Al-Emran 96-97

Al-Emran 96-97

96- THE FIRST HOUSE OF WORSHIP TO BE APPOINTED FOR MANKIND, IS THE ONE IN BAKAH (MAKAH), BLESSED AND GUIDANCE TO ALL NATIONS.

97- IN IT ARE CLEAR SIGNS, THE STATION OF IBRAHIM, AND WHOEVER ENTERS IT IS SAFE.  THE PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOUSE IS A DUTY UPON MANKIND TOWARDS ALLAH FOR THOSE WHO CAN MAKE THE JOURNEY.  AS FOR THOSE WHO DISBELIEVE, ALLAH HAS NO NEED OF ANY.

Allah the Highest honours the Sacred Mosque.  It is the first house of prayer appointed for mankind, meaning that its location and site were appointed by Allah the Highest long before it was built.  Abu Zar El-Gefari asked Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him: “Allah’s messenger, which mosque was appointed first?” He said: “The sacred mosque”, Abu Zar said: “Then which?”  He said: “Al-Aqsa Mosque”.  Abu Zar said: “How long between them”.  He said: “Forty years”.  Abu Zar said: “Then which?” he said: “then wherever it is time for Salah, you may pray, for all the Earth is a mosque”.  (B:Anbya;10 & M:Masajed;1,2 & N:Masajed;3 & Ma:Masajed;7 & A:5;150,156)

Allah the Highest blessed the Sacred Mosque in Makah and those worshipping there, honouring and respecting its sanctity. The sacred mosque in Makah has some special aspects: 

1. Those who go to it should be made safe and secure from every one.
2. The one Salah there equals a hundred thousand Salah in other Mosques.

Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “A man’s Salah in the sacred mosque is worth a hundred thousand Salah in other mosques” (Ma: Eqamah; 198)

Allah the Highest called ‘Makah’, Bakah, which is one of Makah’s names, which means the place which destroys those who attack it.  This is certainly true of Makah.

The Sacred Mosque has many signs of Allah and of the Status It has with Allah the Highest, of them are:-

1. Allah the Highest kept it safe and protected from outside threats and attacks.  Allah the Highest reminds us of what happened to the Army of Abraha, which had large elephants and marched to destroy the Kabba.  When the army approached the Kabba, the elephants refused to march any further.  Allah the Highest sent to them flocks of birds, throwing them with pieces of baked clay which killed those it hit.  Allah the Highest said: “DID YOU SEE WHAT YOUR LORD DID TO THE COMPANIONS OF THE ELEPHANT * DID HE NOT MAKE THEIR PLOTTING GO ASTRAY * AND SENT UPON THEM FLOCKS OF BIRDS * THROWING THEM WITH STONES OF BAKED CLAY * THEN MADE THEM LIKE BROKEN EATEN UP STRAW”.  (S:105)

This is not a myth, for it took place the year Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, was born, so was witnessed by many people who would have been living when this Sorah was sent down.

Allah the Highest also reminded the disbelievers of the safety they enjoyed in Arabia which other tribes did not enjoy.  Allah the Highest said: “DO THEY NOT SEE THAT WE MADE IT A SAFE SANCTUARY WHILE OTHER PEOPLE ARE BEING SNATCHED AWAY AROUND IT.  DO THEY BELIEVE IN FALSEHOOD AND REJECT THE BOUNTY OF ALLAH”.  (S: 29 A: 67)

2. Birds flying over the Kabba never drop their droppings over the Sacred Mosque.
3. The spring of Zamzam, which has been there for thousands of years, still has plenty of water under pressure, enough for the millions of pilgrims and visitors every month, as well for the locals.
4. The Station of Ibrahim with his foot print on the stone is a clear sign.
5. The Sacred Mosque was built by a direct command from Allah the Highest.
6. The Sacred Mosque was built by the father of the prophets, Ibrahim, peace upon him, and his son the prophet Ismail.
7. Allah the Highest blessed and made sacred the whole of Makah which surrounds the Sacred Mosque.  There should be no fighting there, no animal or bird killed or tree cut down.  Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “Allah made Makah sacred not people.  It is not lawful for a man believing in Allah and the Last Day to shed blood in it, or cut its trees.  Should any one consider it a license that Allah’s messenger fought in it, tell him: ‘Allah permitted his messenger, but did not permit you’.  But I have been permitted for an hour in a day, and its sanctity returned today exactly as it was yesterday.  Let whoever is here inform who is not”.  (B:Hej;43 & M:Hej;446 & T:Hej;1 & Ma:Manasek;103 & A:1;253,259)
8. It is even forbidden to carry weapons in Makah.  Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “It is not lawful to carry weapons in Makah”.  (M:Hej;449 & D:Manasek;95 & A:1;119 3;242)
9. Makah, the site of the Sacred Mosque, is the most beloved part of the Earth to Allah the Highest.  When Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, was migrating from Makah he said: “By Allah, you are the best of Allah’s Land and the most beloved by him, if I was not turned out of you, I would not have left”.  (T:Manaqeb;68 & M:Manasek;103 & Da:Syar;66 & A:4;305)

Allah the Highest describes the Sacred Mosque as guidance to mankind.  It is the Pivot of the believers, and the Qibla we turn to in our Salah.  It is the place from where Islam started and spread.

Allah the Highest then call upon people to go on Hej and makes it a duty upon them.  “THE PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOUSE IS A DUTY UPON MANKIND TOWARDS ALLAH FOR THOSE WHO CAN MAKE THE JOURNEY.  AS FOR THOSE WHO DISBELIEVE, ALLAH HAS NO NEED OF ANY”

Pilgrimage is a duty once in a life time, any more is voluntary.  Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “The Hej is once, he who does more, it is voluntary”.  (D: Manasek; 1 & Da: Manasek; 4 & Ma: Manasek; 2 & A: 1; 255)

The Hej is a duty upon any one who can make the journey.  This means can afford the journey financially and health wise; also if the roads are safe.  Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, was asked about what makes the Hej a duty, he said: “To afford the food and Camel”.   (T: tafseer Sorah 63; 5 & Ma: Manasek; 6)

A person may do the Hej for someone else, like their father or mother, if they died without doing Hej, or if they are too ill or too feeble to make the journey.  A man called Razeen Al-Aqueeli asked Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon, him: “My father is an old man, and can not go on Hej or Omrah and can not walk”.  Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “Do the Hej and Omrah for your father”. (N: Hej; 2 & D: Manasek; 25 & Ma: Manasek; 10 & A: 4; 10, 11)

The Hej is one of the five pillars of Islam.  It is better for the Muslim to go on Hej once his circumstances permit, as he or she, does not know if their  circumstances will change.  Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “Let he who intends to do the Hej hurry, for one may fall ill, loose his animal, or other needs come in the way”.  (D: Manasek; 5 & Ma: Manasek; 1 & A: 1; 214,225,323,355)

But why should one not rush to Hej, when Hej forgives sins, and no one know when are they going to die.  Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said:  “Hej forgives every sin before it”.  (M: Eman; 192)

Hej is a pillar of Islam, and it is one which requires a great deal of money and effort.  It differentiates between the true believers and those of weak faith.  Allah the Highest does not need our Hej, but we need it.  

B: Bukhari    M: Muslim     Mal: Malek    A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood      

Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi