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Iran / Persia: A map or diagram showing the Ka'ba or Kaaba at the heart of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. From a 16th century Persian manuscript of poetry by Lari Mohyi (1527)

Iran / Persia: A map or diagram showing the Ka'ba or Kaaba at the heart of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. From a 16th century Persian manuscript of poetry by Lari Mohyi (1527)

The Kaaba (or Qaaba; Arabic: الكعبة‎ al-Kaʿbah; English: The Cube) is a cuboid-shaped building in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and is the most sacred site in Islam.

The Qur'an states that the Ka'ba was constructed by Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic), and his son Ishmael (Ismail in Arabic), after the latter had settled in Arabia. The building has a mosque built around it, the Masjid al-Haram. All Muslims around the world face the Ka'ba during prayers, no matter where they are. This is called facing the Qiblah.

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