The Kaaba Sharif

format_quote Originally Posted by searchingsoul

How do you answer people who say that the Kaba is a stone idol?

chk this out

Do Muslims Worship The Black Stone Of the Ka'abah?

"And now verily We shall make you turn (in prayer) toward a Qibla which is dear to you. So turn your face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship (the Kaaba of Makkah)." (Al Baqarah 2:144)

The Quran commands the Muslims to face the sacred precincts in Makkah during prayer which is a fundamental tenet in slam. The legend of this purely Islamic development of a sacred stone structure dates back to the fall of Hadhrat Adam (alayhis salaam) from Paradise onto earth at Makkah. It has been reported by Al-tabari that Hadhrat Jibraeel (alayhis salaam) flapped his wings to uncover a foundation laid in the seventh fold of the earth. Angels paved this foundation with stones and Hazrat Adam went round this structure following the example of the Angels. Therefore it stands to reason that Allah Ta'ala contemplated and designated the Ka'aba before the creation of the earth. It is said that the Kaaba is a prototype of Baitul Mamoor, a house in the seventh Heaven situated immediately over the Kaaba.

The Kaaba with respect to the inhabited parts of the world is like the centre of a circle with respect to the circle itself. All regions face the Kaaba, surrounding it as a circle surrounds its centre; and each region faces a particular part of the Kaaba. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) adopted the Kaaba as a physical focus in prayer as well for other acts of worship such as burial of the dead, recitation of the Qur'an, announcing the call of prayer, the ritual slaughter of animals, etc. Thus, Muslims have been spiritually and physically oriented towards the Kaaba and the holy city of Makkah in their daily lives.

Circumbulation of The Kaaba

'Tawaf' or cicumbulation (the ritual encircling of the Kaaba) starts from the Hajar Aswad - the Black Stone. The circumambulator, if possible, may kiss the stone or may direct his hand towards it saying, "In the name of Allah, Allah is great." He must circle the Kaaba seven times with the Kaaba to his left (in anti-clockwise direction).

On examination, it will be found that the entire universe which is in constant circular or elliptical rotation, is in actual fact moving in the pattern as the Tawaf. The electrons of an atom revolve around its nucleus in the same manner as making Tawaf, in an anti-clockwise direction. The ovum, prior to fertilisation actually taking place, surrounded by sperms, turns remarkably in anti-clockwise direction, thereby resembling the Tawaf. Considering the globe as a whole, it could be found that the earth has two movements. It rotates on its own axis in 24 hours causing day and night. The various seasons of the year are due to the earth's simultaneous revolution around the sun in 365 days. It is really astonishing to note that the earth, in both these movements, rotates anti-clockwise. The entire universe from the atom to the galaxies is in constant circular rotation like a circumambulator who encircles the Kaaba in the anti-clockwise direction. All objects in the universe, atoms, moon, stars, electrical current, galaxies, etc. are rotating in the same way. Moreover, the angles encircle the heavenly Baitul Ma'mur in an ever-lasting Tawaf. In the same way, the Kaaba in Makkah is never free from circumbulators. "Know that the world has come to an end when no soul will circlembulate the holy Kaaba."

"Do Muslims Really Worship the Kaaba?"

This was one question, among others, propounded by certain non-Muslim student groups at a university rally not very long ago. This kind of obnoxious thinking and behaviour is the direct result of villifying and being abusive towards other religions. Islam, known by many a western thinker as the 'champion religion' condemns the idea of disgracing and mocking any religion, but rather promotes the idea of showing respect. How else would the world see good in a religion so perfect as Islam. Our aim in this world should be to convey the magnificent teachings of Islam with love and honour, so that the word of Allah Ta'ala reaches the four corners of the world.

Do Muslims worship the Kaaba by merely prostrating towards it?
Hadhrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thaanvi (rahmatullah alayhi), in his book 'Ashraful-Jawaab', carefully probes the matter by providing logical and simple facts.

1. It is a known fact to Muslims that we don't worship the Kaaba but only worship Allah Ta'ala and Him alone. There is sufficient evidence to substantiate our stand and belief. Categorically, we explicitly deny worshipping the Kaaba nor the structure of the Kaaba. Hence, no worshipper (in his right frame of mind) can deny the thing he or she worships. In other words, Muslims deny worshipping the Kaaba and it is not a symbol of worship. The Kaaba is only a direction of worship.

