Al-Masjid al-Haram: Difference between revisions

The [[Ka'ba]] is the well-known cube-shaped building at the center of al-Masjid al-Haram in [[Mecca]]. It is the [[qibla]] of Muslims and their most important place of worship. It is obligatory for Muslims to visit the place as part of the [[hajj]] rituals at least once in their lifetime if they meet some conditions such as financial ability.

[[File:Location-of-the-Black-Stone-in-Ka'ba.jpg|250px|thumbnail|right|The Location of the Black Stone in the eastern side of the [[Ka'ba]]]]

Maqam Ibrahim is a stone on which [[Ibrahim (a)]] is believed to had stood, when he was reconstructing the Ka'ba, in order for his hands to reach the upper parts of the wall. On one account, the stone used to be inside the [[Ka'ba]] before [[Islam]], but when the [[verse]] "make Maqam Ibrahim [the place where Ibrahim stood] as a place of prayer" {{enote|{{ia|...وَاتَّخِذُوا مِنْ مَقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مُصَلًّى...}} (Qur'an, 2:125)}} was revealed, the Prophet (s) ordered it to be taken out of the Ka'ba and put around it.

{{Main|Hijr Ismail}}

Hijr Isma'il is the space between the [[Ka'ba]] and a half-circled wall extending from the northern part of the Ka'ba (al-Rukn al-'Iraqi) to its western part (al-Rukn al-Shami). Some called it as Huzayra. When Ibrahim (a), [[Hajar]], and their infant, [[Isma'il (a)]], entered the area of Mecca, [[Gabriel]] guided them to reside where Hijr is now located. Then Hajar and Isma'il dwelled there under a canopy, made of woods, with their sheep. After their death, both Hajar and Isma'il were buried there. Hijr Isma'il was venerated before [[Islam]]. After his [[Bi'that]], the [[Prophet (s)]] sat in this place, worshiped, recited the [[Qur'an]], and answered people's questions there. According to the majority of [[Imamiyya]] jurisprudents ([[faqih]]s), and by an appeal to reliable [[hadith]]s, Hijr Isma'il is not part of the Ka'ba, but also it is not a part of al-Mataf, so it is not permissible to perform tawaf through it.

There is a water well on the eastern side of al-Masjid al-Haram that is variously called the [[Zamzam Well]], [[Isma'il (a)|Isma'il]]'s well, [['Abd al-Muttalib]]'s well, Shafa' al-Suqm (healing of the disease), 'Afiya (health), Maymuna (blessed), Tu'm (tasty), Baraka (blessing), and Barra. The well is located underground near [[Maqam Ibrahim]] about 18 meters from the Ka'ba.

The Ka'ba had two doors; one on the eastern wall which is present today, the second door was on the western wall near al-Rukn al-Yamani. When [[Quraysh]] rebuilt Ka'ba they shut the western door and only left the eastern one. The place of the western door is called [[al-Mustajar]] and is visible on the western wall. Touching the wall of Ka'ba on this place and supplication is [[recommended]] in the seventh round of [[tawaf]].

Al-Multazam is between al-Rukn al-Yamani and [[al-Mustajar]]. This is called "multazam" (the place held or adhered by people) because [[hajj]] pilgrims stand there and hold to the wall and recite their prayers and orisons. According to some [[hadith]]s, the [[Prophet (s)]] put his face and hands on this part of the wall. He is reported as having said that [[God]] listens to people's prayers in this place. One supererogatory ([[mustahab]]) action in this place is to confess one's sins to God and ask for His forgiveness.