Abstract
The world is dotted with the ruins of pyramids, obelisks, palaces, fortresses, megaliths, ... mighty feats of construction by civilisations who are no more; clear evidence of the truth of the scriptures! The magnificent buildings were built by masons. In medieval ages, the Stonemasons built many magnificent buildings. The Freemasonry movement claims to take its inspiration from the building of the Temple of Solomon and its Chief Architect. Its a secret organisation, so there are many theories about it. Some also associate it with secret magic. Solomon was granted a kingdom the world hasn't seen since. The angels Harut and Marut taught magic in the Kingdom of Solomon, yet warned them that they had been sent as a trial, and the people should desist from learning magic. There is a city that was destroyed, but will return when Gog and Magog are released: I understand the ancient city that will return is Babylon.
We can work in gratitude, or we can work in defiance and opposition. Allah is watching us all. He is testing us. He expects gratitude. The satisfied nafs is promised salvation and eternal bliss.
Full Text
Surah alFajr begins with a series of oaths, and then states:
هَلْ فِي ذَٰلِكَ قَسَمٌ لِّذِي حِجْرٍ
Is there [not] in [all] that an oath [sufficient] for one of حِجْرٍ?
Google translates لِّذِي حِجْرٍ as 'Have a stone':
Is there [not] in [all] that an oath [sufficient] for one of حِجْرٍ?
[Al-Quran 89:5, Translation: Sahih International; edited]
The ذِي indicates possession or ownership of the noun which follows, and the word حِجْرٍ shares its root with the word for stone (حجر), and is itself variously translated as:
...
Screenshot from corpus.quran.com
Google translates لِّذِي حِجْرٍ as 'Have a stone':
If we take it to indicate belonging, then the people who belong to stone workmanship are the stonemasons, one of the most ancient professions in the world, or the freemasons, which is the modern version of the ancient stonemason guild.
The surah then continues thus:
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ
إِرَمَ ذَاتِ الْعِمَادِ
الَّتِي لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِي الْبِلَادِ
وَثَمُودَ الَّذِينَ جَابُوا الصَّخْرَ بِالْوَادِ
وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِي الْأَوْتَادِ
الَّذِينَ طَغَوْا فِي الْبِلَادِ
فَأَكْثَرُوا فِيهَا الْفَسَادَ
فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ
Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with 'Aad -
[With] Iram - who had lofty pillars,
The likes of whom had never been created in the land?
And [with] Thamud, who carved out the rocks in the valley?
And [with] Pharaoh, owner of the stakes? -
[All of] whom oppressed within the lands
And increased therein the corruption.
So your Lord poured upon them a scourge of punishment.
Indeed, your Lord is in observation.
[Al-Quran 89:6-14, Translation: Sahih International]
Prophet Hud said to his people Aad:
أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ آيَةً تَعْبَثُونَ
وَتَتَّخِذُونَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ
Do you construct on every elevation a sign, amusing yourselves,
And take for yourselves palaces and fortresses that you might abide eternally?
[Al-Quran 26:128-129, Translation: Sahih International]
Prophet Saleh asked his people Thamud:
وَتَنْحِتُونَ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا فَارِهِينَ
And you carve out of the mountains, homes, with skill.
[Al-Quran 26:149, Translation: Sahih International]
Pharaoh is mentioned by the stakes in Q89:10 quoted above, an in this ayat as well:
كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَعَادٌ وَفِرْعَوْنُ ذُو الْأَوْتَادِ
Denied before them (the) people (of) Nuh and Aad and Firaun, (the) owner (of) the stakes.
[Al-Quran 38:12]
Another ayat of The Quran mentions that the mountains are set upon the earth as stakes (Q78:7). Though pyramids have been found all over the world, and more continue to be discovered, the most famous pyramids are those of Ancient Egypt. The pyramids of Egypt are more mountain-like than the Mesopotamian ziggurats or the Nubian pyramids. The Pyramids of Giza, a marvel of ancient Egypt, are still looked upon in awe and wonder. In fact, the more learned a person is in his field of study, the more he marvels at the wondrous nature of the pyramids' construction.
Moreover, Pharaoh commanded Haman to build something to access the skies:
وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرِي فَأَوْقِدْ لِي يَا هَامَانُ عَلَى الطِّينِ فَاجْعَل لِّي صَرْحًا لَّعَلِّي أَطَّلِعُ إِلَىٰ إِلَٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ
And Pharaoh said, "O eminent ones, I have not known you to have a god other than me. Then ignite for me, O Haman, [a fire] upon the clay and make for me a tower that I may look at the God of Moses. And indeed, I do think he is among the liars."
