Appearance
Prayer at the Station of Abraham
The Station of Abraham is a stone that miraculously preserves the blessed footprint of Abraham (a.s.). There is some disagreement about how this stone, one of the most prominent of God’s clear signs in Mecca, came to be. The possible explanations include:
Abraham, the Friend of the Merciful, stood on it while raising the walls of the Kaʿba.(152)
On Abraham’s second journey to Mecca, when he dismounted from his steed at the request of Ishmael’s wife, he placed his foot on this stone.(153)
When following the command “And proclaim the pilgrimage among the people” [22:27], Abraham (a.s.) ascended this stone and called the people to pilgrimage.(154)
In any case, it is certain that when Abraham (a.s.) stepped on the hard, solid rock, his blessed footprint sank into it, leaving the trace of his foot in the stone. This event has been considered a miracle attributed to him.(155)
Anas bin Mālik narrates: “I saw the trace of the toes and the depression of the foot in the stone, but it has been worn smooth by people’s hands.”(156)
At times, the term “Station of Abraham” is also used to refer to the Kaʿba itself.(157)
The Kaʿba serves as both the place of circumambulation (maṭāf) and the qibla (direction of prayer). Worshippers from all around the world, as well as pilgrims, pray near it after completing the act of circumambulation. The designated place for the circumambulation prayer is the Station of Abraham.
The command for circumambulation is mentioned in the verse, “And let them circumambulate the Ancient House” [22:29], and the directive for the circumambulation prayer is found in the verse under discussion: “Take the Station of Abraham as a place of prayer.” Based on this, the phrase is understood to be conjoined to an implied command like “perform Ḥajj” or “circumambulate.”
The phrase “Take the Station of Abraham as a place of prayer” reflects the continuous and constant presence of worshippers at that Station, as if this attribute of prayer is inherent to that place. A location is called a muṣallā (place of prayer) when prayer is consistently performed there.
Since the Kaʿba is a focal point for people, and its visitation is abundant, circumambulation around it occurs frequently. After each circumambulation, the circumambulation prayer is performed, and God, the Glorified, designated the place where Abraham (a.s.) stood as the place for this prayer, thereby making it a permanent place of prayer.
Based on narrations from the Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.), the circumambulation prayer must be performed behind or beside the Station of Abraham. Praying in front of the Station, such that it is positioned behind the worshipper, is not permitted, as this is considered disrespectful. The Station should not be treated as a follower in the act of prayer.
Note: Some scholars have considered “ittakhadhū” to be a past tense verb, meaning that it would apply specifically to the era of Abraham (a.s.). On the other hand, a group, as is well-known, have considered it an imperative verb. If this is the case, it carries two possible aspects: either it is a command to Abraham (a.s.) and his followers, or it is a command to the Messenger of God (s.a.w.) and the believers in him. According to the first aspect, the beginning and continuation of the verse are coherent and consistent. However, if understood as a command to the Messenger and the believers, the phrase “ittakhadhū” would be viewed as parenthetical, as it would be placed within the account of Abraham (a.s.).