Maqam Ibrahim “Ibrahim’s standing place”

Maqam Ibrahim, also known as the Station of Abraham, is a site located inside the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is believed to be the place where the Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic) stood while building the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam.

The Maqam Ibrahim is a small rectangular structure made of glass and metal located next to the Kaaba, and it contains a stone with the footprints of Abraham. Muslims believe that this stone miraculously kept Abraham’s footprints intact and preserved them over time.

During the tawaf ritual, Muslims circle around the Kaaba seven times counterclockwise, and they are encouraged to also include the Maqam Ibrahim in their circumambulation. The stone is also mentioned in the Quran in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:125): “And [mention] when We made the House a place of return for the people and [a place of] security. And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer. And We charged Abraham and Ishmael, [saying], “Purify My House for those who perform Tawaf and those who are staying [there] for worship and those who bow and prostrate [in prayer].”