The Holy Kaaba
The Holy Kaaba is held by Muslims to be Bayt Allāh
(the House of God), marking their most sacred site. Pilgrimage to Bayt Allāh is one of the fundamental rites of Islam, and the location of the Kaaba determines the qibla, the direction of Muslim prayers. Muslims believe that it was first established by the Prophet Adam, later re-established by the Prophet Abraham and restored again to its central role as a symbol of the oneness of God by the Prophet Muhammad {pbuh} 14 centuries ago.
As the divinely ordained qibla for Muslims, the Kaaba signifies many things. It is a destination that welcomes and unifies all Muslims in place and time, and it is the place where all directions unite. In circling the Kaaba, differences of color, gender and language disappear, and upon seeing it, the hearts and eyes of the believers are filled with reverence for God.
