Abstract
The Quran on the Kaaba located in Al-Masjid Al-Haraam in Mecca, Saudia Arabia.
Full Text
وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِنَّهُ لَلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
And from wherever you start forth, [so] turn your face (in the) direction (of) Al-Masjid Al-Haraam. And indeed, it (is) surely the truth from your Lord. And not (is) Allah unaware of what you do.
[Al-Quran 2:149]
Attribution:
The Qibla: Muslims all over the world pray facing towards the Holy Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in the centre of which is located the Kaaba, the cube-shaped House of God.
وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا الْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْنًا وَاتَّخِذُوا مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مُصَلًّى وَعَهِدْنَا إِلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّائِفِينَ وَالْعَاكِفِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَٰذَا بَلَدًا آمِنًا وَارْزُقْ أَهْلَهُ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ مَنْ آمَنَ مِنْهُم بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ قَالَ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَأُمَتِّعُهُ قَلِيلًا ثُمَّ أَضْطَرُّهُ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ النَّارِ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ
وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
رَبَّنَا وَابْعَثْ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
وَمَن يَرْغَبُ عَن مِّلَّةِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِلَّا مَن سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُ وَلَقَدِ اصْطَفَيْنَاهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
And [mention] when We made the House a place of return for the people and [a place of] security. And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer. And We charged Abraham and Ishmael, [saying], "Purify My House for those who perform Tawaf and those who are staying [there] for worship and those who bow and prostrate [in prayer]."
And [mention] when Abraham said, "My Lord, make this a secure city country and provide its people with fruits - whoever of them believes in Allah and the Last Day." [ Allah ] said. "And whoever disbelieves - I will grant him enjoyment for a little; then I will force him to the punishment of the Fire, and wretched is the destination."
And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael, [saying], "Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the Hearing, the Knowing.
Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to You and from our descendants a Muslim nation [in submission] to You. And show us our rites and accept our repentance. Indeed, You are the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.
Our Lord, and send among them a messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom and purify them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
And who would be averse to the religion of Abraham except one who makes a fool of himself. And We had chosen him in this world, and indeed he, in the Hereafter, will be among the righteous.
Purify My House: From these ayaat, it seems the House already existed but it was appointed the centre of pilgrimage when Abraham and Ismael raised its foundations and purified the House. Similarly, Messenger Muhammad ﷺ purified the House when he conquered Mecca, and retaught the rites of pilgrimage.
Raise the Foundation: Raising the foundations of an existing house is a common practice, especially in areas prone to flooding. The house is temporarily raised, separating it from its existing foundation; the foundation is then raised and the house replaced on the newly-built foundation.
Drawing Attribution:
By Original uploader was Mbenoist (M. Benoist) at fr.wikipedia - Transferred from fr.wikipedia to Commons., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1546885
Standing Place of Abraham: The standing place of Abraham, the Maqam-e-Ibrahim, marked number 7 in the drawing above, is at a certain distance from the Kaaba itself. When Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundation, they were asking Allah to accept this service, and were invoking Allah's attributes: السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ (The All-Hearing, The All-Knowing). I think that perhaps Abraham was raising the foundations through prayer: using acoustic technology, which was known in the ancient world, and invoking Allah to accept their prayer, as Allah hears everything, knows everything, as He is the One who built the skies and the earth and everything else (Q20:50), and when He intends a thing, He says to it Be, and it becomes (Q36:82).
A Secure Country: Q2:126 uses the word بَلَدًا which means country. Very few translations of this ayat read country, while most have translated this word as city, even though the Arabic words for city and smaller units are مدينة and قرية, both of which have been mentioned in other ayaat across the text. I think it is very important to literally translate every word, as each ayat is giving us a wealth of information, even if the meaning isn't readily clear.
A Secure Country: Q2:126 uses the word بَلَدًا which means country. Very few translations of this ayat read country, while most have translated this word as city, even though the Arabic words for city and smaller units are مدينة and قرية, both of which have been mentioned in other ayaat across the text. I think it is very important to literally translate every word, as each ayat is giving us a wealth of information, even if the meaning isn't readily clear.
إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ فَمَنْ حَجَّ الْبَيْتَ أَوِ اعْتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَن يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا وَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَاكِرٌ عَلِيمٌ
Indeed, al-Safa and al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allah . So whoever makes Hajj to the House or performs 'umrah - there is no blame upon him for walking between them. And whoever volunteers good - then indeed, Allah is appreciative and Knowing.
[Al-Quran 2:158, Translation: Sahih International]
رَّبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ وَارْزُقْهُم مِّنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ
رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ مَا نُخْفِي وَمَا نُعْلِنُ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ
Our Lord! Indeed, I [I] have settled (some) of my offsprings in a valley not with cultivation near Your Sacred House, our Lord! That they may establish the prayers. So make hearts of the men incline towards them, and provide them with the fruits so that they may be grateful.
