IN THE NAME OF ALLAH – THE SOURCE OF MERCY – THE MOST MERCIFUL
Makkah is the first place created.
Makkah, also Baca, where Muslims do their Hajj is proved to be the first land created. It is scientifically established that the globe in the beginning was completely submerged in water (a huge ocean), later volcanoes in the bottom of this ocean erupted violently sending out huge amounts of lave and magma forming "a hill", and this hill was the land which God ordered to be floor of the Kaaba (kiblah), the basalt stones from Makkah were proved to be the most ancient stones in the earth by a scientific study ,
If so, this means that God must have extended land from this place. So this is the oldest place in the world. Is there any prophetic hadith denote this staggering fact? The answer is plain "yes".
The prophet says" The Kaaba was a piece of land over water, from which the land was extended." And this is supported by the already mentioned fact.
Being the first place created is, no doubts, adds to the spirituality of the place. Also, who told the prophet that the land was in the yore of time was submerged in water and who told him that Kaaba was the first place to be built on this piece of land as supported by the study of the basalt rocks in Makkah?
Makkah is the center of the world.
Professor Hussain Kamel stumbled over a staggering fact that Makkah is the center of the world. He was in search of a way of determining the direction of the kiblah in the major cities of the world.
To achieve this goal, he drew a chart and, having drawn the continents taking into consideration the locations of the seven continents to Makkah and their distances , he started to draw the equal lines just to facilitate how to project the longitudes and the latitudes lines.
After two years of arduous toiling work aided by highly advanced complicated computer programmes to determine the correct distances and the different variations and many other necessary things, he, to his amazement, discovered that Makkah is the center of the earth; he realised that it is possible to draw a circle with Makkah centered in it and the circle's borders will be outside the continents and in the same time its circumference moves with the external circumference of the continents ( Al-Arabi agazine,number237, August 1978).
Satellite's Pictures, later in the nineties of the 20th century, emphasised the same result when further studies concerning the topography of the earth's layers and the geography of the land were made.
It is scientifically established that the earth plates, through the long geological age, have been moving regularly around the Arabian plate; these plates constantly converge towards it as if they pointed to it. This scientific study was done for different purpose; it wasn't meant to prove that Makkah is the center of the earth but, anyhow, this study was published in many scientific magazine in the west.
God says in the Noble Quran what means:
And this is a Book which We have sent down, bringing blessings, and confirming (the revelations) which came before it: that thou mayest warn the mother of cities and all around her...(92) These few words "the mother of cities and all around her...(92)" mean that Makkah is center and the other cities are just around her. Moreover, the Arabic word" Um, which means "mother" has a significant meanings in the Islamic culture; as "a mother" is the source of the progeny, Makkah is also is the source of all the other land as already shown in the beginning of this study. Also, the word "Mother" gives Makkah the primacy over all the other cities. Makkah or Greenish mean time? Taken into consideration that Makkah is in the middle of the earth as supported by geological studies and pictures from satellites, it is now strongly believed that holy city, not Greenwich, should become the reference point for world time, reigniting an old controversy that started some four decades ago. There is a plethora of scientific evidence to prove that Makkah was the core of that zero longitude passes through the holy city and not through Greenwich in the UK. "GMT" was imposed on the world in the time when most of the world lands were under the British conquer. If Makkah's time put into effect, it will be easy for anyone to know the times of prayers. So, Makkah, the Holy city, should have its primacy over any other city in the world.
Makkah is the center of the Heavens.
There are some verses and prophetic hadith that implies this fact; God says: "O' Company of jinn and men, if you are able to pierce through the confines of the heavens and earth, pierce through them. You will not pierce through except with a clear authority. (Qur'an, 55:33)
The Arabic word translated as "confines" in the above verse is "aqtar." This is the plural form of the word "qutr," meaning diameter and refers to the skies and the Earth having many diameters.
It can be understood from this verse and from some hadiths that diameters of the heavens are above the diameters of the earth (the seven plates of the earth), and if Makkah is in the middle of the earth, this means that Makkah is also in the middle of the heavens.
Also, the hadith says the Holy Mosque in Makkah, where the Kaaba is, is in the middle of the seven heavens and the seven earths (meaning the seven known layers forming the earth)
Also the prophet says "O' people of Makkah, O' Kruish (his tribe) you are under the middle of the heavens."
