Pilgrims from all around the world are making their way to Mecca in order to fulfil their fifth pillar of Islam – Hajj – a pillar that has countless objectives and today I will be focusing on just one of them.
Shaykh Ahmad Ibn ‘AbdulHaleem Ad-Dahlawi said,
ومن مقاصد الحج موافقة ما توارث الناس عن سيدنا إبراهيم وإسماعيل عليهما السلام فإنهما إماما الملة الحنيفية، والنبي r بعث لتظهر به الملة الحنيفية وتعلو به كلمتها، وهو قوله تعالى: (مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ)
“One of the main objectives of Hajj is to endorse the lives of Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail for they are the Imams of the monotheistic way. As for the Prophet Muhammad (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam), he was sent to make this way prevalent, a way which Allah described as being “The religion of your father Ibrahim.”[1] [2]
But why Ibrahim (ʿalayhi al-Salām)? Why did Allah choose to make one of the five pillars of Islam a re-enactment of his specific footsteps? For despite it being a story that is thousands of years old, Allah chose to eternalise it by linking our Islam and fate in the Hereafter to the copying of him and his family’s tracks. To answer this question, we must first ask: Who was Ibrahim?
He was the son of one of the dignitaries of his time – Aazar – who was the very manufacturer of the idols which his community would then purchase and take as gods. What a calamity it is when ‘Aqida/creed meets with financial interests. There was nothing on the side of young Ibrahim at that time except Al-Qalb As-Saleem/the sound heart which Allah had placed within his chest. Allah said,
وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ رُشْدَهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ
“And We had certainly given Abraham his sound judgement before” [3]
He began his uprising against this from the least expected of places; his home. The Qur’an goes on, in its miraculously eloquent and concise expressions, to depict Ibrahim’s struggle against his community where all of the odds were against him. It tells us of his debate with them, his demolition of their idols, his community’s reaction of rage, their attempt to burn him alive and how Allah altered the laws of physics so that the fire wouldn’t harm him.
The Qur’an also tells us about his debate with the tyrant of his time, how he was compelled to immigrate whilst being all by himself, for he was the only believer on earth. He travels the world, searching for an alternative but sees that the cities of the world had become carbon copies of one another with respect to their idolatry and disbelief. He arrives at Egypt, where he manages to escape a tyrant who tried seducing his wife. He then travels to Ash-Sham where, once again, he invites people to submit themselves to Allah and to reject idolatry.
It is not long however before he is commanded yet again by Allah to pack his luggage and immigrate to another land, along with Haajar and his son Ismail. Mecca would be the destination, a dry, desolate, lifeless and lonely part of the world, lacking every single basic resource for human life. There, he is commanded to leave Haajar and Ismail, and walk away. Without hesitation or any second thought, he submits and, after having handed over to her a small bag of dates, he walks away.
The dates that he’d given her finish, however. Her milk begins to dry up and the baby cried in hunger. She decides to run from between the two mounts of Safa and Marwah, in desperate search for any assistance as she experiences a contrast of terror as per motherly nature but hope and serenity as per remarkable ‘iman. She is puzzled but not hopeless, she has certainty but she isn’t lazy, doing what she can from her part, until Allah honours her by allowing the water of Zamzam to gush from beneath her feet, water of nourishment, medication, Ajr and Baraka, water which has quenched the thirst of millions since and continues to do so to this day.
Ismail grows up and with him grows Ibrahim’s attachment to his son, and bearing in mind the sound state of Ibrahim’s heart, this was an issue, for there mustn’t be anything in the heart of this colossal man that competes with his attachment to Allah. Thus, the painful command came to Ibrahim; to slaughter his son. He sees this dream over and over and thus realises that this must be carried out and so he submits. He tells his son:
يَا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرَى فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانْظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَى
“O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I sacrifice you, so see what you think.”
Ismail’s response was one of Abrahamic submission. He said,
يَا أَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ سَتَجِدُنِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّابِرِينَ
“O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.” [4]
This is when Ibrahim does the unthinkable. He walks with his son to the place where the slaughtering will be carried out. Shaytan makes his presence known at this point and tries to talk Ibrahim out of this, but Ibrahim pelts him with 7 stones. He appears a second and third time and, on each occasion, Ibrahim launches stones at him.
