Question about Mecca

[Mukandpuria]

Saw the news today and saw a lot of people praying at the Ka'ba...and my question is this?

What is exactly inside the square structure covered with a black cloth? I have herd numerous things....someone told me there is a large Shivling and that blood constantly is poured on it and that if a milk drop ever touches it that every other Muslim will die. And there were incident where haters tried to bring milk in but where caught...also this is why babies are not allowed....and is it true only Muslims are allowed in the Ka'ba

again this is all from word of mouth and i am not trying to offend anyone or the religion I am just really curious.

 

[Arjun Barua]

I believe it's a meteorite, but I don't know much about it really. Please enlighten us, Waleed.

 

[Pooja]

I always wanted to go there....but yea you have to be Muslim to go...is there anyway to get around that?

 

[Somi]

http://muslimbychoice.wordpress.com/2008/03/18/kaaba-from-inside/

- The name Kaaba comes from the Arabic word meaning ?cube?. It is made of granite from the hills near Mecca.

Inside the Kaaba :
There are three pillars inside
There is a small table on the side to put items like perfume and incense burners.
There are two lantern-type lamps hanging from a cross beam near the ceiling
There are no electric lights inside
The interior walls are clad with marble half-way to the roof.
The entire floor is of marble except for a small portion which is called ?Rukhamat Humra?.
Tablets with Qur?anic inscriptions are inset in the marble.
The top part of the walls is covered with a green cloth decorated with gold embroidered Qur?anic verses.
There are no windows inside
There is only one door
The space can accommodate about 50 people

 

[Somi]

Children are allowed
we are allowed to touch it as well
as far as i know, no one is allowed to go inside the Ka'ba (the cube) besides the Shiekh himself

 

[rajkaran]

I always wanted to go there....but yea you have to be Muslim to go...is there anyway to get around that?

I did some research for a small paper a while ago...if I'm not mistaken Mecca and Medina city limits are only allowed for Muslim people. They filter out non-Muslims using segregated "non-Muslim" highways to bypass the city limits. I believe there are also checkpoints going into the city where they can stop your car and make sure U are muslim by asking simple questions that most muslims would know (like saying a common verse from the Qur'an, or simply showing an I.D. card). Other than that, I've definitely read of non-Muslim people being smuggled into the city with fake identification and proper knowledge of the Qur'an/Islam. However, this is just what i've read on the internet/books. I could be wrong...anyone want to input?

 

[Waleed]

Abhi, from Somia's list you can probably deduce that the Kaaba is empty (I know, what a downer). There is nothing of significance that resides within its walls except the concept that unites all Muslim which is praying to one God. The Kaaba (aka House of God) is simply a location that all Muslims must face when praying and the simple act of all Muslims facing the same directions speaks volumes symbolically. When I was young, I was pretty bummed out when I found out that the Kaaba is actually empty, I thought God physically lived in there! Regarding the rock (meteorite), Muslims believe that it is a rock from heaven and there is a whole background story behind this as well. Over the course of time, it has slowly turned from white to black, some Muslims believe this is a sign that the end times are near.

Somia, from what I know anyone is allowed into the Kaaba but the Saudi government controls access to it. Visiting dignitaries from Muslim countries are quite often allowed inside the Kaaba to make a prayer.

Good question Abhi!

Kaaba from the inside

I did some research for a small paper a while ago...if I'm not mistaken Mecca and Medina city limits are only allowed for Muslim people. They filter out non-Muslims using segregated "non-Muslim" highways to bypass the city limits. I believe there are also checkpoints going into the city where they can stop your car and make sure U are muslim by asking simple questions that most muslims would know (like saying a common verse from the Qur'an, or simply showing an I.D. card). Other than that, I've definitely read of non-Muslim people being smuggled into the city with fake identification and proper knowledge of the Qur'an/Islam. However, this is just what i've read on the internet/books. I could be wrong...anyone want to input?

You're right Rajkaran. Non-Muslims are prohibited from entering Mecca and Medina, the two holiest cities for Muslims. There are checkpoints on the way there where you either show your proof of Saudi residency or your pilgrimage Visa (which can only be acquired by Muslims). There are numerous stories of non-Muslims sneaking in though.

 

[ban3rg]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Stone

Yeah the black stone is in there, framed in silver - and as Waleed said, it is believed to have fallen from the heavens (what we would call a meteorite in modern days i suppose)

 

[Mukandpuria]

never knew that...so was the rock like that from god. Meaning was it found like it is or was it modified to be what it looks like now..

