Dr. Couch, what is the Kaaba stone in Mecca?
ANSWER: The word Kaaba means "a cube." It is a huge black box that has been rebuilt ten times. According to Muslims it was handed down at the dawn of history by angels from heaven, to Adam, Seth, Abraham, and to Ishmael, Hagar's son. The "black box" is over a rectangular stone which is forty feet long by thirty-five feet wide, by fifty feet. This is a black stone of dark red material, oval in shape, which is kissed by the faithful.
Within the Kaaba, in pre-Muslim days, it contained several gods, one of which was called Allah, who was probably a tribal god, but also included three others who were the daughters of Allah: Uzza, al-Lar, and Manah. The historian Herodotus says al-Lar was a major Arabian deity. Allah was pushed forward and worshiped as a chief god.
No unbeliever shall ever put his foot in Mecca. In 629 Muslims from Medina came to Mecca and circled the Kaaba seven times shouting "There is no god but Allah alone!"
Thanks for asking,
-- Dr. Mal Couch (5/11)
