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The Construction of the Holy Ka'bah by Abraham
(AI-Khalil) and His Son Ismail (peace be upon them)
Allah, the Almighty, says:
And remember Abraham and Ismail raised the foundations of the House (With this prayer); "Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us for You are the All-hearing, the All-knowing. Our Lord! Make of us Muslims, bowing to Your (Will). And of our progeny a people Muslim, bowing to Your (Will); and show us our places for the celebration of (due) rites; and turn unto us (in Mercy); for You are the Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own who shall rehearse Your Signs to them and instruct them in scripture and wisdom and sanctify them: for You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise. (2:127-129)
| The right figure demonstrates the structural sketch of the Holy Ka'bah constructed by Abraham (peace be upon him), as conceived by Al-Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Kurdi (may his soul rest in peace). |
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In the above-quoted Qur'anic verses, Allah, the Almighty, describes the situation of Abraham and his son Ismail (peace be upon them) while building the Sacred House. They were delighted and gratified with the task assigned to them, hoping that Allah, the Almighty, might accept from them this service, and bestow a blessing upon them and their progeny. Allah, the Supreme, instructed Abraham (peace be upon him) to build the Sacred House after pinpointing its site. Abraham (peace be upon him) executed the Divine Order with great love and joy. He was assisted in this honourable task by his son Ismail (peace be upon them). They completed the building in the following architectural form:
Abraham (peace be upon him) built the Holy Ka'bah with stones, and it was nine cubits high. Its length on the eastern side, the side of the present door from the corner of the Black Stone to the northeastern corner was thirty-two cubits. Opposite this, on the western side, between the Yemeni corner and the northwestern corner, the wall was thirty-one cubits. The southern side, from the Black Stone to the Yemeni comer, was twenty cubits . The northern side, facing Hijir Ismail (peace be upon him) was twenty-two cubits. He set up two opposing doors, one of them lay on the eastern side near the Black Stone, the other was on the western side near the Yemeni comer, similar to the eastern door. He dug a hole three cubits deep on the right side of the Black Stone door as a coffer for the properties and gifts of the Holy Ka'bah. He built it without a ceiling and doors that could be locked up and opened.
The building was in the form of rows of stones one above the other without any adhesive substance. This type of building without mortar is called 'radhm'. Abraham (peace be upon him) made two corners for the Sacred House, the Black Stone corner and the Yemeni corner. He did not make comers on the eastern side, but built it in a curve. He established on the side of the Sacred House a shed in keeping with the curve of the wall of the Sacred House opposite to it. This shed was used to shelter the sheep of Ismail (peace be upon him).
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