً حَجَّ واحِداً ومََن لم يُلَبِّ لم يحِجَّ.

When Prophets Ibrahim and Ismail (a.s) were assigned to build the House and they completed it, Prophet Ibrahim (a.s) sat on a pillar calling people to Hajj. Then people in men's loins gave a positive response to the call of Allah. Whoever said Labbayk for ten times performs ten times of Hajj, whoever said for five times performs five times of Hajj, whoever said more performs more, and whoever said Labbayk once performs only one time of Hajj and one who did not say Labbayk performs no Hajj.?1

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