Ibrahim (as) was ordered to rebuild the Ka’aba, which had been hidden in the earth after the flood of Nuh (as). At the time of the flood, Mount Qubays (a mountain outside of Mecca) asked Allah, “Let me hide your amanat. ” So Allah placed the black stone safely inside the mountain. Then Allah put a little hill over the spot on which the Ka’aba had stood to mark it.
Ibrahim (as) asked his Lord, “Where and how should I build it?” Jibrail (as) came and removed the hill with his wing. Then a cloud appeared and shaded the area of the sanctuary so that its boundaries were made clear.
Then Mount Qubays asked Allah that the Ka’aba be built from its stones. This Ibrahim (as) and Ismail (as) did and mixed the mortar with zamzam water.
The order came from Allah. Jibrail (as) was the architect. Ibrahim (as) was the mason and Ismail (as) was the laborer.
Ibrahim (as) built the walls as high as he could reach. Then he took one large stone to stand on so that he could build higher. As the building grew the stone increased in height and it moved around the Ka’aba on its own with Ibrahim (as) standing on top of it. After the Ka’aba was completed this stone stayed nearby and became what we now know as Maqam Ibrahim (as).
Then Hajjar (ra), Sara (ra), Ismail (as), and Ishaq (as) came to make tawaf.
Sayyidina Ibrahim (as) was tired and he sat down. He was exhausted but he wanted to clean the area before making tawaf. Just then a big wind blew through and carried all the debris and dust and dirt away. Those small bits of rock were distributed by the wind all over the world. Wherever a stone fell a mosque was or will be built until the end of time.
The Ka’aba is called Bayt Allah, the House of God, because all people are welcome there.
Sayyidina Ibrahim (as) made du’a that out of his love for the community of the coming Prophet Muhammad (sas) he could make shafa’a, intercession, for all the old people who would journey to the House. Sayyidina Ismail (as) asked for shafa’a for all the middle-aged people.
Sayyidina Ishaq (as) asked for shafa’a for all the young people. Sayyidina Sara (ra) asked for shafa’a for all the women, and Sayyidina Hajjar (ra) for all the slaves and servants, both men and woman.
Then Ibrahim (as) put up his hand and said, “We love the community of the Prophet Muhammad (sas) and the pilgrims who will come will love him. They will only pray for their Prophet (sas) and they will forget all about us. ”
Allah answered that He would make it obligatory in the five prayers to remember Ibrahim (as) and his family. Ibrahim (as) was very satisfied with this promise.
After making Hajj, Ibrahim (as) left Hajjar (ra) and Ismail (as) and returned to the mountains on the border of Arabia and Palestine. One side of the mountains is green and one side brown and dry. There he prayed, “O my Lord, I left some of my family in a distant desert valley (Mecca) so You make people come to them. ” And today whatever you might want you will be able to find in Mecca..
Then Allah ordered Ibrahim (as) to call the people to come for pilgrimage, Hajj. Sayyidina Ibrahim (as) asked, “But my Lord who will hear me?” Allah ordered him, “Call and they will hear. ” So Ibrahim (as) raised his voice and began calling the people. When he finished he started to hear voices from far away like the buzzing of bees. “Labbayk Allahuma Labbayk” cried the voices.
“O Allah,” Ibrahim (as) cried, “All those people are coming. How will I host them?” Sayyidina Jibrail (as) came down with a glass of water. He told Ibrahim (as) to throw this water into the wind. The wind took the drops of water all over the world. Wherever they landed they became salt. On the mountains they became rock salt. On the sea they became sea salt. Whoever uses this salt is enjoying the hospitality of Sayyidina Ibrahim (as) until the end of time.
The souls who answered Labbayk once will make Hajj one time. The souls who answered twice will make Hajj two times and so on.
The first Ka’aba was actually the Bayt al Ma’mur which, at the time of the flood, was raised to the fourth heaven. It is there today and the angels make Tawaf around it. It is exactly the same as the Ka’aba in Mecca and directly above it. If it should fall it would occupy exactly the same space. But it will not fall or come to this earth again.