Mohsin Aziz

Before I proceed further along the sacred path of Hajj, it is only fitting to pause and turn back the gaze of the soul to revisit the stories past of Makkah and Kaba. Turn to the ancient valley of Bakkah, whose barren hills cradle not only the Kaba but the very genesis of divine submission. For this is no ordinary place. This is the land where the footprints of prophecy are pressed into the earth, where history and revelation converge in quiet majesty.

It was here, in a desolate and waterless desert, that Prophet Ibrahim, his wife Hajar and son Ismail rewrote the concept of love, devotion, total submission to the divine Will and say yes to every Divine command without second thought.

It was here that the father and the  son would raise the foundations of the Kaaba with bare hands and bowed heads, invoking, ‘Our Lord, accept this from us. Surely, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.’ The Kaaba thus rose not as an architectural marvel but as a monument to obedience, sacrifice, and love. It was selfless devotion that made Kaba a celestial axis around which hearts would forever turn.

To revisit this history is not merely to recount events but to reconnect with the spiritual core of Hajj itself. It is to understand that every step of this pilgrimage echoes the footsteps of those who walked not with certainty of destination but with certainty of faith.

For in understanding their history, one begins to grasp the profound depth of this pilgrimage, not merely as a ritual, but as a timeless connection to the divine narrative woven through the sands of Arabia.

Macca

In the barren and sun-scorched valley of Makkah, where not a soul stirred and no drop of water was to be found in the merciless desert, Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) left his beloved wife, Hajra, and their infant son, Ismail. The land was lifeless, void of habitation, for in such an unforgiving terrain, life only blooms where water flows. Even the birds, messengers of vitality in the wild, steer only toward the whisper of springs.

Then, by the mercy of the Almighty, the miraculous spring of Zamzam burst forth from the earth, quenching the thirst of mother and child, marking the dawn of divine providence. As the water gushed and glittered under the sun, birds began to circle above — drawn by instinct to the promise of life below.

Far off, a caravan journeyed through the parched expanse — it was a noble tribe from Yemen, the Bani Jurhum. Their eyes caught sight of the birds wheeling in the distance, a sign too telling to ignore. Where birds soar, water surely lies beneath. They halted their journey and dispatched scouts to investigate.

Upon arrival, the men beheld a wondrous sight: Bibi Hajra, seated beside the spring that had turned a lifeless valley into a cradle of life. In awe and respect, they asked her, “May we dwell near you?”

With wisdom and grace, she replied, “Yes, but you shall hold no claim over the water.”

They accepted her condition without hesitation, for the honour of settling near such a blessed spring was more than they had bargained. Thus, the once desolate valley became a place of gathering, and from that sacred spring, a civilization would rise — all by the will of the Most Merciful. Bani Jurhum sent a message to their families back home. The families came, and within no time, a desolate God forsaken place, by the Will of Allah, became a permanent settlement. Ismail grew with them and learned Arabic from them. They also loved and adored Ismail. When Ismail grew up, he married in the Jurhum tribe. This was the acceptance of Ibrahim’s prayers. When Ibrahim was leaving his wife and child,  he prayed to Allah,

‘O Our Lord!I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley with no cultivation, by Your sacred House (Kaba); in order, O Lord, that they may offer prayers perfectly (iqamat al salat) so fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and O Allah provide them with fruits so that they may give thank. To our Lord! Certainly, You know what we conceal and what we reveal. Nothing on the earth or in the heavens is hidden from Allah.’ (Quran 14:37-38).

And (remember) when Ibrahim said,’ My Lord ‘Make this city (Makkah) a place of security and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day, He (Allah) answered :’As for him who disbelieves, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him to the torment of the Fire, And worst indeed is that destination’ (Al Quran, SurahalBaqara:126).

He was so sure and had such faith in Allah that Allah will not let his family alone in this harsh deseart that he even prayed for the prosperity and safety and security of the city that was not there. He had faith that it will be there. 

‘My Lord, make this a secure city and provide its people with fruits – whoever of them believes in Allah and the last day’ (al baqarah 126).

My Lord, make this city (Makkah) secure and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols’ (surah Ibrahim 35).

