Do Muslims worship the black box in the desert?

(Okay, got the above question in a forum. As Ramadhan is the month of knowledge, I have attached the reply below for all. God knows best).

Thank you for asking me about my religion. Through your term "black box in the desert", I understand that you refer to the Ka'abah in Makkah, now part of Saudi Arabia.

The Ka'abah is not an object of worship. We worship God alone, and we do not represent Him in any physical form. The Ka’abah is only the focus point in our worship of God Almighty. It symbolizes the unity of all Muslims in all generations, as they all turn toward it when they pray.

It acquires its importance from the fact that it is the first house ever built for human worship. This is clearly stated in the Qur'an: "The first House (of worship) ever set up for mankind was in deed the one at Bacca: Rich in blessing; and a source of guidance to all the worlds." (3: 96) Incidentally, Bacca is another name of the city of Makkah. It was built by the two prophets Ibrahim and Ismail on God's orders and by His guidance.

Bacca is also mentioned by name in The Bible in Psalms 84:6:

"⁵ Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
⁶ As they pass through the Valley of Bacca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

Muslims know that the Ka’abah itself has no power to benefit or harm anyone. It is a blessed place for our worship, but worship is addressed to God alone. Muslims in pilgrimage encircle the Ka'abah, during which we praise and glorify God.

For more information on Islam, may I recommend you to these reliable websites www.islamalways.com and www.islamonline.net.

Peace and Blessings of God be upon all.

Tags: islam, muslim, kaaba, the black box