At this point, it’s as if the motion of the universe had momentarily paused in anticipation of what is about to happen next. His son had knelt down and the knife was been placed on this throat, as Ibrahim forcefully suppresses the fatherly obsession with one’s son. Allah said,
فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ
“And when they had both submitted and he put him down prostrating on his forehead”
This is when Ibrahim was told to stop,
يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ (104) قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَا إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ
“We called to him, “O Ibrahim, You have fulfilled the vision.” Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.”
Allah sends a ram from Paradise for Ibrahim to slaughter instead of Ismail, for the purpose of this onerous test was never about slaughtering Ismail but to slaughter the love and attachment within Ibrahim’s heart which only belongs to Allah. His submission made it clear however that this had been achieved.
During this moment in history, the places of devil worship, venues of idolatry and buildings of promiscuity had filled the earth. The people of godlessness were very well served but the people of Tawhid didn’t have a place where they could meet to single out Allah in worship. Thus, Allah commands Ibrahim to build the first Masjid on earth and Ibrahim submits. Allah said,
إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِلْعَالَمِينَ
“Indeed, the first House of worship established for mankind was that at Makkah – full of blessing and a guidance for the worlds.” [5]
Here, both father and son work hand in hand as they transfer pieces of stone and raise its foundations until the humble structure of the Ka’ba was standing, ready to become the globe’s holiest site of worship. Allah commands Ibrahim to invite the world to it.
وَأَذِّنْ فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًا وَعَلَى كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ
“And proclaim to the people the Hajj [pilgrimage]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass. That they may witness benefits for themselves.” [6]
Ibrahim asks, “O Allah, how will they hear my voice?” He is told to make the call and Allah will deliver that call, and so Ibrahim submits. He stands on Mount Abu Qubais and proclaims to the world using nothing other than his human voice, “Allah has prescribed Hajj upon you so perform Hajj!” And as promised, Allah delivered his call to all four corners of the globe, thus we see the Russian, Chinese, European, American, Arab and African responding to his call in droves and they will continue to do so until just before the end of times.
Having said this, we now realise that much of our worship during Hajj is in fact a re-enactment of the life of this great man and his family who’d raised the bar so high when it came to submission to Allah and freeing up one’s heart from everything except Him. Your doings in Hajj are a reminder of what it means to rise beyond customs, norms and ‘isms’, what it means to be steadfast as you tread the path of steadfastness all by yourself. These are key values in the life of every Muslim that are very prone to wear and tear, but following the footsteps of Ibrahim during Hajj guarantees their revival and resumption.
The Prophet Muhammad (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) would say,
قفوا على مشاعركم، فإنّكم على إرثٍ من إرث أبيكم إبراهيم
“Visit the sites, for you are following the heritage of your father Ibrahim.” [7]
Consider Haajar’s running between the two Mounts of Safa and Marwa seven times, as she searched in desperation for any sign of life for her hungry child. Ibn ‘Abbas comments on this by saying, فَذَلِكَ سَعْيُ النَّاسِ بَيْنَهُمَا
“This is why the pilgrim do the exact same thing between the two Mounts.”[8]
Consider Ibrahim’s stoning of Shaytan as he tried to dissuade him from carrying out Allah’s command. Ibnu ‘Abbas comments on this by saying:
الشيطان ترجمون، وملة أبيكم إبراهيم تتبعون
“During your Hajj you also pelt the devil, following the way of your father Ibrahim” [9]
Consider Ibrahim’s intent on slaughtering his son, Shaykh AbdurRahman As-Sa’di said about one’s sacrifice of the animal during Hajj:
هو اقتداء بالخليل صلى الله عليه وسلم حيث فدى ابنه إسماعيل بذبح عظيم
“It is following the steps of Ibrahim when his son was ransomed from being slaughtered.” [10]
Notice how the footsteps of Ibrahim’s (ʿalayhi al-Salām) family have become an act of worship which the intellectuals of the world, the philosophers, scientists and noble prize winners are obligated to emulate should they wish to enter Jannah. Indeed, just as our messenger (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said, “Visit the sites, for you are following the heritage of your father Ibrahim.”
This is a heritage that would be later imitated by Prophets Musa and Yunus. Ibn ‘Abbas said that
“The Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) passed through the valley known as Al-Azraq. He asked, أيّ وادٍ هذا؟ “Which valley is this?” They said, “This is the valley of Al-Azraq” To which he said, كأنِّي أنظر إلى موسى عليه السلام هابطًا من الثنيَّة وله جؤارٌ إلى الله بالتلبية
“It is as if I can see Musa (ʿalayhi al-Salām) coming down from the mountain track, as he calls loudly upon Allah saying, LabaykAllahumma labayk!”