[Al-Quran 28:38, Translator: Sahih International]
وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَا هَامَانُ ابْنِ لِي صَرْحًا لَّعَلِّي أَبْلُغُ الْأَسْبَابَ
أَسْبَابَ السَّمَاوَاتِ فَأَطَّلِعَ إِلَىٰ إِلَٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُ كَاذِبًا وَكَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِفِرْعَوْنَ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ وَصُدَّ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ وَمَا كَيْدُ فِرْعَوْنَ إِلَّا فِي تَبَابٍ
And Firon said: O Haman! build for me a tower that I may attain the means of access,
The means of access to the heavens, then reach the god of Musa, and I surely think him to be a liar. And thus the evil of his deed was made fairseeming to Firon, and he was turned away from the way; and the struggle of Firon was not (to end) in aught but destruction.
Haman was commanded to build with bricks. An interesting write-up titled 'Were Burnt Bricks Used In Ancient Egypt In The Time of Moses?' concludes that:
Although rare, baked bricks were manufactured in ancient Egypt but their use did not become common until the Roman period. In fact, that the scholars of Egyptology have concluded that burnt brick production was known in Egypt at all periods. Specifically, when durability was required, burnt bricks were able to provide a qualitative advantage as compared to their mud brick counterparts, and it was in this setting that the burnt brick was used. It is also important to note that the ancient Egyptians were not ignorant behind the processes and specific manufacturing requirements in the production of burnt bricks, however, it would appear that the cost of fuel for firing was prohibitive and this could be one of the reasons for the preference of unfired soil architecture.
The world is dotted with the ruins of pyramids, obelisks, palaces, fortresses, megaliths, ... mighty feats of construction by civilisations who are no more; clear evidence of the truth of the scriptures!
The magnificent buildings were built by masons. One of the most ancient professions in human history seems to be masonry. For example, the Göbekli Tepe, is thought to be 8000 years old, is simply marvellous and astonishing in the details.
In medieval ages, the Stonemasons built many magnificent buildings, such as Cathedrals, etc.
The Freemasonry movement claims to take its inspiration from the building of the Temple of Solomon and its Chief Architect. Its a secret organisation, so there are many theories about it. Some also associate it with secret magic.
Magic is mentioned in The Quran negatively. Pharaoh had the learned magicians duel with Moses. When the learned magicians realised the truth of Moses, they immediately abandoned their magic, and submitted to the Lord of Moses. The angels Harut and Marut taught magic in the Kingdom of Solomon, yet warned them that they had been sent as a trial, and the people should desist from learning magic.
Magic is mentioned in The Quran negatively. Pharaoh had the learned magicians duel with Moses. When the learned magicians realised the truth of Moses, they immediately abandoned their magic, and submitted to the Lord of Moses. The angels Harut and Marut taught magic in the Kingdom of Solomon, yet warned them that they had been sent as a trial, and the people should desist from learning magic.
On the other hand, we also read about the mighty constructions built by Muslim leaders, Solomon and Dhu al Qarnayn, which are mentioned in The Quran. Surah alIsra informs us that the Masjid built by Solomon was destroyed twice:
We believe that Dhu al Qarnayn built a permanent iron wall to contain the earth-corrupting forces of Yajuj Majuj (Gog & Magog). This wall will only be destroyed during the end times:
There is a city that was destroyed, but will return when Gog and Magog are released:
إِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِ لِيَسُوءُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا مَا عَلَوْا تَتْبِيرًا
[And said], "If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, [you do it] to yourselves." Then when the final promise came, [We sent your enemies] to sadden your faces and to enter the temple in Jerusalem, as they entered it the first time, and to destroy what they had taken over with [total] destruction.
[Al-Quran 17:7, Translation: Sahih International]
آتُونِي زُبَرَ الْحَدِيدِ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا سَاوَىٰ بَيْنَ الصَّدَفَيْنِ قَالَ انفُخُوا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَعَلَهُ نَارًا قَالَ آتُونِي أُفْرِغْ عَلَيْهِ قِطْرًا
فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَن يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا
قَالَ هَٰذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّي فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُ دَكَّاءَ وَكَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي حَقًّا
وَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِي بَعْضٍ وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَجَمَعْنَاهُمْ جَمْعًا
Bring me sheets of iron" - until, when he had leveled [them] between the two mountain walls, he said, "Blow [with bellows]," until when he had made it [like] fire, he said, "Bring me, that I may pour over it molten copper."
