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Rebuttals to Islamic Awareness
Responses to Islamic Awareness
Christian Analysis of the Islamic Awareness' Alleged Rebuttal to:
Prophet Muhammad's Night Journey To Al-Masjid Al-Aqsā - The Farthest Mosque
Sam Shamoun
The following is an examination of the claims set forth by Islamic Awareness
in trying to save the Quran from a serious anachronistic fallacy. Before
proceeding into our rebuttal we recommend that our readers first read
this article where we document
from Islamic sources that al-Masjid al-Aqsa refers to an actual
building as opposed to merely a location:
Islamic Awareness:
Many Christian missionaries point to concerning the above passage.
They claim that:
The Farthest Mosque (Al-Masjid-ul-Aqs-a) was built many years after the
death of Muhammad. It is utterly impossible that Muhammad visited it on
his Night Journey.
They further add:
The Temple of Solomon had been completely destroyed in 70 AD, i.e. 550 years
before the alleged time of the Miraj in 622 AD, the twelfth year of Muhammad's
mission. A Temple that didn't exist anymore does not provide any better
solution to this problem than a Mosque which wasn't built yet.
As usual, the solution to such a "difficulty" lies in part in an elementary
knowledge of the Arabic language as well as an understanding of basic Islamic
concepts.
Response:
As usual, the Islamic Awareness team begins their article with typical ad
hominem slurs. They try to poison the mind of the readers, evidently to
prevent them from fairly analyzing the claims set forth by the Christian side
so that they can obtain an unfair and unscholarly advantage. To indirectly
insinuate that the Christian side lacks both an elementary knowledge of
the Arabic language as well as basic Islamic concepts is a cheap debate trick
used by those who have no solid rebuttal to present. As we shall see, this is
precisely the dilemma of Saifullah &Co., namely that the paper contains much
rhetoric but lacks any real substance.
Islamic Awareness:
What Is A Masjid?
The Arabic word for "mosque" is masjid. Grammarians classify such words as
"ism makān", i.e., "name of place"; it indicates the place where an action
takes place. Masjid being derived from the root sa-ja-da (to prostrate),
it means "place of prostration". Since a place of worship is a place where
believers prostrate to God, "masjid" is a general term to designate any place
of worship without any religious distinction. Later, this word was used to
designate Islamic sanctuaries in particular, i.e., mosques.
Response:
Saifullah &Co. think that by giving us an etymology lesson on the word "masjid"
they will then somehow manage to resolve the issue. All that Islamic Awareness has shown
is that they are good at attacking straw men. Since the original article never
denied that the term masjid could designate a place of prostration we really do
not see how this addresses the point made by the Christian side. The argument
that was originally posed was that the term al-Masjid al-Aqsa referred to
a building. This being the case, the question needed to be answered is what
Mosque did Muhammad allegedly visit on his alleged Night Journey seeing that
the Jerusalem temple had been destroyed centuries prior and Al-Aqsa Mosque
hadn't been erected yet? The Islamic Awareness team has been unable to deal
with this problem, as we shall shortly document. In fact, their arguments
actually prove that al-Masjid al-Aqsa can only refer to an actual
building and not simply the temple site.
Islamic Awareness:
The Prophet's(P) night journey was from "the inviolable place of worship"
(al-Masjid al-Harām) to "the farthest place of worship" (al-Masjid
al-Aqsā). The former is certainly located in Makkah, but what about the
latter? The reference to Allah blessing its surroundings (... whose precincts
We did bless) suggests a location in the "Holy Land" (cf. 21:81; 7:137;
34:18). Neal Robinson states:
The [Muslim] tradition which identifies it [i.e., al-Masjid al-Aqsā] with the
Temple Mount in Jerusalem makes admirable sense in view of the fact that the
'place of worship' (masjid) whose destruction is evoked in v. 7 [i.e.,
17:7] is clearly the Temple.[1]
This view is also shared by many western scholars.[2]
Response:
If by Temple Mount Western Scholars mean the Temple itself along with its
surroundings, then they are correct. If they mean the site itself minus the
Temple, then they are incorrect as we have shown and shall demonstrate here.
See the related link above.
Islamic Awareness:
An excellent example of the usage of the word "masjid" referring to a
non-Islamic sanctuary can be seen in the verse 17:7 that describes
briefly the destruction of the mosque in Jerusalem (i.e., the Temple) by
the enemies of Children of Israel. Allah says in the Qur'ān that the
destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem was a punishment was inflicted
upon the Children of Israel for their tyranny and arrogance.
Response:
Seemingly, in their zealousness to refute the Christian argument Saifullah &Co.
carelessly overlooked the fact that this argument actually refutes their entire
position. That the term masjid in S. 17:7 refers to the Jerusalem temple proves
that the use of the same term in S. 17:1 can only be referring to an actual building!
Therefore, S. 17:7 proves that the phrase al-Masjid al-Aqsa can only
be referring to the actual temple at Jerusalem and not just to the site on which
the temple once stood.
In case Saifullah &Co. try to claim that the Quran clearly mentions the
destruction of the temple and hence S. 17:1 cannot be referring to an actual
building, we only need to remind them that there were two temples erected in
Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, the commander of Nebuchadnezzar's armies, in 587 B.C,
burned the first temple. Titus, the Roman general, destroyed the second temple
in 70 A.D. Therefore, S. 17:7 does not conclusively prove that al-Masjid
al-Aqsa could only be referring to the temple site. S. 17:7 may be referring
to the destruction of the first temple by Nebuchadnezzar. The burden of proof
rests upon Islamic Awareness to show otherwise.
Islamic Awareness:
Nevertheless, the primary meaning of masjid is "place of prostration" and
after the advent of Islam the word masjid does not necessarily designate
a building but only a location. In support of this argument, we quote in
Sahīh al-Bukhārī:
Muhammad Ibn Sinān, i.e., al-cAwqī told us, Hushaym told us; and Sacīd Ibn
an-Nadr told me, Hushaym informed us that Sayyār informed us, Yazīd, i.e.,
Ibn Suhayb al-Faqīr told us, Jābir Ibn 'Abd Allāh told us:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "I have been given five things
which were not given to any amongst the Prophets before me. These are:
1. Allah made me victorious by awe [by His frightening of my enemies] for
a distance of one month's journey.
2. The earth has been made for me [and for my followers] a "masjid"
[Arabic: a place for prostration]
3. The booty has been made halāl [lawful] for me [and was not made so for
anyone else].
4. Every Prophet used to be sent to his nation exclusively but I have been
sent to all mankind.
5. I have been given the right of intercession [on the Day of Resurrection].[3]
So, according to this hadīth, any place on earth is a masjid [a place fit for
worship] for Muslims. Therefore, whether there was a building or not when the
Prophet(P) made his heavenly trip, it is the location of the "Farthest Mosque"
that is intended by the verse and not a building per se because the
location where it lies today was blessed by God as mentioned in verse 17:1
"the Farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless". Therefore, no one can
claim that the word "masjid" in the Islamic terminology refers necessarily
to a building. Imām Ibn Hajar confirms this opinion in Fath al-Bārī (his
commentary on Sahīh al-Bukhārī):
(the earth has been made for me a "masjid")
means a place for prostration, i.e., prostration is not restricted to
any particular place of the earth. It may also be a metaphor of a construction
built for prayer. This is due to the fact that once prayer is authorized
everywhere on earth it becomes like a mosque for that purpose. Ibn al-Tīn said:
"The earth has been made for me a masjid and a means of purification" both
were given to the Prophet, peace be upon him, while it was only a place for
worship for others and was not a means of purification, because Jesus used
to walk around and pray whenever prayer was due. Al-Dāwūdī said likewise
before him. It was also said that they [the previous generations] were
authorized to perform prayer in places known for sure to be pure, whereas
this ummah is authorized to pray anywhere on earth except in the places
known for sure to be impure. The strongest opinion is that of al-Khattābī
who says that earlier nations were authorized to perform prayer in special
places like synagogues and churches. This is confirmed by the wording of
the narration of Ibn Shucayb "And before me people prayed in their churches."
This is a controversial[?] wording but the specificity was established [??].
This is supported by the narration of al-Bazzār from the hadīth of Ibn
cAbbās similar to the present hadīth which
includes "Prophets did not pray until they reached their chamber".[4]
Response:
To say that the primary meaning of masjid is a place of prostration does not
rule out that masjid can and does often mean a building in which the act of
prostration takes place. Hence, Islamic Awareness chases after red herrings
and is attacking a straw man here. Furthermore, it is the Islamic sources that
affirm that S. 17:1 is in fact referring to a building and not just the
location. See our above mentioned article.
Third, the fact that S. 17:1 clearly distinguishes between al-Masjid al-Aqsa
and its precincts conclusively demonstrates that masjid here can only be
referring to an actual building.
Finally, again in their zealousness to refute the Christian position
Saifullah &Co. seemingly overlooked the following comment made by Ibn Hajar:
The strongest opinion is that of al-Khattābī who says that earlier nations
were authorized to perform prayer IN SPECIAL PLACES LIKE SYNAGOGUES AND
CHURCHES. This is confirmed by the wording of the narration of Ibn
Shucayb "And before me people prayed IN
THEIR CHURCHES." This is a controversial[?] wording but the specificity
was established [??]. This is supported by the narration of al-Bazzār from
the hadīth of Ibn cAbbās similar to
the present hadīth which includes "Prophets did not pray UNTIL THEY REACHED
THEIR CHAMBER".[4]
If Ibn Hajar is correct, and Islamic Awareness quotes him with approval, then
whenever the term masjid is used in reference to the place Jews and Christians
worshiped before Muhammad's time it can only be referring to an actual building.
Therefore, that al-Masjid al-Aqsa is used in reference to a place used
by Jews before the advent of Muhammad again proves that the phrase can only
be referring to the temple itself. It cannot be referring to the location of
the temple.
Hence, the sources used by Saifullah &Co. actually affirm our position and
refute theirs. We appreciate all the help that Islamic Awareness has provided
in making our case that much stronger.
Islamic Awareness:
Before we close this issue, one should realize that verse 17:1 also speaks
of "The Sacred Mosque" which is today in Makkah around the Kacbah.
Did a mosque exist there in the time of the Prophet(P)? The answer is that
the Kacbah was there but there was no mosque.
This further supports the argument that the word masjid in this verse refers
to a sacred place in general and does not imply the presence of a "mosque"
in the modern understanding.
