About the Ka’bah

Reference: Fataawa Noor ‘alad-Darb – Question No.6428, Page 257, Volume 12

Question: When was the Ka’bah built, and who raised the foundations? And why was it named as such?

Response: Allaah (Tabaaraka wa Ta’aala) said:

{And [mention] when Ibraaheem was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ismaa’eel…}, soorah al-Baqarah, aayah 127

So Ibraaheem (‘alayhis-salaam) is the one who built the Ka’bah and raised its foundations along with his son Ismaa’eel (‘alayhimas-salaam wat-tasleem). And in some of the early narrations it is mentioned that the Ka’bah was built in the time of Aadam (‘alayhis-salaatu was-salaam), however it was destroyed and disappeared, and then Ibraaheem rebuilt it, and Allaah [alone] has the Complete knowledge [of all affairs].

And as for why it was named ‘Ka’bah’, then it is because it is a square building, and every square building with four corners is called a ‘Ka’bah’.

And Allaah (Ta’aala) has associated this House (the Ka’bah) to Himself, as He (Jalla wa ‘Alaa) said:

{And [mention, O Muhammad], when We designated for Ibraaheem the site of the House, [saying], “Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House for those who perform tawaaf and those who stand [in prayer] and those who bow and prostrate.}, soorah al-Hajj, aayah 26

And Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) has obligated upon his worshippers that they turn towards it in their prayers, and to perform hajj there once in a lifetime.

- from London, UK. He is a graduate of the Islaamic University of Madeenah, having graduated from the Institute of Arabic Language, and later the Faculty of Sharee'ah in 2004.