Circumambulation and a few other bits of stuff.

[barney]

Hi.

I've a few questions on the Kaa'ba if thats OK.

Why is it circumambulated and why that number of times?
Is there anything in the Holy Koran or a hadith that points to it being pre-flood?
What benifits are given to a beleiver touching the black stone?

Thanks.

 

[barney]

bump

 

[Eric H]

Greetings and peace be with you barney;

What benifits are given to a beleiver touching the black stone?

In order to have faith in God you have to do something, in a way the doing something is confirming your beliefs to yourself.

God does not gain anything by the things we do to confirm our faith, but it seems we need ritual events and worship for our benefit. We have similar but different ones in Christianity.

I am curious as to why you want to know if this is pre-flood?

In the spirit of praying to one God,

Eric

 

[Pk_#2]

Greetings and peace be with you barney;

I am curious as to why you want to know if this is pre-flood?

Eric

:blind: Huh. I think Barney wants to know why it got flooded before, what is your question Eric?

*Bump*

 

[------]

:salamext:

Why is it circumambulated and why that number of times?

Circumambulating the Sacred House seven times is equivalent to manumission of a slave. The circumambulators are the object of Allah's pleasure which He speaks about to His Angels. Repeated circumambulation is, therefore, a means of remission of sins to the extent that one who repeats circumambulation is remitted of his sins as if he were a newly-born child. Circumambulators should then adhere to uttering words of praise, supplication and acclamation.

Source

What benefits are given to a beleiver touching the black stone?

Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) maintained that kissing the Black Stone and touching the Yemeni Corner were a kind of glorification to Allah, the Almighty, and a carrying out of His Prophet's traditions. This is one of the religious rituals that Allah, the Supreme, commanded people to hold in high esteem.

and

The Black Stone is one of the White Rubies of Paradise and it was turned black by the sins of the polytheists. It will be resurrected on the Day of Judgement as a witness to those who touched and kissed it with good faith. (v. 2, p. 194)

Source

 

[Pk_#2]

WalaykumSalaam,#

Just...2 continue on from sis Ahlaaaaam and Bump

The black stone in the Yemeni corner was not always black, but has become black due to the peoples sins etc etc

Also if you cannot reach the stone to kiss it you can touch it or point to it, some guy actually picked me up,

what the heck is that even Islamic?! I hope ma umrah was valid, what a plonkah!

 

[------]

:salamext:

The black stone in the Yemeni corner was not always black, but has become black due to the peoples sins etc etc

Sis I'm not sure about that, but Hajr-e-Aswad and yemeni corner are different... I know Hajr-e-Aswad turned black because of people's sins, but not sure about yemeni corner.

As for touching the black stone - if u cannot, you raise ur hand (like doing takbeer in prayer) and say "Bismillaah Allaahu Akbar wa lillahil hamd" - In the name of Allaah, Allaah is Great and to Allaah belongs all praises

 

[Malaikah]

If by pre-flood you mean the flood during Noahs time, then the Ka'ba was built much after the flood by Abraham and his son.

 

[- Qatada -]

:salamext:


We circumbulate the Ka'ba because it's the example of Prophet Ibrahim. If Allah has decreed something as an act of worship, it is because it is loved by Him, therefore we perform it hoping to gain His pleasure, reward and Mercy. Even if we don't understand how it gain's His pleasure. If it is in accordance with what He has commanded us - we do it. And their is reward and Mercy (in this life and the hereafter) for those who hear and obey.

 

[barney]

Cheers for the Answers guys. Thats helpful stuff.

BTW, the reason I wanted to know if the structure was pre-flood was someone on forums told me Abraham circumambulated it and i cant find a Hadeeth or Surah that confirmed that.

 

[FatimaAsSideqah]

The building of the Ka`bah remained after the time of Prophet Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him), though it had some structural damage from time to time and underwent repairs. When Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) was about thirty-five years old, before his Prophethood, the Quraish rebuilt the Ka`bah because it had been damaged due to a major flood in Makkah. The Ka`bah today stands on the same foundations on which it was raised by Prophet Ibrahim and his son Isma`il (peace and blessings be upon them).

The Qur’an say that it was first built by Adam (peace and blessings be upon him) and some others say that it was first built by the angels on this earth. When Prophet Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him) arrived at the place of the Ka`bah, the building itself did not exist. Even the city of Makkah had no inhabitants. Allah showed Prophet Ibrahim the site of the Ka`bah (Al-Hajj 22: 26) and then he and his son Isma`il (peace and blessings be upon them both) together raised its foundations and built it from the ground up (Al-Baqarah 2: 127).

 

[Muhammad]

Hello Barney,

I found this answer to your question which may also be helpful:

The wisdom behind tawaaf (circumambulation of the Ka’bah) was explained by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he said: “Tawaaf around the House, saa’i between al-Safa and al-Marwah and stoning of the Jamaraat have been ordained to establish remembrance of Allaah.” The pilgrim who goes around the House of Allaah venerates Allaah in his heart which makes him remember Allaah. His movement in walking and kissing and saluting the Black Stone and the Yemeni Corner, and pointing to the Stone, are remembrance of Allaah because they are acts of worship of Him, and every act of worship is remembrance of Allaah in a general sense. As for the words he utters, such as takbeer, dhikr and du’aa’, they are obviously remembrance of Allaah. Kissing the Black Stone is an act of worship in the sense that a person is kissing a stone with which he has no connection except that he is worshipping Allaah by venerating it and following the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by doing so, as it is proven that the caliph ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said when he kissed the Black Stone: “I know that you are a stone and can neither bring benefit nor cause harm; were it not that I had seen the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) kiss you, I would not have kissed you.”

With regard to what some ignorant people think, that the aim is to seek blessing from it, there is no basis for that; rather it is false.

With regard to what some heretics have said, that circumambulation of the Ka’bah is like their circumambulation around the graves of their awliya’ or “saints” and is therefore idolatry, this is part of their heresy, for the believers only circumambulate it on the command of Allaah, and if something is commanded by Allaah, then doing it is an act of worship towards Allaah.

Do you not see that prostrating to anyone other than Allaah is major shirk; when Allaah commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam, their prostration to Adam was an act of worship towards Allaah, and not prostrating to him was kufr.

Hence circumambulation of the Ka’bah is one of the noblest acts of worship, and it is a pillar or essential part of Hajj, and Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam. So if the Mataaf (place of tawaaf) is quiet, the person finds joy in his tawaaf and feels that his heart is close to his Lord, which proves the high status and virtue of the House of Allaah. And Allaah is the One Whose help we seek. End quote.


Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him). Fataawa al-‘Aqeedah (p. 28, 29).

http://www.islamqa.com/index.php?ref=111885&ln=eng&txt=Circumambulation
​

And from another part of the site:

The Muslim who affirms the Oneness of Allaah obeys the command of Allaah in all matters, great and small. When he hears the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning), “and circumambulate the Ancient House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah)” [al-Hajj 22:29], he cannot help but obey them, so he circumambulates the sacred House out of love for Allaah and in obedience to Him, hoping for mercy from Allaah and fearing His punishment. And he does not go beyond what he has been commanded to do of tawaaf, so he does not touch the stones of this House or think that it can bring benefit or cause harm.
​

 

[- Qatada -]

Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and a place of safety; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass [taa'if*] it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). [Qur'an 2:125]

*plural = tawaaf - circumbulate.

 

[FatimaAsSideqah]

Five years before the start of the Prophet's mission, there came a flood which destroyed the Ka`bah's building. The Quraysh divided among themselves the various responsibilities connected with its reconstruction. They hired a Roman builder to build it and an Egyptian carpenter to help him with the woodwork. When the time came to fix the Black Stone, a dispute erupted as to which clan should be accorded the honor of putting the Black Stone in its place. Then they agreed to leave the decision to Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, who at that time was thirty-five years old, because they had full faith in his deep wisdom and sound judgment. He got his robe, and putting the Stone on it, told all the clans to hold the sides of the robe and raise it together. When the Stone reached the required height (on the eastern corner), he took it in his hands and fixed it in its proper place.

But the Quraysh found their funds exhausted. So they reduced the size on one side - as it is today; thus a part of the original foundation was left out, and that is the portion known as 'Hijr Isma`il' (the Enclosure of Isma`il).

More information:

http://www.islamonline.net/english/hajj/2002/01/Stories/article2.shtml

 

[barney]

Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and a place of safety; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass [taa'if*] it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). [Qur'an 2:125]

*plural = tawaaf - circumbulate.

Cheers all, escpecially Qatada, thats the bit I couldnt find!

 

[- Qatada -]

No worries