image by: Saudi Gazette
The neighborhood centers in Jeddah organized a special trip for the
blind to Makkah for Umrah in cooperation with a volunteer group at World
Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY). Twenty-two people participated in the
trip.Monday 30 November 2015
Thursday 26 November 2015
Hajis' number to touch 5m in five years
He said the ministry has completed preparations to receive a record number of Umrah pilgrims during Ramadan, which is likely to begin on June 18.
“We have taken into consideration the huge increase in the number of pilgrims in the coming years,” Hajjar said and urged private service providers to extend the best possible services to the guests of God, Arab news reported.
The minister said the opening of the new King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Mohammed International Airport in Madinah would help improve services to pilgrims.
“The expansion of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and Prophet's Mosque in Madinah will help accommodate huge numbers of pilgrims,” he said.
Mohammed Al-Khatrawi, chairman of Madinah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the Haj and Umrah sector would contribute immensely to the Kingdom's GDP and support its diversification drive.
“It's one of the largest revenue earning and job creating sectors,” the chairman said, adding that it was contributing greatly to the region's economy.
It offers the best option to diversify revenue sources for the region, Al-Khatrawi said. “It can also boost investment and reduce dependence on oil revenue.”
The meeting discussed prospects of improving services to the millions of domestic and foreign pilgrims who visit Madinah after performing Haj and Umrah
Article by: samaa.tv
Friday 20 November 2015
Saudi plans tripling of umrah visas
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia is planning to triple the number of visas it issues for umrah, the lesser pilgrimage, reports said on Monday, less than three weeks after a deadly haj stampede.
The Saudi Gazette and Okaz newspapers quoted Haj Minister Bandar Al Hajar as saying that as many as 1.25 million pilgrims are expected to arrive each month starting next year.
That compares with 400,000 a month now, the reports said.
Hajar was quoted as saying the new system would allow full use of massive expansion projects at the kingdom’s holy sites.
Umrah is a lesser pilgrimage carried out any time during the year.
The major haj pilgrimage, which all Muslims with the means are expected to complete at least once, this year drew about two million faithful.
The number had declined, particularly because of a multi-billion-dollar expansion which began four years ago at the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
The 400,000-square-metre Grand Mosque enlargement is the equivalent of more than 50 football pitches, and it will allow the complex to accommodate roughly two million people at once.
A crane working on the expansion collapsed into a courtyard of the mosque on September 11, killing at least 108 people, including foreign pilgrims, just before haj.
An even greater tragedy, the worst ever in the history of the pilgrimage, occurred on September 24 during a stoning ritual at Mina, near Makkah.
The stampede killed at least 769 people, according to Saudi Arabia, but a tally issued by foreign officials of more than 30 countries put the toll at 1,535.
A formal Saudi inquiry is under way into the stampede
Article by: gulfnews.com
Umrah And The Ziyarah Of Maqamat-e-Muqadisa
The pilgrim, went with the intention of Umrah, is just unable to come back without registering his attendance at the tomb of Muhammad S.A.W. The visit to the Tomb of Holy Prophet PBUH, in the holy Mosque Medinah, is known as the Ziyarah. The Ziyarah also includes the visit to the other sacred places in the Makkah and the Medinah. In Makkah: the Jannat-ul-Muala, Jabl-e-Noor, Masjid-e-Kahaf, masjid-e Ayesha, Jable-e-Rahma, Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat, whereas, the Masjid-e-Nabvi S.A.W.W, the Masjid-e-Qubaa, the Jannat-ul-Baqqie, the Juma Mosque, Abu Baqar Mosque, Ali Mosque, Masjid-e-Ghammama, plan of Baddar and the Jabl-e-Uhud are some of the places include in the Ziyarah-e-Muqadisa in Medinah.
Article by: blog.umrahexperts.co.uk
Tuesday 17 November 2015
History of the Kaaba
I usually restrict my columns to economic, social, educational and historical events. Today I would like to comment on an excellent book on the history of the Kaaba. The love and affection that Muslims all over the world have for the Kaaba and Masjid-e-Nabawi cannot be put into words. The well-to-do have easy access to information, but for the poor, newspapers are its only source. Since Jang and The News are widely read, I am using my column for their benefit.
The book in question is Tarikh-e-Baitullah. It has been written by Al-Shaikh Mohammad Saleh bin Ahmad bin Zainul Abidin al Shaikh and it has been translated by Mr Mohammad Kamran Qureshi.
The book explains, among other things, the background of the construction of the Kaaba. Before the advent of Islam, Christians and Jews prayed facing Masjid-e-Aqsa (the Al Aqsa Mosque in the holy city of Jerusalem, or Al Quds). This practice continued among Muslims in the early days of Islam. One day, when our Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was leading the prayers, he received Allah’s command to turn his face towards Makkah. The relevant Quranic verse is: “O Mohammad, We see the turning of your face (for guidance) to the Heavens; now shall We turn you to a Qibla that shall please you. Turn, then, your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque (the Kaaba). Wherever you are, turn faces (during prayer) in that direction. The People of the Book know well that it is the truth from their Lord. Nor is Allah unmindful of what they do.” (2:144.) In this way, Allah declared Baitullah as the Kaaba and described its sanctity in the following verse: “Fight them (non-Muslims) not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there.” (2:191.)
There are various stories about the construction of the Kaaba. Some say that Allah determined the place of the Kaaba 2,000 years before the creation of Earth. When Adam (AS) was banished to Earth he begged Allah for help and Allah sent down Baitul Mamur, which was one of the rubies of Heaven. It was sent down where Baitullah is now situated. There is a Hadith that says: “O Adam, I have sent for you a House, so perform Tawaf (circumambulation) as you circumambulate My Throne (Heaven).”
Some historians believe that all traces of the foundations Hazrat Adam (AS) had laid have disappeared. There being many different stories. Hazrat Seesh (AS), bin Adam (AS), Ibrahim (AS) and his son, Ismail (AS) are credited with the construction of the Kaaba. The Quran says: “Remember, We made the House a place of assembly for men and a place of safety. And take you the Station of Ibrahim as a place of prayer. And We covenanted with Ibrahim and Ismail that they should sanctify Our House for those who perform circumambulation around it, or use it as a retreat, or bow or prostrate themselves (before it) in prayer. And remember, Ibrahim said, ‘My Lord, make this a City of Peace and feed its people with fruits–such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day.’ He said, ‘Yes, and such as reject faith–for which will We grant them their pleasure, but will soon drive them to the torment of Fire–an evil destination indeed.’ And remember, Ibrahim and Ismail raised the foundations of the House (with this prayer), ‘Our Lord! Accept this service from us, for You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.’ ” (2:125, 126, 127.)
In Surah Ibrahim there is mention of Hazrat Ismail (AS) settling in the vicinity of the Kaaba. We also know of Allah’s command to Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) to leave Hazrat Hajira (RA) and Hazrat Ismail (AS) near the Kaaba with some water and dates; of Hazrat Hajira’s running between Mounts Safa and Marwa, the descent of an angel, his hitting the ground with his wing, and water (from the spring of Zamzam) bursting forth. Building on the Kaaba continued after its initial construction by Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) and Hazrat Ismail (AS). The Maqam of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) is the stone to which Hazrat Ismail (AS) brought his father, and by standing on it, Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) instructed Hazrat Ismail (AS) to raise the foundation of the Kaaba.
Abu Jehem mentions that Hajr-e-Aswad (the Black Stone) was brought by the Archangel Jibreel (AS) and Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) had it placed in its present position. Imam Tirmizi and Imam Nasai say that when Hazrat Ayesha (RA) desired to pray in the Kaaba, the Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) had taken her by the hand to Hateem and instructed her to pray there, as it was a part of the Kaaba but had been excluded by her tribe.
Historians have agreed that the Kaaba was demolished and rebuilt many times, and this book contains many details on the subject. Additions and renovations are still continuing today. The Ibne Saud family has enlarged the surrounding area, paved it with white marble and cooled the floor with chilled water. May Allah Almighty bless them all.
The cover (ghilaf) of the Kaaba was first put around it by Taba, King of Yemen. In this connection, the Holy Prophet has said: “Don’t insult King Taba, because he was the first to provide cover over the Kaaba.”
