A lot of people do not know this but Makkah is actually a house (called el Kaaba), it is covered today with a black silk cloth. Makkah was built by the prophet Abraham (pbuh) around 1800-2000 BC as the first house dedicated to the worship of the One and only God.
A little background on Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him)
Abraham (pbuh) was the son of an idol merchant and was appointed by God to eliminate all idolatry at the time. God granted Abraham (pbuh) wisdom in his childhood and Abraham (pbuh) remained in a high spiritual position till the day of his death.
Abraham (pbuh) told his father that he had indeed received revelations from God, knowledge which his father did not possess and tried to convince him of the folly of idol worshipping, but his father rejected Abraham’s guidance. So one day, when Abraham (pbuh) was left alone to mind the store, he took a hammer and smashed all of the idols except the largest one. He placed the hammer in the hand of the largest idol. When his father returned and asked what happened, Abraham (pbuh) said, “The idols got into a fight, and the big one smashed all the other ones.” His father said, “Don’t be ridiculous. These idols have no life or power. They can’t do anything.” Abraham (pbuh) replied, “Then why do you worship them?”
That story is narrated in the Torah, the Bible and the Qur’an.
After having destroyed the folly idol, the people of his village were very offended and tried to burn him to death, but God had bigger plans for him so he saved him. Abraham (pbuh) was pushed out of the country and migrated to Egypt with his wife Sarah.
Many years have passed by and Abraham (pbuh) was anxious, because he had no children and he was growing old. Abraham’s beloved wife, Sarah offered her maidservant, Hagar, as a wife to Abraham (pbuh). This was a common practice in the region at the time. Hagar bore Abraham a son, Ishmael (pbut), who, according to both Muslim and Jewish tradition, is the ancestor of the Arabs.
Makkah’s location in the Bible:
Few years have past and by the glory of God, Isaac (pbuh) was born from Sarah. However, with Sarah, things were never the same and Sarah requested from Abraham (pbuh) to send Hagar and her son away. She declared that Ishmael would not share in Isaac’s inheritance (pbut). Abraham was greatly distressed by his wife’s words but the Lord told Abraham not to be distressed and to do as his wife requested. God reassured Abraham as stated in the Qu’ran but also as stated in the Bible, in the book of Genesis 21:9-13: “Do not be distressed about the boy or about your slave woman. Obey Sarah, no matter what she asks of you; for it is through Isaac that descendants will bear your name. As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, since he too is your offspring too”.
The next day Abraham took Hagar and Ishamel (pbut) from Egypt to a place in the dessert (remember it is 1800-2000 BC) no map existed yet, so how do we know where he took them exactly? The Bible answers this question for us by mentioning a well of water which appeared to save the lives of Hagar and Ishamel (pbuh). The well still exists today, it is called “ZamZam well” and is located near underneath el Kaaba (the house covered with a black silk cloth).
“Early the next morning, Abraham brought Hagar and Ishmael out together. He gave her bread and water and sent them away. The two wandered the wilderness of Beersheba until her bottle of water was completely consumed. In a moment of despair, she burst in tears. The boy then called to God and upon hearing him, an angel of God confirmed to Hagar that he would become a great nation. A well of water then appeared so that it saved their lives” Bible (Genesis 21:14-19)
Note: The gesture of despair of Hagar running back and forth between the two mountains seeking water for her son is a ritual performed during the Muslim pilgrimage (Hajj) called “Saee” , pilgrims run and walk 7 times between the 2 mountains of Safa and Marwa.
The construction of the first house of worship dedicated to the one God!
Abraham (pbuh) frequently visited his family at their new location, and with the help of his son Ishmael (pbut), he began constructing the first house dedicated to the worship of the One true God. Once the building was completed, the pilgrimage (Hajj) was decreed for Prophet Abraham (pbuh), as stated in the Qur’an: “We assigned to Abraham the site of the House, saying: ‘Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House for those who perform Tawaf (circumambulation) around the Kaabah, and those who bow and prostrate themselves. And call mankind to the pilgrimage. They will come to you on foot, and on every lean camel, coming from every distant road.’” (Qur’an 22:26-27).
Answering the call made by God to Abraham over 1,800 years before the birth of Jesus Christ:
However, centuries after Abraham’s (pbuh) passing, the people of Makkah fell into idolatry and paganism under the corrupt influence of the Amalekites.
In 630 AD, Prophet Muhammad and after 23 years of hardship, peacefully re-entered Makkah, cleansed it of idol worship, and restored its purpose as a center of worship of the One God. As a result, Muslims from all over the world travel to Makkah every year during the month of Hajj, answering the call made by God to Abraham over 1,800 years before the birth of Jesus Christ (Peace be upon them).