Ka\' Ba

See also: Ka' Ba (homonymy)

Kaaba , Ka' aba or Ka' Ba is approximate transcriptions of the Arab rear RTL الكعبة (in traditional transcription: ʾal kaʿabaʰ ) which means cubic . The former chroniclers report that before the advent of Islam ( jahilya ), there were 24 ka' low in the Arabic peninsula, but that of Mecque was venerated by all the tribes. It is said that Kaaba contained more than 360 idols; each tribe finding there the statues ( asnam ) of its gods.

These gods, of which the most venerated and the most voted by plebiscite were Hubbal, Al-Lat, Al `Uzza, Manat, etc had their statues stored within Ka' Ba where one once visited them per annum at the time of the pilgrimage.

Ka' aba east is a roughly cubic building of form with its 15 meters in height and its sides of 10 and 12 meters, located at the center of the Large Mosque of Mecque, towards which the Moslems turn themselves to request.

The tradition allots of it sometimes construction to Adam him even. Destroyed at the time of the Flood, Abraham would have rebuilt it with the assistance of his/her oldest son Ismaël. Mahomet, during its youth would have itself contributed to its restoration and the black stone of the Eastern angle would have been enclosed there by its care (this stone would be a gift of the angel Gabriel in Abraham). Driving out these places of the many gods which were venerated there by the credulous Bedouins, Mahomet would have left only two images there: that of Abraham and that of Marie de Nazareth.

The symbolic system of empty Ka' Ba means that there cannot be object of worship for the believer. Therefore, that its heart must remain empty of any idol to leave there room only to God (in this case represented by the vacuum).

After having during a time directed the prayer towards Jerusalem, of which it had had a vision, Mahomet would have chosen to direct it towards Ka' aba, undoubtedly during its exile with Médine. Covered with a black brocart (the kiswa ) embroidered Koranic verses, it is around Ka' aba that the pilgrims carry out the seven turns of the tawaf, also called the Circumambulation.

The calculation of the Qibla, the direction of Mecque, stimulated the Moslem geographers.

  1. the Black Pierre (South-eastern angle) (Arab: rear RTL الحَجَرالأَسْوَد Al-aswad). In 684 Kaaba is damaged by a fire, the black stone bursts because of heat. In 930 the black stone is taken by the Qarmates. It is restored in 950.

  2. the door of Kaaba (wall Is), which is located at 2,13 meters with the top of the ground.
  3. Gutter (out of gold) to evacuate possible rainwater (Northern wall) (Arab: rear RTL ميزاب, gutter ). In 1626 a flood made collapse three of the four walls of Kaaba. It was rebuilt in 1627. At this point in time one installs this gutter and the châdharwân which protects the base from surface waters.
  4. the châdharwân is part of the base of Kaaba (Arab: rear RTL الشاذَروان)
  5. the zone called hatîm is delimited by the low wall called stone of Ismaël, according to other sources the word hatîm indicates also the low wall. That corresponds to original part of Kaaba under which Agar (Arab would be buried: rear RTL الحَطيم, left ploughed up? ) (Arab: rear RTL الحَجَرإسماعيل ismā `īl).
  6. Al-Multazam indicates the section of wall between the door of Kaaba and the black stone (مُلْتَزَم, bound by an engagement ).
  7. the station of Abraham, where Abraham would have left the print of its feet in the stone (Arab: rear RTL مقامإبراهيم ibrāhīm, station of Abraham ).
  8. Angle of Pierre Black (South-eastern).
  9. Angle of the Yemen (South-western). A large stone placed vertically form this angle of the building. The habit is to cherish or greet this stone.
  10. Angle of the Syria (Cham) (North-western).
  11. Angle of the Iraq (North-eastern).
  12. Veil embroidered of gold, recovering Kaaba (Arab: rear RTL سِتارالكعبة Al-ka `aba, veil/hanging of Kaaba ) (Arab: rear RTL كِسْوة, clothing; dress; drapery ).
  13. Band of marble marking the beginning and the end of the turns.
  14. This site is sometimes called the station of Gabriel (Arab: rear RTL مقامجبريل jibrīl, station of Gabriel ).

See too

External bonds

  • direction of Ka' Ba [[Qibla]]
  • Kaaba in 3D
  • the rather complete site
  • Seen satellite of Kaaba on WikiMapia

Simple: Kaaba

Random links:Flines-lez-Raches | Giuseppe Giovanni Guarneri | Milord | Jean Arago | Falconelle with helmet | 317