Our Lord! Indeed, You You know what we conceal and what we proclaim. And not (is) hidden from Allah any thing in the earth and not in the heaven.
Location of The House: The House is located near al-Safa and al-Marwa, the two mountains in Mecca. This information should lay to rest the confusion between where is the true centre of pilgrimage that is associated with Abraham. Furthermore, Q14:37 also provides the information that the valley near the Sacred House was without cultivation.
إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
فِيهِ آيَاتٌ بَيِّنَاتٌ مَّقَامُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمَن دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِنًا وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ
Indeed, (the) First House set up for the mankind (is) the one which (is) at Bakkah, blessed and a guidance for the worlds.
In it (are) signs clear, standing place of Ibrahim, and whoever enters it - is safe. And (due) to Allah upon the mankind (is) pilgrimage (of) the House (for one) who is able to [it] (find) a way. And whoever disbelieved then indeed, Allah (is) free from need of the universe.
Clear Signs: Perhaps the clearest sign is the cube-shaped Kaaba ...
Whoever enters it is safe: On February3, 2021, Arab News reported that No COVID-19 cases reported among pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحِلُّوا شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ وَلَا الشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ وَلَا الْهَدْيَ وَلَا الْقَلَائِدَ وَلَا آمِّينَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرِضْوَانًا وَإِذَا حَلَلْتُمْ فَاصْطَادُوا وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ أَن صَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ أَن تَعْتَدُوا وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
O you who believe! (Do) not violate (the) rites (of) Allah, and not the sacred month and not the sacrificial animals and not the garlanded and not (those) coming (to) the Sacred House seeking Bounty of their Lord and good pleasure. And when you come out of Ihram then (you may) hunt. And let not incite you (the) hatred (for) a people as they stopped you from Al-Masjid Al-Haraam that you commit transgression. And help one another in [the] righteousness and [the] piety, but (do) not help one another in [the] sin and [the] transgression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah (is) severe (in) [the] punishment.
[Al-Quran 5:2]
جَعَلَ اللَّهُ الْكَعْبَةَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ قِيَامًا لِّلنَّاسِ وَالشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ وَالْهَدْيَ وَالْقَلَائِدَ ذَٰلِكَ لِتَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
Allah has made the Kabah, the Sacred House, an establishment for mankind and the month(s) [the] sacred and the (animals) for offering and the garlands. That (is) so that you may know that Allah knows what (is) in the heavens and what (is) in the earth, and that Allah of every thing (is) All-Knowing.
[Al-Quran 5:97]
سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ
Glory to (God) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things ).
[Al-Quran 17:1, Translation: Yusuf Ali]
وَالْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُورِ
Consider the long-enduring house [of worship]! [Translation: Muhammad Asad]
And by the long-standing, frequently visited house [Kaabah] [Translation: Mohammad Shafi]
[Al-Quran 52:4]
The Pilgrimage to The House: The pilgrimage to The House is a duty upon all mankind who are able to do so. The pilgrimage months and its rites are sacred, and must be observed scrupulously. Noteworthy is that Q5:2 mentions the Sacred House and the al-Masjid al-Haraam in the same ayat. Q5:97 informs us that the Kaaba and all that's appointed sacred for pilgrimage is so that we may know that Allah knows everything in the Heavens and Earth. Q17:1 mentions the travel from the al-Masjid al-Haraam to the farthest mosque, and Q52:4 takes oath by al-Bait al-Mamoor. From hadith sources, Muslims believe that the al-Bait al-Mamoor is located in the seventh sky/heaven. It is being continuously circuited by angels, such that they are able to perform pilgrimage to it only once, and a new set of angels visit it on a daily basis. Its believed to be cube-shaped as well, and the Kaaba at Mecca is supposed to be a copy of it. What is interesting is that the word al-Mamoor is from the root ع م ر which shares the root with words meaning maintain, age, build, life and Umrah.
وَمَا لَهُمْ أَلَّا يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُوا أَوْلِيَاءَهُ إِنْ أَوْلِيَاؤُهُ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
وَمَا كَانَ صَلَاتُهُمْ عِندَ الْبَيْتِ إِلَّا مُكَاءً وَتَصْدِيَةً فَذُوقُوا الْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ
But what (is) for them that not (should) Allah punish them while they hinder (people) from Al-Masjid Al-Haraam, while not they are its guardians? Not (can be) its guardians except the ones who fear Allah, but most of them (do) not know.
And not was their prayer at the House except whistling and clapping. So taste the punishment because you used to disbelieve.