Makkah is the center where the radiation of the universe converges
It has been proven that Makkah is the center of the universe and research followed and to the amazement of the scientists, Makkah has been found to be the center where the magnetic attraction converge and this explains why every one visits Makkah is always affectionately attracted to it.
Robert Coleman, an American prominent scientists, conducted successive experiments in his lab, he did some experiment on the center of magnetic gravitational source of the earth and the meeting point of the universal radiation, he found that these all meet in one point on the surface of the earth and when he searched for its geographical location, he found that it is Makkah. He did his study for sheer scientific goals. So, Makkah is the center of the seven continents and it is also the center where the magnetic attraction radiation meet.
The Quranic description of Makkah as "Uma al-koura" meaning the mother of the all cities" adds more spiritual meanings to Makkah; the word "mother" also means heart, the middle, the most important and the source.
Makkah, the safe and well-secured city.
Makkah is surrounded by tall mountains that lessen the impact of the earthquakes that rarely could happen there, also the huge temperature in this area keeps the rocks under the crust in sticky state, this also helps so much in lessening the impact of any earthquakes if ever happens.
So God swear by Makkah calling her the secure city. Allah says: "I swear by the fig and the olive, (1) And mount Sinai, (2) And this city made secure…".
Circumambulation around Makkah.
A Muslim, when circumambulating around Makkah, should start from where the black Stone is, his motion should be anticlockwise, it is noteworthy that everything in the universe from atoms to galaxies moves anticlockwise. Everything in this universe move the same direction a Hajj does.
Electrons in atoms move around the nucleus anticlockwise.
The earth platelets moves around the Arabian platelet anticlockwise .
In the human body, the cytoplasm moves around the nucleus of a cell anticlockwise.
The proteins molecules are arranged from left to the right anticlockwise.
The blood starts its movement from the left side to the right side anticlockwise.
In mothers uterus, the ovum moves around itself anticlockwise.
The sperm, when reaching the ovum, moves around itself anticlockwise.
The human blood circulatory starts its movement anticlockwise.
The earth moves around itself and around the sun anticlockwise.
The sun moves around itself anticlockwise.
The sun with all its solar system moves around a certain point in the galaxy anticlockwise.
The galaxy also moves around itself anticlockwise.
Doesn't this add spiritual meaning to the Muslim circumambulation around Kaaba, all from atom to galaxy in submissive motion that Allah imposed on all.
The Blake stone.
The black stone is a stone that was brought from the heaven to the earth, it is there inserted in the structure of the Kaaba and surrounded with silver frame.
The English Geographical association planned to study it, so it asked an English man by the name Richard Francis Burton to travel among the Egyptian pilgrims, disguising himself in Arabian clothes, His task was to steal a piece from the black stone and he succeeded in stealing three pieces of the black stone which is now preserved in the English Museum in London. When the English scientists studied these pieces, to their amazement, they discovered that these pieces have different chemical structure from meteors and the final conclusion was that this piece is not from even our solar system, it is even different from all the aerolite that found on the earth.
The English traveller embraced Islam and authored a book under the title "My Journey to Makkah"
Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The Black Stone came down from Jannah (Paradise).” (At-Tirmidhi)
Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) also narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When the Black Stone came down from Paradise, it was whiter than milk, but the sins of the sons of Adam made it black.” (At-Tirmidhi)
Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) further related that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “By Allah, Allah will bring it forth on the Day of Judgment, and it will have two eyes with which it will see and a tongue with which it will speak, and it will testify in favour of those who touched it in sincerity.”(At-Tirmidhi)
Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying: “Touching them both [the Black Stone and Ar-Rukn Al-Yamani] is an expiation for one’s sins.” (At-Tirmidhi)
AI-Tirmidhi related on the authority of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said, "The Black Stone descended from Paradise much whiter than milk, but it was turned black by the sins committed by mankind." (5, v. 2, p. 112) AI-Tirmidhi said it was a good and sound Hadith. It is sunnah that one touches the Black Stone and kisses it.
Ibn Khuzaima and Ibn Habban, in their two Sahihs, related that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said that the Black Stone would be resurrected on the Day of Judgement with two eyes and a tongue, and would be a witness to those who sincerely touched and kissed it.(8, v. 2, p. 193) Al-Tirmidhi related that it was a good and sound Hadith.
