In the book, The Sealed Nectar, a biography of Prophet Muhammad, SAWS, on p. 227, it reads,
“We have already mentioned that Allah’s Messenger arrived in Madinah on Friday, 12th Rabi’ul-Awwal; 1 AH.], After the migration], i.e., September 27th, 622 C.E. and took the lower floor of Abu Ayyub’s house as a temporary residence.”
The immigration took place 13 years after the beginning of Prophethood.
“The Qiblah (the direction in which the Muslims turn their faces in prayer) was constructed to face Jerusalem”. (p.227, the Sealed Nectar)
Later we read about the “Conquest of Makkah”, ten years later.
“Ibn Al-Qaiyim described the conquest of Makkah as the greatest one by which Allah honored His religion, Messenger, soldiers and believing party. He thereby released from the disbelievers and polytheists, the Sacred House, whose guidance all people seek. It was the greatest auspicious event in heaven and on earth. It was the most significant sign of the start of a new era that was to witness the great march of Islamization and the entry of people into the fold of Islam in huge numbers…” (p.458, The Sealed Nectar)
The Qur’an says about the victory over the Pagans,
“Verily, We have given you (O Muhammad) a manifest victory.” ]48:1]
The following paragraphs explain why the direction of the prayer began in Jerusalem for the Muslims before the command to pray towards Makkah. It was wisdom of Allah that the Muslims used to turn to face Jerusalem in their prayers, until Makkah was freed from the idolaters’ control, or some new event occurred which would please the Muslims. How could the Muslims have faced it while the non-Muslim pagans were its so-called ‘guardians’? Whereas, it was well-known by the people in Hijaz, that the home of the Prophet Abraham, and the centre of religion before Islam was revitalized, had always been Jerusalem, in Sham, or thereabouts. In fact, the first person to have brought idols from Syria, to the Ka’bah as he thought it was a good innovation was the person of ‘Amr bin Luhai, the chief of the Khuza’ah tribe.
“They worshipped Allah and his Oneness, and followed His religion along time until they forgot part of what they had been reminded of [by Abraham and Ishmael]. However, they still maintained fundamental beliefs such as monotheism as well as various other aspects of Abraham’s religion, until the time when a chief of Khuza’ah, namely ‘Amr bin Luhai came back from a trip to Syria. He was renowned for righteousness, charity, devotion and care for religion, and was granted unreserved love and obedience by his tribesmen. In Syria…he approved and believed it to be righteous since Syria was the locale of Messengers and Scripture. He brought with him an idol (Hubal) which he placed in Al- Ka’bah and summoned people to worship it.” (p.45, The Sealed Nectar)
When the direction of the prayer suddenly was changed, the Muslims were happy about that; perhaps it was a precursor, a good omen. It was also a test to see which faithful would continue in the path of righteousness by unquestioning faith in their chosen Prophet. There was no hesitation on the part of the strong in faith at any moment. In the same way Allah distinguished the Muminuun (believers) from the Jews who refused to follow their Prophets and were cursed. With the beginnings of the Islamic state (and Islamic politics) there was good reason to rejoice at the newfound freedom and power Muslims must have felt; they turned their faces to God again; this time towards the Kaabah in Makkah. Allah mentions the principle of Tawheed in the Qur’an in the following verse;
‘Say, “to Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path.”’
Prophet’s, SAWS, Ancestry
“the Arabized Arabs go back in ancestry to their great-grandfather Abraham, [A.S.] From a town called “Ar” near Kufah on the west bank of the Euphrates in Iraq. Excavations brought to light many details of the town, Abraham’s family, and the prevalent religions and social circumstances.” (Two types of Arab; those born speaking Arabic and those who became Arab; see Arabized Arab and Adananian Arab)
“It is known that Abraham left Ar for Harran and then for Palestine, which he made headquarters for his Message. He wandered all over the area. When he went to Egypt, the Pharaoh tried to do evil to his wife Sarah, but Allah saved her and the Pharaoh’s wicked scheme recoiled on him. He thus came to realize her strong attachment to Allah, and, in acknowledgement of her grace, the Pharaoh rendered his daughter Hagar at Sarah’s service.”
