Circling the Kabba

[Ladybug3478]

Hello,

My son asked me "why do Muslims circle the Kabba"? Well, I don't and am looking for some help with the answer.

Thanks

 

[Ladybug3478]

Hello,

Why seven times?

Thx

 

[Hard Rock Moslem]

If not seven so how many times?

I'm not sure the actual reason, but muslim are guided by Holy Qur'an and Sunnah (al-Hadith), therefore I quote below hadith for referrence:

Sahih Bukhari: No. 1532, Narrated by Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):

The Prophet (may Allah blessings and peace be upon him) reached Mecca, circumambulated the Kaba seven times and then offered a two Rakat prayer behind Maqam ibrahim. Then he went towards the Safa. Allah has said, "Verily, in Allah's Apostle you have a good example."

Sahih Bukhari: No. 1682, Narrated by Amr bin Dinar (may Allah be pleased with him):

We asked Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) whether a man who had performed the Tawaf of the Ka'ba but had not performed the Tawaf between As-Safa and Al-Marwa yet, was permitted to have sexual relation with his wife. He replied, "The Prophet (may Allah blessings and peace be upon him) arrived (at Mecca) and circumambulated the Ka'ba seven times and then offered a two Rak'at prayer behind Maqam-lbrahim and then performed the going (Tawaf) between As-Safa and Al-Marwa (seven times) (and verily, in Allah's Apostle you have a good example." And we asked Jabir bin 'Abdullah (the same question) and he replied, "He should not go near her till he has finished the going (Tawaf) between As-Safa and Al-Marwa."
I also wonder when reading following verses from the Qur'an:

Heaven:

The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, glorify Him and there is not a thing but glorifies His Praise. But you understand not their glorification. Truly, He is Ever Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving. (Qur'an: 17.44)

See you not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another, (Qur'an: 71.15)

Hell

"It (Hell) has seven gates, for each of those gates is a (special) class (of sinners) assigned. (Qur'an: 15.44)

If you believe in Allah and His Rasool, just obey. Qur'an and Sunnah are guidelines for muslim. What will happen if there is no guideline? People will do it at their own whim and fancy...mankind need to be guided. Rasool did 7 times, so it is seven times. He is our qudwah so we follow him.

 

[khaleelr1570]

Dear sister !

For this, you have to know certain things:

We as muslims are obliged to obey our beloved prophet mohammed(pease be upon him) as Almighty Allah said in Holy Qur'aan in Chapter 47, verse 33 that " O you believe ! Obey Allah and obey his messenger and render not vain your deeds". and at another place He mentioned that " He who obeys the messenger has indeed obeyed Allah " ( Chapter 4, verse 80) and Almighty Allah has also said in chapter 53, verses 2 to 4 that " Your companion (Prophet Mohammed PBUH) has neither gone astray nor has erred, nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only an inspiration that is inspired. "

From the above references it is clear that Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) won't give any religious command from his own will unless Almighty Allah sends message through Angel Gabriel.

so, as a prophet of Almighty Allah, prophet Mohammed(PBUH) himself made tawaaf( moving 7 times around Holy Kaabah) and ordered all Muslims to obey him. The wisdom behind this ( why 7 times) is, I can say "only Almighty Allah knows". So we all muslims do Tawaaf by obeying prophet Mohammed(PBUH) as he ordered us to do.

I knew this much only , Almighty Allah knows best.

Khaleel
A brother from India

 

[Nurain]

Salam

Ma sha Allah Hard Rock Moslem thanks for the info. If we accept one thing without questioning and we believe in it, this is called ibadaah.

 

[Rashadi]

The rituals were oroginally ordered by God to the Prophet Ibrahim(as) and his son Ishmail(as). Over the thousands of years, the Arabs had corrupted the whole rituals and even turned the kaaba into a house of idols. The Prophet Muhammad(saaws) was then sent with the same way of life and religion as those prophets before him. Islam as revealed to Muhammad(saaws) was the final, complete and perfect form for all of mankind and until the day of judgement. I don't know the exact reasons and details about everything but I know this is how it was ordered to the prophet and all his followers. This is the ancient house and first one built for the purpose of worshiping none but God alone.

 

[Ladybug3478]

Hello,

Thank you. How do you know it was given to Abraham and Ishmael? Where is this written? I'll read this together with my son since he is the person who originally asked. It wouldn't be fair if I only benefit from his question.


Thanks

 

[Hard Rock Moslem]

Hello,

Thank you. How do you know it was given to Abraham and Ishmael? Where is this written? I'll read this together with my son since he is the person who originally asked. It wouldn't be fair if I only benefit from his question.


Thanks

Thank you for asking. Here is the prove from the Quran:

And (remember) when We made the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) a place of resort for humankind and a place of safety. And take you (people) the station of Abraham [or the stone on which Abraham stood while he was building the Ka'bah] as a place of prayer (for some of your prayers, e.g. two Rak'at after the Tawaf of the Ka'bah at Makkah), and We commanded Abraham and Ishmael that they should purify My House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) for those who are circumambulating it, or staying (I'tikaf), or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in prayer). (Qur'an: 2.125).

 

[mhamzah]

:salam2:

Source: Muhammad (pbuh), his life based on early sources by Martin Lings.
The House of God (Chapter 1), Page 2​

Quote: 'As to Genesis, it is a book of Issac (pbuh) and his descendants, not of Abraham's (pbuh) other line. Of Ishmael (pbuh) it tells us: And God was with the lad: and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness and became an archer. After that it scarcely mentions his name, except to inform us that the two brothers Issac and Ishmael (pbut) buried their father in Hebron, and that some years later Esau married his cousin, the daughter of Ismael (pbuh). But there is indirect praise of Ishmael and his mother in the Psalm which opnes: How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! (Psalms 84:1),and which tells of the miracle of zamzam as having caused by their passing through the valley: 'Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca (Makkah) make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools (Psalms 84:5-6).

