﷽
*Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 125:*
وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا الْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْنًا وَاتَّخِذُوا مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مُصَلًّى وَعَهِدْنَا إِلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّائِفِينَ وَالْعَاكِفِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ
And (remember) when We made the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) a place of resort for mankind and a place of safety. And take you (people) the Maqam (place) of Ibrahim (Abraham) [or the stone on which Ibrahim (Abraham) stood while he was building the Ka'bah] as a place of prayer (for some of your prayers, e.g. two Rak'at after the Tawaf of the Ka'bah at Makkah), and We commanded Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isma'il (Ishmael) that they should purify My House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) for those who are circumambulating it, or staying (I'tikaf), or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in prayer).
*COMMENTARY*
The Ka'abah, The House of Allāh. Its foundation goes back by Arab tradition to Abraham. Its fourfold character is here referred to;
1. It was the centre to which all the Arab tribes resorted for trade; for poetic contests, and for worship.
2. It was sacred territory, and was respected by friend and foe alike. At all seasons, all fighting was and is forbidden within its limits, and even arms are not allowed to be carried, and no game or other thing is allowed to be killed. Like the Cities of Refuge under the Mosaic Dispensation, to which manslayers could flee (the Book of Numbers, Old Testament, xxxv, verse 6), or the Sanctuaries in Mediaeval Europe, to which criminals could not be pursued. Makkah was recognised by Arab custom as inviolable for the pursuit of revenge or violence.
3. It was a place of prayer: even to-day there is a Station of Abraham.
4. It must be held pure and sacred for all purposes.
Though the verse as a whole is expressed in the First Person Plural, the House is called "My House," to emphasise the personal relation of Allāh, the One True God, to it, and repudiate the Polytheism which defiled it before it was purified again by Muhammad (Blessings and Peace be upon him).
Four rites are here enumerated, which have now acquired a technical meaning.
1. Going round the Ka'abah: Tawāf.
2. Retiring to the place as a spiritual retreat, for contemplation and prayer: I'tikāf.
3. The posture of bending the back in prayer: Rukū.
4. The posture of prostrating oneself on the ground in prayer: Sujud.
The protection of the holy territory is for all, but special cleanliness and purity is required for the sake of the devotees who undertake these rites.
﷽
*Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 126:*
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
And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) said, "My Lord, make this city (Makkah) a place of security and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day." He (Allah) answered: "As for him who disbelieves, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him to the torment of the Fire, and worst indeed is that destination!"
*COMMENTARY*
The root salama in the word Islam implies (among other ideas) the idea of Peace and therefore when Makkah is the city of Islam, it is also the City of Peace. The same root occurs in the latter part of the name Jerusalem, the Jewish City of Peace. When the day of Jerusalem passed (see verse 134 or 141 below), Makkah became the "New Jerusalem"-or rather the old and original "City of Peace" restored and made universal.
The territory of Makkah is barren and rocky, compared with, say, Tā'if, a city to the east of Makkah. A prayer for the prosperity of Makkah therefore includes a prayer for the good of material life.
*Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 125:*
وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا الْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْنًا وَاتَّخِذُوا مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مُصَلًّى وَعَهِدْنَا إِلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّائِفِينَ وَالْعَاكِفِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ
And (remember) when We made the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) a place of resort for mankind and a place of safety. And take you (people) the Maqam (place) of Ibrahim (Abraham) [or the stone on which Ibrahim (Abraham) stood while he was building the Ka'bah] as a place of prayer (for some of your prayers, e.g. two Rak'at after the Tawaf of the Ka'bah at Makkah), and We commanded Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isma'il (Ishmael) that they should purify My House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) for those who are circumambulating it, or staying (I'tikaf), or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in prayer).
*COMMENTARY*
The Ka'abah, The House of Allāh. Its foundation goes back by Arab tradition to Abraham. Its fourfold character is here referred to;
1. It was the centre to which all the Arab tribes resorted for trade; for poetic contests, and for worship.
2. It was sacred territory, and was respected by friend and foe alike. At all seasons, all fighting was and is forbidden within its limits, and even arms are not allowed to be carried, and no game or other thing is allowed to be killed. Like the Cities of Refuge under the Mosaic Dispensation, to which manslayers could flee (the Book of Numbers, Old Testament, xxxv, verse 6), or the Sanctuaries in Mediaeval Europe, to which criminals could not be pursued. Makkah was recognised by Arab custom as inviolable for the pursuit of revenge or violence.
3. It was a place of prayer: even to-day there is a Station of Abraham.
4. It must be held pure and sacred for all purposes.
Though the verse as a whole is expressed in the First Person Plural, the House is called "My House," to emphasise the personal relation of Allāh, the One True God, to it, and repudiate the Polytheism which defiled it before it was purified again by Muhammad (Blessings and Peace be upon him).
Four rites are here enumerated, which have now acquired a technical meaning.
1. Going round the Ka'abah: Tawāf.
2. Retiring to the place as a spiritual retreat, for contemplation and prayer: I'tikāf.
3. The posture of bending the back in prayer: Rukū.
4. The posture of prostrating oneself on the ground in prayer: Sujud.
The protection of the holy territory is for all, but special cleanliness and purity is required for the sake of the devotees who undertake these rites.
﷽
*Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 126:*
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
And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) said, "My Lord, make this city (Makkah) a place of security and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day." He (Allah) answered: "As for him who disbelieves, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him to the torment of the Fire, and worst indeed is that destination!"
*COMMENTARY*
The root salama in the word Islam implies (among other ideas) the idea of Peace and therefore when Makkah is the city of Islam, it is also the City of Peace. The same root occurs in the latter part of the name Jerusalem, the Jewish City of Peace. When the day of Jerusalem passed (see verse 134 or 141 below), Makkah became the "New Jerusalem"-or rather the old and original "City of Peace" restored and made universal.
The territory of Makkah is barren and rocky, compared with, say, Tā'if, a city to the east of Makkah. A prayer for the prosperity of Makkah therefore includes a prayer for the good of material life.
Comments
Post a Comment