Response:
For Saifullah & Co.'s sake we hope that their position is wrong. If they are
indeed correct in what they claim then what will they do with the following
hadith:
Sahih al-Bukhari Volume 2, Book 21, Number 281:
Narrated Quza'a: I heard Abu Said saying four words.
He said, "I heard the Prophet (saying the following narrative)."
He had participated in twelve holy battles with the Prophet.
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Do not set out on a journey
except for THREE Mosques i.e. Al-Masjid-Al-Haram, the Mosque
of Allah's Apostle, and the Mosque of Al-Aqsa, (Mosque of Jerusalem)."
This hadith clearly refers to an actual Mosque and not just a location
since the Prophet's Mosque was an actual building. This would also mean
that the Mosque of Al-Aqsa was an actual building as well.
Hence, either Saifullah & Co. must now admit that al-masjid al-haram
does in fact refer to the Kabah or must conclude that Sahih Bukhari is in
error for mentioning a Mosque which did not exist at the time of Muhammad.
Yet, to admit that the phrase al-masjid al-haram does refer to an
actual building debunks their claim that the reference in S. 17:1 refers
to the location as opposed to the actual temple structure. Here are more
citations affirming that al-masjid al-haram refers to the Kabah
itself:
Muhammad Asad comments on S. 2:125:
... The Temple (al-bayt)- lit., "the House [of Worship]"-
mentioned here is the Ka'bah in Mecca. In other places the Qur'an
speaks of it as "the Ancient Temple" (al-bayt al-'atiq), and
frequently also as "the Inviolable House of Worship" (al-masjid al-haram)...
(Asad, Message of the Qur'an [Dar Al-Andalus Limited, 3 Library Ramp,
Gibraltar reprint 1993], p. 26, f. 102; bold emphasis ours)
Asad also provides the following comment on S. 17:1:
... "The Inviolable House of Worship" (al-masjid al-haram) is one
of the designations given in the Qur'an TO THE TEMPLE OF THE KA'BAH, the
PROTOTYPE of which owed its origin TO ABRAHAM (see surah 2, note 102)
and was "the first Temple set up for mankind" (3:96), i.e., the first
ever built for the worship of the One God. "The Remotest [lit., "farthest"]
House of Worship", on the other hand, designates the ancient TEMPLE OF
SOLOMON- or, rather its site- ... (Asad, p. 417, f. 1; bold and capital
emphasis ours)
Abdullah Yusuf Ali comments on S. 17:1 and the phrase al-masjid al-haram:
... Masjid is a place of prayer: here it refers TO THE KAB'AH at Mecca.
It had not yet been cleared of its idols and rededicated exclusively to the One
True God. It was symbolic of the new Message which was being given to mankind.
(Ali, The Holy Qur'an - Translation and Commentary, p. 693, f. 2167;
bold and capital emphasis ours)
Mahmoud M. Ayoub states in relation to S. 2:125:
Tabarsi relates that "the House was called al-bayt al-haram [the
sacred or forbidden house] because the associators were forbidden to enter it.
It was also called al-Ka'bah ["the cube"] because it is a square structure.
It is square because it was modeled on al-bayt ma'mur ['the populous house'
in the fourth heaven, circumambulated by large companies of angels] which is square.
The 'populous house' was made square because it was modeled on the Throne, which
is also square. The Throne was made square because the words which Islam is
founded on are four: glory to God, praise be to God, there is no god but God,
and God is most great" (Tabarsi, I, p. 459). (Ayoub, The Qur'an and Its Interpreters -
Volume 1 [State of University of New York Press, Albany 1984], p. 157; bold
emphasis ours)
Hence, we see that the argument posited by Islamic Awareness crumbles from beneath
their feet.
After delving into irrelevant issues Saifullah &Co. continue:
Islamic Awareness:
Concerning early mosques, Creswell states:
... their [i.e., Muslims'] architectural resources, before they started
in their career of conquest, were barely enough to give expression to their
needs. In other words Arabia constituted an almost perfect architectural
vacuum... The first mosques in the great hīras, or half nomadic encampments
of the conquest, such as Basra, Kūfa and Fusā, were primitive in the extreme,
and in Syria the first mosques were churches that had been converted or
merely divided: In fact there is no reason for believing that any mosque
was built as such in Syria until the time of al-Walid (705-15) or possibly
cAbd al-Mālik (685-705), for over
a generation the Arabs remained quite untouched by any architectural ambitions...[9]
It is worth noting that the Prophet(P) disliked extravagance and impressive
architecture in buildings, especially mosques. The relative simplicity of
early mosques is in fact a historical example of how the Prophet's Companions
diligently followed his wishes. This is true to a greater extent even today.
Response:
This is the fallacy of irrelevance. To say that Muhammad disliked fancy buildings
is not the same as proving that Muhammad and his followers built no mosques at all.
The fact is that Muhammad did have a Mosque built, al-Masjid al-Nabi. The Islamic
traditions speak of how Muhammad personally involved himself in its construction.
We again see the team of Islamic Awareness bringing up irrelevant issues and
red herrings. This is nothing more than straw man argumentation.