About the custodians of the keys to the Kaaba, it is said that on the day of the conquest of Makkah the keeper of the keys, Usman bin Talha, refused to hand them over to Hazrat Ali (KW), who then forcibly took them from him. Hazrat Abbas (RA) requested the Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) to entrust the keys to him. It was at that time that Allah sent down the following verse: “Allah does command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they belong…” (4:58.) The Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) instructed Hazrat Ali (KW) to hand back the keys to Usman bin Talha. Upon finding out the reason for this, Usman bin Talha immediately embraced Islam. It is reported that the Archangel Jibreel (AS) appeared and said that the keys would forever remain with the family of Usman bin Talha. Since then the keys have been kept by the Shebah family, as Usman bin Talha, before his death, had given them to his paternal cousin. The book also contains details about the Banu Shebah tribe and the present custodians of the keys. Presently Shaikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah bin Abdul Qadir al-Shebi is the custodian of the keys.
This book was launched in Karachi a few months ago and Dr Saleh Zainul Abidin Al-Shebi and Shaikh Abdur Rahman Saleh Zainul Abidin Al-Shebi especially came to grace the occasion. May Almighty Allah shower his blessings on all those involved in making possible the publication of this book. Ameen.
Article by: pkhope
Friday 13 November 2015
The Story of Zam Zam water
Today we will be talking about the story of the well known blessed water, Zamzam.
For a period of time, Prophet Ibrahim resided with
his wife Sarah in Palestine. At 70 years of age, Sarah was an infertile
old lady who was so keen to see her 86 years old husband Prophet Ibrahim
become a father. For that reason, she offered him Hajar her maid
(female slave) whom he accepted. By the Will of Allah, Hajar became
pregnant with Prophet Ibrahim’s son Isma^il who also became a prophet
and was honoured to be the grandfather of Prophet Muhammad may Allah’s
blessings and peace be upon them all.
Prophet Ibrahim was delighted to have a child and so was his wife Sarah. After a period of time Prophet Ibrahim went with his baby son Isma^il and his mother Hajar to Makkah.
Prophet Ibrahim was delighted to have a child and so was his wife Sarah. After a period of time Prophet Ibrahim went with his baby son Isma^il and his mother Hajar to Makkah.
Dear brothers and sisters in Islam,
Observe, in what I am about to tell you, how reliant upon and submissive to Allah Prophet Ibrahim ^alayhis-salam was.
Prophet Ibrahim ^alayhis-salam had left his two dear ones, Hajar and Isma^il in a barren area in Makkah. Makkah at the time was completely isolated with no evident buildings or people living there since there was no water for survival. There, Prophet Ibrahim left them with only a bag of dates and a leather bag filled with water. When Hajar noticed that Prophet Ibrahim was about to make his way back to Palestine alone, she followed him saying: “O Ibrahim, are we to be left alone in this valley with no water, or food or companions?” To that Prophet Ibrahim did not respond. So she kept posing the question repeatedly without getting an answer from Prophet Ibrahim, therefore, she said, “Did Allah order you to do this?” He replied, “Yes.” Upon hearing this, eloquently and with a complete reliance on Allah she said: “Then we will not be lost.”
Observe, in what I am about to tell you, how reliant upon and submissive to Allah Prophet Ibrahim ^alayhis-salam was.
Prophet Ibrahim ^alayhis-salam had left his two dear ones, Hajar and Isma^il in a barren area in Makkah. Makkah at the time was completely isolated with no evident buildings or people living there since there was no water for survival. There, Prophet Ibrahim left them with only a bag of dates and a leather bag filled with water. When Hajar noticed that Prophet Ibrahim was about to make his way back to Palestine alone, she followed him saying: “O Ibrahim, are we to be left alone in this valley with no water, or food or companions?” To that Prophet Ibrahim did not respond. So she kept posing the question repeatedly without getting an answer from Prophet Ibrahim, therefore, she said, “Did Allah order you to do this?” He replied, “Yes.” Upon hearing this, eloquently and with a complete reliance on Allah she said: “Then we will not be lost.”
Following the order of Allah, Prophet Ibrahim peace
be upon him left and when he was a fair distance away from Hajar and
their son, he looked back at the Sacred House (Al-Bayt) and as mentioned
in Ayah 37 of Surat Ibrahim, he made the following supplication to
Allah:
“O Lord! I have settled some of my offspring in a barren valley by Your Sacred House so that they would perform the Prayer. O Lord, make the hearts of some people yearn towards them and provide them with fruits for which they would give thanks”.
“O Lord! I have settled some of my offspring in a barren valley by Your Sacred House so that they would perform the Prayer. O Lord, make the hearts of some people yearn towards them and provide them with fruits for which they would give thanks”.
Hajar, the mother of Isma^il settled with her son
where Ibrahim peace be upon him left them. She breast-fed him and drank
from the water that Ibrahim had left for them. This water eventually ran
out as the water container dried up. Consequently, Hajar became
thirsty, and so did her son who started crying and became unsettled due
to his extreme thirst. Hajar hated seeing him in that state and she set
forth looking for water. As-Safa being the mountain closest to her, she
climbed it and looked down at the valley to see if she could find anyone
to assist her. She found no one and so she descended from the mountain
until she reached the valley. Then she climbed Al-Marwah Mountain in
keeping her search for water but to no avail. She went back to As-Safa
then back again to Al-Marwah for many times. On her last arrival to
Al-Marwah, she heard a voice which prompted her to call out: “Help, if
you can”. There was Angel Jibril peace be upon him, who hit the ground
with his wing until fresh and pure water emerged. That became known as
Zamzam water. The mother of Isma^il gathered the water with her hands
and collected it in her container while it was springing out. Jibril
said: “Do not fear loss, for there is a sacred House here which will be
built by this child and his father”, meaning Isma^il and his father
Ibrahim peace be upon them both.
Hajar drank from Zamzam water quenching her thirst
and breast-fed her son Isma^il. She thanked Allah, the One who endows
countless bounties upon His slaves.
O Allah, we ask you to grant us Al-Hajj and Al-^Umrah
and the visit of the Prophet peace be upon him, and we ask You Allah to
make us amongst those who drink from his honourable hand at the Hawd.
Amin.
Article by: darulfatwa
The Kaaba as a Place of Worship in History
Location Of Makkah
Makkah is at the intersection of latitude 21 to 25 degree north and longitude 39 to 49 degree east. It is set in a rugged landscape consisting mostly of solid granite, with rocks sometimes reaching 300 meters (1,000 feet) above see level.
Makkah is enclosed by the Valley of Abraham, which is surrounded by two nearby mountain ranges to the east, west and south. The northern range comprises the Al-Falaq and Qu'aqi'an mountains, while the southern range consists of Abu Hudaidah mountain to the west, Kuday to the south and Abu Qubais and Khindimah to the south-east.
There are three main entrances to Makkah: Al-Mu'allat (also known as Al-Hujûn), Al-Musfalah and Al-Shubaikah.
It is generally agreed that Al-Mu'allat includes all areas which are higher than the Haram and Al-Musfalah covers all areas that are lowers.
Kaaba & Makkah In History
The kaaba: Its Size and History
The small, cubed building
known as the kaaba may not rival skyscrapers in height or mansions in
width, but its impact on history and human beings is unmatched. The
kaaba is the building towards which Muslims face five times a day,
everyday, in prayer. This has been the case since the time of Prophet
Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) over 1400 years ago.
The Size of the kaaba:
The current height of the kaaba is 39 feet, 6 inches and total size comes to 627 square feet.
The inside room of the kaaba is 13x9 meters. The kaaba's walls are one meter wide. The floor inside is 2.2 meters higher than the place where people perform Tawaf.
The ceiling and roof are two levels made out of wood. They were reconstructed with teak which is capped with stainless steel. The walls are all made of stone. The stones inside are unpolished, while the ones outside are polished.
This small building has been constructed and reconstructed by Prophets Adam, Ibrahim, Ismail and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). No other building has had this honor. Yet, not very much is known about the details of this small but significant building.
The Other Names of the kaaba
Literally, kaaba in Arabic means a high place with respect and prestige. The word kaaba may also be derivative of a word meaning a cube. Some of these other names include:
1. Bait ul Ateeq - which means, according to one meaning, the earliest and ancient. According to the second meaning, it means independent and liberating. Both meanings could be taken.
2. Bait ul Haram - the honorable house.
Scholars and historians say that the kaaba has been reconstructed between 5 to 12 times. The very first construction of the kaaba was done by Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). Allah says in the Quran that this was the first house that was built for humanity to worship Allah. After this, Prophet Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them) rebuilt the kaaba.
