Pillars of the Kaaba

The Pillars of the Kaaba (Arabic: أركان الكعبة, arkaan al-Kaaba) are the four corners of the Kaaba structure, located at the center of the Sacred Mosque in Mecca. The Kaaba is a four-sided building made of stone; the point where two walls meet is called a rukun (plural: arkaan). Each rukun is named after the direction it faces or the region it corresponds to.

The conventional names of the four rukuns are: the Black Stone Corner (Rukn al-Aswad), the Yemen Corner (Rukn al-Yamani), the Syria Corner (Rukn al-Shami), and the Iraq Corner (Rukn al-Iraqi). These names are based on the geographical directions each rukun faces when viewed from Mecca.

Rukn al-Aswad

Rukn al-Aswad is the southeast corner of the Kaaba, and is where the Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Aswad) is embedded. Here begins the Tawaf—the seven-fold circumambulation of the Kaaba—and here each circuit is completed. Pilgrims and those performing the Umrah attempt to touch or kiss the stone; if the crowd prevents this, a hand gesture (istilam) accompanied by the word takbir is made instead.

Rukn al-Yamani

Rukn al-Yamani is the southwest corner, facing toward Yemen. It is the only other rukun that, according to the practice of Tawaf, is touched by hand—though it is not kissed. Between Rukn al-Yamani and Rukn al-Aswad, people typically recite the Quranic supplication known as "Rabbana atina fi-d-dunya hasanah..."

Rukn al-Shami and Rukn al-Iraqi

Rukn al-Shami is the northwest corner, while Rukn al-Iraqi is the northeast corner. Neither of these rukuns is touched during Tawaf. The commonly cited reason is that the present structure does not reach the original boundaries of the Kaaba as built by Prophet Abraham, a portion of which lies outside the current wall at one corner. This section is called Hijr Ismail, and is enclosed by a low curved wall (al-Hatim) between these two rukuns; those performing Tawaf walk around it on the outside.

History and Construction

The Kaaba has been rebuilt multiple times throughout history, including a reconstruction by the Quraysh before Islam, another by Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, and later by al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf. Changes to the building affected the boundaries of Hijr Ismail inside, explaining why only two rukuns are touched. All four rukuns lie beneath the Kaaba's black cloth covering (Kiswah), and the care and maintenance are the responsibility of Saudi authorities overseeing the two holy mosques.