Islamic Awareness:
Al-Masjid Al-Aqsā: A Place Of Prostration For Jews
The Qur'ān refers to al-Aqsā as a masjid, a place of prostration. Was this place
used for prostration in early times? Al-Masjid al-Aqsā and the surrounding area
(i.e., Dome of the Rock among others) is usually identified with the place
where the Temple of Solomon once stood. Bet ha-Miqdash, as the Temple
is usually known in Jewish literature, was primarily a place of assembly for
the entire people, for purposes of sacrifice, prayer, and thanksgiving. It is
in the prayer ritual that prostrations were performed by the priests. Encyclopaedia
Judaica provides an interesting account of the prayer ritual by the priests of
the Temple.
The priest who had gathered the coals entered the sanctuary first, scattered
them over the incense altar, prostrated himself, and departed. Then the priest
who was chosen by lot to offer the incense entered, bearing the pan of incense
in his hand. He was accompanied by a priest appointed for this task who instructed
him in the proper ritual, and he did not offer it until he was told: "Offer the
incense!" The officiating priest waited until the space between the hall and the
altar was cleared of people, offered up the incense, prostrated himself, and
departed (Tam. 6; Kelim end of ch. 1). During the offering of the incense in
the sanctuary, the people used to gather in the azarah for prayer, and even
outside the Temple these times were set aside for prayer (cf. Luke 1:10; Judith 9:1).
After the departure of the priest who had offered the incense, all the priests
filed into the sanctuary, prostrated themselves, and went out again.[10]
It is interesting to note that the Temple was considered as the only place
of prostration by some Rabbis and that they would refuse to completely
prostrate outside the Temple in Jerusalem.[11]
The Jewish concept of worship has extensive vocabulary, out of which hishtahawah,
"to prostrate oneself," is the most frequently used in the Hebrew Bible (86 times).[12]
Response:
We really do not see how this supposedly establishes Saifullah &Co.'s case since
the reference clearly affirms that the priests worshiped and performed their
rituals within the sanctuary itself. Islamic Awareness itself affirms this by
saying,
... Bet ha-Miqdash, as the Temple is usually known in Jewish literature,
was primarily a place of assembly for the entire people, FOR PURPOSES OF
SACRIFICE, PRAYER, AND THANKSGIVING. It is in the prayer ritual that
prostrations were performed by the priests...
And,
It is interesting to note that the Temple was considered AS THE ONLY PLACE
OF PROSTRATION by some Rabbis and that THEY WOULD REFUSE to completely
prostrate outside the Temple in Jerusalem
This once again establishes our position since the Jews would not have offered
religious services at this location had there been no temple.
Islamic Awareness:
Yet Another Problem!
In the same article, the missionaries express another objection:
In Yusuf Ali's commentary on this verse we read: "The Farthest Mosque must
refer to the site of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem..." So, it is
interpreted to be not the building itself, but only the site, the location
where it had been. I might be wrong, but this seems to be contradicted by
a hadith and Muhammad's understanding that Al-Masjid-ul-Aqs-a is something
that is built, not just a location. Al-Masjid-ul-Haram after all was
a building.
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 55, Number 636:
Narrated Abu Dhaar:
I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Which mosque was built first?" He replied,
"Al-Masjid-ul-Haram." I asked, "Which (was built) next?" He replied,
"Al-Masjid-ul-Aqs-a (i.e. Jerusalem)." I asked, "What was the period
in between them?" He replied, "Forty (years)." He then added, "Wherever
the time for the prayer comes upon you, perform the prayer, for all the
earth is a place of worshipping for you."
This hadith actually introduces yet another problem. Abraham supposedly
(re)built the Kaaba, (and Abraham lived about 2000 BC) and the Temple was
built by Solomon in about 958-951 BC, then Muhammad gave another historically
false information based on a major confusion about the time when these people
lived.
Firstly, we have already shown that the word masjid does not necessarily
refer to a building but rather to a location, i.e., the place of prostration.
Secondly, the missionaries try to deceive the readers in the above paragraphs.
Indeed, they admit the Islamic opinion that Abraham(P) rebuilt the Kacbah (it
was Adam who built it originally according to the Islamic tradition), but for
unjustified reason they overlook the Islamic traditions addressing the construction
of the farthest mosque, presumably to generate a "contradiction".
Response:
The reason why the Christians reject the Islamic traditions is due to the
contradictory fables contained therein over the alleged origins of the Kabah.
It is interesting that Islamic Awareness appeals to the hadiths to establish
their case. They seem to be aware that the Quran debunks the myth of the Kabah
being originally built by Adam. Hence, in a desperate attempt at avoiding the
contradiction, Saifullah &Co. must appeal to the fables of the Hadith to save
them.
Islamic Awareness:
They identify the Farthest Mosque with the Temple of Solomon without further
justification, and point out an error that they had invented themselves. Let
us for example see what Imām Ibn Hajar says about this hadīth in Fath al-Bārī:
Response:
Correction. The reason why Christians identify the Farthest Mosque with the temple
of Solomon is because Muslim authorities identify it as such. The only temple
that ever existed in Jerusalem is the one originally built by Solomon and later
rebuilt by the Jews upon their return from the exile. This is a fact which the
Holy Bible, secular history and Islamic sources are in agreement. See our article.
