e-Claire

for my own curiosity;

as I walk seven times ‘round the InterTubes

Kaaba, also known as, Ka’bah, Kabah and Caaba is the center of the holiest place of worship in Islam (Submission in English)

Kaaba is the center of the circumambulations [tawaf]performed during the pilgrimage (hajj), and it is toward the Kaaba that Muslims face in their prayers (salat). 

The Black Stone, possibly of meteoric origin, is located at one of its outside corners. It has been used by the pilgrims as a landmark to count the number of cicumambulations. Some traditional Muslims in defiance of their religion, consider the stone holy and put emphasis on touching it and kissing it. The actual structure of the Kaaba has been demolished and rebuilt several times in the course of its history.

[Muslims believe that the revered “black stone” (Alhajar Al-Aswad) is a special divine meteorite, that pre-dates creation that fell at the foot of Adam and Eve. It is presently embedded in the southeastern corner of the Kaba. Muslims touch and kiss the black stone during Hajj but non-Muslims are strictly forbidden to even touch it.]

[Apparently, non-Moslems are forbidden to even look upon the stone: e-C]

Around the Kaaba is a restricted area, haram, extending in some directions as far as 12 miles, into which only Muslims may enter.

Before prophet Muhammed’s advent, Meccans who lost the religion of Abraham’s monotheism, worshipped many idols, most notable of which were al-Lat, al-Uzza and Manat.

Mecca [aka “Makkah”, not Makaka] is at the intersection of latitude 21 to 25 degree north and longitude 39 to 49 degree east. [Amazing whatcha can learn on the web...]

Even though this building—or its predecessors—has been referred to even before Christian times, it seems to have gone through massive changes over the last fifty years.  This photo is labeled as “50 years ago.”

This photo is current, and apparently taken during Hajj:

More interesting tidbits:

...before Muhammed was born, the moon god “al-Ilah” (Allah) had three daughters named al-Lat, al-Uzza and Manat. The first two were even named after their father. Each daughter had a separate shrine near Mecca, where Allah’s shrine was located.

As Muhammad grew weary from evangelizing his new religion with little success, he was tricked by the devil into adding a verse in the Koran that commanded Muslims to pray to Allah’s three pagan daughters Lat, Uzza and Manat. The pagan female trinity was immediately accepted without dissent and the passage was considered part of the revealed Koran. However some time later, Muhammad got a revelation from God that the verse should be removed. After repenting of the error, Muhammad was comforted by God.

Here is how the Koran once read with the satanic verses:

Near it is the Garden of Abode. Behold, the Lote-tree was shrouded (in mystery unspeakable!) (His) sight never swerved, nor did it go wrong! For truly did he see, of the Signs of his Lord, the Greatest! Have ye seen Lat. and ‘Uzza, And another, the third (goddess), Manat?

[Words of Satan:] These are the exalted cranes (intermediaries) Whose intercession is to be hoped for.

What! for you the male sex, and for Him, the female? Behold, such would be indeed a division most unfair! (an-Najm 53:19-22)

(Tabari, Annals 1.1192-1193 = Tabari vi: 108-109)

[Before Mohammed] ...At Mekka, Allah was the chief of the gods and the special deity of the Quraish, the prophet’s tribe. Allah had three daughters: Al Uzzah (Venus) most revered of all and pleased with human sacrifice; Manah, the goddess of destiny, and Al Lat, the goddess of vegetable life.

“When the Messenger of God saw how his tribe [the Quraish] turned their backs on him and was grieved to see them shunning the message he had brought to them from God, he longed in his soul that something would come to him from God that would reconcile him with his tribe. With his love for his tribe and his eagerness for their welfare, it would have delighted him if some of the difficulties which they made for him could have been smoothed, and he debated with himself and fervently desired such an outcome. Then God revealed (Sura 53) ... and when he came to the words “Have you thought al-Lat and al-Uzza and Manat, the third, the other?” (VV. 19-20) Satan cast on his tongue, because of his inner debates and what he desired to bring to his people, the words: “These are the high-flying cranes; verily their intercession is to be hoped for.” When the Quraysh heard this, they rejoiced and were happy and delighted at the way in which he had spoken of their gods, and they listened to him, while the Muslims, having complete trust in their Prophet with respect of the message which he brought from God, did not suspect him of error, illusion or mistake. When he came to the prostration, having completed the Sura, he prostrated himself and the Muslims did likewise.... The polytheists of the Quraysh and others who were in the mosque [that is, the Meccan Haram] likewise prostrated themselves because of the reference to their gods which they heard, so that there was no one in the mosque, believer or unbeliever, who did not prostrate himself ... Then they all dispersed from the mosque. The Quraysh left delighted at the mention of their gods."

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