There are many prophetic hadiths that say many prophets were buried near Kaaba. Between the corner, Ibrahim station and the fountain of Zamzam are the tombs of ninety nines prophets who came to Makkah to do hajj , they died there and were buried there. (narrated in Qurtby Quran exegesis)
In another Hadith, the prophet says: "When a prophet's nation was perished, their prophet emigrated to Makkah, where he stayed there with the rest of his nation worshipping Allah."
Prophets used to emigrate to Makkah when his nation perished, he kept staying there with the rest of his nation worshipping Allah till he died, among those who died there are No'ah, Hud, Saleh and Shoe'yb, and their tombs are between Zamzam and the lap. (The Collection of the News of Makkah)
"Seventy five prophets did the pilgrimage and they all circumambulated the Kaaba and they prayed in Mena Mosque." (The Collection of the News of Makkah)
In the Mosque of Al-Keif lies the tombs of seventy prophets of the prophets of Allah. (Narrated by Al-Haythemy)
Zamzam well.
The most ancient ever known over the span of history is the well of Zamzam, water is still gushing out of it though it was filled with dust several times over the span of history, and though the stones it gushes out from have no pores in. It dates back far in history to the time of Ismail, some around 4000 years. Until recent time, none could not dare to tell where it exactly sprouts. It was only when they Saudi government started to dig tunnels around Makkah that they discovered that water gushes from crakes of stones, these crakes are so long. It is now believed that its water comes from places far than hundred of thousands of kilometers, bring minerals from every place it passes by. This water is much blessed by Allah, many hadith are narrated about the importance of Zamzam.
The Prophet Muhammed (SAW) said: "The best water on the surface of the earth is that of Zamzam. In it there is a food for the hungry and a cure for the ill."
He also said, "The water of Zamzam is for the purpose for which it is drunk."
Jesus predicts the change of the Qibla from Jerusalem to Baca
The change of the Qibla place, in Jesus prophecy, is significant as it implies the meaning of a new revelation to a new prophet, to a new nation .The change of kiblah from Jerusalem was a great event that is recorded in the Noble Quran and the Bible. Let's read the following verse from the Bible"
The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father." (John 4:19)
From these lines , we can understand that:
(1) (Jesus is a prophet ) as the woman said "I perceive that though you are a prophet. Jesus did not object saying that he is a part of three parts of one God.
(2)The woman came to ask about the place where they should worship God . The toning of the lines adds more meanings to the words. (believe me) reflects how much he was fed up with them concerning a certain point. He shifted from the direct answer to the question, he wanted to assure what he said elsewhere and what is mentioned in the scripture. The answer was imbued with a melancholic and anger overtone. If we complete the verse we will feel that feeling.
…. the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. )
The verse reflects specific meaning "do your worship anywhere, don’t be so much interested in the matter, as the place of prayer soon will be changed.
We should understand that the prophecy has a direct meaning, it says that neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem people will be worship God; they will worship God somewhere else . No debate, no controversy, no pretexts, the hour is approaching and you will receive an order from God to worship Him somewhere else. Many prophecies are incorporated with one another to attest the fact that a new revelation will be sent. Only few centuries lapsed and Islam came, prophet Mohummed (SAW) used to do his prayer in the direction of Jerusalem, where the prophets of Israel had done. His heart was filled with a strong wish to turn his face toward the Kaaba .
Narrated Al-Bara: The Prophet prayed facing Bait-ul Maqdis (i.e. Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months but he wished that his Qibla would be the Ka'ba (at Makkah). (So Allah Revealed (2.144) and he offered 'Asr prayers (in his Mosque facing Ka'ba at Makkah), Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 15:
God, the Knowing, says in the Noble Quran what means:
We see the turning of thy face (for guidance) to the heavens: now shall we turn thee to a Qibla that shall please thee. Turn then thy face in the direction of the sacred mosque: wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction. The people of the book know well that is the truth from their Lord nor is God unmindful of what they do.
"In this verse Jesus prophecy was fulfilled and the Qibla was changed from Jerusalem to Baca (Makkah ) 'On a Tuesday of the month Rajeb in the second year of the Higra, Gabriel brought down the above mentioned verse .
Another prophecy incorporates in addition to the previous one. Psalm (84) describes Baca during pilgrimage. The same purport of the first prophecy is stressed in psalm (84) where the place of the new nation is motioned by its name .
" ...Yea, the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. ……. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house. they will be still praising thee, blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, in whose heart are ways of them who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well, The rain also filleth the pools, they go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God)
In fact, not only does this prophecy tell us about the change of the Qibla, but also gives some information of the best qualities of the people concerned in the prophecy .