Islamic Awareness:
His saying (40 years)
Ibn al-Jawzī said: It raises a problem since Abraham built the Kacbah and
Solomon built Bayt al-Maqdis [another name of al-Masjid al-Aqsā cf. Hebrew
Bet ha-Miqdash] and there are 1,000 years between them. His evidence
for saying that it is Solomon - peace be upon him - who built the Farthest Mosque
is the narration of al-Nasā'ī from the hadīth of 'Abd Allāh Ibn 'Amr Ibn al-'Ās
attributed to the Prophet with an authentic isnād that "When Solomon built Bayt
al-Maqdis he asked God the Most High for three things etc." and in al-Tabarānī
from the hadīth of Rāfi' Ibn 'Umayrah that "David - peace be upon him - started
building Bayt al-Maqdis but God inspired him: I shall accomplish its building
with Solomon" and the hadīth has a story. He [Ibn al-Jawzī] said: "The answer
to that is that the mention concerns the first construction and the foundation
of the mosque and it is not Abraham who built the Kacbah
for the first time nor is it Solomon who built Bayt al-Maqdis for the first
time. Indeed, we have narrated that the first one who built the Ka'bah is Adam.
Then his progeny spread out on earth. Therefore, it is possible that one of
them built Bayt al-Maqdis. Later, Abraham (re)built the Ka'bah according to
the Qur'ān." Likewise, al-Qurtubī said: The hadīth does not indicate that
Abraham and Solomon were the first ones to build the two mosques. It was only
a renovation of what had been founded by others.[13]
Response:
For the sake of our readers we highlight the following section from Ibn
Hajar's citation:
Ibn al-Jawzī said: It raises a problem since Abraham built the Kacbah
and Solomon built Bayt al-Maqdis [another name of al-Masjid al-Aqsā cf.
Hebrew Bet ha-Miqdash] and there are 1,000 years between them. His
evidence for saying that it is Solomon - peace be upon him - who built
the Farthest Mosque is the narration of al-Nasā'ī from the hadīth of
cAbd Allāh Ibn 'Amr Ibn al-'Ās ATTRIBUTED
TO THE PROPHET WITH AN AUTHENTIC ISNAD that "When Solomon built Bayt al-Maqdis
he asked God the Most High for three things etc." and in al-Tabarānī
from the hadīth of Rāfi' Ibn 'Umayrah that "David - peace be upon him -
started building Bayt al-Maqdis but God inspired him: I shall accomplish
its building with Solomon" and the hadīth has a story....
These Muslim authorities are in complete agreement with the biblical record.
(Cf. 2 Samuel 7:1-17; 1 Kings 5-8; 1 Chronicles 28:1-29:19; 2 Chronicles 2-7)
Therefore, it is not simply a Christian argument that al-Masjid al-Aqsa
refers to Solomon's temple but an argument endorsed by Muslims on the
authority of their Prophet as well.
Islamic Awareness:
After quoting other opinions, Ibn Hajar insists:
But the possibility mentioned by Ibn al-Jawzī is more pertinent. And I found
evidence supporting those who say that it is Adam who founded both mosques.
For instance, Ibn Hishām mentioned in "Kitāb al-Tījān" that when Adam built
the Kacbah, God ordered him to walk to Bayt
al-Maqdis and build it and so he did and offered worship in it. And the
construction of the House [Arabic: al-Bayt, i.e., the Ka'bah] is famous and
we have mentioned earlier the hadīth of 'Abd Allāh Ibn 'Amr that the House
was elevated in the time of the flood until God showed Abraham its location.
Ibn Abī Hātim narrated from the way of Macmar
from Qatādah: God founded the House with Adam when he descended. But Adam
missed the voices of the Angels and their prayers. Therefore, God told him:
I sent down a House around which [people] will revolve like it is revolved
around my Throne, so set out to it. Adam set out to Makkah - He had descended
in India, and his steps were enlarged until he reached the House and revolved
around it. It was also said that when he had prayed at the Ka'bah, he was
ordered to set out to Jerusalem where he built a masjid [mosque] and prayed
therein so that it became a qiblah to a part of his progeny.[14]
Response:
The first thing that sticks out from Ibn Hajar's claim is the lack of any
Quranic reference to establish the assertion that Adam originally founded
the two Mosques. In fact, the Quran clearly denies this assertion since it
claims that Abraham built the Kabah:
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and a place of safety;
and take ye the Station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted
with Abraham and Ismail, that they should sanctify My House for those who
compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves
(therein in prayer). And remember Abraham 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: "(Yea), and such as reject Faith, -
for a while will I grant them their pleasure, but will soon drive them to
the torment of Fire, - an evil destination (indeed)!" And remember
Abraham and Ismail raised the foundations of the House (with this prayer):
"Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us: For Thou art the All-Hearing, the
All-Knowing." S. 2:125-127
Nowhere will one find Allah asserting that someone else prior to Abraham
and Ishmael built the Kabah. This is something that Muslims such as Muhammad
Asad gladly acknowledge in light of the Quranic evidence. Here again is
Muhammad Asad's comments on S. 2:125:
... The Temple (al-bayt)- lit., "the House [of Worship]"- mentioned
here is the Ka'bah in Mecca. In other places the Qur'an speaks of it as
"the Ancient Temple" (al-bayt al-'atiq), and frequently also as
"the Inviolable House of Worship" (al-masjid al-haram). Its PROTOTYPE
is said to have been built by Abraham as the first temple ever dedicated to
the One God (see 3:96), and which for this reason has been instituted as
the direction of prayer (qiblah) for all Muslims, and as the goal of
the annually recurring pilgrimage (hajj). It is to be noted that even
in pre-Islamic times the Ka'bah was associated with the memory of Abraham,
whose personality had always been in the foreground of Arabian thought...
