Aurangzaib Yousufzai – July 2017
Thematic Quranic Translation Series Installment 13
(In English Language)
Is “KA’BAH” Really The House of GOD?
Is “MASJID AL-HARAAM” The Other
Name Of KA’BAH?
Fake Concepts Repudiated By Answers
In The True Light of the Quran
Prelude
These lines are written in response to questions from friends, who are victims of misguidance on account of gross distortions in Scriptural narratives by Umayyad Despots through the medium of fictitious interpretations. A substantial number of modern, enlightened Muslim minds wish to know the true meanings of the Quranic words ---- “Ka’bah” (کعبہ), ---- “Bayit ullah” (بیت اللہ), and ---- “Hajj” (حج), representing or signifying the foundations of Muslim faith.
Some of the questions and answers are presented here below for a general awareness by truth seekers.
QUESTION NO. 1) “Rabba haadhal Bayit” ( رب ھذا البیت)? Does it not clearly mean “Ka’bah”???
ANSWER
In this context, a modern rational translation of Chapter Qurayish (106) has been presented and uploaded on “ebooks.i360.pk” library (Thematic Translation Series Installment 9), where these words are defined in their true conceptual light, and it is contextually proven that these DO NOT signify Ka’bah. Here is the relevant Verse from Chapter Qurayish :-
فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هَـٰذَا الْبَيْتِ ﴿٣﴾ “Fal-ya’budu Rabba hadhal Bayit”
Authentic and Rational translation goes like this:-
106:3 “Hence, it is essential that they collectively obey the Lord of this IDEOLOGICAL CENTER”.
“Al-Bayit” can be any ideological institution, command center, headquarters of a movement or the secretariat of the central leadership. House of Lords and House of Commons are the usual terms in English language signifying the institutions of a Government. And ‘al-Bayit al-Maal” is a known term in Arabic for the Center of Treasury. Here the suggestion is towards the centre of leadership/command established by Mohammad pbuh to control and administer his revolutionary movement.
QUESTION NO. 2) “Hazal Baladil Ameen” (ھذا البلد الامین)? Doesn’t this mean Makkah and Ka’bah???
ANSWER
This sentence is from Chapter At-Teen (95). A Rational Translation is presented hereunder to prove that it neither suggests Makkah nor Ka’bah.
Please check Thematic Translation Series Installment 11 for full translation of Chapter At-Teen (95) – ebooks.i360.pk ).
وَالتِّينِ وَالزَّيْتُونِ ﴿١﴾ وَطُورِ سِينِينَ ﴿٢﴾ وَهَـٰذَا الْبَلَدِ الْأَمِينِ ﴿٣﴾
95:1-3 “We swear by the divine gifts like the fig and the olive (وَالتِّينِ وَالزَّيْتُونِ), and by fame and glory (وَطُورِ سِينِينَ), and by this land of peace under your command,”….
(“Teen” (تین) Lane’s lexicon page 325 (of 3039). )
Suggestion here is more plausibly found towards the town of Yathrab (Medinah), where Mohammad pbuh had migrated to and established his Center of Command. No hint towards Ka’bah or Makkah.
QUESTION NO. 3): “Min Masjid al-Haraam ila Masjid al-Aqsaa” (۱۷/۱ : "من المسجد الحرام الی مسجد الاقصٰی " )???? Don’t the words Masjid Al-Haraam here suggest Ka’bah???
ANSWER
No. No suggestion again towards Ka’bah here. The relative Verse of Chapter Asraa (17) is translated here to offer you a satisfactory answer.
سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَ‌ىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَ‌امِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَ‌كْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِ‌يَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ
17:1 “Limitless in Glory is He Who directed His servant, in the midst of persistent darkness, to migrate from that “place where submission to Allah was forbidden” to another “distant center of submission to Allah’s commands” whose environment We had already made conducive and supportive for his mission, in order that we manifest for him prospects of success. Verily He is the one Who listens about and monitors your struggle.”
Masjid, the Noun of time and place from sjd (submission), is the centre of submission and surrender as well as the commandments to which one has to submit. Even Quran itself can be called Masjid because we need to submit to its teachings. When used with “Al” it signifies a particular station, point, center, land where submission is in force.
QUESTION NO. 4) “Waadin ghayira dhi zar’a ….’inda bayituka al-Moharram” ("واد غیر ذی زرع،،،،،،،عند بیتک المحرم،،" ) : Aren’t Makkah and Ka’bah meant here too from “Bayitak al-Moharram” and “a barren valley”???