The measurements of the kaaba's foundation by Ibrahim are as follows:
The eastern wall was 48 feet and 6 inches
The Hateem side wall was 33 feet
The side between the black stone and the Yemeni corner was 30 feet
The Western side was 46.5 feet
Following this, there were several constructions before the Prophet Muhammad's (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) time.
Reconstruction of kaaba by Quraish
Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) participated in one of its reconstructions before he became a Prophet. After a flash flood, the kaaba was damaged and its walls cracked. It needed rebuilding. This responsibility was divided among the Quraish's four tribes. Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) helped with this reconstruction.
Once the walls were erected, it was time to place the Black Stone, (the Hajar ul Aswad) on the eastern wall of the kaaba. Arguments erupted about who would have the honor of putting the Black Stone in its place. A fight was about to break out over the issue, when Abu Umayyah, Makkah's oldest man, proposed that the first man to enter the gate of the mosque the following morning would decide the matter. That man was the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam). The Makkans were ecstatic. "This is the trustworthy one (Al-Ameen)" they shouted in a chorus. "This is Muhammad." He came to them and they asked him to decide on the matter. He agreed.
Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) proposed a solution that all agreed to - putting the Black Stone on a cloak, the elders of each of the clans held on to one edge of the cloak and carried the stone to its place. The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) then picked up the stone and placed it on the wall of the kaaba.
Since the tribe of Quraish did not have sufficient funds, this reconstruction did not include the entire foundation of the kaaba as built by Prophet Ibrahim. This is the first time the kaaba acquired the cubical shape it has now, unlike the rectangle shape which it had earlier. The portion of the kaaba left out is called Hateem now.
Construction after the Prophet's Time - Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr
The Syrian army destroyed the kaaba in Muharram 64 (Hijri date) and before the next Hajj Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr, may Allah be pleased with him, reconstructed the kaaba from the ground up.
Ibn az-Zubayr wanted to make the kaaba how the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) wanted it, on the foundation of the Prophet Ibrahim. Ibn az-Zubayr said, "I heard Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) say, The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said: "If your people had not quite recently abandoned the Ignorance (Unbelief), and if I had sufficient provisions to rebuild it [the kaaba], I would have added five cubits to it from the Hijr. Also, I would make two doors; one for people to enter therein and the other to exit." (Bukhari).
Ibn az-Zubayr said, "Today, I can afford to do it and I do not fear the people. Ibn az-Zubayr built the kaaba on Prophet Ibrahim's foundation. He put the roof on three pillars with the wood of Aoud (a perfumed wood with aroma which is traditionally burned to get a good smell out of it in Arabia).
In his construction he put two doors, one facing the east the other facing the west, as the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) wanted but did not do in his lifetime. He rebuilt the kaaba on the Prophet Ibrahim's foundation, which meant that the Hateem area was included. The Hateem is the area adjacent to the kaaba enclosed by a low semi-circular wall.
Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr also made the following additions and modifications:
Put a small window close to the roof of the kaaba to allow for light.
Moved the door of the kaaba to ground level and added a second door to the kaaba.
Added nine cubits to the height of the kaaba, making it twenty cubits high.
Iits walls were two cubits wide.
Reduced the pillars inside the House to three instead of six as were earlier built by Quraish.
For reconstruction, ibn az-Zubayr put up four pillars around the kaaba and hung cloth over them until the building was completed. People began to do Tawaf around these pillars at all times, so Tawaf of the kaaba was never abandoned, even during reconstruction.
During Abdul Malik bin Marwan's time in 74 Hijri (or 693 according to the Gregorian calendar), Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf al-Thaqafi, the known tyrant of that time, with the approval of Umayyad Khalifa Abdul Malik bin Marwan, demolished what Ibn az-Zubayr had added to it from the older foundation of Prophet Ibrahim, and restored its old structure as the Quraish had had it.
Some of the changes he made were the following:
He rebuilt it in the smaller shape which is found today
Took out the Hateem
Walled up the western door (whose signs are still visible today) and left the rest as it was
Pulled down the wall in the Hateem area.
Removed the wooden ladder Ibn az-Zubayr had put inside the kaaba.
Reduced the door's height by five cubits
When Abdul Malik bin Marwan came for Umra and heard the hadith that it was the wish of the Prophet (s.a.w.) for the kaaba to be constructed the way
Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr had built it, he regretted his actions.
Imam Malik's advice to the Khalifa Harun al Rasheed Abbasi
Khalifa Harun al Rasheed wanted to rebuild the kaaba the way Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) wanted and the way Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr built it. But when he consulted Imam Malik, the Imam asked the Khalifa to change his mind because constant demolition and rebuilding is not respectful and would become a toy in the hands of kings. Each one would want to demolish and rebuild the kaaba. Based on this advice, Harun al Rasheed did not reconstruct the kaaba. The structure remained in the same construction for 966 years, with minor repairs here and there.
Reconstruction during Sultan Murad Khan's time
In the year 1039 Hijri, because of heavy rain, flood and hail, two of the kaaba's walls fell down. The flood during which this occurred took place on the 19th of Shaban 1039 Hijri which continued constantly, so the water in the kaaba became almost close to half of its walls, about 10 feet from the ground level. On Thursday the 20th of Shaban 1039 Hijri, the eastern and western walls fell down.
When flood receded on Friday the 21st of Shaban, the cleanup started. Again, a curtain, the way Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr established on 4 pillars, was put up, and the reconstruction started on the 26th of Ramadan. The rest of the walls except for the one near the Black Stone, were demolished.
By the 2nd of Zul-Hijjah 1040 the construction was taking place under the guidance of Sultan Murad Khan, the Ottoman Khalifa. From the point of the Black Stone and below, the current construction is the same as that done by Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr.
The construction which was done under the auspices of Murad Khan was exactly the one done at the time of Abdul Malik ibn Marwan which is the way the Quraysh had built it before Prophethood.
On Rajab 28 1377, one historian counted the total stones of the kaaba and they were 1,614. These stones are of different shapes. But the stones which are inside the outer wall which is visible are not counted in there.
Reconstruction of the kaaba in 1996
A major reconstruction of the kaaba took place between May 1996 and October 1996. This was after a period of about 400 years (since Sultan Murad Khan's time). During this reconstruction the only original thing left from the kaaba are the stones. All other material has been replaced including the ceiling and the roof and its wood.
History of the Kaaba before the Christian Era The Size of the kaaba:
The current height of the kaaba is 39 feet, 6 inches and total size comes to 627 square feet.
The inside room of the kaaba is 13x9 meters. The kaaba's walls are one meter wide. The floor inside is 2.2 meters higher than the place where people perform Tawaf.
The ceiling and roof are two levels made out of wood. They were reconstructed with teak which is capped with stainless steel. The walls are all made of stone. The stones inside are unpolished, while the ones outside are polished.
This small building has been constructed and reconstructed by Prophets Adam, Ibrahim, Ismail and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). No other building has had this honor. Yet, not very much is known about the details of this small but significant building.
The Other Names of the kaaba
Literally, kaaba in Arabic means a high place with respect and prestige. The word kaaba may also be derivative of a word meaning a cube. Some of these other names include:
1. Bait ul Ateeq - which means, according to one meaning, the earliest and ancient. According to the second meaning, it means independent and liberating. Both meanings could be taken.
2. Bait ul Haram - the honorable house.
Scholars and historians say that the kaaba has been reconstructed between 5 to 12 times. The very first construction of the kaaba was done by Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). Allah says in the Quran that this was the first house that was built for humanity to worship Allah. After this, Prophet Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them) rebuilt the kaaba.
The measurements of the kaaba's foundation by Ibrahim are as follows:
The eastern wall was 48 feet and 6 inches
The Hateem side wall was 33 feet
The side between the black stone and the Yemeni corner was 30 feet
The Western side was 46.5 feet
Following this, there were several constructions before the Prophet Muhammad's (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) time.
Reconstruction of kaaba by Quraish
Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) participated in one of its reconstructions before he became a Prophet. After a flash flood, the kaaba was damaged and its walls cracked. It needed rebuilding. This responsibility was divided among the Quraish's four tribes. Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) helped with this reconstruction.
Once the walls were erected, it was time to place the Black Stone, (the Hajar ul Aswad) on the eastern wall of the kaaba. Arguments erupted about who would have the honor of putting the Black Stone in its place. A fight was about to break out over the issue, when Abu Umayyah, Makkah's oldest man, proposed that the first man to enter the gate of the mosque the following morning would decide the matter. That man was the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam). The Makkans were ecstatic. "This is the trustworthy one (Al-Ameen)" they shouted in a chorus. "This is Muhammad." He came to them and they asked him to decide on the matter. He agreed.
Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) proposed a solution that all agreed to - putting the Black Stone on a cloak, the elders of each of the clans held on to one edge of the cloak and carried the stone to its place. The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) then picked up the stone and placed it on the wall of the kaaba.
Since the tribe of Quraish did not have sufficient funds, this reconstruction did not include the entire foundation of the kaaba as built by Prophet Ibrahim. This is the first time the kaaba acquired the cubical shape it has now, unlike the rectangle shape which it had earlier. The portion of the kaaba left out is called Hateem now.
Construction after the Prophet's Time - Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr
The Syrian army destroyed the kaaba in Muharram 64 (Hijri date) and before the next Hajj Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr, may Allah be pleased with him, reconstructed the kaaba from the ground up.
Ibn az-Zubayr wanted to make the kaaba how the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) wanted it, on the foundation of the Prophet Ibrahim. Ibn az-Zubayr said, "I heard Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) say, The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said: "If your people had not quite recently abandoned the Ignorance (Unbelief), and if I had sufficient provisions to rebuild it [the kaaba], I would have added five cubits to it from the Hijr. Also, I would make two doors; one for people to enter therein and the other to exit." (Bukhari).
Ibn az-Zubayr said, "Today, I can afford to do it and I do not fear the people. Ibn az-Zubayr built the kaaba on Prophet Ibrahim's foundation. He put the roof on three pillars with the wood of Aoud (a perfumed wood with aroma which is traditionally burned to get a good smell out of it in Arabia).
In his construction he put two doors, one facing the east the other facing the west, as the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) wanted but did not do in his lifetime. He rebuilt the kaaba on the Prophet Ibrahim's foundation, which meant that the Hateem area was included. The Hateem is the area adjacent to the kaaba enclosed by a low semi-circular wall.
Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr also made the following additions and modifications:
Put a small window close to the roof of the kaaba to allow for light.
Moved the door of the kaaba to ground level and added a second door to the kaaba.
Added nine cubits to the height of the kaaba, making it twenty cubits high.
Iits walls were two cubits wide.
Reduced the pillars inside the House to three instead of six as were earlier built by Quraish.
For reconstruction, ibn az-Zubayr put up four pillars around the kaaba and hung cloth over them until the building was completed. People began to do Tawaf around these pillars at all times, so Tawaf of the kaaba was never abandoned, even during reconstruction.
During Abdul Malik bin Marwan's time in 74 Hijri (or 693 according to the Gregorian calendar), Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf al-Thaqafi, the known tyrant of that time, with the approval of Umayyad Khalifa Abdul Malik bin Marwan, demolished what Ibn az-Zubayr had added to it from the older foundation of Prophet Ibrahim, and restored its old structure as the Quraish had had it.
Some of the changes he made were the following:
He rebuilt it in the smaller shape which is found today
Took out the Hateem
Walled up the western door (whose signs are still visible today) and left the rest as it was
Pulled down the wall in the Hateem area.
Removed the wooden ladder Ibn az-Zubayr had put inside the kaaba.
Reduced the door's height by five cubits
When Abdul Malik bin Marwan came for Umra and heard the hadith that it was the wish of the Prophet (s.a.w.) for the kaaba to be constructed the way
Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr had built it, he regretted his actions.
Imam Malik's advice to the Khalifa Harun al Rasheed Abbasi
Khalifa Harun al Rasheed wanted to rebuild the kaaba the way Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) wanted and the way Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr built it. But when he consulted Imam Malik, the Imam asked the Khalifa to change his mind because constant demolition and rebuilding is not respectful and would become a toy in the hands of kings. Each one would want to demolish and rebuild the kaaba. Based on this advice, Harun al Rasheed did not reconstruct the kaaba. The structure remained in the same construction for 966 years, with minor repairs here and there.
Reconstruction during Sultan Murad Khan's time
In the year 1039 Hijri, because of heavy rain, flood and hail, two of the kaaba's walls fell down. The flood during which this occurred took place on the 19th of Shaban 1039 Hijri which continued constantly, so the water in the kaaba became almost close to half of its walls, about 10 feet from the ground level. On Thursday the 20th of Shaban 1039 Hijri, the eastern and western walls fell down.
When flood receded on Friday the 21st of Shaban, the cleanup started. Again, a curtain, the way Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr established on 4 pillars, was put up, and the reconstruction started on the 26th of Ramadan. The rest of the walls except for the one near the Black Stone, were demolished.
By the 2nd of Zul-Hijjah 1040 the construction was taking place under the guidance of Sultan Murad Khan, the Ottoman Khalifa. From the point of the Black Stone and below, the current construction is the same as that done by Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr.
The construction which was done under the auspices of Murad Khan was exactly the one done at the time of Abdul Malik ibn Marwan which is the way the Quraysh had built it before Prophethood.
On Rajab 28 1377, one historian counted the total stones of the kaaba and they were 1,614. These stones are of different shapes. But the stones which are inside the outer wall which is visible are not counted in there.
Reconstruction of the kaaba in 1996
A major reconstruction of the kaaba took place between May 1996 and October 1996. This was after a period of about 400 years (since Sultan Murad Khan's time). During this reconstruction the only original thing left from the kaaba are the stones. All other material has been replaced including the ceiling and the roof and its wood.
- What is inside the kaaba?
Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi is the president of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). He had the opportunity to go inside the kaaba in October 1998.
He described the following features:
There are two pillars inside (others report 3 pillars)
There is a table on the side to put items like perfume
There are two lantern-type lamps hanging from the ceiling
The space can accommodate about 50 people
There are no electric lights inside
The walls and floors are of marble
There are no windows inside
There is only one door
The upper inside walls of the kaaba were covered with some kind of curtain with the Kalima written on it.
Edward Gibbon writes about the kaaba and its existence before the Christian era in his book:
..... of blind mythology of barbarians - of the local deities, of the stars, the air, and the earth, of their sex or titles, their attributes or subordination. Each tribe, each family, each independent warrier, created and changed the rites and the object of this fantastic worship; but the nation, in every age, has bowed to the religion as well as to the language of Mecca. The genuine antiquity of Caaba ascends beyond the Christian era: in describing the coast of the Red sea the Greek historian Diodorus has remarked, between the Thamudites and the Sabeans, a famous temple, whose superior sanctity was revered by all the Arabians; the linen of silken veil, which is annually renewed by the Turkish emperor, was first offered by the Homerites, who reigned seven hundred years before the time of Mohammad.[1]Diodorus Siculus was a Greek historian of 1st century BC who wrote Bibliotheca Historica, a book describing various parts of the discovered world. The following lines are the English translation of Greek quoted by Gibbon from the book of Diodorus Siculus (Diodorus of Sicily) describing the 'temple' considered to be the the holiest in the whole of Arabia.
And a temple has been set-up there, which is very holy and exceedingly revered by all Arabians.[2]It is interesting to know that Claudius Ptolemy of Alexandria, mathematician and astronomer, flourishing about a century after Pliny, undertook to make an atlas of the habitable world. He was not a descriptive geographer, and his book was intended to be no more than a commentary on his maps. He enumerated some hundred and fourteen cities or villages in Arabia Felix.
For example, Dumaetha, placed by Ptolemy just outside the northern boundary of Arabia Felix, must be the mediaeval Arabian Daumet, which is today the chief village of the great oasis of Jauf. Hejr, famous in the "times of ignorance" as the seat of a kingdom, and now Medayin Salih, is Ptolemy's Egra. His Thaim is Teima, now known for its inscriptions to have had temples and some sort of civilization as far back as 500 BC. It is the Tema of Job. In Lathrippa, placed inland from Iambia (Yambo), we recognize the Iathrippa of Stephan of Byzantium, the Yathrib of the early Arab traditions, now honoured as El Medina, the City of Cities.[3]Apart from this a place called Macoraba is also shown which is identified as Mecca (please refer to the map facing page 17 of reference [3]). G E von Grunebaum says:
Mecca is mentioned by Ptolemy, and the name he gives it allows us to identify it as a South Arabian foundation created around a sanctuary.[4]Makkah In The Scriptures
The Qur'ân talks about Bakkah (the older name of Makkah) being the first house of worship appointed for mankind. It also addresses this place as Umm ul-Qurâ i.e., Mother of the Settlements.
Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for Al-'Alamin (the mankind and jinns). In it are manifest signs (for example), the Maqam (place) of Ibrahim (Abraham); whosoever enters it, he attains security. And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (kaaba) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one's conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allah], then Allah stands not in need of any of the 'Alamin (mankind and jinns). [Qur'ân 3:96-97]The Bible also mentions about the valley of Baca in connection with the pilgrimage. Below is the quote from Psalms 84 (NIV):
1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty!The interpretation of the valley of Baca in the The Jewish Encylopedia is quite interesting, though it does not provide a complete evidence and leaves the reader with a suggestion. Below is the full quote.
2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young-- a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.
8 Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob.
9 Look upon our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one.
10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
12 O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.
Baca, The Valley Of: A valley mentioned in Psalms LXXXIV:7. Since it is there said that pilgrims transform the valley into a land of wells, an old translators gave to Baca, the meaning of a "valley of weeping"; but it signifies rather any valley lacking water. Support for this latter view is to be found in II Samuel V:23 et seq.; I Chronicles XIV:14 et seq., in which the plural form of the same word designates a tree similar to the balsam tree; and it was supposed that a dry valley could be named after this tree. Konig takes Baca from the Arabian Baka'a, and translates it "lack of streams". The Psalmist apparently has in mind a particular valley whose natural condition led him to adopt its name.[5]The translation of Arabian Baka'a as "lack of stream" seems to throw some light on the nature of the valley before the appearance of the stream of Zam-Zam near kaaba which was a dry place with no vegetation whatsoever.
The Anchor Bible Dictionary does not throw any light on it, albeit, there are some suggestions in it too like the The Jewish Encylopedia. Below is the full quote.
Baca, The Valley Of (PLACE): [Hebrew 'emeq habakka'], The valley of Baca (Psalms 84:1) is either a historical place name or a symbolical expression for "deep sorrow". The first part of Psalms 84:6 seems to mean that by "passing through the experience of deep sorrow, righteous ones can make it the source of life." The Septuagint translated the phrase into Greek as "the valley of weeping". The word 'emeq "valley" has the root meaning of "deep", so the expression may mean "deep sorrow".The interpretation of the valley of Baca as a "the valley of weeping" makes sense because of the distress which Hagar(P) underwent when she was left with Ishmael(P) in the barren desert with no means of living.
However, some have considered it as the "valley of the balsam tree" from the same word in plural form found in 2 Samuel 5:24. This is based on the assumption that baka may be a "gum-exuding [weeping] tree". Another possibility is that the word beka'im (plural of baka) may mean "weeping wall-rocks" in the valley of Rephaim on whose tops David and his troops were waiting for the coming of the Philistine army passing through the valley below (2 Samuel 5:24). It seems safe to seek the meaning of baka in relation to the dripping water, since we often find this word in the names related to rivers and wadis, such as Wadi al-Baka in the Sinaitic district and Baca on the wadi in the central Galilee area, W of Meroth. It is also possible to understand beka'im as the place of "weepings" of the Philistine army for their defeat by David. After all these considerations, the expression of "valley of baka" can best be taken as a symbolic expression "weeping" or "deep sorrow" which fits well in the context of Psalms 84:6.[6]
The two interpretations of Baca, viz., "lack of stream" and "the valley of weeping" appears to fit in the context of pilgrimage to Bakkah, the older name of Makkah where the kaaba is situated. kaaba has been a place of reverence by all Arabians before the Christian era as we have seen earlier.
And Allah knows best!
Article by: missionislam
Thursday 12 November 2015
The Kaba in Makkah: It's size and history
The small, cubed building known as the Kaba may not rival skyscrapers in height or mansions in width, but its impact on history and human beings is unmatched.
The Kaba is the building towards which Muslims face five times a day, everyday, in prayer. This has been the case since the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) over 1400 years ago.
The Size of the Kaba
The current height of the Kaba is 39 feet, 6 inches and total size comes to 627 square feet.The inside room of the Kaba is 13X9 meters. The Kaba's walls are one meter wide. The floor inside is 2.2 meters higher than the place where people perform Tawaf.
The ceiling and roof are two levels made out of wood. They were reconstructed with teak which is capped with stainless steel.
The walls are all made of stone. The stones inside are unpolished, while the ones outside are polished.
This small building has been constructed and reconstructed by Prophets Adam, Ibrahim, Ismail and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). No other building has had this honor.
Yet, not very much is known about the details of this small but significant building.
Did you know the Kaba was reconstructed as recently as close to four years ago?
Did you know that the Kaba has been subjected to danger by natural disasters like flooding, as well as human attacks?
If you didn't keep reading. You'll find some rarely heard of information discussed below and discover facts about the Kaba many are unaware of.
The other names of the Kaba
Literally, Kaba in Arabic means a high place with respect and prestige. The word Kaba may also be derivative of a word meaning a cube.Some of these other names include:
Bait ul Ateeq-which means, according to one meaning, the earliest and ancient. According to the second meaning, it means independent and liberating. Both meanings could be taken
Bait ul Haram-the honorable house
The Kaba has been reconstructed up to 12 times
Scholars and historians say that the Kaba has been reconstructed between five to 12 times.The very first construction of the Kaba was done by Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). Allah says in the Quran that this was the first house that was built for humanity to worship Allah.
After this, Prophet Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them) rebuilt the Kaba. The measurements of the Kaba's Ibrahimic foundation are as follows:
-the eastern wall was 48 feet and 6 inches
-the Hateem side wall was 33 feet
-the side between the black stone and the Yemeni corner was 30 feet
-the Western side was 46.5 feet
Following this, there were several constructions before the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be uponj him) 's time.
Reconstruction of Kaba by Quraish
Prophet Muhammad participated in one of its reconstructions before he became a Prophet.After a flash flood, the Kaba was damaged and its walls cracked. It needed rebuilding.
This responsibility was divided among the Quraish's four tribes. Prophet Muhammad helped with this reconstruction.
Once the walls were erected, it was time to place the Black Stone, (the Hajar ul Aswad) on the eastern wall of the Kaba.
Arguments erupted about who would have the honor of putting the Black Stone in its place. A fight was about to break out over the issue, when Abu Umayyah, Makkah's oldest man, proposed that the first man to enter the gate of the mosque the following morning would decide the matter. That man was the Prophet. The Makkans were ecstatic. "This is the trustworthy one (Al-Ameen)," they shouted in a chorus. "This is Muhammad".
He came to them and they asked him to decide on the matter. He agreed.
Prophet Muhammad proposed a solution that all agreed to-putting the Black Stone on a cloak, the elders of each of the clans held on to one edge of the cloak and carried the stone to its place. The Prophet then picked up the stone and placed it on the wall of the Kaba.
Since the tribe of Quraish did not have sufficient funds, this reconstruction did not include the entire foundation of the Kaba as built by Prophet Ibrahim. This is the first time the Kaba acquired the cubical shape it has now unlike the rectangle shape which it had earlier. The portion of the Kaba left out is called Hateem now.
Construction After the Prophet's Time-Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr
The Syrian army destroyed the Kaba in Muharram 64 (Hijri date) and before the next Hajj Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr, may Allah be pleased with him, reconstructed the Kaba from the ground up.Ibn az-Zubayr wanted to make the Kaba how the Prophet Muhammad wanted it, on the foundation of the Prophet Ibrahim.
Ibn az-Zubayr said, "I heard Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) say, 'The Prophet said: "If your people had not quite recently abandoned the Ignorance (Unbelief), and if I had sufficient provisions to rebuild it [the Kaba], I would have added five cubits to it from the Hijr. Also, I would make two doors; one for people to enter therein and the other to exit." (Bukhari). Ibn az-Zubayr said, "Today, I can afford to do it and I do not fear the people.
Ibn az-Zubayr built the Kaba on Prophet Ibrahim's foundation. He put the roof on three pillars with the wood of Aoud (a perfumed wood with aroma which is traditionally burned to get a good smell out of it in Arabia).
In his construction he put two doors, one facing the east the other facing the west, as the Prophet wanted but did not do in his lifetime.
He rebuilt the Kaba on the Prophet Ibrahim's foundation, which meant that the Hateem area was included. The Hateem is the area adjacent to the Kaba enclosed by a low semi-circular wall.
Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr also made the following additions and modifications:
-put a small window close to the roof of the Kaba to allow for light.
-moved the door of the Kaba to ground level and added a second door to the Kaba.
-added nine cubits to the height of the Kaba, making it twenty cubits high.
-its walls were two cubits wide.
-reduced the pillars inside the House to three instead of six as were earlier built by Quraish.