“But Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham , A.s., as his wife and Abraham returned to Palestine where Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, A.s. Sarah became jealous of Hagar and forced Abraham to send Hagar and her baby away to a plantless valley in Hijaz, by the Sacred House, exposed to the floods from the north and south.”
“He chose for them a place under a lofty tree near the upper side of the Mosque in Makkah” having to leave his family there as destiny would have it. Hajar asked if it was Allah’s will (or his own decision) to which he replied, yes. Then she readily accepted to suffer the migration remaining in the valley with her infant son.
“Abraham used to go to Makkah every now and then to see his wife and son. The number of these journeys is still unknown, but dependable historical references have mentioned four”. (p. 26, The Sealed Nectar)
“After Ishmael became a young man, having learned Arabic from the tribe of Jurhum who loved him with great admiration and gave him one of their women as a wife, his mother died.” (p.37, The Sealed Nectar)
“A third time, Abraham [A.S.], came to Makkah to find Ishmael sharpening an arrow under a lofty tree near Zamzam [a well]. The meeting, after a very long journey of separation, was very touching for a father so affectionate and a son so dutiful and righteous,. This time, father and son built Al-Ka’bah and raised its pillars; and Abraham [A.S], in compliance with Allah’s Commandment, called unto people to perform pilgrimage to it.” (p.26, The Sealed Nectar)
“Descendents of Qidar, the son of Ishmael [A.S.], lived long in Makkah increasing in number, of them issued ‘Adnan and his son Ma’ad, to whom ‘Adananian Arabs traced their ancestry. ‘Adnan is the twenty-first grandfather in the series of the Prophetic ancestry.” (p.29, The Sealed Nectar)
“The Prophet Muhammad said,
‘Allah selected Ishmael form the sons of Abraham, Kinanah from the sons of Ishmael. Quraish from the sons of Kinanah, Hashim form the sons of Quraish and He selected me from the sons of Hashim’” (p.30, The Sealed Nectar)
In a footnote, the chapter of the Virtue of the Lineage of the Prophet, SAWS, 2/245: and At-Tirmidhi 2/201] two of the hadith books Muslims refer to]
Later, “when the [re]building of the Kabah was finished, it assumed a square form about fifteen meters high. The side with the Black Stone and the one opposite were ten meters long each. The Black Stone was 1.50 meters from the circumambulation level ground. The two other sides were twelve meters long each. The door was two meters high form the level ground. A building structure of 0.25 meter[s] high and 0.30 meter[s] wide on the average surrounded Al-Ka’bah. It was called Ash-Shadherwan, originally an integral part of the Sacred Sanctuary, but the Quraish left it out.” (p.81, The Sealed Nectar).
In the footnote “see Ibn Hisham 2/192 – 197, Tarikh At-Tabari 2/289, Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/215, and Muhadarat Tarikh Al-Islamiyah by Al-Khudri 1/64-65”
The Ka’bah has been rebuilt several times since the Prophet’s (SAWS) time.
“We have certainly seen the turning of your face, ]O Muhammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a Qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram.”
Appendix
Many of the verses in Surah Bakara, Chapter, “The Cow”, are Medinian verses; verses revealed after the Muslims migrated to Medina and established the new capital for Islam (the final ten years of revelation) This established Medina as the second holiest city in Islam, Jerusalem being the third holiest city.
(Ch:2, V:131; Abraham was a Muslim (believer; Muumin; Prophet: Rasool)
(Ch: 2, V:146; those who know that Muhammad is the true Prophet)
(Ch: 2, V:172;which foods are forbidden)
(Ch:2, V:149; the verse indicates the new prayer direction)
(Ch:2, V:142; invalidated is what they (the pagans) say about the new Qiblah)
(Ch:2, V:143; change in the direction of prayer is a test)
(Ch:2, V:144; Allah tells Muhammad to turn his face towards Mecca)
(Ch: 2, V: 150;about those who question Muslims as to the Qiblah (prayer direction)
New: “The Muslims; Religion vs. Culture”, coming June 21st, 2012.
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