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مقام إبراهيم
Maqam Ibrahim (Station of Abraham) is a stone bearing the footprints of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), located near the Kabe in Mescid-i Haram. Ibrahim stood on this stone while building the upper walls of the Kabe. After completing tavaf, hacilar pray two rak'ah behind this station, as commanded in Kur'an-i Kerim (2:125).
Maqam Ibrahim refers to a stone upon which Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, sallallahu aleyhi ve sellem) stood while constructing the upper walls of the Kabe. According to Islamic tradition, as the walls of the Kabe grew taller, Ibrahim could no longer reach the top. His son Ismail brought him a large stone to stand on, which miraculously rose and lowered as needed. The stone preserved Ibrahim's footprints as a lasting sign, and these impressions remain visible to this day — a testament to the divine origin of the Kabe. The Kur'an makes direct reference to this sacred stone 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 namaz.' This verse established the practice of praying two rak'ah behind the Maqam after completing tavaf, a sunnah that has been continuously observed for over 1,400 years. Throughout history, the stone has been housed in various enclosures to protect it. During the time of Hz. Peygamber Muhammad (sallallahu aleyhi ve sellem), the Maqam was attached to the wall of the Kabe. The Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) relocated it to its current approximate position — a few meters from the Kabe — to provide more space for worshippers performing tavaf. This decision was based on his ijtihad (scholarly reasoning) and was accepted by the companions of Hz. Peygamber. Today, the Maqam Ibrahim is enclosed in an elegant crystal and gold encasement mounted on a brass base. The glass casing allows visitors to see the stone and the footprint impressions from a close distance. The encasement was designed to protect the relic while maintaining visibility. Saudi authorities have periodically updated the protective enclosure, with the current design installed to withstand the pressure of massive crowds while remaining aesthetically appropriate for the sacred setting.
Maqam Ibrahim holds profound significance as one of the few physical relics directly connected to a prophet mentioned in Kur'an-i Kerim. The stone's footprints serve as tangible evidence of Ibrahim's construction of the Kabe and his devotion to Allah's command. The Kur'anic instruction to pray behind the Maqam (2:125) makes it one of the few specific locations in the world where namaz is commanded by divine text. Scholars across all four madhahib agree that praying two rak'ah behind the Maqam after tavaf is a confirmed sunnah (mu'akkadah) of both Hac and Umre. The Shafi'i school considers it wajib. The Maqam represents the legacy of Ibrahim as the patriarch of monotheism and the builder of the first house of worship, connecting the Muslim ummah to the ancient tradition of pure tawhid (monotheism) that predates even Hz. Peygamber Muhammad (sallallahu aleyhi ve sellem).
Maqam Ibrahim is located approximately 3 meters from the Kabe on the side facing its door, directly in the Mataf (circumambulation) area. After completing seven circuits of tavaf, it is sunnah to pray two rak'ah behind the Maqam. Due to extreme crowding, especially during Hac and Ramadan, it is permissible to pray these two rak'ah anywhere in the cami — one does not need to be directly behind the glass encasement. The area immediately behind the Maqam is one of the most congested spots in the cami, as hacilar finishing tavaf converge here to pray. Visitors are advised to move further back from the Maqam to find space for namaz rather than stopping in the tavaf flow. Security personnel actively manage this area to maintain the flow of worshippers. The Maqam can be viewed closely during less crowded periods, particularly late at night. Photography of the Maqam is generally not permitted during peak worship times but may be tolerated during quieter periods. The footprint impressions on the stone are visible through the glass encasement, and many hacilar find it a deeply moving experience to see this tangible connection to Prophet Ibrahim.