For reconstruction, ibn az-Zubayr put up four pillars around Kaba and hung cloth over them until the building was completed. People began to do Tawaf around these pillars at all times, so Tawaf of the Kaba was never abandoned, even during reconstruction.
During Abdul Malik bin Marwan's time
In 74 Hijri (or 693 according to the Gregorian calendar), Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf al-Thaqafi, the known tyrant of that time, with the approval of Umayyad Khalifa Abdul Malik bin Marwan, demolished what Ibn az-Zubayr had added to it from the older foundation of Prophet Ibrahim, restore its old structure as the Quraish had had it.Some of the changes he made were the following:
-he rebuilt it in the smaller shape which is found today
-took out the Hateem
-walled up the western door (whose signs are still visible today) and left the rest as it was
-pulled down the wall in the Hateem area.
-removed the wooden ladder Ibn az-Zubayr had put inside the Kaba.
-reduced the door's height by five cubits
When Abdul Malik bin Marwan came for Umra and heard the Hadith that it was wish of Prophet for the Kaba to be constructed the way Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr had built it, he regretted his actions.
Imam Malik's advice to the Khalifa Harun al Rasheed
Abbasi Khalifa Harun al Rasheed wanted to rebuild the Kaba the way the Prophet Muhammad wanted and the way Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr built it.But when he consulted Imam Malik, the Imam asked the Khalifa to change his mind because constant demolition and rebuilding is not respectful and would become a toy in the hands of kings. Each one would want to demolish and rebuild the Kaba.
Based on this advice, Harun al Rasheed did not reconstruct the Kaba. The structure remained in the same construction for 966 years, with minor repairs here and there.
Reconstruction during Sultan Murad Khan's time
In the year 1039 Hijri, because of heavy rain, flood and hail, two of the Kaba's walls fell down.The flood during which this occurred took place on the 19th of Shaban 1039 Hijri which continued constantly, so the water in the Kaba became almost close to half of its walls, about 10 feet from the ground level.
On Thursday the 20th of Shaban 1039 Hijri, the eastern and western walls fell down.
When flood receded on Friday the 21st of Shaban, the cleanup started.
Again, a curtain, the way Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr established on 4 pillars, was put up, and the reconstruction started on the 26th of Ramadan. The rest of the walls except for the one near the Black Stone, were demolished.
By the 2nd of Zul-Hijjah 1040 the construction was taking place under the guidance of Sultan Murad Khan, the Ottoman Khalifa. From the point of the Black stone and below, the current construction is the same as that done by Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr.
The construction which was done under the auspices of Murad Khan was exactly the one done at the time of Abdul Malik ibn Marwan which is the way the Quraysh had built it before Prophethood.
On Rajab 28 1377, One historian counted the total stones of the Kaba and they were 1,614. These stones are of different shapes. But the stones which are inside the outer wall which is visible are not counted in there.
Reconstruction of the Kaba In 1996
A major reconstruction of the Kaba took place between May 1996 and October 1996.This was after a period of about 400 years (since Sultan Murad Khan's time).
During this reconstruction the only original thing left from the Kaba are the stones. All other material has been replaced including the ceiling and the roof and its wood.
What is inside the Kaba?
Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi is the president of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). He had the opportunity to go inside the Kaba in October 1998. In an interview with Sound Vision, he described the following features:- there are two pillars inside (others report 3 pillars)
- there is a table on the side to put items like perfume
- there are two lantern-type lamps hanging from the ceiling
- the space can accommodate about 50 people
- there are no electric lights inside
- the walls and floors are of marble
- there are no windows inside
- there is only one door
- the upper inside walls of the Kaba were covered with some kind of curtain with the Kalima written on it
Article by: soundvision
Wednesday 11 November 2015
How to spend the days of stay of umrah
There are not any specified days are
described in the religion about the stay during Umrah, Umrah can be
practice in one day and a person is allowed to perform a number of Umrah
in a queue. But, the visa we got from the government of Saudi Arabia
have a limit of days for stay there, these can be fifteen days, twenty
days and maximum thirty days. The visa limits for the Umrah is not more
than thirty days. These thirty days are allotted to the performers so
they can spend quality time there and also visit many other places
situated here which have a great historical importance in Islam.
A number of people questioned that why
they have to stay for fifteen or twenty days while they can perform
Umrah in just two or three days satisfactorily. The answer is simple and
short, it is impossible for a true Muslim that he go to Saudi Arabia
and just come back by performing Umrah in Makah and did not go to the
Holy Mosque of Madina. It is the heartiest wish of every Muslim that he
can spend more and more time on these two most important destinations of
Muslim world. This is the main reason why the minimum number of days of
stay during Umrah are fifteen days so the Muslims can gather up all of
the blessings easily.
On the same track when you are on a land
which is holding up so many miracles in it and have so many historic
places then it is unfair for you that you will come back without
exploring them. In the whole remaining days of stay you can explore and
visit such places and also find out more facts about these places as
well. You get to know much more about these places while visiting them
and you can also gather up some of amazing facts and memories which you
can share with all of your relatives and friends as well.
Other than this after performing Umrah
you can also perform some of mandatory prayers as well, you should also
visit all the mosques which are located in Makah and near Makah and
Madina as well. There are a number of mosques are located in both cities
and around them which have great importance in the Islamic history and
prying there worth more. This is an amazing opportunity that you get to
experience all these things in cheapest Umrah package
which costs really very low and you do not have to pay anything extra.
If you are thinking to come back soon then it will be a big mistake of
your because very few of people get a chance to go there and if your
luck have taken you there then you should take its proper advantage so
you will get good result as well. In your budget you can get to know
more about your religion and all those places which you have studied in
the books only.
Article by: euroafricatravel
Tuesday 10 November 2015
What Things Should Avoid During Hajj Umrah
The non-necessary lesser pilgrimage made by Muslims to Makah, which may be performed at any time of the year in known as Umrah.
The word “Umrah” means to stay an important place. When the one who
wants to perform ‘Umrah arrives at the Meeqat, it is recommended for
both man and woman to take a bath if suitable, including menstruating
women and those who going through postnatal bleeding. The greater Muslim
pilgrimage to Makah, which takes place in the last month of the year
and which all Muslims are, likely to make at least once during their
life span if they can pay for to do so. It is one of the Five Pillars of
Islam.
Steps:
Throughout the Umrah, a few of the same pilgrimage rituals are performed:
Wearing of the ihram
Tawaf – walking seven circles around the Kaaba
Sai – Running between the beautiful mounts of Al Safa and Al Marwa
Shaving or trimming of the hair
But, the other steps of Hajj are not done during Umrah.
So, performing Umrah does not meet the requirements of Hajj and doesn’t
replace one’s obligation to perform Hajj. The Umrah is optional but not
required in Islam.
The government of Saudi Arabia manages
the logistics of guests coming for both Hajj and Umrah. The Umrah also
needs a visa and travel preparations through an authorized Hajj and
Umrah service supplier. There is no fixed time for Umrah; it can be done
at any time of year. Numerous million Muslims prefer to do Umrah
throughout the month of Ramadan every year.
Common Error Made By Umrah Pilgrims:
- Many Pilgrims when they go to Medina they pray to the graves. They make Dua to the prophet (peace be upon him). This could not only spoil their Hajj, it could invalidate their Islam. Do not rub graves for blessings. Do not make Dua to anyone except Allah.
- Do not go by the Meeqat without being in the condition of Ihram. If you are landing in Jeddah and going to Makah to perform Umrah in a straight way, you must be in a condition of Ihram before you land, as the plane shall go into the Meeqat. Jeddah is surrounded by the Meeqat.
- Do not take pictures manually in Ihram. You came to adoration Allah Almighty and taking pictures for showing others later may challenge your sincerity of doing this for the sake of Allah Almighty.
- Do not move forward or hurt anyone during Tawaf.
- Do not stand at the black stone line for a long period. Move on.
- You do not have to climb to the peak of Safa or Marwah.
- Females do not have to run between the green lights.
- Don’t throw sandals or wood or big rocks to the Devils. This is all beside the Sunnah.
- Do not make loud your voice near the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) grave.
