1818), Burckhardt in 1814, Burton in 1852, Maltzan in 1862, Keane in 1880—have visited it in
Mussulman disguise, and at the risk of their lives. To them we owe our knowledge of the place.^141
The most holy place in Mecca is Al-Kaaba, a small oblong temple, so called from its cubic
form.^142 To it the faces of millions of Moslems are devoutly turned in prayer five times a day. It is
inclosed by the great mosque, which corresponds in importance to the temple of Solomon in
Jerusalem and St. Peter’s cathedral in Rome, and can hold about thirty-five thousand persons. It is
surrounded by colonnades, chambers, domes and minarets. Near it is the bubbling well Zemzem,
from which Hagar and Ishmael are said to have quenched their burning thirst. The Kaaba is much
older than Mecca. Diodorus Siculus mentions it as the oldest and most honored temple in his time.
It is supposed to have been first built by angels in the shape of a tent and to have been let down
from heaven; there Adam worshipped after his expulsion from Paradise; Seth substituted a structure
of clay and stone for a tent; after the destruction by the deluge Abraham and Ishmael reconstructed
it, and their footsteps are shown.^143 It was entirely rebuilt in 1627. It contains the famous Black
Stone,^144 in the North-Eastern corner near the door. This is probably a meteoric stone, or of volcanic
origin, and served originally as an altar. The Arabs believe that it fell from Paradise with Adam,
and was as white as milk, but turned black on account of man’s sins.^145 It is semi-circular in shape,
measures about six inches in height, and eight inches in breadth, is four or five feet from the ground,
of reddish black color, polished by innumerable kisses (like the foot of the Peter-statue in St. Peter’s
at Rome), encased in silver, and covered with black silk and inscriptions from the Koran. It was
an object of veneration from time immemorial, and is still devoutly kissed or touched by the Moslem
pilgrims on each of their seven circuits around the temple.^146
Mohammed subsequently cleared the Kaaba of all relics of idolatry, and made it the place
of pilgrimage for his followers. He invented or revived the legend that Abraham by divine command
sent his son Ishmael with Hagar to Mecca to establish there the true worship and the pilgrim festival.
He says in the Koran: "God hath appointed the Kaaba, the sacred house, to be a station for mankind,"
and, "Remember when we appointed the sanctuary as man’s resort and safe retreat, and said, ’Take
ye the station of Abraham for a place of prayer.’ And we commanded Abraham and Ishmael, ’Purify
my house for those who shall go in procession round it, and those who shall bow down and prostrate
themselves.’ "^147
(^141) See Ali Bey’s Travels in Asia and Africa, 1803-1807 (1814, 3 vols.); the works of Burckhardt, and Burton mentioned
before; and Muir, I. 1-9.
(^142) The Cube-house or Square house, Maison carrée. It is also called Beit Ullah, (Beth-el), i.e. House of God. It is covered
with cloth. See a description in Burckhaxdt, Travels, Lond., 1829, p. 136, Burton II. 154, Sprenger II. 340, and Khan Ballador’s
Essay on theHistory of the Holy Mecca (a part of the work above quoted). Burckhardt gives the size: 18 paces long, 14 broad,
35 to 40 feet high. Burton: 22 paces (= 55 English feet) long, 18 paces (45 feet) broad.
(^143) Baliador says, l.c.: "The most ancient and authentic of all the local traditions of Arabia ... represent the temple of the
Kaaba as having been constructed in the 42d centurya. m., or 19th centuryb.c., by Abraham, who was assisted in his work by
his son Ishmael." He quotes Gen. xii. 7; xiii. 18 in proof that Abraham raised "altars for God’s worship on every spot where he
had adored Him." But the Bible nowhere says that he ever was in Mecca.
(^144) It is called in Arabic Hhajera el-Assouád, the Heavenly Stone. Muir II. 35.
(^145) Bahador discredits this and other foolish traditions, and thinks that the Black Stone was a Piece of rock from the
neighboring Abba Kobais mountain, and put in its present place by Ishmael at the desire of Abraham.
(^146) See pictures of the Kaaba and the Black Stone, in Bahador, and also in Muir, II. 18, and description, II. 34 sqq.
(^147) Rodwell’s translation, pp. 446 and 648. Sprenger, II. 279, regards the Moslem legend of the Abrahamic origin of the
Kaaba worship as a pure invention of Mohammed, of which there is no previous trace.