Then the Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) arrived at the mountain track of Harsha. He asked, أيُّ ثنية هذا؟ “Which mountain track is this?” They said, “The mountain track of Harsha” He said,
كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى يُونُسَ بْنِ مَتَّى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَى نَاقَةٍ حَمْرَاءَ جَعْدَةٍ عَلَيْهِ جُبَّةٌ مِنْ صُوفٍ خِطَامُ نَاقَتِهِ خُلْبَةٌ وَهُوَ يُلَبِّي
It is as if I am seeing Yunus (ʿalayhi al-Salām) riding a well-built red camel, wearing a cloak of wool around him and the rein of his camel made of the fibres of date-palm, as he calls upon Allah saying, LabaykAllahumma labayk!”[11]
In fact, Prophet ‘Isa will make Hajj upon his return to this world. The Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said,
والذي نفسي بيده ليُهلنّ ابن مريم بفجِّ الرّوحاء حاجًّا أو معتمرًا، أو ليثنينهما
“I swear by the One who possesses my soul, the son of Mary (Jesus) will make Talbiya (required declaration) for performing Hajj or for Umrah or for both in the valley of Rawhaa.”[12]
After having discovered who Ibrahim (ʿalayhi al-Salām) was, we are now ready to pose the question once again: Why Ibrahim? Why was it his legacy that Allah has eternalised in the form of a pillar of Islam, the pillar of Hajj? Ibrahim (ʿalayhi al-Salām) was a man who was wholesome and listing his qualities is an impossibility. But there is one word however that appears time and time again in his biography. This term is “Islam”/submission. He was a true submitter to Allah. I am not referring to the Islam which separates between Kufr and ‘Iman, I refer to the ‘Islam’ which is in reference to one’s absolute surrendering to Allah whereby such a person almost literally fails to see his/her reflection in the mirror, as they only want to be how Allah wants them to be.
وَلَقَدِ اصْطَفَيْنَاهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ (130) إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“And We had chosen him in this world, and indeed he, in the Hereafter, will be among the righteous. When his Lord said to him, “Submit”, he said “I have submitted to the Lord of the worlds.” [13]
He was commanded to immigrate and he submitted. He was commanded to leave his family all by themselves in the desert and he submitted. He was commanded to slaughter his son, to build the Ka’ba, to circumcise himself at the age of 80 and every single time, he submitted. Thus the path to greatness is clear: Absolute submission to Allah without hesitation or second thought. The companions would say,
نَهَانَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ أَمْرٍ كَانَ لَنَا نَافِعًا، وَطَوَاعِيَةُ اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ أَنْفَعُ لَنَا
“The Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) prohibited us from things which were of benefit to us, however obeying Allah and His Messenger is of more benefit to us.” [14]
Hajj teaches us to be like Ibrahim, so that when we return to our homes and we’re told that ‘such and such financial dealing is impermissible’, or ‘this is how we should/shouldn’t dress’, or ‘such and such environment displeases Allah’, or their likes, we also submit.
To close, I relay a remarkable Hadith which addresses those who will be travelling for Hajj this year, as well as those who’ve voluntarily chosen to stay behind, arguing that ‘it is too hot’, ‘it will be too crammed’, ‘it’s too costly’, having forgotten that the Day of Judgement will be far hotter, will be far more crammed and that the price of not doing so will be far more costly. The Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said,
إنَّك إذا خرجتَ من بيتِك تؤُمُّ البيتَ الحرامَ لا تضعُ ناقتُك خفًّا ولا ترفعُه إلَّاكتب اللهُ لك به حسنةً ومحا عنك خطيئةً وأمَّا ركعتاك بعد الطَّوافِ كعِتقِ رقبةٍ وأمَّا وقوفُك عشيَّةَ عرفةَ فإنَّ اللهَ يهبِطُ إلى سماءِ الدُّنيا فيباهي بكم الملائكةَ يقولُ عبادي جاءوني شُعثًا من كلِّ فجٍّ عميقٍ يرجُون جنَّتي فلو كانت ذنوبُكم كعددِ الرَّملِ أو كقطْرِ المطرِ أو كزَبَدِ البحرِ لغفرتُها أفيضوا عبادي مغفورًا لكم ولمن شفعتُم له وأمَّا رميُك الجمارَ فلك بكلِّ حصاةٍ رميْتَها تُكفِّرُ كبيرةً من الموبقاتِ وأمَّا نحرُك فمذخورٌ لك عند ربِّك وأمَّا حِلاقُك رأسَك فلك بكلِّ شعرةٍ حلقتَها حسنةٌ ويُمحَى عنك بها خطيئةٌ وأمَّا طوافُك بالبيتِ بعد ذلك فإنَّك تطوفُ ولا ذنبَ لك ويأتي ملَكٌ حتَّى يضعَ يدَيْه بين كتِفَيْك فيقولُ اعملْ فيما تستقبِلُ فقد غُفِر لك ما مضَى