So Gog and Magog were unable to pass over it, nor were they able [to effect] in it any penetration.
[Dhul-Qarnayn] said, "This is a mercy from my Lord; but when the promise of my Lord comes, He will make it level, and ever is the promise of my Lord true."
And We will leave them that day surging over each other, and [then] the Horn will be blown, and We will assemble them in [one] assembly.
[Al-Quran 18:96-99, Translation: Sahih International]
There is a city that was destroyed, but will return when Gog and Magog are released:
وَحَرَامٌ عَلَىٰ قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَاهَا أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ
حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُم مِّن كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنسِلُونَ
وَاقْتَرَبَ الْوَعْدُ الْحَقُّ فَإِذَا هِيَ شَاخِصَةٌ أَبْصَارُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا قَدْ كُنَّا فِي غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَٰذَا بَلْ كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ
إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ
And there is prohibition upon [the people of] a city which We have destroyed that they will [ever] return
Until when [the dam of] Gog and Magog has been opened and they, from every elevation, descend
And [when] the true promise has approached; then suddenly the eyes of those who disbelieved will be staring [in horror, while they say], "O woe to us; we had been unmindful of this; rather, we were wrongdoers."
Indeed, you [disbelievers] and what you worship other than Allah are the firewood of Hell. You will be coming to [enter] it.
[Al-Quran 21:95-98, Translation: Sahih International]
I understand the ancient city that will return is Babylon.
Coming back to the Prophet-King Solomon and his father Prophet-King David, we read that both were given mighty gifts to support their mission; Solomon was granted a kingdom the world hasn't seen since. His workforce included the jinns who constructed mighty things:
أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِن نَّشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ الْأَرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفًا مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِّكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُّنِيبٍ
وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ مِنَّا فَضْلًا يَا جِبَالُ أَوِّبِي مَعَهُ وَالطَّيْرَ وَأَلَنَّا لَهُ الْحَدِيدَ
أَنِ اعْمَلْ سَابِغَاتٍ وَقَدِّرْ فِي السَّرْدِ وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا إِنِّي بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
وَلِسُلَيْمَانَ الرِّيحَ غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ وَأَسَلْنَا لَهُ عَيْنَ الْقِطْرِ وَمِنَ الْجِنِّ مَن يَعْمَلُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ وَمَن يَزِغْ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ أَمْرِنَا نُذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ السَّعِيرِ
يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُ مَا يَشَاءُ مِن مَّحَارِيبَ وَتَمَاثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍ كَالْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ رَّاسِيَاتٍ اعْمَلُوا آلَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرًا وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ
فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَوْتِهِ إِلَّا دَابَّةُ الْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ أَن لَّوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ مَا لَبِثُوا فِي الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ
Then, do they not look at what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and earth? If We should will, We could cause the earth to swallow them or [could] let fall upon them fragments from the sky. Indeed in that is a sign for every servant turning back [to Allah ].
And We certainly gave David from Us bounty. [We said], "O mountains, repeat [Our] praises with him, and the birds [as well]." And We made pliable for him iron,
[Commanding him], "Make full coats of mail and calculate [precisely] the links, and work [all of you] righteousness. Indeed I, of what you do, am Seeing."
And to Solomon [We subjected] the wind - its morning [journey was that of] a month - and its afternoon [journey was that of] a month, and We made flow for him a spring of [liquid] copper. And among the jinn were those who worked for him by the permission of his Lord. And whoever deviated among them from Our command - We will make him taste of the punishment of the Blaze.
They made for him what he willed of elevated chambers, statues, bowls like reservoirs, and stationary kettles. [We said], "Work, O family of David, in gratitude." And few of My servants are grateful.
And when We decreed for Solomon death, nothing indicated to the jinn his death except a creature of the earth eating his staff. But when he fell, it became clear to the jinn that if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in humiliating punishment.
