Do you know the story behind the coolness of the marble in the Two Holy Mosques?
As soon as pilgrims step foot into the Mataf of the haram, they are dazzled by the intense coolness of the floor, despite the blazing heat of the sun. Many wonder about the secret behind this phenomenon:
Is it a natural property of the marble itself?
Is there specific technology behind it?
Are there cooling systems underneath the floor?
Here is the story of the genius architect, Dr. Mohamed Kamal Ismail, and his journey with the marble of the Two Holy Mosques.
The Architect: Dr. Mohamed Kamal Ismail
Born on September 15, 1908, in Mit Ghamr, Dakahlia, Egypt, he was a prodigy:
He was the man responsible for planning and executing the expansion of the Two Holy Mosques.
The Secret of the Marble (Thassos)
Dr. Ismail wanted to pave the floor of the Holy Mosque for the pilgrims with a specific type of marble known as Thassos, found only in Greece.
The marble used is Greek "Thassos," extracted from the island of Thassos. It is distinguished by its intense whiteness and a unique crystal structure. This structure gives it a high Albedo effect, meaning it reflects sunlight and heat at a very high rate and does not absorb heat quickly. This keeps it naturally cool even during the hottest hours of the day.
To enhance this, pieces were installed with a thickness of 5 centimeters to increase heat resistance. Contrary to popular belief, the rumor that there are cold water pipes beneath the courtyard is baseless.
Dr. Mohamed Kamal Ismail went to Greece and contracted to buy enough marble for haram. This purchase took up exactly half of the existing quantity in the small mountain where it was mined. He signed the contract, the white marble arrived, and the flooring of the haram was completed.
15 Years Later...
Years passed, and the Saudi government asked him to install the same type of marble in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.
Dr. Mohamed Kamal recalls: "When the King's office asked me to cover the Prophet’s Mosque, I was terrified. This specific type of marble does not exist anywhere on Earth except in that small area in Greece, and I had already bought half the quantity, which was very limited."
He returned to the same company in Greece and met the Chairman, asking about the remaining quantity. The Chairman replied that it had been sold immediately after Dr. Ismail’s first purchase years ago.
Dr. Ismail says: "I felt a sadness unlike any I had felt in my life. I didn't even finish my coffee; I left the office and booked a flight back for the next day."
The Twist
On his way out, he asked the secretary: "Who bought the remaining quantity?"
She replied: "It has been many years; it will be difficult to trace the buyer."
He pleaded with her: "I still have one day left in Greece. Please search, and here is my hotel number."
He left feeling defeated, asking himself, "Why do you want to know the buyer?" but then thought, "Perhaps Allah will make a way."
The next day, just hours before his flight, the secretary called: "Come to the company, we found the buyer's address."
He went back, wondering what he would do with just an address. When he saw it, his heart pounded violently. The buyer was a Saudi company.
He flew directly to Saudi Arabia and went straight from the airport to the company that had bought the marble. He met the Chairman and asked: "What did you do with the marble you bought from Greece years ago?"
The Chairman said: "I don't remember."
He called the warehouses to ask about the White Greek Marble. The reply came: "The entire quantity is still sitting in the warehouses, untouched."
Dr. Mohamed Kamal Ismail says: "I wept like a child."
The company owner asked, "Why are you crying?"
Dr. Ismail told him the full story and placed a blank check on the table, saying, "Write the amount you want."
The owner swore by Allah: "When I knew this marble was for the Prophet’s Mosque, I vowed not to take a single Dirham. The marble is all for the sake of Allah. God made me forget this marble in the warehouse after I bought it, solely so it would be here for this mission."
Glory be to Allah who created that mountain and preserved it.
May Allah have mercy on the engineer Dr. Mohamed Kamal Ismail and grant him the highest level of Paradise.
