Key to the Kaaba sells for 18 million dollars!

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A 12 century key to the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest site in Islam, has sold for 9.2 million pounds (18.2 million dollars), setting a new record for an Islamic work of art at auction.

The key, one of the ultimate symbols of religious power, is engraved with the words: "This is what was made for the Holy House of God during the time of our lord the Imam son of Imam al-Muqtadi Abu Jaafar al-Mustansir Abu al-Abbas 573."

In addition to the key sold at Sotheby's, there are 58 recorded Kaaba keys, all held in museums. According to the auctioneer, the tradition of dedicating the key to each caliph appears to have originated with the Abbasid caliphs in Baghdad.

http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2008/04/14/48284.html

 

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One of the most prized possessions anyone could wish for I would assume.

 

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Why?

Inside the Kaaba

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nice... old piece of metal thing

 

It's value mustn't be something artistic. I wouldn't pay that much money actually. At the end it's a piece of metal with some religious and historical value.

 

Yeah, thats what I figure too. What a waste!

 

You can go into the big black rock?

 

If I said it was like getting the key to the executive washroom,
would people want to kill me?

If they would, I'm very much against that evil slur on islam.
erm.... Boooo! etc.

 

Perhaps you mean the hajar aswad? No. Its considered to be pieces of remnants of a meteorite from the original haram. Here is a depiction of Mohammed rededicating it to the Kaaba constructed in his lifetime.

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However, it was stolen and then miraculously replaced, so I don't really know if its the original.

Its inset in one of the corners of the cuboidal structure that makes up the Kaaba.

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No one actually goes into the Kaaba [literally, the cube] either.

 

Why should anyone want to kill for a stupid remark on a piece of metal

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?

 

SAM, is that a depiction of the Profet???

Anyway, I did not know that there was access to the Kaba. Does owning a key to it give any special privilige or is it just a symbol, like "defender of the faith".

 

This is a really good picture and it shows how people with no scientific knowledge would have treated something they did not understand.

Now that the Arabs know what it is, they should stop treating it as some manifestation of God, and donate it as a meteorite to science.

 

Actually, it shows that you know nothing of Islamic history.

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When the black stone was being laid, there was a tussle between the various local sheikhs about who would have the privilege of putting it into the foundation of the Kaaba. Rather than argue, Mohammed declared that it must be a joint effort and that all would help him to do it. Hence he got the sheet that everyone "carried". He was a diplomat, you know.

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And the stone is not considered a manifestation of God, its considered special because its believed to be a meteorite which was part of the original Kaaba that Abraham built. Its got historic value due to association.

In fact many people echo Umar Ibn al Khattab when they see it

"No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither harm anyone nor benefit anyone. Had I not seen Allah's Messenger [Muhammad] kissing you, I would not have kissed you."

 

Can an infidel purchase the key? And if an infidel purchased the key would they be allowed entry?

 

I don't think its kept locked, there is nothing inside it. The present Kaaba is a new construction by the Saudis.

They should open it up to the public, I think.

Saudis don't allow non-Muslims into Mecca unfortunately

edit: hmm it is kept locked, which is strange:

And apparently the Kaaba is the same one the Ummayyads built (in 693) apart from basic repair work. Thats interesting.

 

Right.

The tribal leaders could not agree with who should have the honour of placing the black stone in the Kaabah (which I believe was being restructured). This sort of a situation back in Arabia would have resulted in all out war. One of the leaders said that they could simply wait for the first person to come to the Kaaba (before dawn) and ask him to choose. (Though there was no guarantee that all the tribal leaders would accept this persons choice)

They waited and the person that came was Muhammad. They asked him to choose who should be given the responsibility of placing the black stone, Muhammad stated that they should bring a cloth, the stone would be placed onto the cloth by Muhammad, each leader would hold a part of the cloth and bring it to the Kaaba, thus they all had the honour of placing the black stone, it was Muhammad that then placed the black stone into position.

True diplomat.

Allahumma Salli ala Muhammad

 

Unfortunately? Non-Muslims shouldn't be in Mecca ...

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As for the key, it would be better if it was a key from Muhammad's time, rather than the 12th century. I'd pay 18 million (if I was super rich) for the key if it was used by Muhammad's generation.

 

I actually found a wiki outlining some of his diplomatic activities

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_as_a_diplomat

I read somewhere that even his enemies would call him as a mediator because he was known for being infallibly fair.

Know of any other mosque in the world (even in Saudi Arabia) that keeps out non-Muslims?

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Its shamefully unIslamic and we should all hang our heads in shame that nobody speaks out against it.

 

Mecca is the holiest site in Islam. I could never accept the potential dangers of allowing non-Muslims within. If you you're not a Muslim, you have no business there. How is this shameful? Mainly, it's for safety precautions. If an attack on Muslims were to take place, it would definitely be in a place such as Mecca.

 

Ah clearly, faith is a shaky business.