[Al-Quran 34:9-14, Translation: Sahih International]
Another note-worthy mighty feat of construction in the ancient world was the Dam of Saba. The Quran states about it:
لَقَدْ كَانَ لِسَبَإٍ فِي مَسْكَنِهِمْ آيَةٌ جَنَّتَانِ عَن يَمِينٍ وَشِمَالٍ كُلُوا مِن رِّزْقِ رَبِّكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لَهُ بَلْدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ وَرَبٌّ غَفُورٌ
فَأَعْرَضُوا فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَيْلَ الْعَرِمِ وَبَدَّلْنَاهُم بِجَنَّتَيْهِمْ جَنَّتَيْنِ ذَوَاتَيْ أُكُلٍ خَمْطٍ وَأَثْلٍ وَشَيْءٍ مِّن سِدْرٍ قَلِيلٍ
ذَٰلِكَ جَزَيْنَاهُم بِمَا كَفَرُوا وَهَلْ نُجَازِي إِلَّا الْكَفُورَ
فَأَعْرَضُوا فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَيْلَ الْعَرِمِ وَبَدَّلْنَاهُم بِجَنَّتَيْهِمْ جَنَّتَيْنِ ذَوَاتَيْ أُكُلٍ خَمْطٍ وَأَثْلٍ وَشَيْءٍ مِّن سِدْرٍ قَلِيلٍ
ذَٰلِكَ جَزَيْنَاهُم بِمَا كَفَرُوا وَهَلْ نُجَازِي إِلَّا الْكَفُورَ
Certainly there was a sign for Saba in their abode; two gardens on the right and the left; eat of the sustenance of your Lord and give thanks to Him: a good land and a Forgiving Lord!
But they turned aside, so We sent upon them a torrent of which the rush could not be withstood, and in place of their two gardens We gave to them two gardens yielding bitter fruit and (growing) tamarisk and a few lote-trees.
This We requited them with because they disbelieved; and We do not punish any but the ungrateful.
[Al-Quran 34:15-17, Translation: Shakir]
But they turned aside, so We sent upon them a torrent of which the rush could not be withstood, and in place of their two gardens We gave to them two gardens yielding bitter fruit and (growing) tamarisk and a few lote-trees.
This We requited them with because they disbelieved; and We do not punish any but the ungrateful.
[Al-Quran 34:15-17, Translation: Shakir]
We can work in gratitude, or we can work in defiance and opposition. Allah is watching us all. He is testing us. He expects gratitude. The satisfied nafs is promised salvation and eternal bliss.
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Stonemasons
The following was copied from Wikipedia on September 28, 2022:
Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. It is one of the oldest activities and professions in human history. Many of the long-lasting, ancient shelters, temples, monuments, artifacts, fortifications, roads, bridges, and entire cities were built of stone. Famous works of stonemasonry include the Egyptian pyramids, the Taj Mahal, Cusco's Incan Wall, Easter Island's statues, Angkor Wat, Borobudur, Tihuanaco, Tenochtitlan, Persepolis, the Parthenon, Stonehenge, the Great Wall of China, and Chartres Cathedral.
Freemasons
The following is copied from Wikipedia on September 28, 2022:
The following is copied from Wikipedia on September 28, 2022:
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities and clients. ... The degrees of Freemasonry retain the three grades of medieval craft guilds, those of Entered Apprentice, Journeyman or fellow (now called Fellowcraft), and Master Mason. The candidate of these three degrees is progressively taught the meanings of the symbols of Freemasonry and entrusted with grips, signs, and words to signify to other members that he has been so initiated. The degrees are part allegorical morality play and part lecture.
On Wikipedia's page on Masonic ritual and symbolism, its written (as on September 28, 2022)
Solomon's Temple is a central symbol of Freemasonry which holds that the first three Grand Masters were King Solomon, King Hiram I of Tyre, and Hiram Abiff—the craftsman/architect who built the temple. Masonic initiation rites include the reenactment of a scene set on the Temple Mount while it was under construction. Every Masonic lodge, therefore, is symbolically the Temple for the duration of the degree and possesses ritual objects representing the architecture of the Temple. These may either be built into the hall or be portable. Among the most prominent are replicas of the pillars Boaz and Jachin through which every initiate has to pass.
...
In an article about Freemasons, published online on 15 September 2014, titled 'The Freemasons, the Temple, and the Lost Ark', number 7 reads:
While other British crafts had linked their rituals and related lore to legends of patron saints, early Masons liked to refer to the building of the Tower of Babel, the first land structure mentioned in Genesis. However, it must have sunk in that the Lord did not look with favour on Babel, so their interest began to shift to the building of Solomon’s Temple, the Bible’s most significant structure. Since 1717, when Freemasonry took its modern form, this has remained its central legend.
References & Links for Further Reading
Third Temple (Wikipedia)
In this blog
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Last updated on: May 7, 2023