“If you leave you home aiming for the Ka’ba, then every time your camel raises its foot or lowers it, Allah will write for you a good deed and will erase from you a sin. As for the two units of Salaah which you pray after the Tawaaf, it is equivalent to freeing a slave from the children of Ismail. As for your staying at ‘Arafah until the evening, Allah descends to the lower heaven and boasts about you to the angels, saying: ‘My slaves have come to Me in a rough state from every deep valley hoping for My Paradise, so if their sins were equivalent to the grains of sand or the drops of rain or like the foam on the sea I will forgive them. So proceed, O My slaves, for I have forgiven you and all those whom you intercede for.’ As for the stoning of the Jimaar (the pillars), then for every stone that you throw, it will erase one of the major sins. As for your slaughtering of the animal, the reward of this will be saved with your Lord. As for shaving your head, then for every strand of hair, a good deed will be written for you and a sin of yours will be erased. As for your circumambulation around the Ka’ba after this, then by this time you are completely sinless and an angel comes and places his hand between your shoulders saying, ‘Work hard in doing good deeds in the days to come, for all of the sins of your past have been forgiven.’”[15]
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Source: www.islam21c.com
Notes:
[1] Al-Qur’an, Surah 22, Ayah 78
[2] From his book, ‘Hujjatullaahi Al-Baaligha’
[3] Al-Qur’an, Surah 21, Ayah 51
[4] Al-Qur’an, Surah 37, Ayah 102
[5] Al-Qur’an, Surah 3, Ayah 96
[6] Al-Qur’an, Surah 22, Ayah 27
[7] Narrated by Abu Daawood and others, on the authority of Ibn Mirba’ Al-Ansaari
[8] Narrated by Al-Bukhari
[9] Narrated by Al-Haakim and Ibnu Khuzayma
[10] Al-Irshaadu Ila Ma’rifatil Ahkaam
[11] Narrated by Muslim
[12] Narrated by Muslim, on the authority of Abu Huraira
[13] Al-Qur’an, Surah 2, Aayaah 130-131
[14] Narrated by Muslim
[15] Narrated by Al-Bazzaar and others, and classified as ‘Hasanun Lighairih’ by Al-Albany
salaam alaikom brothers/sisters,
I came across a millat Ibrahim word press site and it had an article on hajj not being just in zul hijja?…and the verse of such in the Quran of it being during ashur i.e. months?…if anybody could shed some light on that, it would be greatly appreciated?
barak Allah feekom
is this a joke?
. There is zero evidence that Abraham ever set foot on the Arabian peninsula. Abraham’s. travels outside the land of Cannan are documented many times in the Old Testament. Never once is it mentioned that he ever even came close to anyplace even close to what is Mecca. You guys believe in the Tooth Fairy too?
Well… if your version of the ‘truth’ is the Bible! lol
Why would Jewish or early Christian manuscripts have erased any version of Abraham and his geographic travels? For that matter, since Moses allegedly is the author of the Book of Genesis, why would Moses remove any mention of Abraham having any involvement in Mecca or the Ka’ba. There are surviving records of the Old Testament that were written centuries before Islam. None mention Mecca , period.
There’s no evidence that Abraham ever set foot – or hand – anywhere. Believers could always claim that the Truth of his existence transcends mere earthly verity, of course.
Put it this way.
If you believe that Mohammad Peace be Upon Him existed, your issue is that you do not believe in the veracity of his Prophethood. The veracity of his Prophethood is ‘earthy verity’ of the existence of Abraham PBUH.
If you do not believe in the Prophethood of Mohammed Peace Be Upon Him, then convincing you with ‘earthly verity’ that Abraham existed will do you no good.
If you do not believe Mohammad Peace Be upon him existed, you are a lonely person.