(Asad, p. 26, f. 102; bold and capital emphasis ours)
Behold! We gave the site, to Abraham, of the (Sacred) House, (saying):
"Associate not anything (in worship) with Me; and sanctify My House for those
who compass it round, or stand up, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein
in prayer). S. 22:26
The following commentary on S. 22:26 is taken from Tafsir Ibn Kathir,
abridged by a group of scholars under the supervision of Shaykh Safiur-Rahman
Al-Mubarakpuri, Darussalam Publishers & Distributors:
Building of the Kabah and the Proclamation of the Hajj
... Many scholars take this as evidence to support the view that Ibrahim
WAS THE FIRST ONE to build the House and that IT WAS NOT BUILT BEFORE HIS TIME...
(Tafsir Ibn Kathir-Abridged Volume 6 Surat Al-Isra', Verse 39 to the end of
Surat Al-Mu'minun, first edition July 2000, p. 554; italicized and capital
emphasis ours)
Clearly, the Quran affirms that it was Abraham and Ishmael that built the original
structure of the Kabah. Yet, even this view has problems since both the Holy
Bible and secular history deny that Abraham ever settled in Mecca, which means
that even this Quranic assertion is a myth! The Holy Bible states that Ishmael and
his mother settled in Paran near southern Palestine in northeastern Sinai.
The proof that Paran is located in the region of Sinai and not in Mecca
comes from the Holy Bible:
"And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai;
and the cloud (of God) rested in the wilderness of Paran." Numbers 10:12
"And afterward the people (Israelites) removed from Hazeroth, and pitched
in the wilderness of Paran." Numbers 12:16
"And Moses by the commandment of the Lord sent them from the wilderness of
Paran... And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the
congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran,
to Kadesh..." Numbers 13:3, 26
"These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side of Jordan
in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran,
and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab." Deuteronomy 1:1
The preceding verses clearly demonstrate that Paran could not possibly be Mecca
but a locale near Sinai, since Moses and the Israelites never settled in that
part of Arabia.
Noted Christian Apologist John Gilchrist states:
"Secular history knows of only one form of pre-Islamic veneration of the
Ka'aba and that is the Idolatry of the pagan Arabs. There is no corroborative
evidence whatsoever for the Qur'an's claim that the Ka'aba was initially a house
of monotheistic worship. Instead there certainly is evidence as far back
as history can trace the origins and worship of the Ka'aba that it was thoroughly
pagan and idolatrous in content and emphasis... the Ka'aba was purely a shrine
of thriving pagan idolatry." (Gilchrist, The
Temple, The Ka'aba, and The Christ [Jesus To The Muslims, PO Box 1804,
Benoni Republic of South Africa], p. 16; bold emphasis ours)
That the Kabah was nothing more than a pagan shrine erected for pagan worship
can be seen by the fact that there were many other Kabahs erected by the pagans:
Jabir reported that there was in pre-Islamic days a temple called Dhu'l-Khalasah
and it was called THE YAMANITE KABA or THE NORTHERN KABA.
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said unto me: Will you rid me of
Dhu'l-Khalasah and so I went forth at the head of 350 horsemen of the tribe of Ahmas
and we destroyed it and killed whomsoever we found there. Then we came
back to him (to the Holy Prophet) and informed him and he blessed us and the tribe
of Ahmas. (Sahih Muslim, Book 031, Number 6052)
Other Kabahs include:
The banu-al-Harith ibn-Ka'b had in Najran A KABA which they venerated.
It is the one which al-A'sha mentions in one of his odes. It has been claimed that it
was not a Ka'bah for worship, but merely a hall for those people whom the poet
mentioned. In my opinion, this is very likely the case, since I have not heard of
the banu-al-Harith ever mentioning it in their poetry.
(The Book of Idols
Being A Translation From The Arabic Of The Kitab Al-Asnam
By Hisham Ibn-Al-Kalbi, Translated with Introduction and Notes by
Nabih Amin Faris, 1952; bold and capital emphasis ours)
Footnote # 5 to this section states:
5. See Diwan al-A'sha, ed. Rudolf Geyer, London, 1928, p.122, line 6,
where the poet says, "[To visit] the Ka'bah of Najran is an ordinance
incumbent upon you; [you would not be released therefrom] until you
dismount in front of its gates."
And:
The Iyid had another Kabah in Sindad, [located] in a region between
al-Kufah and al-Basrah. It is the one which al-Aswad ibn-Ya'fur mentions [in one
of his odes]. I have, however, heard that this house was not a place of worship.
Rather it was a celebrated edifice; consequently al-Aswad mentioned it.
A certain man of the Juhaynah named 'Ahd-al-Dar ibn-Hudayb once said to his people,
"Come let us build a house (to be located in a spot in their territory called al-Hawra')
with which we would rival the Ka'bah, thereby attracting [unto us] many
of the Arabs," They deemed the suggestion very grave and refused to heed his behest.
Thereupon he said:
"I had wished that a house be raised, Free of iniquity and removed from sin.
But those who, when called upon to face a crisis, Steal away and tilde in rite
outskirts of Qawdam, Have demurred and refused my request. They clamor
and cry, and insist that no one should give them orders, And when entreated
they turn away - some withdraw like the mute and the dumb. They withhold
their charity and conceal every insult Among their kin, as the mark of the brand
[on the mule] is hid."
