Advice of Scholars - KÂ’BA-I MU’AZZAMA

The Kâ’ba-i mu’azzama is a cubical room built of stone in the middle of Masjîd-i harâm, and is 11. 4 meters tall. Its north wall is 9. 25 metres long, south wall 8. 5 metres long, east wall 13. 5 metres long, and west wall 13. 3 metres long. On the corner of the east-south walls is the stone of Hajer-i-aswad, which is over one metre above the ground. With so many hadjis having kissed it, its surface is now rather concave. The Kâ’ba has a door on the east wall. 1. 88 metres above the ground, the door is 1. 7 metres wide and 2. 6 metres high. Its inner side, as well as the floor, is covered with coloured marble. Its minaret-like spiral staircase near the corner called Rukn-i-Iraqî, with its twenty-seven stairs of which seven are made of marble and the rest of wood, was restored by Mustafa Khan II. To the right of the door is a hollow and three pillars reaching high up to the ceiling. The outer side of the Kâ’ba is adorned with black silk fabric. The door is curtained with green satin.

The four corners of the Kâ’ba are called the four rukns. The one pointing to Damascus is termed Rukn-i-Shâmî, the one pointing to Baghdad is termed Rukn-i Irâqî, the one toward the Yemen is termed Rukn-i Yemânî, and the fourth corner is termed Rukn-i Hajer-il-aswad.

There is a Gold Gutter on the north wall of the Kâ’ba. The space between this gutter and the curved small wall, which is below the gutter and in line with it, is called the Hatîm. While making the tawâf it is necessary to make the turns outside of this Hatîm wall.