 

[sulmoney]

it has definitely been modified over times. the wikipedia article is good for tracing its recorded history and the stories surrounding its origin from different people.

getting to mecca is very regulated. as has been stated, non muslims are not permitted to enter mecca. the ways into mecca are constantly staffed by state officials at massive bottleneck checkpoints, and the only way to gain entrance into the city limits is by having a valid passport with certification of your faith, and stating your intent to go to mecca for hajj (or umrah, which is essentially mini-hajj), or a state id card i assume for locals. getting a hajj visa in order to go to mecca is quite the process. when i went with members of my family, everything had to be taken care of through special hajj trip organizers, and all paperwork had to be done so far in advance.

as for getting around the muslim thing to go to mecca haha, it has been done numerous times, but its quite difficult. one of the more famous moments was during the filming of spike lee's malcolm x, all film staff members converted to islam, and only then were they allowed to enter and film the hajj scenes for the movie. however, upon completion of the filming, everyone unconverted.

to counter waleed's feeling of being down that the kabaa itself is empty, the actual structure of the kabaa is breathtaking and reduced my sister and mother to tears when we came upon it. the great mosque is one of the world's most astonishing places, and for those lucky enough to get a chance to go, savor it. i have a picture that we took of the kabaa, ill upload it in a bit, its quite stunning. ok, found it.

from this picture, the black stone is at the corner facing you (though it is not visible); it is tiny compared to kabaa itself, and getting to touch it or kiss it, or even see it, is very difficult during hajj, as there are just so many people there trying to get to it. but still, quite an experience.

 

[Somi]

Waleed - really, I was told no one is allowed inside.....???? darn, gotta go ask now

Sulmoney-- wow, I did not know about the Malcom X staff! (no wonder our sunday school teacher didnt give us an answer when asked ) im going to hunt my teacher and ask him now

the actual structure of the kabaa is breathtaking and reduced my sister and mother to tears when we came upon it. the great mosque is one of the world's most astonishing places, and for those lucky enough to get a chance to go, savor it

I have not been to Mecca, yet, but have heard the similar stories...cant wait to go myself (soon, inshallah)

 

[Don]

as has been stated, non muslims are not permitted to enter mecca.

just wondering, is there a specific reason why non-Muslims are not allowed? also has this always been the case?

I have a lot of Muslim friends and upon returning from pilgrimage they always tell me of the great beauty of the Masjid al-Haram....I'm sure many non-muslims would love to visit such a beautiful and significant mosque

 

[Varun]

Was not the kabaa built by Abraham originally, and for many years was a spot of pilgrimage for the Judeo-Christians even before Islam was invented. Apparently, the Kabaa was filled with idols though and Mohammad came in, "cleaned" it up, and since then became a place for Islamic pilgrimage.

 

[Somi]

Was not the kabaa built by Abraham originally, and for many years was a spot of pilgrimage for the Judeo-Christians even before Islam was invented. Apparently, the Kabaa was filled with idols though and Mohammad came in, "cleaned" it up, and since then became a place for Islamic pilgrimage.

yes Varun you are right. ;D

 

[Naveen Singh Khokhar]

Guru Nanak Dev Ji went to Mecca so ill go one day haha (Jaideep ill take ya)

 

[sulmoney]

the saudi government uses a Quranic verse to justify why they keep non-muslims out of mecca: "O ye who believe! Truly the Pagans are unpure; so let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque. And if ye fear poverty, soon will God enrich you, if He wills, out of His bounty, for God is All-knowing, All-wise." -- Quran, 9:28

-jacked from wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mecca)

 

[Summy]

Guru Nanak Dev Ji went to Mecca...Yeah Sikhs dont usually like bringing up this, because it would enrage a lot of sikhs.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji went to Mecca, and at Mecca, Guru Jee was found sleeping with his meet towards Kaaba, which was seen as an insult. Kazi Rukan-ud-din, who saw this, remarked angrily: "Infidel! How dare you dishonour God's place by turning your feet towards him?" He then proceeded to kick Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The Guru did not show any anger. In fact, he was never angry with anybody. He smiled at Jiwan. In a calm, sweet voice he said to him, "Brother, don?t be angry. I am very tired. I need rest. I respect the House of God as much as any one. Please turn my feet in a direction in which God or the House of God is not."

The story goes that he was eventually approached and had great discussions above religion, but in the interest of getting along, this story is rarely recieted.

--

Quick question about Mecca... I witnessed a conversation one day. It was in a class in undergrad, two guys that never met. One was a hindu guy, and a muslims guy. I merely witnessed it. The muslim guy said to the hindu that in islam they dont believe in idol worship. THe hindu guy replied with, well you pray to that black stone in Mecca, and thats the place you point to when you pray, how is that no idol worship. THe muslim guy didnt respond. Then as an obvious sikh, the muslim guy says to me, yeah your an idol worshipper too, because we pray to a "booK". He didnt say it in a disrespectful tone or else I would be writing this from my jail cell, but I was just interested in what Muslims have to say about that...

 

[Mukandpuria]

so then why exactly is it scared....is it becuase Abraham lived there?
can someone please provide more detail on the story of the kabaa, the room inside, how it was at its first state, who built it and who did what to make it at its current form and state. I am really interested by all this.

 

[yraparla]

eh, they're not praying to the rock, merely respecting it

there are so many subplots:

it's grown black from absorbing sins, so deserves respect
it helps keep count as you try to go around 7 times in a huuuuge crowd
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) was seen kissing it, so it's trust in Muhammed and God, not the stone

 

[Arjun Barua]

I think the term "idol worship" itself is a misnomer. I don't think any of the major religions (including Hinduism) actually worship idols. The "idols" or objects are merely supposed to be used as something to meditate on when worshiping God. That's just my take on it.