Are Muslims Worshiping the Kabah?
30 July, 2020
QSalam, one of my friends asked me that since worshiping of stones and other things is haram (forbidden) in Islam then why all Muslims worship around the Kabah in Saudi Arabia.
ANSWER
Maen Khalifa
30 July, 2020
Short Answer:
There are several rituals in Islam, the most important of which is the salat or Muslim prayer. This can be performed anywhere around the world but still facing the Kabah if one is able to identify its direction.
Other rituals must be performed near the Kabah; these are Umrah or minor pilgrimage and Hajj, the pilgrimage.
During these times Muslims circulate around the Kabah, not to worship it but to glorify their Creator, Allah.
The Kabah is not mentioned in any Muslim prayer or regarded as one of the things to be worshiped; being close to it does not mean that Muslims worship it, it is only a structure.
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Salam Dear Brother,
Thank you for your question and for contacting Ask About Islam.
As you know, the Kabah is the prayer direction for all Muslims around the world; known as qiblah in Arabic.
So the Kabah does not represent divinity, it only unites all the Muslims around the world, forming a standardized way of praying so worshipers do not face different directions creating chaos.
It is rather a way to maintain order.
There are several rituals in Islam, the most important of which is the salat or Muslim prayer. This can be performed anywhere around the world but still facing the Kabah if one is able to identify its direction.
Are Muslims Worshiping the Kabah?
Other rituals must be performed near the Kabah; these are Umrah or minor pilgrimage and Hajj, the pilgrimage.
During these times Muslims circulate around the Kabah, not to worship it but to glorify their Creator, Allah.
The Kabah is not mentioned in any Muslim prayer or regarded as one of the things to be worshiped; being close to it does not mean that Muslims worship it, it is only a structure.
When it is opened, Muslims step inside it and pray to Allah by performing salat on its floor, the same way they pray in any other Masjid.
So it is like asking, “Why do you have to go to the Masjid to pray; is it not idol worship?”, since a Masjid is made out of stone and worshipers, at many occasions, have to face its pillars which are stone.
Monotheism
What is important to understand is that Islam’s main creed is monotheism, worshiping only one God, the creator, alone without associating any other gods with him, whether a thing or a person.
If any Muslim starts thinking that the Kabah is divine or has any significance other than what it was intended for—which is to support performing Islamic rituals—then that person is no longer a Muslim unless he corrects his ideology and repents to Allah.
So, it is all a matter of intention since Allah judges us according to our intentions whether good or bad.
We also have to clearly distinguish between idols and places of worship.
Some people believe that idols are divine, such as statues of Mary or Jesus for Christians, or the statues of Vishnu or Lakshmi for Hindus, which are directly worshiped and are given attributes of God even though they are clearly stone.
Definitely, the Kabah does not have the same significance for Muslims as statues in polytheistic or idol-worshiping religions.
Why Do We Walk Around A Stone in Makkah?
04 January, 2017
QAssalamualaykum ,I feel great to be a follower of this page. Alhamdulillah. I'm getting benefited and answers for all the questions I used to ponder on. May Allah (swt) reward you for what you are doing. After knowing many things about Islam through this page, I'm now able to raise a few questions about the great religion. One question being, when Islam prohibits any kind of idol worship, worship of anything other than Allah Almighty, or let's say giving too much importance to things like trees, animal, nature, or any human being on earth (which is very much practiced by Hindu brothers in India), why do we walk around a stone in Makkah during Hajj rituals? Why do we give importance to a piece of stone? Please answer. Assalamualaykum warahmatullah.
ANSWER
Dina Mohamed Basiony
04 January, 2017
Peace be upon you our respected Reader,
Truly we are immensely pleased to receive your question. We are even more pleased and humbled that you have been following the page and benefiting from it.
This is a great source of joy and happiness because we ultimately hope to serve and aid the sincere seekers wherever they may be as much as we can.
Now, your question is absolutely great. First of all, we can sense the humbleness and sincerity in the way you posed your question, which is highly commendable.
Second of all, the question reflects that you are absolutely on the right track of knowing that human beings should only direct their worship to the All Powerful and Incomparable Creator and not to anything or anyone of the creations.