Reclaiming The Kaaba: In Surah al-Anfal, the polytheistic Meccans and their prayer is criticised. This surah is followed by Surah at-Taubah which begins with a notice of war from Allah and His Messenger to the Meccans who had declined the messages for over two decades!
وَإِذْ بَوَّأْنَا لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ مَكَانَ الْبَيْتِ أَن لَّا تُشْرِكْ بِي شَيْئًا وَطَهِّرْ بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّائِفِينَ وَالْقَائِمِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ
وَأَذِّن فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًا وَعَلَىٰ كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ
لِّيَشْهَدُوا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَاتٍ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّن بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْبَائِسَ الْفَقِيرَ
ثُمَّ لْيَقْضُوا تَفَثَهُمْ وَلْيُوفُوا نُذُورَهُمْ وَلْيَطَّوَّفُوا بِالْبَيْتِ الْعَتِيقِ
ذَٰلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ حُرُمَاتِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ وَأُحِلَّتْ لَكُمُ الْأَنْعَامُ إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الْأَوْثَانِ وَاجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ الزُّورِ
حُنَفَاءَ لِلَّهِ غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِهِ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ الطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِي بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ
ذَٰلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ
لَكُمْ فِيهَا مَنَافِعُ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ثُمَّ مَحِلُّهَا إِلَى الْبَيْتِ الْعَتِيقِ
وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنسَكًا لِّيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّن بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ فَإِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَلَهُ أَسْلِمُوا وَبَشِّرِ الْمُخْبِتِينَ
We showed Abraham drew Abraham to or settled Abraham at the location of the House: 'Do not associate anything with Me; and purify My House for those who circle around, and those who stand to pray, and those who kneel and prostrate.'
And announce the pilgrimage to humanity. They will come to you on foot, and on every transport. They will come from every distant point.
That they may witness the benefits for themselves, and celebrate the name of God during the appointed days, for providing them with the animal livestock. So eat from it, and feed the unfortunate poor.
Then let them perform their acts of cleansing, and fulfill their vows, and circle around the Ancient House.
All that. Whoever venerates the sanctities of God—it is good for him with his Lord. All livestock are permitted to you, except what is recited to you. So stay away from the abomination of idols, and stay away from perjury.
Being true to God, without associating anything with Him. Whoever associates anything with God—it is as though he has fallen from the sky, and is snatched by the birds, or is swept away by the wind to a distant abyss.
So it is. Whoever venerates the sacraments of God—it is from the piety of the hearts.
In them are benefits for you until a certain time. Then their place is by the Ancient House.
We have appointed a rite for every nation, that they may commemorate God's name over the livestock He has provided for them. Your God is One God, so to Him submit, and announce good news to the humble.
The Cube vs The Pyramid: There are pyramidical structures found all over the world. Ancient ruins of mighty pyramid-shaped buildings stand to this day. It is believed that they were temples dedicated to the worship of polytheistic deities. Modern hindu and buddhist temples also generally employ pyramidical structures and domes. Among the reasons, as explained on the internet, for such architecture is to focus the electromagnetic energy in the centre onto the statue of their deity, its resonant effect on the body of the chanter, and a distribution of pressure on the broader part of the dome to create a sense of calm.
On the contrary, the cube of The Kaaba is located under the open sky. Muslims do not worship The Kaaba as a deity, rather they believe it to be sacred because Allah has declared it sacred and called it My House. In Surah al-Quraysh we read:
فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هَٰذَا الْبَيْتِ
The Right Religion: Surah al-Baqarah (The Heifer), Q2:149, commands us to face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haraam, while Surah ar-Rum (The Romans), Q30:43, urges us face the right religion. It goes on to warn:
فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ الْقَيِّمِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لَّا مَرَدَّ لَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصَّدَّعُونَ
مَن كَفَرَ فَعَلَيْهِ كُفْرُهُ وَمَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلِأَنفُسِهِمْ يَمْهَدُونَ
لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِن فَضْلِهِ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْكَافِرِينَ
So set your face to the religion right, before [that] comes a Day not (can be) averted [it] from Allah. That Day, they will be divided.
Whoever disbelieves, then against him (is) his disbelief. And whoever does righteousness, then for themselves they are preparing,
Whoever disbelieves, then against him (is) his disbelief. And whoever does righteousness, then for themselves they are preparing,
That He may reward those who believe and do righteous deeds (out) of His Bounty. Indeed, He (does) not like the disbelievers.
worth reading and learning. Jazak Allah for educating. Stay blessed. ameen
ReplyDeleteThank you for your feedback and duas. Aameen.
DeleteJazak'Allah khairan kaseeran.