History of the Kaaba

The history of the Kaaba and its unique sanctity predates the prophethood of Abraham. He was neither its original founder nor its first establisher. Thus, whenever the work of Abraham and Ishmael is described as “founding,” it implies reconstruction rather than a new creation or unprecedented act. God Almighty showed Abraham the previous location of the Kaaba and provided the plan for its reconstruction, enabling him to rebuild it, as mentioned in the verse: “And when We showed Abraham the site of the House”(6).

The existence of the Kaaba before Abraham can be inferred from his prayer upon settling his family in the land of Mecca: “Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House”(7). At this time, Ishmael was a young child and could not have assisted his father in reconstructing the Kaaba. In the verse under discussion, however, Ishmael is also mentioned among the Kaaba’s founders, indicating that a “House” attributed to God existed there even before Abraham, and it was regarded as “sacred.”

Was the construction of the Kaaba an act of worship carried out by divine command?(8) Indeed, just as prayer is obligatory, and the worshiper seeks God’s guidance for sincere compliance and acceptance, the construction of the Kaaba was also an obligation upon Abraham and Ishmael.

Before its foundation, the Kaaba’s site was not owned by anyone, and even after its construction, it did not become the property of its founders or renovators. The term “ancient” (ʿatīq) used to describe the Kaaba conveys this idea—signifying that it has always been free from ownership.

No mosque is referred to as bayt ʿatīq (“ancient house”) because a mosque’s status is always preceded by ownership. After a mosque is endowed, it is released from ownership. Endowment can either preserve the principal, with its income directed towards God’s path, such as property endowed for mosque expenses, or it can entirely liberate the mosque from ownership, freeing it as one would a slave.

This distinction is why skilled jurists appoint trustees for mosque properties but not for the mosque structure itself. Properties tied to a mosque retain an element of ownership and may be sold when necessary. However, the mosque, liberated from ownership like a freed slave, does not require a property trustee. Of course, a mosque constructed on conquered land has specific rulings, which are discussed within the noble field of jurisprudence.(9)

Note: In the previous verses, the verbs appear in the past tense, whereas “yarfaʿu” (raises) is used in the present tense to vividly convey the ongoing act of building the Kaaba to the audience. This shift emphasizes the significance of the Kaaba’s construction, highlighting both its solid foundation, established with sincerity, and its founders, who were among God’s devoted servants.