This is the proper fitrah (innate God given nature) to believe in the Supreme Being and not equate anything or anyone with Him.
This is exactly what the beautiful religion of Islam (which means submission to the Will of the Creator) is all about. We submit our hearts, minds, and souls to The One who created them in the first place.
Now, to respond to your question, do Muslims ‘worship’ a stone in Makkah or equate it in any way, shape, or form with their Creator? Absolutely Not!
Then why is it there? The answer is that the Kaaba in Makkah is only a direction towards which all people should pray. This is to emphasize on the unity of mankind in facing the same direction of worship.
Islam emphasizes the unity and equality of all mankind and The Oneness of their Creator.
This one direction is a reminder for us every day through the prayers we perform wherever we may be around the world that we are all united (rich or poor, black or white, men or women), all are equal before Allah, all facing the same direction, and facing the same destination eventually.
But do we worship it or does it benefit us in any way in and of itself? Absolutely Not.
The only One we pray to and the only One we worship is Allah alone, and He is with us wherever we may go.
{It is You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help.} (Quran 1:5)
{And to Allah belongs the east and the west. So wherever you [might] turn, there is the Face of Allah. Indeed, Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.} (Quran 2:115)
Now, why do people circumambulate the Kaaba during Hajj and Umrah?
If you reflect on it, you will find that the planets orbit (or circumambulate) around the sun. The solar system orbits around the center of the galaxy.
Even the electrons orbit around the atom … you’ll find the phenomenon of orbiting, moving around, circumambulating highlighted significantly in the cosmic law from the smallest atoms to the mighty galaxies, all are orbiting around one center.
{And it is He who created the night and the day and the sun and the moon; all [heavenly bodies] in an orbit are swimming.} (Quran 21: 33)
The Kaaba, or stone you are referring to, is simply the one center around which people circumambulate. It is NOT an object of worship it itself.
Now it is in this location for a great wisdom. This same place is believed to be the place the first Man (Adam peace be upon him) prayed to The Creator on earth.
{Indeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Makkah – blessed and a guidance for the worlds.} (Quran 3:96)
It is also the same place the father of the prophets (Abraham peace be upon him) built the Kaaba via an instruction from His Creator.
{And [mention, O Muhammad], when We designated for Abraham the site of the House, [saying], “Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House for those who perform Tawaf and those who stand [in prayer] and those who bow and prostrate.
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 –} (Quran 22:26-27)
It is a place carefully chosen by the All Knowing Creator from Him Divine wisdom, and not something that follows the whims and desires of any human being on earth.
The harmony one feels while circumambulating this center of the universe is truly unrivaled. Maybe when you go one day you will witness this immensely powerful feeling.
All human beings, men and women, rich and poor, black and white, strong and weak … all united orbiting, in humility, the same center of all mankind.
The circumambulation starts and ends at the same point … and similarly we all come from the same Source and to Him we will all return.
{Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.} (Quran 2:156)
So, to wrap up, make no mistake thinking Islam in any way, shape, or form calls for associating anything or anyone with the Mighty Creator. This simply doesn’t make sense for us.
The One we worship is beyond His creation. His Throne alone extends over the entire heavens and the earth. We can call upon Him whenever and wherever we may be, as He said:
{And your Lord says, “Call upon Me; I will respond to you.} (Quran 40:60)
In His Infinite Wisdom He called us to direct ourselves in worship towards a unified one direction and to orbit the one and same center, and this is what we do out of submission and obedience to The Most High, The All Knowing.
We hope we helped answer your query a little bit. We are providing further resources here below that will definitely make matters even more clear. Please do not hesitate to send us your questions.
We ask Allah to strengthen you in faith and increase you in love and awe and sincerity to your Creator and service to this beautiful deen.
Revelation, Monotheism and Black Stone
31 August, 2016
QSalam, My question is regarding the revelation of the Quran and the manner of which Muhammad received it from the angel Gabriel. What counters the view that the appearance of Gabriel may have been Satan himself? It bothers me particularly that the angel Gabriel would physically harm Muhammad to read (or recite) if he already knew he was illiterate? Muhammad himself thought he was "possessed”. Also, why was Makkah a place of idol worship before the Quran and remains to be so in the name of Allah with reference to the Black Stone? Therefore, is not paganism the root of Islamic worship? With all due respect, I am just in search for the truth. The manner of the introduction of the Quran has not yet convinced me to believe that Muhammad received Divine revelation from the One true God. Many thanks.
