What is the Kaaba?

Host: Andrew Henry, PhD
Managing Editor: Andrew Aghapour, PhD
Writer: Matthew Hotham, PhD
Production Assistant: Casey A'Hearn
Special thanks to Filip Holm for reading an early draft of the script! Check out his channel at @LetsTalkReligion

The Kaaba is the most sacred site in Islam. Located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, it's the focal point for millions of Muslims worldwide both for the annual Hajj pilgrimage and the direction Muslims face during daily prayers.

00:00 The Basics
4:02 A Tour around the Kaaba
7:30 History of the Kaaba
10:49 Muhammad and the Kaaba
13:30 Qibla Explored in Depth
14:48 Qibla in Spaaaaace
16:28 Sponsor

[stefannikola]

"The interior of the Kaaba is off limits to everyone, except some dignitaries, religious scholars, and maintenance workers." As a child, I grew up Catholic and the Tabernacle where the consecrated host was put on display was off limits to everyone, except for priests, altar boys, and the cleaning lady with a feather duster and a vacuum cleaner.

[DreadBirate]

I was so disappointed when I learned it was covered in a sheet and not made of obsidian

[joshkorte]

I always thought the Kaba was a solid block. I had no idea that there was an inside!

[greypsyche]

We pray towards the direction of Kaaba. Not towards the Kaaba itself. This is an important distinction because even if the Kaaba were to be destroyed, it would not matter. It's just blocks. The idea is to have a unified direction.

[EarlRedclaw]

This reminds me, when the first muslims migrated to scandinavia, they came up with different rules about fasting, since, there may be no dawn or dusk up there.

[hedgehog]

Praying inside the Kaaba sounds like a math problem. It's like standing on the North Pole and trying to face South.

[etienneporras]

I have never even considered that there was anything inside the Kaaba. Like... I intuitively knew there WAS an 'inside', but I never once gave any thought to WHAT was inside. Seeing those pictures taken within was incredible and now I know to not take such things for granted in the future.

[thesidneychan]

I'm not Muslim. But I live in a Muslim Majority country. From what I've learned, the Kabaah being mostly empty (and not housing any holy or mystical artifact) is very much in line with their fundamental teaching of focusing only on God, and not on any Idol or material things. Even Muhammad (pbuh) did not have his face recorded in history, so he would not be an idol that people would worship. The Kabaah is a compass for all Muslims to unite in their prayer. All Muslims around the globe will pray facing Mecca.

[mingomango]

It's not mentioned in the video, but for those who have not been there, you might have the impression that the floors are probably very dirty because of how many people walk around it (it's a mosque after all, so one must go barefoot). Actually, the marble floors are super clean because cleaning crews move in between the pilgrims seamlessly, forming wide lines like spokes around the Kaaba, sweeping and mopping at regular and frequent intervals. Plus Muslims ritually cleanse themselves including their feet before prayer/entering the mosque.

Many poor Muslims also use the mosque as a shelter and you can frequently find people sleeping or resting around the complex (and feeding the stray cats! ❤)

[Name-otxw]

Fun fact, they had to make a bunch of crane operators "honorable Muslim" so that they were allowed to work on the most recent upgrades.

[jasonblalock]

15:20 Just to toss in, the old sci-fi horror movie "Pitch Black" dealt with this, apparently after consulting with Imams and other experts. A group of Muslim travelers find themselves stranded on an alien planet and, with no idea where Earth is, they end up arranging themselves in a circle with each of them facing outwards, to send their prayers in all directions.

[SharedPhilosophy]

I'm an atheist but learning about religious traditions is so interesting. Thanks for this video!

[sparklingwater]

As an atheist it’s nice to know more about other religions, this was a very informative video

[mistermurtad]

Since we live on a globe, when we face the Kaaba, our backside is also facing the Kaaba.

[Igor-uguo]

Every time one of my colleagues wraps a pallet full of boxes with black shrink wrap, he tells me, "Look, I made a perfect Kaaba." Cracks me up every time.

[StKildaBlvd]

Great explanation. I'm Australian but my family grew up in Saudi Arabia. We were brought up Catholic, so the introduction to Islam life was eye opening.

[brickonator]

I had a basic knowledge of this structure and its role but I had no idea it was so densely packed with various smaller objects and shrines.

[GoldenBeholden]

I had no idea it was covered by a sheet. Knowing makes it a little less imposing.

[mfaizsyahmi]

There's one major site you left out, the well of Zamzam, also loaded with Islamic traditions and special properties. If nothing else, it's what drew people to settle in this dry valley. It was moved underground to give space for tawaf but it's still there.

[Get_yotted]

2:19 a Muslims favorite activity, throwing stones