Allāh the glorified made it (His sacred House) an emblem for Islam and an object of respect for those who turn to it. He made obligatory its pilgrimage and laid down its claim for which He held you responsible to discharge it. Thus, Allāh, the Glorified, said: “. . . And (purely) for Allāh, is incumbent upon mankind, the pilgrimage to the House, for those who can afford to journey thither. And whoever denieth then verily, Allāh is Self-sufficiently independent of the worlds.” (Qur’ān, 3:97).