(Ibid.; bold emphasis ours)
The late Egyptian Professor, Dr. Taha Husayn, considered one of the foremost
authorities on Arabic literature, while commenting on the story of Abraham
and Ishmael building the Kabah, states:
"The case for this episode is very obvious because it is of recent date
and came into vogue just before the rise of Islam. Islam exploited it for
religious reasons." (As quoted in Mizan al-Islam by Anwar al-Jundi,
p. 170 as found in Behind the Veil,
p. 184; bold emphasis ours)
Some attempt to find proof within the Quran for the assertion that Abraham
was not the first to build the Kabah. According to some Muslims S. 14:37
establishes that the Meccan sanctuary had existed even before Abraham had
arrived there:
"O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without
cultivation, by Thy Sacred House; in order, O our Lord, that they may
establish regular Prayer: so fill the hearts of some among men with love
towards them, and feed them with fruits: so that they may give thanks." S. 14:37
This passage allegedly establishes that all Abraham did was to rebuild the
Kabah. Abraham is allegedly aware of the existence of the sanctuary right
after Hagar and Ishmael first settled in Mecca prior to the actual rebuilding
of the shrine.
Yet, when one reads this passage in context a different picture emerges:
Remember Abraham said: "O my Lord! make this city ONE OF PEACE AND SECURITY:
and preserve me and MY SONS from worshipping idols. O my Lord! they have
indeed led astray many among mankind; He then who follows my (ways) is of me,
and he that disobeys me,- but Thou art indeed Oft- forgiving, Most Merciful...
O our Lord! truly Thou dost know what we conceal and what we reveal: for nothing
whatever is hidden from Allah, whether on earth or in heaven. Praise be to Allah,
Who hath granted unto me IN OLD AGE ISMAIL AND ISAAC: for truly my Lord
is He, the Hearer of Prayer! O my Lord! make me one who establishes regular Prayer,
and also (raise such) among my offspring, O our Lord!, and accept Thou my Prayer.
O our Lord! cover (us) with Thy Forgiveness - me, my parents, and (all) Believers,
on the Day that the Reckoning will be established!" S. 14:35-36, 38-41
Once the entire passage is read we discover that Abraham's alleged prayer was
made after the birth of his two sons Ishmael and Isaac and when he was already
old. Furthermore, Abraham's prayer that God make the city one of peace and
security is virtually identical to what is recorded in S. 2:125-26 during
the building of the Kabah:
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and a place of safety;
and take ye the Station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted
with Abraham and Ismail, that they should sanctify My House for those
who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves
(therein in prayer). And remember Abraham said: "My Lord, MAKE THIS CITY
OF PEACE, and feed its people with fruits,-such of them as believe in Allah
and the Last Day." He said: "(Yea), and such as reject Faith,-for a while
will I grant them their pleasure, but will soon drive them to the torment of
Fire,- an evil destination (indeed)!"
Therefore, in light of the preceding considerations Abraham allegedly offered
his prayer only after allegedly erecting the Kabah.
Ibn Kathir agrees. Ibn Kathir on S. 14:37 notes:
This Ayah indicates that this was different supplication than the first
one that Ibrahim said when he left Hajar and her son Isma'il in Makkah, before
the Sacred House was built. This prayer, it appears, was said after the House
was built, begging Allah and seeking His favor, and He is the Exalted and
Most Honored... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir Abridged Volume 5 Surah Hud to Surat al-Isra',
verse 38, p. 361, first edition July 2000; bold emphasis ours)
Furthermore, Islamic Awareness is quite selective in their citation of the Hadith.
The hadiths are not unanimous over the issue of whether it was Adam who originally
built the Kabah. Ibn Kathir notes:
... Another topic of debate was about who first built the Ka'bah. Some said
the angels did while others said Adam or Sheeth. The majority of those who
hold these opinions probably take it from the books of the People of the
Scripture that can neither be believed nor rejected without strong support
from hadith. (Tafisr Ibn Kathir-Part 1 Surah Al-Fatiah Surah Al-Baqara,
ayat 1 to 141, abridged by Sheikh Muhammad Nasib Ar-Rafa'i [Al-Firdous Ltd.,
London 1998 second edition] p. 238; bold emphasis ours)
Ibn Kathir's suggestion that Muslim claims that the Kabah was built by angels,
Adam or Seth are possibly derived from the Jews and Christians is an indirect
and implicit admission that such views cannot be derived from the Quran.
Ibn Kathir says elsewhere that the correct view is that Abraham originally
built the Kabah. Words in brackets are my own:
It has been said that it was Adam who first built it. Such a statement comes
down in a hadith that is marfu' and came on the authority of
'Abd Allah b. 'Amr; Ibn Lahi'a is one of its chains of authorities and he is
an authority considered daif, weak.
The most credible of sttaements is that Abraham, al-Khalil, "the true
friend", peace be upon him, was the first who built it, as reported above.
