The House of Humanity
And Allah (through His
Angel of Revelation – Hazrat Jibreel (as)) commanded Hazrat Ibrahim (as) and his
son Hazrat Isma’il (as) to purify His House for those who perform the circuit around
it and for those who remain therein for devotion and those who bow down and
fall prostrate in prayer.
The Ka’aba, as some
traditions say and as hinted by the Quran itself, was originally built by Adam
(as). Allah says: “Surely, the first House
founded for all mankind is that at Becca, abounding in blessings and guidance
for all peoples.” (Al-Imran 3: 97)
“Becca” is an older name for Mecca. The foundation of the Ka’aba
goes back to Abraham, but there are places in the sacred territory with the
names of Adam and Hawa, e.g. at Arafat, the Mount of mercy.
This gives us an idea,
that though for the modern world, the first men to have founded the Ka’aba are
Ibrahim (as) and Isma’il (as), yet, the House of Allah, being the first Temple
or Mosque for the Worship of the One True God since the Creation of Man has
been initially founded by our forefather Adam (as), for as we know, if man
exists on earth, then he cannot go without worshipping Allah. Under the
instructions of Allah, he is made to set up a Mosque for His Worship, and like
Allah explains to us in this verse, the first house founded for mankind was
verily at the very same spot where the Ka’aba which we know stands today.
So, Becca is the name
given to the valley of Mecca, the Ba of Becca being changed into Mim
and became Mecca. These two letters are interchangeable as in LAZIB and
LAZIM.
The Quran here draws
the attention for the people of the Book to the remote antiquity of the Ka’aba
in order to point out that it is the real and original Centre of God’s
religion; those adopted by Jews and Christians being of later origin.
Thus, the Ka’aba was
originally built by Adam and was, for sometimes, the Centre of worship for his
progeny. Then in the course of time people became separated into different
communities and adopted different centres for worship. Abraham then rebuilt it and
it continued to remain a centre of worship for his progeny through his son Isma’il.
But with the lapse of
time it became virtually converted into a house of idols, which numbered as
many as 360 - almost the same as the number of days in a year. At the advent of
the Holy Prophet (pbuh), however, it was again made the centre of worship for
all nations, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) having been sent as a Messenger to all
mankind, to unite those who had become separated after Adam, into one common
human brotherhood.
Whereas Abraham was the
founder or only the rebuilder of the Ka’aba is a question that has given rise
to much discussion. Some hold that Abraham was the first builder of the place;
others trace its origin to Adam. The Quran (Al-Imran 3: 97) and authentic
traditions favour the view that even prior to the erection of a building on
this site by Abraham some sort of structure did exist, but it fell into ruins
and only a trace of it had remained.
Furthermore, Hazrat
Ibrahim (as) is revealed in the Holy Quran to have prayed: ‘O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring dwell in a
valley without cultivation, by Your Sacred House (Ka’aba at Mecca) in order, O
our Lord, that they may offer prayer perfectly...’ (Ibrahim 14: 38)
At the time he made
this prayer, it was when he initially left his second wife Hazrat Hajra (ra)
and newborn son Isma’il (as) under the command of Allah near the Holy Ka’aba.
He said, “by Your Sacred House…”. In other words, it was known to Hazrat
Ibrahim (as) that the House of Allah was existent in some form.
Moreover, in the
authentic Hadith reported by Imam Bukhari and narrated by Hazrat Ibn Abbas
(as), the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is quoted to have said concerning that
very difficult but necessary sacrifice of Hazrat Ibrahim (as) when he had to
abandon his wife and son in the arid desert. I will quote an extract of the
Hadith: “Abraham proceeded onwards, and on reaching the Thaniya where they
could not see him, he faced the Ka’aba, and raising both hands, invoked Allah (with
the prayer I have just recited before you)…”
Further, after the
frantic running between the two mounts of Safa and Marwa, and after finding the
Zamzam water point, an angel came to Hazrat Hajra (ra) and told her: ‘Don’t
be afraid of being neglected, for this is the House of Allah which will be
built by this boy and his father, and Allah never neglects His people.’ The
Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) further said: “The House (i.e. Ka’aba) at that
time was on a high place resembling a hillock, and when torrents came, they
flowed to its right and left.”
