What's the deal with the Kabba (I hope I'm spelling that right)? I thought it was originally a pagan shrine to all their gods. I've also heard that it's a metorite, which, having fallen from heaven, is sacred. But I'm not sure about that. Basically, I'm asking this: Was the Kabba originally a pagan shrine? And what does it have to do with Islam, how did it get adopted?
I dunno, but I once heard this really funny exchange. Muslim: (rants about how Pagans and infidels bow down to and worship bits of tree and pieces of rock) Pagan: How do you pray? Muslim: In accordance with the Prophet (PBUH) we bow towards Mecca.... Pagan: OK, so if you're IN Mecca, what to you do. Muslim: You face the Qa'aba when you pray and bow down to it. Pagan: OK, what is the Qa'aba? Muslim: It is a large rock...
We believe that the Ka'ba was built by Abraham(peace be upon him), the Bible mentions his precense in the Arabian desert and Mecca it self acually. "And when We made the House (at Makka) a resort for mankind and sanctuary"(Quran 2.125) It was built as the first house to celebrate the praises of the One and only God but it soon came to be filthified with pagan idols and the pagans used it as a symbol!(When the prophet[peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) peacefully returned to Mecca he ordered that all the idols should be crushed and cleaned from the Kaba) Respected Trippin, we use this as our Qibla (way to direct our prayers) in order to be united under one direction. Its a beatiful site having millions of people from different nationalities and socoial positions bowing to the same God, in the same clothes(the pilgrims[male] are ordered to wear only two white shrouds as their clothing to show that -under God- were all the same) The direction we face is really not the most important issue, thus the Quran says in a beautiful verse: "It is not Birr(rightousness) that you turn your faces towards east and (or) west; but Birr is the one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, the Prophets and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to the kinsfolk, to the orphans, and to Al-Masakin (the poor), and to the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and to set servants free, performs As-Salah (Iqamat-As-Salah), and gives the Zakah, and who fulfill their covenant when they make it, and who are patient in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) and at the time of fighting. Such are the people of the truth and they are Al-Muttaqun (the pious)" [2.177] You should differ between the Kaba and the black stone which is inside the Kaba, the stone is just a stone and we do NOT take it as an object of worship. The famous companion Umar said concerning it; "No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit anyone nor harm anyone. Irongoth, we use it as a direction and not like a mediate or the like. In accordance to islam, youl be judged by your intentions. If your intended to worship the House it self then you acually commiting the worst of sins, two people who are praying in the same line might show that one is doing the most desirble thing i.e worshipping his Lord while the other one is doing the most dipicable thing i.e associating partners with Him and they may both be standing in the same line.
Thanks for the clarification. Believe me when I say this - when I think on true Islam or wish to know about it, I will ask you or catstevens, two who I respect greatly. And am sorry that you and he get lumped in with the scimitar waving lunatics that may very well spark WWIII. Most of the Muslims I've met have been cool, cultured and erudite people. Shame the media focuses on the unglued fringes...
Thanks for the reply. But, if it's just a direction...well, then what's the deal with the rock? What is it, why is it there? Someone (you say Abraham) built a shrine around it, so it must have meant something.
Also, I have a question cab about throwing stones. Isn't there a part of the hajj where stones are thrown at something, symbolic of Satan I think?
Yes, and its more than just an 'Ornament' inside although many Muslims are like Cab and dont see any supernatural power to it. Others believe it was put there by Abraham although there is no reason to believe Abraham built this other than conjecture. Other Muslims believe its a Meteorite that fell during the times of Adam and Eve. Many believe the Black Stone was once white - but its supernatural powers to 'absorb sin' from a Muslim have turned it black with concentrated sins. which is: Not talked about much since Muslims are a bit sheepish about admiting that this most definately was a Pagan temple in which the Meteor was worshipped. To 'explain away' the fact this was definately a Pagan temple and the rock was most definately worshipped - a story comes about saying "yes - but thats not how it started and it was taken over and we corrected it back to the original idea". Ok. Its along the same lines as knowing 'Allah' was a Pagan Moon God but insisting that was not the origins but rather a mistake that Muhammed corrected back to the original Monotheism.