ANSWER
Sohaib Saeed
31 August, 2016
Salam Dear Saima,
Many thanks for your questions, which as always are welcome in pursuit of the truth and deeper knowledge of Islam.
It is the opinion of many anthropologists these days that monotheism was a later development in human religion, and that earlier people worshipped manifestations of nature in the search for the ultimate.
However, Quran is explicit in teaching the opposite. It shows that the earliest people served only the true God, and those later generations deviated from the purity of worship and set up idols as intermediaries between them and Allah (God).
The main purpose of God sending prophets and messengers to all nations throughout history was to return them to the essential truth of monotheism, as well as teaching them morality through their words and example.
One of the earliest was Prophet Noah (peace be upon him), who condemned the idol-worship of his people, but met largely with mockery and rejection:
{and said to each other: ‘Do not renounce your gods; especially Wadd, Suwa, Yaghuth, Yauq, and Nasr (the names of their idols)} (Quran, Nuh 71:23)
Commentators explain that these names belonged to righteous men who had been amongst the community some decades earlier. After their death, the people erected statues in their memory. However, with the passage of time, later generations forgot their purpose and began to worship these statues.
Therefore, idolatry was a departure from the primordial religion of monotheism.
Makkah and Monotheism
The city of Makkah has a significant history as the first spot on earth established for the worship of God Almighty:
{The first House [of worship] to be established for people was the one at Mecca. It is a blessed place; a source of guidance for all people;} (Quran, Aal-Imran 3:96)
Some accounts indicate that Adam and Eve, the first human beings, were the first people to construct the Kaabah, the building that continues to provide a focal point for the prayers of Muslims around the world.
Later, the two prophets Abraham (Ibrahim) and his eldest son Prophet Ishmael (Ismail), may peace be upon them, raised the building of the Kaabah on its original foundations and prayed to Allah to raise up generations of believers in its vicinity:
{As Abraham and Ishmael built up the foundations of the House [they prayed], “Our Lord, accept [this] from us. You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. Our Lord, make us devoted to You; make our descendants into a community devoted to You. Show us how to worship and accept our repentance, for You are the Ever-Relenting, the Most-Merciful.} (Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:127-8)
Thus, the Arab tribes that dwelt in the region, including Quraish, among whom prophet Muhammad emerged, traced not only their biological lineage to Abraham, but also their spiritual lineage, despite the large extent to which they deviated from his teachings.
The Makkans of the generations preceding Muhammad were steeped in humiliating servitude to idols they carved with their own hands, seeking help from helpless wood and stone.
The origin of this idolatry is known to be a leader called Amr bin Luhayy, who brought an idol named Hubal from Syria and ordered the people of Makkah to pray to it for their needs. (Ibn Hisham, 77)
Thus the people became accustomed to this practice and used to keep idols in their homes as well as three hundred and sixty of them in and around the Kaabah, which was originally dedicated to the worship of One God.
Although they knew that there was a supreme deity called Allah, the sole Creator, the vast majority of the Makkans worshipped idols to serve their daily needs and as intercessors before Allah. Only a handful, known as the Hanifs, dissented from these practices.
The Mission of Muhammad
Muhammad (peace be upon him) arose as the answer to the prayer of his forefathers Ibrahim and Ismail, which is mentioned in the verse following the ones quoted previously:
{Our Lord, make a messenger of their own rise up from among them, to recite Your revelations to them, teach them the Scripture and wisdom, and purify them: You are the Mighty, the Wise.} (Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:129)
Muhammad purified them by eradicating idolatry from the Arabian Peninsula through the dramatic events of his prophetic life: First in Makkah, then in Madinah, and culminating in the peaceful conquest of his home city.
