‘Maqam’ is Arabic word which means, a place or point where the two feet of an individual is situated while standing.

Maqam Ibrahim is the venturing stone used by Prophet Ibrahim throughout the development of the Ka’bah.

During the construction of the upper level of the Ka’bah, Prophet Ibrahim stood upon an extensive stone piece which was moved along with him as each area was finished.

When the Ka’bah was constructed, the extensive stone piece was left outside the Ka’bah, near to the eastern divider. It turned into known as the Maqam Ibrahim (the station of Ibrahim).

1- The height of Maqam Ibrahim is 20 centimeters; depth of one footprint is 10 centimeters and second is 9 centimeters.

2- Today, the Maqam Ibrahim is found in front of the entryway of the Ka’bah.

3- One of the amazing facts was that the stone he stood upon while constructing the Ka’bah, was transformed into a soft and delicate piece into which his feet sank so that one can perceive the impressions of His feet on that rock.

And after many hundred years, footprints are there on stone located at the eastern side of Ka’bah.

4- The place it stands today is the spot where Prophet Ibrahim offered two rak’ahs prayers after the completion of construction of the Ka’bah to Allah.

Thus, its significance is that when the seventh round of the Tawaf is finished, two rak’ahs of prayers are offered at this spot.

5- During Umar ibn Al-Khattab’s reign, he shifted the place and moved the Maqam more towards the east, so that the individuals who try to perform Tawaf are able to perform it conveniently, without being in the way for individuals who pray after completing their Tawaf next to Maqam Ibrahim.

6- Allah commanded Muslims to pray next to Maqam Ibrahim. The following are verses from the Holy Quran pertaining to Maqam Ibrahim:

And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer… (Quran 2:125)

7- This stone was sent from the heaven to Prophet Ibrahim along with 2 more stones. One being Hajr Aswad, and the second is the stone of children of Israel.

9- Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said that:

“Undoubtedly, the glass enclosure of the Maqam Ibrahim is proven with respect but the engraved pattern doesn’t seem to be the actual footprints as historically it vanished a long time back. This is only as a marker to denote where Ibrahim stood.”

Source: https://lifeinsaudiarabia.net.