The prophecy is talking about a certain place , it is Baca (or Makkah ) in the time of pilgrimage. In this psalm, Baca is so clearly mentioned .
How does this psalm refer to Baca?
Nowhere else in the world is a place which is called Baca. The dictionary of the Bible could not give a clear definition to the word Baca; it says perhaps it is a place where pilgrims pass by or a tree .
So there is no any contradiction between what the dictionary says and what we claim.
Baca in this psalm is the same Baca where Quran was first revealed, where the advent of the prophet was first declared, where all Muslims go every year to perform pilgrimage, where the Qibla was changed .
Commentary on the psalm:
In this Psalm " the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young ."
This line refers to one of the injunction given by Allah in the Noble Quran concerning the prohibition of hunting birds. God says in the Noble Quran what means :
" O ye who believe kill not game while in the sacred precincts or in pilgrimage"
So the sparrow and the swallow find security in this place (Baca). It is completely forbidden to catch or hunt birds during the time of pilgrimage, so it clear, now, why the sparrow has a found a house and why the swallow found a nest where she may lay her young. It is the security given to birds in Baca."
The psalm says "blessed is the man whose strength is in thee"
It is incumbent on every Muslim who is going to do the pilgrimage to utter some words expressing his intention of doing pilgrimage. These word reflects how a man who is going to do the pilgrimage is weak, helpless and powerless, It is true, it is not an easy journey. Time is spent in open desert where the highest temperature could be recorded there. Every a pilgrim must say before he begins his journey "Oh God, I am going to fulfil my intention of pilgrimage, so make it easy (bearable) to me. The meaning of the above mentioned line is clear now when you read "blessed is the man whose strength is in thee."
The psalm says "they will be still praising thee."
This line refers clearly to what Muslim pilgrims say while doing pilgrimage, if you are there, you will find them praising God, glorifying Him in a loud voice. With eyes filled with tear, with hand eagerly shaken, with hearts eagerly supplicating, do they rise their voices with words of praising and glorifying God.
Yes, a liturgy that is uttered so loudly, nothing you could hear there but this sentence "Oh God ! here I am in complete submission, No partner to be associated with You, praise be to you, all gifts and bounties are granted from You."
The psalm says "passing through the valley of Baca make it a well"
This is a reference to Zamam well, which overflows there in Baca, it has been there since the time of Ishmael, it is still there, so blessed. Is there any place in the world named Baca and has a well other than Baca?
A rebuttal.
Christian scholars found themselves in cul-de-sac concerning this prophecy, so they began to substitute the word (Baca) with the phrase (where balsam trees grow) (GWT) and in another version "the valley of Weeping (ASV:), here is another failure, as nowhere else in the world but in Baca does this tree grow. Nothing could change the reality as the word Baca is still there written with a capital letter denoting that it is a proper noun of a certain place as the dictionary of the holy Book says. The Arabic scripture encyclopaedia says concerning this tree "the true balsam which the ancient authors referred to is that of Baca." This encyclopaedia also says "A lot of scientists searched for this tree in Palestine but in vain "Dr Post and many other botanists searched carefully for this tree in Palestine and they could not find and trace. But the well in this barren valley will remain also a strong evidence that Baca of the Muslim is that which is concerned in this prophecy, no where else in Palestine is there a barren valley with a well in it. The marginal annotation in the holy book says about Baca that it is unknown place.
Another attempt of misguiding people the use of "The Valley of the Weeping" instead of the valley of Baca"
Some versions use the word weeping instead of Baca especially the Arabic version. Finding that the word Baca a strong reference to Islam, they changed the word using "the valley of Weeping" ,they say we call this valley: the valley of Weeping" because of the trees that grow there and that secret a certain kind of gum that looks much like human tears. So in an attempt to conceal the reality they used the word weeping instead of Baca, No one can fight God's word because Baca means in Arabic either defeating or weeping as most of pilgrims used to weep their seeking to atone their sins, So this name also applies to Baca, all the features and the characteristics they tried to use apply to Baca, it is Baca, it is also the valley where balsam tree that grows there and it is also the valley of weeping. But the proper noun "Baca" will always remain the strongest evidence that this prophecy mirrors Baca in the time of pilgrimage.
The Noble Quran says "And (the unbelievers) plotted and planned, and God too planned, and the best of planners is God. (3:45)