Article by: hujjumrahpackage
Monday 9 November 2015
Important Things to Remember in Tawaf
We pointed out last week the importance of tawaf and the essential requirements which must be observed when performing it. We continue today with the discussion of what we are recommended to observe during this act of worship which is one of the main duties of both the pilgrimage and the Umrah. It is also important to stress at the outset that what we are discussing today are recommended matters, or Sunnah. In other words, the tawaf will be valid if these are not observed. Moreover, they should be abandoned if the tawaf is made at such a time when the large number of people doing the tawaf makes it difficult to do them without causing inconvenience or harm to other pilgrims. It is important to remember that to avoid causing harm to others is more important than the observance of a Sunnah or a recommended complement of tawaf.
The first thing associated with the tawaf is what we do when we come to the Black Stone. It is well known that the Black Stone was the mark given by the angel Gabriel to Abraham (peace be upon him), the Prophet who built the Kaaba, to be a distinctive mark for the beginning and end of the tawaf. It has continued to fulfill this role ever since. It has no other significance, and it cannot cause us any good or harm. What we are recommended to do is to face the Black Stone at the beginning of our tawaf, repeating phrases of glorification of God and stating that we believe in His oneness. We lift our arms as we do at the beginning of prayers. We also touch the Black Stone with our hands and we kiss it and put our faces on it, if we can. If overcrowding prevents us from doing so, we touch it with our hands or anything we may have with us, such as a stick and kiss the place where it touched the Black Stone. It is authentically reported by a number of the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he kissed the Black Stone at times, and touched it with a stick he had in his hand at other times, kissing the stick afterward.
Some people question our kissing of the Black Stone. Let us be clear about this. We know for certain that the Black Stone has no function other than being a mark for the beginning of the tawaf. No Muslim believes that it can cause him any harm or good. If anyone entertains such a belief, he is not a Muslim. He is guilty of polytheism. We simply kiss it because the Prophet kissed it. In our acts of worship we follow the Prophet’s example because God has commanded us to do so. Al-Bukhari relates that Umar ibn Al-Khattab, one of the most learned of the Prophet’s companions, said to the Black Stone after kissing it: “By God, I know that you are a stone that cannot cause any harm or good. Had it not been for the fact that I saw the Prophet kissing you, I would not have kissed you.” This is the proper attitude of a Muslim. The Prophet’s worship of God was the most complete. There was nothing superfluous in it. We cannot discard anything the Prophet did in matters of worship. We follow his footsteps without hesitation.
The area near the Black Stone is always crowded. It is even much more so in the high season of pilgrimage. To try to reach the Black Stone and kiss it would inevitably cause a lot of inconvenience to others. It may even cause them harm when the pushing becomes fierce. In such a case, it is preferable to stay back and simply lift our arms toward the Black Stone and repeat the normal phrases of Allah akbar and La ilaha illa Allah, which mean, God is supreme, and, There is no deity other than God. We then kiss our fingers.
It is also recommended that we do the first three circles of the first tawaf of the pilgrimage and the tawaf of the Umrah in a jogging movement. This is due to the fact that when the Prophet did his Umrah, after the peace agreement of Al-Hudaybiyah was signed between him and the idolaters in Makkah, the idolaters were speaking of the Muslims being weak as a result of a disease which was widespread in Madinah. The Prophet, then, encouraged his companions to show their strength by jogging the first three circles around the Kaaba. This achieved its required purpose of convincing the idolaters in Makkah that the Muslims were really strong. It has remained a Sunnah recommended to us that we do the same in every tawaf which is supposed to be followed by a sa’ie between Al-Safa and Al-Marwah. Some people may question that, but the Prophet did the same on his pilgrimage when the idolaters no longer had any strength in Makkah. Umar also said at the beginning of his tawaf: “Why should we do the jogging now? It was something which we did in order to trick the idolaters. Now God has destroyed them.” He reflected a little then he added: “It is something the Prophet did and we do not like to do otherwise.” This is again the proper attitude of Muslims. When we follow the Prophet and do exactly the same as he did, even when the purpose of doing it in that fashion no longer applies, we are demonstrating our obedience to the Prophet in the best fashion.
Nowadays, it may not be easy to do the jogging movement in the high season of pilgrimage. Again we should not do it at the expense of others. It is sufficient to simulate a jogging movement, doing it when we can and simulating when we cannot.
Also recommended in the first three circles during the tawaf for men to bare their right shoulders. This makes it easier for us to do the jogging in those three circles. It is unfortunate that people think that baring our right shoulders is the proper way to wear the ihraam garments all the time. This is not so. It is only recommended during those three circles of the first tawaf of the pilgrimage and the tawaf of the Umrah. It is certainly discouraged in prayers.
The Prophet also used to touch the corner of the Kaaba which faces the direction of the Yemen. This is because it is definite that this corner, like the one with the Black Stone, is raised on the same foundations as it was when the Kaaba was first built by Prophet Abraham.
When we go for pilgrimage, it is highly recommended that we begin with the tawaf of arrival as soon as we are in Makkah. Since our trip is for worship, it is appropriate that we demonstrate that purpose as soon as we arrive. Aishah reports that “the first thing with which the Prophet started when he arrived was to have ablution then to do the tawaf. He did not do the Umrah then. Both Abu Bakr and Umar offered the pilgrimage later on and they did likewise.
When we have finished our tawaf we are recommended to offer two rak’ahs at the place known as Maqam Ibraheem. This is the place where the Prophet Abraham used to worship after he built the Kaaba. This prayer is voluntary, which means that if it is not offered after the tawaf, the tawaf remains valid. While we are recommended to offer this prayer at Maqam Ibraheem, it may be offered at any place in the mosque or even outside it. It is unfortunate that nowadays we see people causing a great deal of hardship to others who are doing the tawaf by forming a circle with their bodies in order to allow one or more of their numbers to offer this prayer close to Maqam Ibraheem. By doing so, they are committing something forbidden in order to do a Sunnah. They certainly have their priorities wrong. God does not accept that a Muslim should cause harm to another simply because he wants to do a Sunnah. It is far more preferable to move away from the space used by people doing the tawaf and offer these two rak’ahs more comfortably.
Another point to be mentioned relating to tawaf is that it is permissible for both men and women to do the tawaf at the same time. It is also not forbidden or discouraged for a person offering prayers in the Sacred Mosque to let other people pass through in front of him. This is only possible at this particular mosque. It is also permissible for a person who cannot walk to do the tawaf carried by others, or in a wheel chair, or riding a horse or a camel or a bicycle. When a pilgrim has done all that, he is also recommended to have a drink from the well of Zamzam, and to pray to God at the place known as Al-Multazam, which is between the Black Stone and the door of the Kaaba. It is also recommended to enter the semi-circle known as the Hijr of Ishmael and offer two rak’ahs there. It must be stressed, however, that not all these recommended things are possible in the high season. Hence, pilgrims should do what they can of them, without causing inconvenience or harm to other pilgrims.
The sa’ie, or the walk between the two hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah is a duty of both the Umrah and the pilgrimage. It is done once only for each. We begin at Al-Safa and face the Kaaba, raise our hands and repeat phrases of glorification of God and then begin our walk toward Al-Marwah. When we reach there we have completed one of our seven legs of sa’ie. We do the same at Al-Marwah and go back toward Al-Safa. That completes another leg. Men are recommended to jog between the two green marks which are easily identifiable. During sa’ie we may glorify God and praise Him, or recite from the Qur’an. We may also pray to God for anything we want.
Article by: arabnews
Friday 6 November 2015
Saudi to triple number of Umrah visas
Saudi Arabia is planning to triple the number of visas it issues for the Umrah pilgrimage, newspapers reported on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, on Monday rejected any suggestions that Saudi Arabia should give up its role as the organiser of the Haj following last month's deadly stampede in Mina.
"The irresponsible statements aiming for political exploitation of the incident... shall not affect the role of Saudi Arabia, its duty and responsibilities in serving the guests of God," the king said.
An Iranian cleric had called for the Haj to be managed by other Islamic states after 464 Iranians were among 1,587 pilgrims killed in the stampede.
The new system would allow full use of massive expansion projects at the kingdom's holy sites, Hajjar was quoted as saying.
The 400,000-square-metre Grand Mosque enlargement is the equivalent of more than 50 football pitches, and it will allow the complex to accommodate roughly two million people at once.
A crane working on the expansion collapsed into a courtyard of the mosque on September 11, killing at least 108 people including foreign pilgrims, just before Haj.
An even greater tragedy, the worst ever in the history of the pilgrimage, occurred on September 24 during a stoning ritual at Mina, near Mecca.
The stampede killed at least 1,587 people, according to tallies issued by foreign officials in more than 30 countries.
The toll greatly exceeds the figure of 769 provided by Saudi Arabia.