Upon the conquest of Makkah, one of the first acts of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was to topple the idols around the Kaabah, striking them with his own stick and proclaiming the words of the Quran, which Muslims believe is the word of God:
{And say, “The truth has come, and falsehood has passed away: falsehood is bound to pass away.”} (Quran, Al-Israa 17:81)
I think this summary is sufficient to dispel the notion that Islamic practice has any origin in paganism or idolatry.
Regarding to your specific reference to the way Muslims worship at the Kaabah and show respect to a rock at one of its corners known as the Black Stone, a brief clarification is needed.
In no way is the fact that Muslims prostrate in the direction of Makkah, specifically the Kaabah, to be construed as worshipping an object. It is merely a spot chosen by God to provide a focal point for worshippers wherever they may be. Thus, the Muslims standing in straight rows in their mosques and homes are actually standing in concentric circles spanning the entire globe.
When Muslims pray, they prostrate with their faces on the ground. No sensible person would accuse them of worshipping the ground itself! The same reasoning applies to a building towards which the physical actions of prayer are performed. The spirit of the prayer is focused only on God.
The Black Stone is said to have come down from heaven and been placed in the Kaabah by Prophet Ibrahim. Muslims raise their hands towards it while performing the pilgrimage rites, or even touch or kiss it, because that is the practice taught by Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), and is thought to symbolize pledging obedience to Allah.
Indeed, the second Caliph Umar ibn Al-Khattab was heard addressing the Black Stone, saying:
“By God, I know that you are nothing but a rock that can neither harm nor benefit. Had I not seen the Messenger of God kissing you, I would not have kissed you.” (Al-Bukhari)
I have never heard of anyone mistakenly believing that the building or this stone could provide anyone benefit or cause any harm, such that they worship the structure rather than the One in Whose worship it was established since time immemorial.
The Event of Revelation
You have also asked about the Prophet’s visitation by the Archangel Gabriel, and the aspects of fear and discomfort that accompanied it.
Certainly, revelation was no light matter, as its form was related to its importance. As God addresses His messenger in the Quran:
{We shall send a momentous message down to you.} (Quran, Al-Muzzammil 73:5)
It seems that you have interpreted the Angel’s powerful embrace of the Prophet in the story of the first revelation as something malign. However, the reality of its purpose was explained well by a contemporary author:
“[This] may be viewed as confirmation that what was taking place was the reception of something objective and external, lest anyone suppose that it was nothing but a figment of his imagination.” (M.S.R.)
The same author points out that the terror felt by the Prophet on this occasion, exemplified by his rushing home to his wife, Khadijah, trembling and asking to be wrapped in a garment, is a fact supporting the genuineness of the revelatory experience.
This is because it shows that the Prophet had no hand in creating the message that came to him, and he was far from expecting it before its sudden arrival.
For the remainder of the two decades of revelation until shortly before Muhammad’s death, the visitations by the Angel Gabriel were not quite so dramatic. The Prophet stated explicitly that:
“The easiest form of revelation would involve the Angel Gabriel coming to him in the form of a human being and speaking to him.” (Al-Bukhari)
Finally, the notion that there was any involvement of the devil in the revelation is contradicted most clearly by the teachings of the Quran itself. Its central message is to worship Allah alone, and achieve purity through obeying Allah and doing good, while rejecting the call of Satan and evil desires.
Hajj: It Is All about God’s Oneness
Dr. Mohsen Haredy
30 July, 2016
“Tawheed” (the Oneness of God) was the message with which all the messengers and prophets were sent to establish on earth. Every prophet was ordered to convey the message of “Tawheed” to his people.
In all the verses in the Quran detailing the prophets’ stories we read the following command: {My people, serve God: you have no god other than Him.} (7:65, 11:61, 11:84). Therefore, throughout history there has been one message, one God, but diverse nations.
Muslims worship the same God of all prophets (peace be upon them), ending with Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Islam, God’s final message, is built on five pillars, namely testifying that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger, performing prayers, paying zakah (obligatory alms), observing fasting in the month of Ramadan, and making Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah).
Hajj is made obligatory on those who are physically and financially able to do it.
In what follows are reflections on Hajj as a symbol of “Tawheed” from start to finish.