Simak b. Harb so related, from Khalid b. 'Ar'ara back to 'Ali b. Abu Thalib
who said, "Then it collapsed, was rebuilt by al-'amaliqa [the
Amalekites], 'the giants', fell down and was built again by Jurhum;
thereafter it collapsed and was rebuilt by Quraysh." (Ibn Kathir, The
Life of the Prophet Muhammad (Al-Sira al-Nabawiyya), translated by
Professor Trevor Le Gassick, reviewed by Dr. Ahmed Fareed [Garnet Publishing
Limited, 8 Southern Court, south Street Reading RG1 4QS, UK; The Center for
Muslim Contribution to Civilization, 1998], Volume I, p. 119)
The hadiths serve as a source of embarrassment for those Muslims attempting
to present Islam with any serious historical credibility. This is due to the
mythical nature surrounding the hadiths on the origin of the Kabah. Mahmoud
M. Ayoub records many examples of the mythical nature of the pre-Abrahamic
origins of the Kabah for us:
... Commentators have disagreed as to whether the foundations of the
House were first raised by Abraham and Ishmael or were raised before them.
According to some, Adam was the first to build the Scared House, but
it was completely destroyed after him until God ordered Abraham to rebuild it.
Tabari relates on the authority of 'Ata' that Adam complained to God, saying,
"O Lord I no longer hear the voices of the angels [that is, after he was expelled
from Paradise]." God answered, "It is because of your sin; still, go down to
earth and build a house for me and circumambulate it as you saw angels
circumambulating my house which is in heaven" (Tabari III, pp. 57-58).
Other commentators claim that the foundations meant here are those of
a house which God sent down to earth for Adam to circumambulate, but was
taken up to heaven during the flood. God ordered Abraham to raise the
foundations of the House in the same spot. In another tradition related
on the same authority, we are told that "when God made Adam come down
from the Garden [he was so tall that] HIS FEET WERE ON THE EARTH AND HIS
HEAD TOUCHED THE HEAVEN. HE THUS COULD HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS OF THE DENIZENS
OF HEAVEN AND THEIR PRAYERS. Adam, in his loneliness, found in them pleasant
fellowship. The angels, however, WERE FRIGHTENED by him and complained to
God in their prayers and invocations. GOD THEREFORE REDUCED ADAM'S SIZE,
BRINGING HIM DOWN CLOSE TO EARTH. When Adam could no longer hear the angels,
he became lonely and complained to God in his prayers. He was directed to
go to Mecca. When he reached Mecca, God sent down one of the sapphires of
Paradise onto the present spot of the House. Thus God said, 'And remember
when we prepared for Abraham a place for the House'" (see Q. 22:26. Tabari,
III, pp. 58-59). Others said, "The spot of the House was a red hill
like a dome. For, when God wished to create the earth on water, he rolled
the earth out from under that hill. Thus the House remained until God
granted it to Abraham, who built on its foundations. Its foundations rest
on four pillars on the seventh earth." This view is related with minor
variations on the authority of Mujahid and many other tafsir masters.
(Tabari, III, p. 60; see also pp. 60-64). (Ayoub, pp. 158-159; bold and
capital emphasis ours; see also 160-163)
Need we say anything more?
Islamic Awareness:
In summary, the verse 17:1 may very well refer to the holy locations in
Jerusalem and Makkah because they are blessed regardless of the presence
or absence of a building at the time of the heavenly trip of Prophet Muhammad(P).
From an Islamic point of view, evidence has been given by eminent Muslim scholars
like Ibn Hajar and Ibn al-Jawzī showing that it was Adam(P) who built both
mosques for the first time and that the job of Abraham and Solomon(P) was
only a renovation/reconstruction of these sanctuaries.
Conclusions
The word masjid from a linguistic point of view refers to a place of prostration
and worship. It can also refer to buildings dedicated to that purpose. The verse
17:1 may very well refer to the holy locations in Jerusalem and Makkah because
they are blessed regardless of the presence or absence of a building at the time
of the heavenly trip of Prophet Muhammad(P) from Makkah to Jerusalem to the
Heavens. From an Islamic point of view, evidence has been given by eminent
Muslim scholars like Ibn Hajar and Ibn al-Jawzī who have discussed the issue.
They have shown that it was Adam(P) who built both mosques for the first time
and that the duty of Abraham and Solomon(P) was only a renovation/reconstruction
of these sanctuaries.
And Allah knows best!
Response:
In summary, Saifullah &Co. have failed to establish their case that S. 17:1
possibly refers to the locations of Jerusalem and Mecca as opposed to the
actual temple structure. Furthermore, they also have failed to establish that
from an Islamic point of view evidence exists to suggest that Adam was the
first to build both sanctuaries. Instead, they have been able to demonstrate
their ability to selectively cite sources and scholars who are also quite
selective in presenting their evidence.
The evidence clearly demonstrates that neither Adam nor Abraham ever built
the Kabah. The Quran itself will not allow for the belief that anyone other
than Abraham and Ishmael built the Kabah. Furthermore, the early Islamic
sources clearly document that during Muhammad's lifetime the terms al-Masjid
al-Aqsa and al-masjid al-haram clearly referred to actual buildings
and not simply to locations.
In light of the evidence we are left with the exact conclusion made by the
Christian side. Namely, that S. 17:1 contains a gross historical error that
Muslims thus far have been unable to deal with.
Indeed, the true God does know best. And all that he desires man to know
is recorded in the Holy Bible, the only inspired, infallible and inerrant
Word of God. In the service of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ forever
and ever. Amen. Come Lord Jesus.
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