PPT presentation

1. The Kaaba

2. The ancient city of Mecca, in modern Saudi Arabia, is one of the holiest cities for
Muslims

3. This is where the prophet Muhammad was born, and it is here that a sacred shrine
known as the Kaaba is located

4. The Kaaba pre-dates the Islamic faith; Muslims believe it was built by Abraham and his
son Ismail as a sanctuary to the Hebrew god

5. During Muhammad’s time it also housed the cult idols of local tribal groups that
continued to practice their pagan faiths

6. When Muhammad returned from exile in the nearby city of Medina, he
destroyed the idols in the Kaaba, thus returning it to its original function as
a sanctuary to the one true god, Allah

7. The Kaaba has been re-built and renovated many times over the centuries

8. The black cloth, or kiswa, that shrouds the structure was installed in the 7th century,
and is replaced annually

9. The Kaaba is enclosed by a mosque that has been massively expanded over the
centuries to accommodate the thousands of pilgrims that visit the holy shrine each year

10. One of the 5 Pillars of Islam includes the obligation to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at
least once in a lifetime

11. When Muslims circumambulate the Kaaba, they re-enact Muhammad’s restoration of
the sanctuary to the one true god