FAQ – Clarifications – Why Was the Kabah Called Baytullaah Al-Haraam?
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Source: Important Matters Requiring Clarification
Transcription of the Audio:
Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem. Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Aalameen wa sallalaahu ala nabeeyena Muhammad wa alaa alihi wa sahbhi wa sallama tasleeman kaseera
The Second Question is why was the Ka’abah called Baytullah Al Haraam, The inviolable house of Allah ?.
The Ka’bah was called Baytullah i.e The House of Allah. That is because it is the place of magnification of Allah(عز و جل) Most Mighty and Most Majestic.People come to it from all places in order to offer an obligation which Allah had ordained upon them and also because people direct themselves in its direction while in their prayers, wherever they may be fulfilling one of the conditions of the Salah i.e. directing one self towards the Qibla.
As Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) stated in Surah Al- Baqarah (2:144) :
قَدۡ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجۡهِكَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِۖ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبۡلَةً۬ تَرۡضَٮٰهَاۚ فَوَلِّ وَجۡهَكَ شَطۡرَ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِۚ وَحَيۡثُ مَا كُنتُمۡ فَوَلُّواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ شَطۡرَهُ ۥۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ لَيَعۡلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمۡۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا يَعۡمَلُونَ
Verily! We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad’s صلى الله عليه وسلم) face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid- Al-Harâm (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction. Certainly, the people who were given the Scriptures (i.e. Jews and the Christians) know well that, that (your turning towards the direction of the Ka’bah at Makkah in prayers) is the truth from their Lord. And Allâh is not unaware of what they do.
And Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) narrated it to Himself added it when he mentioned the Ka’abah as an honour and magnification of it.
That is because that which is related to Allah in the construct of the statements by Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) is divided into two types:
1) The Attribute of Himself (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى)
2) The creature of his creation
If it is an attribute, then it is related because it is established with Him and Allah(عز و جل) is qualified by it, it is His attribute like Allah’s hearing, Allah’s sight, Allah’s knowledge, Allah’s ability, Allah’s speech and other than that from His most mighty and magnificent attributes.
If it s a creature from his creation, then it is added to Allah (عز و جل) in the construct as away of honouring and magnification and in this way Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) related the Ka’abah to Himself when He said in Surah Al Hajj (22:26):
وَطَهِّرۡ بَيۡتِىَ لِلطَّآٮِٕفِينَ
And (remember) when We showed Ibrahim (Abraham) the site of the (Sacred) House (the Ka’bah at Makkah) (saying): “Associate not anything (in worship) with Me, [La ilaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah Islamic Monotheism], and sanctify My House for those who circumambulate it, and those who stand up for prayer, and those who bow (submit themselves with humility and obedience to Allah), and make prostration (in prayer, etc.);” )
So He said ‘My House’ (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى). He narrated it it to Himself in the construct of the verse.
And also He added to Himself the masaajid (the Mosques) as He said in Surah Al Baqarah (2:114):
ومن اظلم ممن منع مساجد الله ان يذكر فيها اسمه وسعى في خرابها اولئك ما كان لهم ان يدخلوها الا خائفين لهم في الدنيا خزي ولهم في الاخرة عذاب عظيم
And who is more unjust than those who forbid Allah’s Name be glorified and mentioned much (i.e. prayers and invocations, etc.) in Allah’s Mosques and strive for their ruin? It was not fitting that such should themselves enter them (Allah’s Mosques) except in fear. For them there is disgrace in this world, and they will have a great torment in the Hereafter.
You see that now, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) added the mosques in the construct to Himself in the relation ‘ ‘Allah’s Mosques” and also (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) He may do the same regarding some of his creatures in order to make clear His comprehensive possession as in His statement (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) in Surah Al Jasiya (45:13):
“وسخر لكم ما في السماوات وما في الارض جميعا منه ان في ذلك لايات لقوم يتفكرون”
And has subjected to you all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth; it is all as a favour and kindness from Him. Verily, in it are signs for a people who think deeply.
So therefore in summary Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) referred the Ka’abah to Himself as an honour and magnification and no one should think that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) reffered the ka’abah to Himself because it is “a place in which He resides”. This is impossible because (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) encompasses everything and nothing from his creatures encompass Him, rather His Kursee(سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) encompasses the Heavens and the Earth, as Allah Stated in Surah Al Baqarah (2:255) that his Kursee extends over the Heavens and the Earth.
And in Surah Zumar (39:67):
وما قدروا الله حق قدره والارض جميعا قبضته يوم القيامة والسماوات مطويات بيمينه سبحان
And on the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be grasped by His Hand and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand.
And He is above His heavens ascended the throne in the most majestic way that befits Him and it’s not possible that He ( سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) dwells in any of his creation.
And Allah knows the best.
Transcribed by AbdurRazak bin AbdulAleem, verified and corrected by AbdurRahman.Org
Source: AbdurRahman.Org