Quran

The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at Becca (Makkah): Full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings: (3:96)

And when We made the House (at Makka) a resort for mankind and sanctuary, (saying): Take as your place of worship the place where Abraham stood (to pray). And We imposed a duty upon Abraham and Ishmael, (saying): Purify My house for those who go around and those who meditate therein and those who bow down and prostrate themselves (in worship). (2:125)

 

[Ladybug3478]

Hello,

I read something today in a biography of Muhammad (PBUH) about circling the Kabba.

It said the square Kabba symbolizes the four corners of the earth which is circled seven times, just like the seven planets (or spheres of heaven) which were believed to circle the earth.

Right now, as I was about to type this I read this statement to my son and then I said" I guess the Kabba is like the earth or something". Then my son said "or it is the connection between earth and heaven".

My quotes may not be word for word but, you get the idea.

If what my son said is correct, then all thanks to God for this information!

If not, may God guide us all to the truth.


Thanks

 

[a_muslimah86]

Hello,

I read something today in a biography of Muhammad (PBUH) about circling the Kabba.

It said the square Kabba symbolizes the four corners of the earth which is circled seven times, just like the seven planets (or spheres of heaven) which were believed to circle the earth.

Right now, as I was about to type this I read this statement to my son and then I said" I guess the Kabba is like the earth or something". Then my son said "or it is the connection between earth and heaven".

My quotes may not be word for word but, you get the idea.

If what my son said is correct, then all thanks to God for this information!

If not, may God guide us all to the truth.


Thanks

Well...and I don't know if this comes close to what you want to know..

But in The higher Heavens...specifically in the 7th heaven..near the throne of Allah..there is what is called "Al-Bait Al-Ma'amoor" (literally translated: "The Inhabited House")...it has a Ka'aba of its own..where angels circle around it..pray..praise Allah..then leave..The Prophet (pbuh) had said every single day 70,000 angles come to it..and the same angels never repeat..because there are so many of them..so there are in reality two Ka'abas..one on earth built by Prophet Ibrahim (as)..and one in the heavens built by Allah..and the one on earth is to represent pretty much the one in heaven...and in a sense..there is a connection between the one on earth and the one in heaven..as both essentially serve the same purpose (praising Allah and acknowledging His Lordship)

Does that answer your question?..I wrote this off of memory..so if it's sounds butchered..pardon me..if you wish I can look up the hadiths regarding it..and they are actually *authentic* ones..just let me know if you want that

 

[Ladybug3478]

Hello,

a_muslimah86, Yes, can you provide me the hadith so, that I can look at it and not come to my own understandings as Ayman1 is right. So, I guess it's better to stick to what was provided by Muhammad (pbuh).

Thanks

 

[a_muslimah86]

Hello,

a_muslimah86, Yes, can you provide me the hadith so, that I can look at it and not come to my own understandings as Ayman1 is right. So, I guess it's better to stick to what was provided by Muhammad (pbuh).

Thanks

Hello Ladybug..

After making a search in an attempt to find the hadith I spoke about already translated in English and failing to find any..I began to give up adn thought about making a translation myself..but then I stumbled unto the Tafsir Al-Qura'an by Ibn Kathir (Commentary of The Qura'an by Ibn Kathir, who is one of the most prominent commentators of it) for Surat Al-Tur (chapter 52) which mentions Al-Bait Al-Ma'amur I spoke about..and thought I should quote it to you..since it pretty much gives the same information (even better honestly!) ..

Here's the verse in english:

"And by Al-Bait-ul-Ma'mur (the house over the heavens parallel to the Ka'bah at Makkah, continuously visited by the angels)". [52:4]

This is the commentary of the same verse:

This is why Allah said,

And by Al-Bayt Al-Ma`mur.

In the Two Sahihs it is confirmed that the Messenger of
Allah said in the Hadith about Al-Isra' (Ascension), after ascending
to the seventh heaven:

"Then, I was taken to Al-Bayt Al-Ma`mur. It is visited every day by seventy thousand angels who will not come back to visit it again. The angels worship Allah in Al-Bayt Al-Ma`mur and perform Tawaf (i.e. circumambulance) around it just as the people of the earth perform Tawaf around the Ka`bah. Al-Bayt Al-Ma`mur is the Ka`bah of those who reside in the seventh heaven".

During the Isra' journey, the Prophet saw Ibrahim Al-Khalil, who was reclining with his back on Al-Bayt Al-Ma`mur. It was Ibrahim who built the Ka`bah on earth, and surely, the reward is compatible with the action. Al-Bayt Al-Ma`mur is parallel to the Ka`bah; every heaven has its own house of worship (i.e. mosque for general worship), which is also the direction of prayer for its residents. The house that is located in the lower heaven, is called Bayt Al-`Izzah. And Allah knows best.

Here's the link of the pdf file I found of the commentary of the chapter (so you can double check..the commentary starts when the chapter is done ):

http://www.quran4u.com/Tafsir Ibn Kathir/PDF/052 Tur.pdf

I am sorry that I couldn't find you each of the hadiths speaking about Al-Bait Al-ma'amur..in Arabic there are several (which essentially narrate the same details) but in English I barely found any..it's a good thing I stumbled unto the commentary of Ibn Kathir..otherwise you would've had to put up with my lousy translations

Peace