1- When a pilgrim leaves home and sets out for the journey to Makkah, he leaves behind his wife, children, parents, and relatives. He remembers that it is his love to God that made him leave everything behind to answer His call.
2- Before wearing the Ihram attire, it is recommended to take a shower. While taking off his clothes, the pilgrim remembers that today he is washing himself, but when he dies, he will be washed and buried waiting for the reward of his submission to God in the Hereafter.
3- While in the state of “Ihram”, the pilgrim is required to avoid certain things. He abides by the rules in complete obedience to God without asking why I should do this and should not do that.
4- The “Talbiyah”, which the pilgrim utters after making the intention to make Hajj, represents the message of “Tawheed” (oneness of God).
The pilgrim says: “Labbaika Allahumma Labbaik, Labbaika la sharika Laka labbaik, Inna-l-hamda wan-ni`mata Laka walmulk, La sharika Laka”. (Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner.)
“Talbiyah” is the symbol of “Tawheed”. On how Prophet Muhammad performed Hajj, he used to say:
“”Labbaika Allahumma Labbaik, Labbaika la sharika Laka labbaik. Inna-l-hamda wan-ni’mata Laka walmu Lk, La sharika Laka‘.” (Al-Bukhari)
“Talbiyah” means an ongoing submission to God’s call. It is an answer to the proclamation made by Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and God says in the Quran: {… they will come to you on foot and on every kind of swift mount, emerging from every deep mountain pass…} (22:27)
When the pilgrim utters the “Talbiyah”, everything around him recites it in the complete submission to the one God. The Prophet said:
“There is no Muslim who recites the Talbiyah but whatever is to his right and to his left of stones, rocks and clods recites it with him, to the furthest point to the east and the west – meaning from his right and his left.” (Al-Tirmidhi)
5- When the pilgrim makes “Tawaf” (circumambulation around the Kabah), he should remember Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail when they built the House (Kabah) and the purpose why it was built. It was built to establish the worship of one God on earth. He should also remember the supplication made by Prophet Ibrahim {Preserve me and my offspring from idolatry.} (14:35)
During “Tawaf”, the pilgrim remembers that he is not glorifying the Black Stone or the Ka’bah, but he is glorifying the Creator who ordered him to make the “Tawaf”. `Abbas ibn Rabi`ah reported: “I saw `Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) kissing the Stone and saying:
“I am kissing you and I know that you are a stone. And if I had not seen Allah’s Messenger kissing you, I would not have kissed you.” (Muslim)
6- The day of `Eid al-Adha is also another symbol of “Tawheed”. On this day, Ibrahim and Ismail were put to a great trial. The father, Ibrahim, was commanded to sacrifice his son, Ismail as a test of his faith. The story is reported in the Quran as follows:
{When the boy was old enough to work with his father, Abraham said, ‘My son, I have seen myself sacrificing you in a dream. What do you think?’ He said, ‘Father, do as you are commanded and, God willing, you will find me steadfast.’ When they had both submitted to God, and he had laid his son down on the side of his face, We called out to him, ‘Abraham, you have fulfilled the dream.’ This is how We reward those who do good–it was a test to prove [their true characters]– We ransomed his son with a momentous sacrifice, and We let him be praised by succeeding generations…} (37:102-8)
Because the father and the son believed in God, the father did not hesitate to abide by the commandment he saw in his dream, and the son did not hesitate to carry out his father’s order. At that moment, God spared Ismail’s life and substituted a great ram from heaven instead.
7- The sacrifice is another scene of “Tawheed”. After throwing “Jamrat al-`Aqabah”, the pilgrim should sacrifice a sheep or a goat for the sake of Allah out of recognition of His Oneness, and God will accept such a sacrifice. God says in the Quran what means:
{Say, ‘My prayers and sacrifice, my life and death, are all for God, Lord of all the Worlds; He has no partner. This is what I am commanded, and I am the first to devote myself to Him.’} (6:162-63)
{… So pray to your Lord and make your sacrifice to Him alone.} (108:2)
What kind of reward would suit these efforts made by pilgrims?
The answer is one word, Paradise. The Prophet is reported to have said:
“The reward for an accepted Hajj is nothing less than Paradise.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
