Kaaba Emoji

The Kaaba, the most sacred site in Islam, located at the center of Masjid al-Haram mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Shown as a large black cube-shaped structure draped in the Kiswah — a black silk cloth embroidered with gold Quranic calligraphy.

Added in Unicode 8.0 (2015). The Kaaba is the qibla: the direction 1.8 billion Muslims face during their five daily prayers, worldwide. During Hajj — one of the Five Pillars of Islam — pilgrims walk counter-clockwise around the Kaaba seven times in a ritual called Tawaf. In 2025, 1,673,230 pilgrims performed Hajj. The largest Hajj in history was 2023, with over 1.84 million pilgrims from 180+ countries.

Muslims believe the Kaaba was originally built by Ibrahim (Abraham) and his son Ismail. Prophet Muhammad reconsecrated it to monotheism in 630 CE. The Kiswah (the black covering) is replaced annually at a cost of approximately $4.5 million, made from 650kg of Italian silk with 120kg of gold and silver threads from Germany. Over 200 craftspeople work 8-10 months to create it.

Used by Muslims for religious expression, Hajj and Umrah posts, Ramadan content, Islamic holiday greetings, and prayer-related messages. It's a deeply sacred symbol. Usage peaks during Hajj season (Dhul Hijjah), Ramadan, and Eid celebrations.

Also appears in travel content about visiting Mecca and in interfaith discussions about Islamic holy sites.

This is a sacred religious symbol. Not used in flirty or casual social contexts. Treat it with the reverence it represents.

The Kaaba predates Islam in Arabian tradition. Muslims believe it was originally built by Ibrahim (Abraham) and his son Ismail as a house of monotheistic worship. Over centuries, it was surrounded by idols. In 630 CE, Prophet Muhammad and his followers entered Mecca and removed the idols, reconsecrating the Kaaba to the worship of one God.

The structure itself is a cube ("ka'ba" means "cube" in Arabic), approximately 15 meters tall and 10.5 meters wide. The Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Aswad), set in the eastern corner, is believed by Muslims to date to the time of Adam and Eve. Pilgrims touch or kiss it during Tawaf.

Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam: every adult Muslim who is physically and financially capable must perform it at least once in their lifetime. The pilgrimage involves specific rituals performed over five days, including Tawaf (circumambulating the Kaaba seven times), standing at Arafat, and the symbolic stoning of the devil at Mina.

The Kiswah (the Kaaba's covering) is a masterpiece of Islamic textile art. It's made annually from 650kg of Italian silk dyed black, embroidered with 120kg of gold and silver threads from Germany. Quranic verses are woven in gold calligraphy. The entire process takes 200+ craftspeople 8-10 months and costs approximately $4.5 million. The old Kiswah is cut into pieces and given as gifts to foreign dignitaries, institutions, and individuals.

Added in Unicode 8.0 (2015). Single code point: U+1F54BU+1F54B. Named "Kaaba." Part of a religious symbols batch that also included 🕌 (Mosque) and 🛕 (Hindu Temple).

For 1.8 billion Muslims, the Kaaba is the holiest site in existence — the spiritual center of the world. It determines the direction of all Islamic prayer, the destination of the Hajj, and the focal point of Muslim devotion.

For non-Muslims, it may be unfamiliar or seen primarily as an architectural landmark. The emoji should be used with awareness of its profound sacred significance. Using it casually, irreverently, or as a joke would be deeply disrespectful to nearly a quarter of the world's population.

Access to Mecca itself is restricted to Muslims only — non-Muslims are not permitted to enter the city. This makes the Kaaba unique among world landmarks: you cannot visit it unless you are Muslim.

• •The Kiswah (Kaaba's covering) costs approximately $4.5 million annually. Made from 650kg of Italian silk with 120kg of gold and silver threads.
• •1.8 billion Muslims face the Kaaba during their five daily prayers — the most consistently faced direction on Earth.
• •In 2025, 1,673,230 pilgrims performed Hajj. The record was 2023 with 1.84 million.
• •"Ka'ba" means "cube" in Arabic. The structure is approximately 15 meters tall.
• •Non-Muslims are not permitted to enter Mecca — making the Kaaba unique among world landmarks.

• •Non-Muslims may not recognize the Kaaba. In interfaith contexts, brief explanation of its significance helps.
• •Using 🕋 casually (as a generic building or black square) is disrespectful. It represents the holiest site for nearly 2 billion people.

• •The annual Hajj pilgrimage is one of the largest annual gatherings of people on Earth, drawing 1.6-1.8 million pilgrims to Mecca over five days.
• •The Kaaba has been a sacred site for millennia, predating Islam in Arabian tradition. Muslims believe Ibrahim (Abraham) and Ismail built it as a house of monotheistic worship.

• •Single code point: U+1F54BU+1F54B.
• •Shortcodes: :kaaba::kaaba: on Slack and Discord.
• •Handle with cultural sensitivity in your app. This is a sacred religious symbol for 1.8 billion people.
• •Consider context when displaying: pairing the Kaaba with unrelated or irreverent content may cause offense.

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