2. When performing Salaat, even if the thought of facing towards the Kaaba is absent from the mind too, the salaat is valid. However, many Musallies that enter the masjid and begin performing salaat without having the faintest idea that they are facing the direction of the Kaaba, still have their salaat intact. Had we been worshipping the Kaaba, then it would have been a prerequisite condition to first intend facing the Kaaba before beginning any salaat.

3. If at anytime the structure of the Kaaba is destroyed then too, it will be compulsory to perform salaat facing the direction of the Kaaba . Therefore, we can say without a shadow of doubt that Muslims do not worship its stone structure, otherwise by its destruction Salaat would immediately come to a temporary stop.

4. If a person decides to perform salaat on the roof of the Kaaba, the Salaat will be valid. Therefore had we worshipped the Kaaba then Salaat performed above it would be incorrect; because firstly, the thing worshipped must appear in front and secondly, it is utterly disrespectful and disgraceful to the thing worshipped by standing on top of it. Imagine anyone standing above their Creator and Maker of this universe.
In addition, Moulana Thaanvi (rahmatullah alay) further discusses other related matters on the same subject - the Kaaba. Did you ask yourself at anytime, 'Why do we face one direction, and not many directions?'
Imagine if there was no one direction to face then everyone would have faced all directions which may have caused dissent and disunity in the heart of the Muslims. Therefore it was essential to provide a common direction for the Muslims throughout the world.

Why do we face toward the Kaaba in particular and not any other selected direction?

No one has the right to ask such a question. However, Allah Ta'ala is omniscient and He alone knows toward which direction His Noor (light) descends. Whichever direction this light is greatest, we are directed to face.

How do we know the Noor of Allah descends toward the direction of the Kaaba?

Only those who possess eyes may be able to get a glimpse of that Noor descending onto the Kaaba. Therefore, Salaat may be read above the Kaaba structure, because in actual fact, it is the Noor of Allah Ta'ala that we face in prayers and definitely not any object or likewise.

The Jurist have commented that the Kaaba, although seen to a certain height, reaches upto the heavens and right down to the earth's bottom.
Furthermore, the secret in facing toward the direction of the Kaaba is the spirit of worship (Ibaadat), and contentment and serenity of the heart. Without this contentment there exist no spirit (rooh), which is the reason we are instructed to focus our sight on the place of prostration in Salaat so that we may be able to concentrate with heart and soul entirely.

http://www.load-islam.com/C/rebuttals/Worship

Thanks so much for the information.

format_quote Originally Posted by kadafi

The scholars differed who built it first but I cannot find any evidence that Adam (Peace be upon him) built it first whilst there is evidence that Prophet Ibrahim & Ismail (Peace be upon them) build the foundations.

A good article entitled: The wisdom behind facing the Ka’bah

Akhee kadafi, could you please post the article again. Jazakallah khayr in advance.

salams

format_quote Originally Posted by syilla

Akhee kadafi, could you please post the article again. Jazakallah khayr in advance.

salams

is it this
The wisdom behind facing the Ka�bah

05/04/2004 12:00:00 AM GMT





I am a new Muslim and want to know why we are to face the Ka'bah when we pray.