A formal Saudi inquiry is under way into the stampede, which left hundreds of pilgrims still unaccounted for.
Efforts to identify the dead continue at a health ministry facility guarded by security officers in the Mecca suburb of Muaissem, sources say.
Representatives from foreign consulates are allowed in to the single-storey building to try to identify bodies through albums of photographs, said a source familiar with the operation.
Authorities are also using DNA and fingerprint analysis.
Access to the site by journalists is denied.
The same facility also contains the bodies of victims from the stampede, said the source.
Muaissem is home to the Muala cemetery which many Saudis choose as their final resting place because it is near Islam's holy sites.
Saudi Arabia's organisation of the hajj and its response to the disaster provoked foreign criticism, particularly from regional rival Iran, which reported the largest number of dead at 464.
A senior Saudi religious leader, Shaikh Abdulrahman Al Sudais, last Friday denounced "lies" being spread about the kingdom after the accidents.
Article by: khaleejtimes
Wednesday 4 November 2015
The Holy Journey
In Malaya, soon after the holy fast in the month of
Ramadan, an old man finishes packing a shiny new suitcase and then
prays, "O God, Thou art my Companion on the journey, and Thou art the
One who remains with my people."
In Morocco, perhaps at that very moment, a young
merchant bolts the door of his house and prays from the step, "In the
name of God, I place my trust in God."
Someday soon these two men may pass each other on a hot
and dusty plain in Saudi Arabia without ever being aware of the other's
existence. Or, God willing, they might meet and pray side by side in the
courtyard of the Sacred Mosque at Mecca. For both men are setting out
on the hajj, the world's greatest religious pilgrimage and for Muslims one of the five pillars of their faith.
To a Muslim the hajj is one of the great
religious experiences of his life. For it not only deepens his personal
involvement but binds him more closely to great body of Islam, a body
500 million strong and spread throughout the Middle East, Asia and
Africa. It is a sort of social cement added to his faith and linking him
in holy unity to the faithful everywhere. As one writer put it:
"At Mecca the Javanese meets the Negro from Senegal and the mountaineer
of Albania, all brought together by the same holy purpose." The
pilgrimage, furthermore, binds "the whole household of Islam within and
beyond its religious center," since even those who stay at home can
participate vicariously.
Unlike the other pillars of Islam, the pilgrimage is an
act of piety required of a Muslim only if he has the means to perform
it. For most, however, it is the "aspiration of a life-time," for the
merit of a pilgrimage is great and the reward of God for an acceptable
pilgrimage is Paradise. The Holy Koran (in Surah III 97) demands only
that "whoever is able... make his way thither." Those who lack the
means, women without a suitable escort, the feeble-minded are excused
from the rigors of the journey,
And there are rigors: a long journey over
difficult terrain, costly, crowded and sometimes unsanitary,
transportation and accommodations, and a long absence from family and
friends. There is also the frustration and confusion of trying to
communicate with masses of fellow Muslims who profess the same faith and
read the same Holy Book but speak the languages of countries 6000 miles
apart. Since many of the rituals are conducted out of doors the most
exacting trial is often the heat of a desert summer when the hajj falls during that season.
Years ago, the pilgrimage was even, harder, but now
roads that were once infested, by bandits are now safer than most
Western, cities. Ruinous taxes and fees imposed by local, rulers have
long since been, eliminated; paved roads, hostels and rest areas have
been built. At entry points into the Kingdom there are now strict,
health checks and quarantine stations. Disinfectant teams patrol camping
areas and there are even Boy Scouts on hand to assist strangers. Even
better, transportation to Arabia from almost, anywhere can be arranged
by fast, comfortable jets, and, safe modem ships.
The result has been a steady increase in the number of
pilgrims. Last year an estimated 300,000 foreign pilgrims from 92
countries, made the hajj. Among them was an elderly couple from
West Pakistan, Shaikh' Abdul Aziz and his wife, father and mother of
Aramco photographer Shaikh Muhammad Amin.
With his own wife and daughter, Mr. Amin accompanied his
parents across Saudi Arabia and during the rituals of the pilgrimage in
Mecca and its vicinity, capturing in the photographs which appear on
the following pages something of the beauty, tradition and meaning of
the Holy City and the hajj as seen through the eyes of his own
family. If any journey can be called typical in such a wide body, the
their Holy Journey is typical of that made by countless other families
from countless other lands, united in Islam and joined closer by the
pilgrimage itself.
Artile by: saudiaramcoworld
Monday 2 November 2015
City in the sky
Four helipads will cluster around one of the largest domes in the world, like sideplates awaiting the unveiling of a momentous main course, which will be jacked up 45 storeys into the sky above the deserts of Mecca. It is the crowning feature of the holy city’s crowning glory, the superlative summit of what will be the world’s largest hotel when it opens in 2017.
With 10,000 bedrooms and 70 restaurants, plus five floors for the sole use of the Saudi royal family, the £2.3bn Abraj Kudai is an entire city of five-star luxury, catering to the increasingly high expectations of well-heeled pilgrims from the Gulf.
Modelled on a “traditional desert fortress”, seemingly filtered through the eyes of a Disneyland imagineer with classical pretensions, the steroidal scheme comprises 12 towers teetering on top of a 10-storey podium, which houses a bus station, shopping mall, food courts, conference centre and a lavishly appointed ballroom.
Located in the Manafia district, just over a mile south of the Grand Mosque, the complex is funded by the Saudi Ministry of Finance and designed by the Dar Al-Handasah group, a 7,000-strong global construction conglomerate that turns its hand to everything from designing cities in Kazakhstan to airports in Dubai. For the Abraj Kudai, it has followed the wedding-cake pastiche style of the city’s recent hotel boom: cornice is piled upon cornice, with fluted pink pilasters framing blue-mirrored windows, some arched with a vaguely Ottoman air. The towers seem to be packed so closely together that guests will be able to enjoy views into each other’s rooms.
“The city is turning into Mecca-hattan,” says Irfan Al-Alawi, director of the UK-based Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, which campaigns to try to save what little heritage is left in Saudi Arabia’s holy cities. “Everything has been swept away to make way for the incessant march of luxury hotels, which are destroying the sanctity of the place and pricing normal pilgrims out.”
The Grand Mosque is now loomed over by the second tallest building in the world, the Abraj al-Bait clocktower, home to thousands more luxury hotel rooms, where rates can reach £4,000 a night for suites with the best views of the Kaaba – the black cube at the centre of the mosque around which Muslims must walk. The hotel rises 600m (2,000ft) into the air, projecting a dazzling green laser-show by night, on a site where an Ottoman fortress once stood – razed for development, along with the hill on which it sat.
The list of heritage crimes goes on, driven by state-endorsed Wahhabism, the hardline interpretation of Islam that perceives historical sites as encouraging sinful idolatry – which spawned the ideology that is now driving Isis’s reign of destruction in Syria and Iraq. In Mecca and Medina, meanwhile, anything that relates to the prophet could be in the bulldozer’s sights. The house of Khadijah, his first wife, was crushed to make way for public lavatories; the house of his companion Abu Bakr is now the site of a Hilton hotel; his grandson’s house was flattened by the king’s palace. Moments from these sites now stands a Paris Hilton store and a gender-segregated Starbucks.
“These are the last days of Mecca,” says Alawi. “The pilgrimage is supposed to be a spartan, simple rite of passage, but it has turned into an experience closer to Las Vegas, which most pilgrims simply can’t afford.”
The city receives around 2 million pilgrims for the annual Hajj, but during the rest of the year more than 20 million visit the city, which has become a popular place for weddings and conferences, bringing in annual tourism revenue of around £6bn. The skyline bristles with cranes, summoning thickets of hotel towers to accommodate the influx. Along the western edge of the city the Jabal Omar development now rises, a sprawling complex that will eventually accommodate 100,000 people in 26 luxury hotels – sitting on another gargantuan plinth of 4,000 shops and 500 restaurants, along with its own six-storey prayer hall.
The Grand Mosque, meanwhile, is undergoing a £40bn expansion to double the capacity of its prayer halls – from 3 million worshippers currently to nearly 7 million by 2040. Planned like a vast triangular slice of cake, the extension goes so far back that most worshippers won’t even be able to see the Kaaba.
“It is just like an airport terminal,” says Alawi. “People have been finding they’re praying in the wrong direction because they simply don’t know which way the mosque is any more. It has made a farce of the whole place.”
Article by: theguardian
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)