Significan​ce of Ka’aba and virtues of Makkah

Verily, the first House of Worship appointedfor mankind was at Bakkah (Makkah) full of blessing and a guidance for mankindand Jinn. (Qur’an, 3:96)
  
Makkah is the holy city for all Muslims on earth, and it isgreatly loved by Allah. It is where Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Ismael laid thefoundation of the Ka’ba.


Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) was born in Makkah, andhe called people to Islam. It was from there that Islam gradually spread allover the world. The Ka’aba and the Haram in Makkah have gripped the hearts ofMuslims with extreme love. Millions of Muslims visit Makkah for Umrah and Hajjevery year.


The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) conquered Makkah,faced the Ka’aba and said: “You are holy andsacrosanct and how great is your sanctity and yours is the finest smell and thereverence of a faithful is greatest.” (Dur-Al-Manthur) 


Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him)narrated, theProphet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Theprayer in my Mosque (is equal to) one thousand prayers except in the HolyMosque (Makkah); the prayer there is equal in reward to one hundred thousand  prayers. (Muslim)


Ibn Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) heard the Prophet(peace be upon him) saying: “Whoevercircumambulates the Ka’aba seven times (i.e. one Tawaf) Allah writes a virtuefor him on each step he takes, effaces an evil (from his deeds) and raises agrade for him in the Heaven and he is given reward of liberating a slave.” (Al-Hakim, Al-Baihaqi)


In another narration Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased withhim) narrated, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever performs 50 Tawaf, he comes out of his sins andbecomes as if he was born the day his mother gave birth to him.” (Tirmidhi)


Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, theMessenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Anyonewho gets Ramadan in Makkah, fasts and stands in supererogatory prayers, Allahdoes write for him one hundred thousand months of Ramadan other than the monthhe was in there. And the virtues of liberating a slave one in a day and one ina night and virtues of giving to lambs (in charity) seeking  pleasure of Allah and a virtue for him everyday and a virtue for him every night.” (IbnMajah)






- by Ahmad Wahaj Siddiqui