Abraham
and Ishmael worked hard to rebuild the Ka'bah and as they did so they
prayed to Allah to send a Prophet from among their descendants. And when
Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House, (Abraham
prayed): 'Our Lord! Receive this from us; Thou, only Thou, art the
All-hearing, the All-knowing; Our Lord! And make us submissive unto Thee
and of our seed a nation submissive unto Thee, and show us our ways of
worship, and turn toward us. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Relenting, the
Merciful. Our Lord! And raise up in their midst a messenger from among
them who shall recite unto them Thy revelations, and shall instruct them
in the Scripture and in wisdom and shall make them grow. Lo! Thou, only
Thou, art the Mighty, Wise. (Koran ii.127-9) When the Ka'bah was
completed, Allah commanded Abraham to call mankind to pilgrimage to His
Holy House. Abraham wondered how anyone could hear his call. Allah said,
'You call and I will bring them.' This was how the pilgrimage to the
Ka'bah in Mecca was established and when Muslims make the pilgrimage
today they continue to answer the age-old call of Abraham.