Ibrahim, as the epitome of a true Muslim, was not solely preoccupied with the physical safety and protection of his family, as one might expect. True to his noble character, his heart was equally burdened with the spiritual wellbeing and growth of his loved ones, as well as the inhabitants of Makkah. With a soul that yearned for their elevation in faith, he earnestly prayed for their guidance, their peace, and their spiritual flourishing. His concern transcended the worldly, seeking instead the eternal well-being of both his family and the faithful of that sacred land.

Our Lord! Make of us Muslims, bowing to thy (will), and our progeny a people Muslim, bowing to thy (will); and show us our place for the celebration  of (due) rites; and turn unto us (in Mercy); for Thou art the Oft-returning, Most Merciful (2:128).

This aspect of Ibrahim personality is perfectly defined in Quran.

‘Verily, Ibrahim was an Ummah or a nation obedient to Allah, Hanifa, and he was not one of those who were Al Mushrikun (Al Quran, Surah al Nahl:120).

Names of Makkah

Makka, like Madina, has multiple names. One of the ancient names of Macca is Bakkah. It is mentioned in the Quran.

‘Verily! The first House (of worship) appointed for mankind is the one at Bakkah (Makkah) full of blessing, and a guidence for Al-Alamin (tge mankind and jinns) (Al Quran, Surah Al-Imran:96).

Makka (Al Quran, Surah Al-Fath:24).

Umm al qura (Al Quran, Surah Al-Shura:7).

Al baldah (Al Quran, Surah Al Naml:91).

Al balad (Al Quran, Surah Ibrahim35).

Al balad al amin (Al Quran, Al Tin :3).

Al balad al haram (Al Quran, Surah ).

Haram al Amin (Al Quran, Surah Al-Ankabut : 67).

Some of the other names used for Makkah are

Makkah al Mukarrama, Al mamun, Salah, Al qarya,

Building of Kaba

After leaving her wife and son, Ibrahim used to visit them from time to time. On one of the visits, Ibrahim told Ismail,’O Ismail, Allah has commanded me to do something. Ismail responded , “Do what your Lord has commanded you to do’. Ibrahim asked him, ‘Will you help me?’. Ismail replied,’I will help you’. Pointing to a raised ground Ibrahim saidm ‘Allah has commanded me to build a house here’.

They laid the foundation, and Ismail started bringing stones and giving to Ibrahim, who started building the kaba. When the structure got higher and it was difficult for Ibrahim, Ismail brought a stone (called Al Maqaam) for Ibrahim to stand on it. Ibrahim stood on the stone and continued building the house of Allah. While they were going around building  kaba, both kept praying to Allah to accept their effort:

‘And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) and (his son) Ismail (Ishmael) were raising the foundation of the House (the Kabah at Makkah), saying, ‘Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily! You are the All-Knower, All-Hearer. Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You, and show us our Manasik (all the ceremonies of pilgrimage – Hajj and ‘Umrah, etc.), and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful’ (Al Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah:127-128).

Kaba became the first sanctuary in the history of mankind. Quran says:

‘Behold: The first sanctuary appointed for humankind was that at Bakka (Mecca) Blessed and a guidance for the world’s’ (Quran   3:96).

Acceptance of a Prayer

Ibrahim also prayed for a messenger to be sent to the people of Makkah from their own people who can recite them verses of Allah and guide them. Ibrahim prayed while constructing Kaba:

‘Our Lord send amongst them a messenger of their own who shall recite unto them your verses and instruct them in the book and al-hikmah and sanctify them. Verily, you are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise’ (Al Quran, Surah al Baqarah:129).

With the passage of time, the tribes around Mecca forgot about the message of Ibrahim. They slowly became distant from the deen e hanif of Ibrahim. From pure monotheism, they moved to idolatry. Arabs started idol worship. Each tribe had its own idol. Some of the bigger gods whose idols were kept in the kaba over time were laat, manaat, uza, habal, etc. Still, they gave importance to the Kaba. There was hajj every year, but the rituals had changed. Tawaf was often done in naked state by both men and women. Udhiya meat and blood were smeared on Kaba. Talbiyah was changed. Many did not go to the Arafat. They did not consider it necessary.

Still, kaba was reveared. Its status as santuary was respected. Quraish took it as an honour to provide food and water to the pilgrims. This position gave quraish influence beyond Macca. Warring tribes would often come to Quraish to get their disputes settled. It was this influence that Abraha wanted to curtail by destroying Kaba.