So, the supposed Prophethood of Mohammed is proof of the existence of Abraham which is proof of the Prophethood of Mohammed which is…
I do believe that Mohammed existed and likewise I believe that Abraham and Ismael existed. What I don’t believe is that Abraham ever set foot in Mecca.
please dear brs hector and tom…may you tell us what is it exactly do you believe in and what is it that you after?
enough is the book that proves what exists and what does not?!!
Just which book “proves what exists and what does not”?
THE BOOK? HAVE YOU HEARD NOT?…the witness upon us that directs and guides to that which is best!..saying in it that HIS signs will be showed to us all..within ourselves and in the horizons…look it up……if you wish?
the DNA of the universe, THE BOOK to end all books, the un-changed un-alduterated ..the onloy book preserved since its inception..whether written on/in the preserved tablet or on this temporarly earthly existence……?
br.hector…..please. who and what do you believe in? so that we can have a logical reasoning and reasonable discussion…etc?
perhaps….if you read it..i.e. the book…..you’ll come to know that it is from the one who knows all that is and is not….i.e from the OVER SEER of all..the ALL-KNOWING…….
MAy the LOrd forgive me…for I truly no not and I have sinned yet again……
so in the end……
peace unto you…and me and the rest
have you READ not*?
please
I dare you to…..
I don’t believe in anything, jannah’s fruit awaits.
The universe doesn’t have any DNA, by the way.
I worship the God of Abraham who has no name. The Prophet Moses never mentioned the Kaaba, because Abraham never went that far South. And Mohammed was not descended from Abraham. His family came from Yemen.
interesting brother tom,
would i be able to ask you for more information about the Prophert Muhammed (PBUH) coming from yemen? so that i could look it up!
haleluyah and al-hamdullah you believe…in the God of us all. may i ask how you found out about Abraham’s (PBUH) friend? i.e. what book do you get your information? coz i really need to and wish to know him better!
peace unto you
Mohammed’s ancestors did not leave Yemen until the 5th Century AD. That is about 1100 years after the Ismaelites disappeared. The Ismaelite tribes also lived in the Sinai and the Fertile Crescent. The ancestors of Mohammed lived much further South in Yemen.
Many historians have traced the various tribes that inhabited what is now called the Arabian Penninsula. Mohammed’s. People did not come from the Sinai or the Fertile Crescent. It is believed that his people originated in Yemen and later formed with tribes in the North. The Ismaelites were extinct as a people many centuries before Mohammed’s people moved North. Even Mohammed himself is said to have denied that his lineage ever went back as far as Abraham. A generation is 17 years. I have read that Mohammed perhaps knew 17 generations before him. Hardly enough generations to claim Abraham thousands of years earlier.
Peace.
Dear brother in humanity and person of the book br.Tom,
May I suggest a small booklet titled ‘Muslim Christain-dialogue’. You should be able to get it from most Islamic centres.
As to your enquisitive query, have you come across the word Paran before in the Bible? Backed up by Genesis 21, which towards the end talks about the angel coming to Hajar, the wife of Abraham and the mother of Ishmael (peace be upon them all), and then mention the well ,i.e. Zam Zam well and also the re-iteration of a Great nation coming from her seed,i.e. Ishmael?!!
Please do also refer to Deut 33:2, where Sinai, Sier and Paran are mentioned, alluding to where God’s main messages occurred and were delivered…etc. As to the main subject that we are on…etc. Paran, in this latter verse, alluding to Muhammed, the Peryicalitos in John of the New Testament, the lovely mouthed one of the songs of Solomon(I think). Which hopefully also brings your mind back to what we are discussing and also the Great nation that would have arised??
As Muslims, it is not our jobs to convert, but just to convey, following in the foot steps of our beloveds, i.e. the Prophets of the Lord, the Lord of us all- which as a christain, you would and should agree that is the role of believers?……..what I would also like to mention is if I may is that the Final Testament of God i.e. the Quran instructs and teaches us to converse to the people, especially those of the book/scripture in the best of ways and to come to a mutual and common understanding between us. Which halelulah/al-Hamdullah brings and potentializes great co-operation and reconciliation that is much needed amongst us as humans, especially in these times, would you not agree?
Basically, without compulsion, we just invite you to think/research and ponder for yourself, only if you wish to, that is!
Chapters 46:24 and 3:96 mention the word Bacca, which is another word for Mecca, which is also mentioned in the psalms of David (peace be upon him) in PS 84:6, where it alludes to Bacca and the well of Zam Zam mentioned above!
