al-Baqarah 2:125,142-150; bani Isra'il 17:40; al-Fath 48:24, see also SANCTUARY. said to be the navel of the world (whatever that was supposed to mean?) and Ka'aba lies just below throne. see also KA'ABA

first temple, Âl 'Imran 3:96

Muslims believed that the first temple to God is built at Mecca by Abraham and Ishmael.
In the Bible, there is a record of the valley of Baca. See Baca for more details.
of Allah.
* Narrated Ibn Abbas:
The Prophet said, "Allah has made Mecca a sanctuary (sacred place) and it was a sanctuary before me and will be so after me. It was made legal for me (to fight in it) for a few hours of the day. None is allowed to uproot its thorny shrubs or to cut its trees or to chase its game or to pick up its fallen things except by a person who announces it publicly." On that Al-Abbas said (to the Prophet), "Except Al-Idhkhir for our goldsmiths and for our graves." And so the Prophet added, "Except Al-Idhkhir. " And Abu Huraira narrated that the Prophet said, "Except Al-Idhkhir for our graves and houses." And Ibn Abbas said, "For their goldsmiths and houses." (Sahih Bukhari 2.423)
This hadith is kind of interesting, in that we see that Muhammad allowed certain activities at the Ka'aba on the prompting of Al-Abbas.
duty to visit for the Hajj, Âl 'Imran 3:97
identified with Paran,
Muslims believed that Mecca is Paran. They believed that since Ishmael lived in Paran, (Genesis 21:21), and Ishmael is the ancestor of Arabs, Paran is Mecca. See also PARAN for more details..
turn and pray toward, al-Baqarah 2:144,149-150 (see QIBLA)
- isn't necessary (God is everywhere), al-Baqarah 2:115,142,177
valley of, al-Fath 48:24