Which House Came First?
Quranic verse
﴿إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيۡتٖ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكٗا وَهُدٗى لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ﴾
“Indeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Makkah – blessed and a guidance for the worlds.”
Al Imran 3:96
The meaning in brief
The verse describes the House at Bakkah as the first House established for people, and speaks of its blessing and its guidance.
The minute’s question
Which name for Makkah appears in the Arabic text of the verse?
Answer: Bakkah (بكّة). Saheeh International renders it as “Makkah” in English.
Go deeper: When the foundations were raised
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References
Source of the text: Quran text in Uthmani script from the Noble Quran Encyclopedia (quranenc.com). English: Saheeh International, a translation of the meaning.
Last reviewed: 30 October 2026