ANSWER
These terms are from the Chapter Ibraheem. Nowhere is found any suggestion in this Chapter towards Ka’bah or Makkah being a holy or central place. Here is the latest Rational translation of related Verses:-
Chapter Ibraheem (14): Verses 14/35 to 14/37:
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَ‌اهِيمُ رَ‌بِّ اجْعَلْ هَـٰذَا الْبَلَدَ آمِنًا وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ الْأَصْنَامَ ﴿٣٥﴾
14:35 And remember the time when Abraham spoke thus: “O my Sustainer! Make this land peaceful/secure and help me and my posterity to keep away from surrendering to self-fabricated ideals (الْأَصْنَامَ ).
رَ‌بِّ إِنَّهُنَّ أَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيرً‌ا مِّنَ النَّاسِ ۖ فَمَن تَبِعَنِي فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي ۖ وَمَنْ عَصَانِي فَإِنَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَّ‌حِيمٌ ﴿٣٦﴾
14:36 O lord, these false ideals have led a multitude of men astray. So, from now on, who followed my path, only he is truly of me; and who disobeyed me, his case is to be taken up by you, the bearer of the attributes of protection and mercy.
رَّ‌بَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّ‌يَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْ‌عٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّ‌مِ رَ‌بَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ وَارْ‌زُقْهُم مِّنَ الثَّمَرَ‌اتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُ‌ونَ ﴿٣٧﴾
14:37 O my Sustainer, I have settled my offspring by your venerable center of command/Idiology (عِندَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّ‌مِ) in between such people (بِوَادٍ) whose minds have not been cultivated to receive your teachings (غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْ‌عٍ). O my Sustainer, this is so that they may establish among these people a strict pursuance of your commands (لِيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ). To achieve that goal, kindly turn their hearts to incline towards them and grant them fruitful sustenance so that their efforts may produce results (يَشْكُرُ‌ونَ ).
QUESTION NO. 5) Another very crucial Verse At-Tawbah (9): 19-20, which provides a solid proof of Ka’bah’s authenticity as it talks of water supply to pilgrims and the building of Ka’bah :
التوبہ: ۱۹-۔۲۰ : اجعلتم سقایۃ الحاج و عمارۃ المسجد الحرام، کمن آمن باللہ و الیوم الآخر و جٰھد فی سبیل اللہ۔ لایستون عنداللہ . واللٰہ لا یھدی القوم الظٰلمین۔ اللذین اٰمنو و ھاجروا و جاھدُوا فی سبیل اللٰہ باموالھم و انفُسھم، اعظمُ درجۃ عند اللٰہ۔ و اُولٰئک ھم الفآئزون۔
What would be your response to it ???
ANSWER
No Sir. This Verse too does not authenticate the so-called Ka’bah as a center or as holder of some kind of sanctity for Muslims. And this denial is on two accounts as follows :-
1) “Saqayatul Haaj”, the thirst-quenching of Haaj was not done by offering water to certain pilgrims, but by offering the seekers the ideological knowledge and material that may satisfy and convince them to reach the stage of faith and submission. That’s what is called Hajj in Quran. And ;
2) “’imaratul Masjid al-Haraam” is NOT the building around so-called Ka’bah, but Umara and Imaarat is defined as “tending or serving of the center where dissemination of Quranic knowledge” was in practice. And it was not that old Pagan Temple, but the one established by Mohammad pbuh at some appropriate location.
Here is the modern, rational and logical translation of the relevant text:-
9:19-20: “Do you regard the mere act of quenching the academic thirst of contenders seeking faith (سقایۃ الحاج) and of those occupying/inhabiting/serving/tending the respected Center of Submission (عمارۃ المسجد الحرام),,,,, as being equal to the performance of those who believed in Allah and the Hereafter and then strove hard in the cause of Allah? Nay, the two categories do not stand equal in the sight of Allah. And do remember that Allah does not grace with His guidance those who disregard merit (القوم الظٰلمین). In fact, those who attained to faith, and forsook the domain of evil, and strove hard in Allah’s cause with their possessions and their lives, have the highest rank in the sight of God, and it is they who shall be highly rewarded (الفآئزون) in the end.”
QUESTION NO. 6): Why then the pilgrimage (Hajj) to Ka’bah is still performed in Makkah by Muslims?
ANSWER
The hoax of pilgrimage (The Hajj) to the Ka’bah has been intensively explored, investigated and researched academically, historically and geographically in recent times, taking into account all aspects of this Pagan ritual. Thanks to the despotic Arab regimes of the arch enemies of Islam, which had usurped the Pious Caliphate just 24 years after the death of Mohammad pbuh, no part of the true Islamic ideology has reached us in its original form. The same is the case with the definition of the Quranic word Hajj. Please open this link and view a startlingly true picture of Ka’bah and pilgrimage:-
Hajj, A Delusional Journey of Deliverance