Answer : Praise be to Allaah. Praise be to Allaah Who has guided you to Islam; we ask Him to make you steadfast in it until you meet Him, for He is all Hearing, Ever Responsive. Praise be to Allaah Who has made you keen to pray and to practise your religion openly. We ask Allaah to guide your family and to grant you the joy of seeing them become Muslim� Ameen. With regard to our facing the Ka�bah, you should note, may Allaah bless you, that in this universe there is none other than Creator and created, worshippers and the One Who is worshipped. The Creator and the One Who is rightfully worshipped is Allaah alone; everything other than Him is created and worships Him either willingly and by choice � which is the case with the believers � or by force, which is the case of the kaafirs and sinners, whose submission to Allaah consists of their being subjugated to His control, for they do not have to power to either benefit or harm themselves. Allaah is the One Who has given them life, and when He wills He will cause them to die. If Allaah wills, He can make them sick, and if He wills He can heal them. He can make them rich whenever He wants and make them poor whenever He wants. Glory and praise be to Him, there is no Lord besides Him and none worthy of worship except Him. With regard to his believing slaves, they are tried and tested in this brief, transient world. If they succeed in remaining steadfast in worshipping their Lord and attaining the highest degree of submission to Him, He will compensate them for that, by His kindness and grace, with Paradise in which there is that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and it has not entered the heart of man. Among these tests is the fact that Allaah commands them to do some things for which their minds cannot comprehend the wisdom behind them, they can only submit and obey. This is in order to distinguish those who are sincere in their claims to be believers from those who are insincere. For Allaah is the Creator of reason, and He is the One Who issues the command, so whoever responds and submits, and says, �I hear and obey, even though I do not understand the reason, because I admit my mortality, my weakness and my submission to Allaah, for Allaah cannot be questioned as to what He does� � such a one is a believer who, it is hoped, will prosper and succeed in this world and in the Hereafter. This is how the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) were, as al-Bukhaari (1597) and Muslim (1270) narrated in their Saheehs that �Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said of the Black Stone when he kissed it: �By Allaah, I know that you are only a stone and you can neither bring benefit nor cause harm. Were it not that I had seen the Messenger of Allaah kissing you I would not have kissed you.� So when we Muslims pray facing the direction of the Ka�bah, we do so because Allaah has commanded us to do that. If he had commanded us to pray facing in any other direction, we would have had to do that. The same applies to many other acts of worship, We pray Zuhr with four rak�ahs and Maghrib with three and Fajr with two, because Allaah has commanded us to do so. We perform Tawaaf seven times around the Ka�bah, and we stone the Jamaraat seven times, and we do not do more than that under any circumstances. All of that is because that is what Allaah has commanded us to do. So whoever bears this thought in mind whilst doing these acts of worship will undoubtedly increase in submission to Allaah; this will increase his faith and bring him closer to his Lord. Thus he will find great joy and immense happiness and deep contentment in his heart, which will make him long for worship and love it, because when he does acts of worship he will feel that he is doing them for Allaah, and were it not for Allaah, he would not do them. So every act of worship brings him closer to Allaah and increases him in faith until he meets Allaah and Allaah will honour him as He honours His righteous slaves. But for the one who is stubborn and arrogant, and says, �I will not do it until I understand�, this is like Iblees who rebelled against Allaah and said, as Allaah tells us in the Qur�aan (interpretation of the meaning): �Shall I prostrate myself to one whom You created from clay?� [al-Israa� 17:61] This is sufficient to demonstrate the seriousness of arguing against the sharee�ah on the basis of reason. Rather Allaah has described one of the most unique characteristics of the pious believers as being belief in the Unseen. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): �This is the Book (the Qur�aan), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqoon [the pious believers of Islamic Monotheism who fear Allaah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allaah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)]. Who believe in the Ghayb (the unseen) and perform As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah), and spend out of what we have provided for them� [al-Baqarah 2:2-3] So the first characteristic by which the believers are distinguished from others is the fact that they believe in the unseen or that which they cannot grasp, whether that is in a literal, physical sense or in a metaphorical, intellectual sense. What we should point out here is that our prayer facing the direction of the Ka�bah has nothing to do with the structure of the Ka�bah, rather it has to do with its location. If it were to be destroyed, we would still pray in that direction, not to that structure. Hence we find that nowadays Muslims pray on the second storey and on the roof of the Grand Mosque in the Sanctuary of Makkah, facing the direction of the Ka�bah even though it is not directly in front of them. This is what millions of Muslims do throughout the world, praying in the direction of the Ka�bah even though they cannot see it. This demonstrates the great difference between the laws of Islam and the actions of the mushrikeen (polytheists) whose worship of their idols, stones and trees ceases when these objects cease to exist. Therefore if the mushrik cannot see his object of worship or idol, he does not face the direction of that thing. We ask Allaah to bestow upon us sincere faith, and to make us steadfast in it until we meet Him� Aameen.

Source: Islam Q&A