The Kaaba: The First House of Worship
The Kaaba is the first house built for the worship of Allah on Earth. Allah says:
"dSurely the first House ˹of worship˺ established for humanity is the one at Bakkah—a blessed sanctuary and a guide for ˹all˺ people." (Surah Al Imran: 96)
Al-Bukhari (3366) and Muslim (520) narrate from Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him):
"I asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, which mosque was the first to be established on Earth?' He replied, 'Al-Masjid al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque).'"
The Kaaba was first built by Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail (peace be upon them). Allah says:
" And ˹remember˺ when Abraham raised the foundation of the House with Ishmael, ˹both praying,˺ “Our Lord! Accept ˹this˺ from us. You are indeed the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.'" (Surah Al-Baqarah: 127)
The Black Stone is the most honored part of the Kaaba and is a stone from Paradise.
Al-Tirmidhi (877) narrates, and he deemed it a sound and authentic hadith, from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him):
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'The Black Stone descended from Paradise, and it was whiter than milk, but the sins of the children of Adam turned it black.'"
Additionally, Al-Bukhari (1597) and Muslim (1270) narrate that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) once approached the Black Stone and kissed it, saying:
"I know that you are a stone; you neither harm nor benefit. If I had not seen the Prophet ﷺ kiss you, I would not have kissed you."
The Quraish's Collective Effort to Rebuild the Kaaba
When the Kaaba was rebuilt, all the Quraish tribes sought to partake in this honorable endeavor. They agreed to allocate specific sections of the Kaaba to each tribe for gathering stones and construction.
• The area of the door was given to the Banu Abd Manaf and Zuhra tribes.
• The area between the Black Stone and al-Rukn al-Yamani (the Yemeni Corner) was for the Banu Makhzum tribe and their allies.
• The rear wall was for the Banu Jumah and Sahm tribes.
• The section of Hijr Ismail was allocated to the Banu Abd al-Dar, Banu Asad, and Banu Adi tribes.
A Dispute Over Placing the Black Stone
When the construction reached the position of the Black Stone, a dispute arose among the tribes over who would have the honor of placing it. Each tribe wanted the privilege, and the argument continued for four or five days, almost leading to war within the sacred grounds.
To resolve the conflict, Abu Umayyah ibn al-Mughira al-Makhzumi (the father of Umm Salama, one of the Mothers of the Believers), who was the eldest among the Quraish at the time, proposed that the first person to enter the mosque would arbitrate the matter. The tribes agreed.
The Prophet ﷺ as the Arbiter
Allah willed that the first person to enter and resolve this issue was to be the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. When they saw him, they exclaimed, "This is the trustworthy one! We are content with him. This is Muhammad."
After listening to the issue, the Prophet ﷺ devised a brilliant solution. He spread a cloak, placed the Black Stone in its center, and asked the tribal leaders to hold the edges together and lift the stone. Once it was raised to its position, the Prophet ﷺ took it with his own blessed hands and placed it in its spot.
Through his wisdom, the Prophet ﷺ resolved the dispute, prevented a war, and brought peace to the Quraish. His actions were, as always, a mercy to the world.