When the transgressions of the Arabs in general and Quraish in particular reached its peak, the prayer of Ibrahim was answered, when, from among the people of Makkah, the last Prophet, Khatimun Nabiyyin, Mohammad  Sallal la hu Alaihi Wasallam, was born. At the time of Prophet Mohammads birth, his grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, was the custodian of Kaba. The course of history was about to change like never before.

When Makkah was conquered and reclaimed, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ entered the sacred precincts not as a conqueror but as a servant of Allah. He ordered the idols to be cast out from the Kaaba. Kaba was restored to its original purity and monotheistic sanctity. The House of Allah was cleansed of centuries of falsehood. It’s hallowed premises once again resonated with the call of tawheed. In that moment, the Qur’an proclaimed:

‘Truth has come, and falsehood has perished. Indeed, falsehood is ever bound to perish.’ (Al Quran, Surah Al-Isra:81)

Names of Kaba

Like Madina and Makkah, Kaba, being the most revered House of Allah, is lovingly called by various beautiful names such as Bait al atiq, Bayt al muharram, Al bayt, Al bar Al Atiq, etc.

Kiswa and the Key of Kaba

Today, kaba is covered with majestic and richly embroidered black coloured cloth calked kiswa.. It was not always like this.  Its covering tradition dates back to pre‑Islamic times. King Tubbaʾ al‑Humayri (a Yemeni ruler) is believed to have been the first to ceremonially cover the Kaaba. After the conquest of Makkah, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used a Yemeni cloth, and subsequent caliphs varied its colour. It chnged from white to red. Eventually, black colour  was adopted during the Abbasid era (Kaul, Anvita:2024). Today, the Kiswa is produced annually in Makkah, crafted from black silk with elaborate gold and silver embroidery, and replaced each year on the 9th of Dhu al‑Hijjah (Khan, Arfa:2023, The National,  2022).

Whe Makkah was conquered by the Prophet he got all the idols removed and established the true form of hajj. At the time of Fath Makkah, the Prophet allowed keys of Kabah to be kept by the family  that was already in charge of the keys – Bani Shaibi.  The key was the responsibility of Qusai bin Kilab. It passed to his eldest son, Abd al Dar. The Prophet not only allowed the family to keep the key but said that it shall remain with the family until the judgement day except an oppressor taking it from the family. The family is performing this duty now for 16 centuries (Al-Thaqafi, Tareqm 2020).

Though the physical landscape of Hajj has undergone remarkable transformation in modern times, its sacred rituals and enduring spirit remain untouched by change. The essence of submission, sacrifice, and spiritual rebirth continues to flow through every rite, just as it did centuries ago. Today, the pilgrim finds shelter in air-conditioned tents at Mina, comfort in the enhanced facilities of Arafat, and rest in the rising skyline of Makkah’s modern hotels. The logistical burdens may have eased, but the inward journey — the call to humility, reflection, and surrender — remains as profound and unchanging as ever. The soul still travels the same timeless path, seeking nearness to the Divine.

(To be continued in Part 7)

References:

Al-Thaqafi, Tareq (2020, July 30) A history of the management of the Kaba. Arab. Available at: Newshttps://www.arabnews.com/node/1711991/saudi-arabia

Kaul, Anvita (2024) What is the Kiswa, the sacred cloth that covers the holy kaba in Mecca?. The Indian Express, June 14. Available at: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-culture/kiswah-sacred-cloth-covers-holy-kaaba-mecca-9797209%5D(https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-culture/kiswah-sacred-cloth-covers-holy-kaaba-mecca-9797209.

Khan, Arfa (2023) Unveiling the Story Behind the Kiswa: Covering the Kaaba Throughout History.u TimesGlo, June 26. Available at:
https://timesglo.com/unveiling-the-story-behind-the-kiswa-covering-the-kaaba-throughout-history%5D(https://timesglo.com/unveiling-the-story-behind-the-kiswa-covering-the-kaaba-throughout-history.

The National News (2022) How the Kiswah is Made for Hajj Each Year, June 20. Available at:
https://www.thenationalnews.com/gulf-news/2022/06/20/how-the-kiswah-is-made-for-hajj-each-year%5D(https://www.thenationalnews.com/gulf-news/2022/06/20/how-the-kiswah-is-made-for-hajj-each-year.