As to our forefather Abraham and his travels outside of Canaan..etc, I am not sure if you have kids and no attack on you personally, but please try and take your thoughts away from what the common norm today in society regarding let’s just say family networks and it’s fibre it has or is given in our times..etc. But fathers have love for their children? Especially their first borns?…that is another issue altogether, but and without attacking the bible, and what is also in it with its’ predictions of both prophets of old and the messiah Jesus(peace upon them all) that the scriptures would be changed and altered, i.e. mere teachings of men and vain worship…etc. But just to mention the first born issue and who was the son that was chosen to be sacrificed, Issac or Ishmael (upon them peace), it can be proven by minute retrospection of the bible sections on that, who it was….!
Thankfully, and just to end and sorry to take up your time, but we all share a common brother/sister hood, i.e one father, the first man Adam (p.b.u.h).
Without being cynical or sarcastic, but as you are christain, therefore you should know that life is just a test and an illusion..etc, so I do say to thee that truly the grass of home is most definelty greener on the other side.
Please remember Paran-Bacca-well/Zam Zam-the honouring and re-inacting of Hajar/a woman!
Please look into Islam and meaning of what Muslim means and is……
The Hajj/pilgrimage season and rites are an accumulation and re-anactment of Abraham of what Islam is, i.e. Full submission to God and His commandments., which should be the desire of every believer in the One lord and the ways of the those who called to such, i.e. the prophets.
May I encourage you to open mindly come to mutual understanding and may I just suggest from on the top of my head the islam yesterday, today and tomorrow websites and IRF/the Islamic research foundation or any reputable and factual/honest website, that represent the truth.
Peace unto those who follow God’s guidance. So we pray and beseech to the Lord, to who Jesus the son of Mary and all Prophets prayed to and ask Him, i.e. the One who wills all, that may He make you and us too be from amongst them. Ameen/Amen.
May the All and often Forgiving forgive me a sinner, especially if there was anything wrong in the above.
Just to end and perhaps a bit off subject, but all is to do with all in a way;
’’ Abraham was not a Jew nor yet a Christian; but he was true in Faith, and bowed his will to Allah’s (Which is Islam), and he joined not gods with Allah.’’-Yusuf Ali translation.
Peace
I’m not trying to insult your religion. Just saying that I find it odd that the Ka’ba and even Mecca are not mentioned at all in early Christian or Jewish records. The Old Testament does mention the travels of The Queen of Sheba from the southwestern area of the Arabian Penninsula. But no mention at all of the Ka’ba or Mecca. Surely a place of that importance would have been identified ,but it isn’t until Islam appeared. As far as Hagar goes, she was from Egypt and was returning to Egypt . The area known as Paran can also be debated . Many scholars place the area well within the Sinai Penninsula, and that is still hundreds of miles North of what is now Mecca. Lastly, why would Abraham have been commanded to build the Ka’ba and to proclaim monotheism only to have it fall unto paganism?
You guys can believe whatever you want. I don’t have a problem with Islam. AndI don’t have a problem with Muslims making pilgrimage to Mecca. The Baca mentioned in Psalms refers to a place just a few kilometers from Jereusalem. The Valley of Baca refers to the valley near Jereusalem where Baca trees grew.it doesn’t correlate to a place some 1400-1500 kilometers to the South in the Arabian Penninsula.
dear br. Tom,
let me start by putting my hand up…and say thank you because I have to do a little more research.
Thank God you believe they existed….
with what you mentioned! how about the well?….it is not really made that accessable to the public like many things…..but what about the mircales of the wells’ water?
fall into paganism?!…..look around us? why is the world falling apart?..because we have all left monotheism? hatred jealousy and envy stealing murder..all what religion i.e. the way of the prophets tells us to shun? would you not agree?
we still do not know what belief system do you believe in?….if you are a xtian….even if not…sure you look into history…..I can go on and on..because I am foolish and egotistic like that so apologies…but if just to leave you with 1 thought……how has TRUTH always been treated through out history?????? who were deemed the badies the fugutives…etc? think jesus moses muhammed peace upon them……as to current day icons…let me just mention nelson mandela……thatcher’s old friend……
apologies again and love you for Allah’s sake and peace
Dear tom
As to the above i wished to add of what i forgot….that Abraham as fathers do…especailly a first born…would have done all he could let alone travel and traverse the lands to see his son??
And apologies….
Please do check this site too for more information so that we can oprn mindly all cone to mutual co-operation and understanding
Peace
TAUBAH ?
9:8-18
peace..eventually
Absolutely beneficial. Jazakallah khair.
A beautiful article & reminder!