YOGYAKARTA - The Ka'bah is one of the buildings that are sanctified for all Muslims. This building is built with a rectangular stone structure that is close to a cube and is covered with a black cloth called the kiswah. The square shape of the Ka'bah that we see today certainly has a long history. The current form of the Ka'bah is the result of a long journey of reconstruction from pre-Islamic times to the early development of Islam. However, why is the Ka'bah a cube? Watch the full review below.
The History of the Construction of the Ka'bahReported from ResearchGate, in the history of Islam, the initial foundation of the Ka'bah was established by Prophet Ibrahim and his son, Prophet Ismail. It is said that the original structure was rectangular and not roofed.
The building is a symbol of the doctrine of monotheism, as the "House of God" (Al-Bait), where humans worship the One God. From the beginning, the shape was designed to be simple, without ornaments or symbols of idol worship.
The Ka'bah is 13.1 meters high with a length of about 12.86 meters and a width of about 11.03 meters. Quoted from the book entitled "Ka'Bah Rahasia Kiblat Dunia" written by Muhammad Abdul Hamid Asy-Syarqawi and Muhammad Raja'i Ath-Thahlawi, it was named Ka'bah because it had a square shape. Because the Arabs called every house that was square with Ka'bah.
This statement is supported by the scholar Ibnu Al-Atsir, as quoted from Itihad, that everything that is elevated is Ka'b and from there the Ka'bah is called Baitullah. It is also said that the name was given because of its cubic or square nature.
As for the original shape of the Ka'bah, it is actually not intact in the form of a cube. This was said by Dr. Muhammad Ali, as reported by Masrawy, that the Ka'bah is rectangular because there is a part of the stone that is now in the shape of a semicircle.
The reconstruction of the Ka'bahSeveral decades before Muhammad was appointed as a prophet, the Kaaba was damaged due to flooding. The Quraysh tribe then took the initiative to renovate.
When it was rebuilt, the size of the building was reduced from the first design. Some of the old foundation area was not built and left outside the main structure.
This area is then referred to as Hatim or Hijr Ismail, marked by a semicircular wall on the side of the Kaaba. To this day, many pilgrims try to pray in this area because it is believed to be part of the original foundation of the Kaaba.
Why is the Kaaba a cube?Due to the reduction in size, the reconstructed Quraisy building is almost cubic, square with a relatively balanced height. This design then became a widely known shape until now.
Symbolically, the shape of the cube is a reflection of the simplicity and purity of monotheism. The Kaaba was not built to show off architectural splendor, but rather as a center of worship orientation.
For Muslims, the Kaaba serves as a qibla, the direction of prayer that unites millions of Muslims around the world in a single point in Mecca.
The shape of the cube is a symbol of simplicity and purity. This further confirms that Muslims do not worship the Kaaba, but only as a direction of the qibla.
This is an overview of why the Ka'bah is a cube and the history of its construction. Hopefully useful. Visit VOI.id for other interesting information.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
