The Maqam of Ibrahim

The Maqam of Ibrahim, (may Allah’s salam be upon him), is the historic stone that the Prophet Ibrahim stood on while building the Ka’bah with his son Ismail, (may Allah’s salam be upon them both). As the walls of the K’abah rose, Ibrahim used the stone to stand on during the construction, and his footprints became imprinted in the stone, making it a significant historical landmark. This unique, soft stone, different from flint stone, is of the water stone type. The Maqam is square-shaped, with dimensions of approximately 50 centimetres in length, width, and height. In its centre are the footprints of Ibrahim, peace be upon him, marked by two oval indentations that match the shape of his feet. This stone was known to the Arabs in pre-Islamic times and held great significance for them, as mentioned by the poet Abu Talib in his famous poem: “And the footstep of Ibrahim in the soft rock, barefoot without sandals.”

According to narrations about the construction of the K’abah, Ibrahim, (may Allah’s salam be upon him), sought and was keen to build the House of Allah as commanded by Allah. He stood on this stone to build the house while Ismail handed him the stones. Both of them would utter words of praise and glorification of Allah: “Our Lord, accept [this] from us.” The Maqam of Ibrahim became a symbol of Iman and is associated with many spiritual virtues.

One of the most prominent virtues of the Maqam is that it became a place of prayer for Muslims during the Hajj rituals, as Allah commanded: (And take the Maqam of Ibrahim as a place of prayer) [Quran 2:125]. It is also reported that the Messenger of Allah, (may Allah’s salah and salam be upon him), said: “The corner (of the Ka’bah) and the Maqam are two rubies from the rubies of Paradise.” The status of the Maqam continued to be elevated even after the Prophet’s time, moving from its place next to the Ka’bah during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab to facilitate Tawaf and expand the Grand Mosque.

The Maqam Ibrahim has undergone several stages of care and maintenance throughout time, from being covered with gold during the caliphate of al-Mahdi to being renovated in later periods. The enclosure surrounding it was removed during the reign of King Faisal ibn ‘Abdul-‘Aziz, and it was covered with a transparent crystal cover to allow visitors to see it better. Subsequent improvements included renewing the metal structure of the cover and adding decorations that befit its sanctity.

Thus, the Maqam of Ibrahim remains a living testament to the Iman and the great sacrifices made by the prophets in building and establishing the rituals of Allah.