.The area adjacent to the Ka’bah that is curved like a bow and enclosed is referred to as “Hijr” or “Hatim.”
“Hijr” is considered a part of the Ka’bah. Many hadiths have been narrated to this effect. Therefore, “Hijr” falls under the scope of the verse:
وَلْيَطَوَّفُوا بِالْبَيْتِ الْعَتِيقِ
Translation: “Let them perform Tawaf of the Ancient House.”
Thus, performing Tawaf around Hatim or Hijr is obligatory. If someone does not perform Tawaf around it, their Tawaf will not be valid.
Hijr Ismail
Hijr Ismail (Arabic: حجر إسماعيل) is named in connection with Prophet Ismail (peace be upon him). According to Islamic narration, Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) constructed this enclosed space of stone for his son Ismail and his livestock to take shelter.
Al-Hijr
Al-Hijr (Arabic: الحجر) translates to “The Stone.” It is known as a part of the Ka’bah. Its significant position has made it recognized as the heart of the Ka’bah.
Al-Hatim
Al-Hatim (Arabic: الحطيم) derives its name from the gap between the stone enclosure and the main structure of the Ka’bah. The word “Hatim” means “broken part,” symbolizing its detachment from the main structure of the Ka’bah.
Al-Jidar
Al-Jidar (Arabic: الجدر) is a term derived from a narration of Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). He mentioned that while pre-Islamic people referred to it as Hatim, it is more accurately called Al-Jidar.
History of Hijr Ismail
Hijr refers to the place where Ibrahim (peace be upon him) left his wife Hajar and son Ismail (peace be upon him) when departing from Makkah, instructing his wife to set up a tent there.
When the Quraysh reconstructed the Ka’bah, due to financial constraints, they incorporated part of its structure into the Hijr area.
During the governance of Abdullah ibn Zubayr, he demolished the Ka’bah to reconstruct it. While rebuilding, he included the part of the Ka’bah that the Quraysh had left out, integrating it into the structure. However, after the martyrdom of Ibn Zubayr, Hajjaj ibn Yusuf reverted that section to the Hijr area, reconstructing the Ka’bah based on the foundation laid by the Quraysh, which remains its structure to this day. Consequently, part of the Hijr remains within the Ka’bah, while the rest lies outside.
This is evidenced by the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): “O Aisha, had your people not been new to Islam, I would have demolished the Ka’bah, leveled its doors with the ground, and made two doors—one in the east and the other in the west—and included the six cubits of Hijr as part of the Ka’bah because, during its reconstruction, the Quraysh had left out that portion.”
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) remarked that if Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) heard this directly from the Prophet (peace be upon him)—which is undoubtedly true—then it is clear why the Prophet did not touch the two corners of the Hijr: the Ka’bah was not built upon the original foundation of Ibrahim (peace be upon him).
Many scholars suggest that Ismail (peace be upon him) was buried beside his mother in the Hijr area. However, all such narrations are weak, and none are authentic. One clear piece of evidence against this is the Quraysh’s reconstruction of the Ka’bah. Additionally, they excavated its foundation but found no signs of a grave, nor did they claim to have found anything. If such a burial existed, walking and moving over it would not be permissible, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) prohibited walking or sitting on graves.
Prayer Inside Hijr Ismail
Many hadiths confirm that entering the Hijr is equivalent to entering the Ka’bah. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: “I desired to enter the Ka’bah and pray inside it. The Prophet (peace be upon him) took me to the Hijr and said, ‘Pray here if you wish to enter the Ka’bah, for this is part of the Ka’bah. Your people (the Quraysh) excluded this portion during the reconstruction.'”
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) authentically narrated: “Pray in the area of the righteous people and drink from the water of the virtuous.” When asked what he meant, he replied, “The water of Zamzam.”
The above statements establish the virtue of praying in the Hijr. However, a narration from Ata states that standing under the Ka’bah’s Mizab (drain) and supplicating guarantees the acceptance of prayers, making one as pure as a newborn. This narration is weak and cannot serve as evidence because such matters pertain to the unseen. Any claim related to the unseen requires an authentic narration from the Prophet or his companions, which is absent in this case.