So, all these evidences
show that the Ka’aba did exist in some form, mainly in ruins due to abandonment
as after many years, people abandoned that spot in the desert and did not come
back. That is why Allah wanted to revive His House through Hazrat Ibrahim (as)
and Hazrat Isma’il (as) and gave them the honour of reconstructing it for His
Worship.
In the Holy Quran,
Hazrat Ibrahim (as) is also quoted to have invoked Allah in the following way: “And, Our Lord, raise up among them a Messenger from
among themselves, who may recite to them Your signs and teach them the Book and
Wisdom and may purify them; surely, You are the Mighty, the Wise”. (Al-Baqara
2: 130)
It may be of interest
to note here, how beautiful this prayer is and how aptly it comes in here, in
the argument! Such paganism or star-worship or planet- worship as there was in Hazrat
Ibrahim’s time was first cleared out of Mecca by him.
This is the chief
meaning of “sanctification” or “purification” [Tahhira] in the verse 126
of Surah Al-Baqara, although of course physical cleanliness is in physical
conditions, a necessary element of purification in the higher sense.
Abraham and his elder
son Isma’il then built the Ka’aba and re-established the rites and usages of
the sacred city. He was thus the founder of the original Islam, which is as old
as mankind in Arabia. As a devout man, he offered and dedicated the work to
Allah in humble supplication, addressing Him as the All-Hearing and the
All-Knowing. He then asks for a blessing on himself and his progeny generally,
both the children of his eldest-born Isma’il (as) and his younger son Isaac
(as), for through his prophetic visions he foresaw that there will be
corruption and backsliding in both branches of his family: Mecca will house 360
idols, and Jerusalem will become a harlot city (Ezekiel 16:15), a city of
abomination. But the light of Islam will shine, and reclaim the lost people in
both branches and indeed in the entire world. So he prayed for Allah’s mercy,
addressing Him as the Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.
And finally he foresaw
in Mecca a Messenger (prophet) as one “of their own”, and in their own
beautiful Arabic language. He asked for a blessing on Hazrat Muhammad’s Ummah;
appealing to Allah’s own power and wisdom to safeguard him and his Ummah.
So, we, Muslims, we
should bear in mind that while the line of Hazrat Issac (as) – i.e. the
Children of Israel (Jews and Christians) fell into discord as to what were
really the “God of their fathers” (i.e. the God of their ancestors), but the
Muslims are reminded that it is now for them, for us all to remind to the Jews
and the Christians that their ancestors had truly the principle of Islam in
them, and they worshipped the One True and Universal God, a God Who has neither
son – in the physical sense – nor any other partner in His worship.
With the advent of
Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) from the line of Isma’il (as) and with the perfection of
Islam by none but Allah Himself, we are reminded that ours is a great task
ahead to return the people back to the exclusive worship of Allah.
Each of us should bear
in mind that we shall account for our life on earth before Allah. No one from
our family will intercede for you. As the Khalifatullah of this age, I am
responsible for my own soul, but being your Guide and Messenger in this era, I shall
be questioned for the people of my era. So, it is of paramount importance that
we should work hard, all Muslims as one body and soul to break the false
notions of the trinity which the modern-day Christians have borrowed from
paganism. Both the Jews and the Christians went astray in their doctrines when
they added false gods to the Worship of Allah. Hazrat Ibrahim (as) and his
family established themselves on the Tawheed (i.e. Unicity of Allah),
and were “Haniff” (Worshippers of only One God).
May Allah help this
humble self and all Muslims to keep alive the true teachings of Hazrat Ibrahim
(as) alive up till the Day of Judgement. May Islam – the original religion of
Hazrat Ibrahim (as) – gain victory over all false doctrines. Insha-Allah,
Ameen.
I wish you all, an Eid-ul-Adha Mubarak. May Allah make your everyday be Eid Day; joyfulness in sacrificing yourselves in the Path of Allah, working relentlessly for His Cause. Insha-Allah, Ameen.
~~~Eid-ul-Adha Sermon delivered by Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius on 30 June 2023~ 10 Dhul-Hijjah 1444 AH.