The first House established in Becca (Mecca) (3:96) is the Ka’bah, the Sacred House to be a sanctuary for the people (5:97). The House has been named the Ka’bah (al-kabata) according to its original shape from the Arabic word, ka’bah means “Cube”. Abraham together with Ismail raised the foundations of the House (2:127). People from different parts of the world visit Mecca year round to perform ‘Umrah to the House while nearly 2 million people arrive in Mecca every year to perform Hajj to it (2:196, 22:27).
Instances of bayt
The Ka’bah is designated as the Sacred Masjid as well as the Sacred House while a few instances of bayt meaning house in certain contexts in the Quran refer to the Ka’bah as well. There are 65 instances of bayt as the noun meaning house in the Quran of which 18 instances that refer to the Ka’bah can be translated to House or Shrine are detailed out below including an instance of Ka’bah in (5:95):
[2:125] And when we made the House (al-bayta) a place of meeting for the people and security, “You shall use the station of Abraham as a prayer house, and we made a covenant with Abraham and Ismael that you shall purify My house (baytiya) for those who go around, those who devote, those who bow and those who prostrate.”
Note: God has made the House a prayer house as well as to perform Hajj to it.
[2:127] And when Abraham and Ismael raised the foundations of the House (al-bayti), “Our Lord, accept this from us. You are the Hearer, the Omniscient.
Note: Abraham together with Ismail raised the foundation of the House and asked God for its acceptance.
[2:158] The Safa and the Marwah are among the symbols of God. So, whoever performs Hajj to the House (al-bayta) or performs Umrah, then there is no blame on him that he traverses between them. And whoever does goodness, then God is Appreciative, Omniscient.
Note: People are to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah to the House while walking the distance between the Safa and Marwah is also one of the rituals of Hajj and ‘Umrah.
[3:96] The first House (awwalabaytin) established for the people is the one in Becca, a blessed and guidance for all the people.
[3:97] In it are clear signs, the station of Abraham, and whoever enters it is safe. And the people are to perform Hajj for God to the House (al-bayti), whoever is able to make a journey to it. But whoever has disbelieved, then God does not need any of the people.
Note: The first House is in Becca (Mecca) to which the people are to perform Hajj for God, who are able to make the journey to it. The mention of the first House not only indicates its importance but also confirms that Abraham is the first who was given the Hajj ritual including other rituals of Islam among the God’s chosen.
[5:2] O you who believe, do not violate the rites of God, nor the sacred month, nor the animal sacrifice, nor what is garlanded with, nor those coming to the Sacred House (al-bayta al-haraama) for seeking bounty from their Lord and blessing. And when you come out of Ihram, then you may hunt. And let not you incite the hatred for a people when you are prevented from going to the Sacred Masjid (al-masjidi al-haraami) that you transgress. And help one another in righteousness and piety, but do not help one another in committing sin and aggression. And you shall fear God, indeed, God is severe in enforcing the retribution.
Note: Those who come to the Sacred House which is also the Sacred Masjid to observe Hajj shall fulfill all its rituals and will cooperate each other in righteous works but not in unrighteous works to commit sin.
[5:95] O you who believe, do not kill any game while you are in a state of Ihram. And whoever among you has killed it deliberately, then the recompense is to expiate with the same from the livestock that is equivalent to the game he killed being judged by two equitable men among you, as an offering reaching the Ka’bah (al-ka’bati) or an expiation feeding the needy persons or its equivalent in fasting so that he may perceive the consequence of his deed. God has pardoned what has past but whoever returns, then God will avenge from him. And God is Almighty, Avenger.
Note: Hunting is prohibited during Hajj but if anyone kills the game on purpose, he must compensate it judging by the two equitable men, which need to reach the Ka’bah. The equitable compensation may be from a livestock, or an expiation by feeding the needy persons or its equivalent in fasting.
[5:97] God has made the Ka`bah (al-ka’bata), the Sacred House (al-bayta al-haraama) to be a sanctuary for the people, and the Sacred Months, the offerings and the garlands. That is so that you may know that God knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and that God is aware of everything.
Note: God has made the Ka’bah, the Sacred House and has prescribed certain rites to it for the people, what are required for them. The Sacred Months, animal sacrifice and its garlanding are important events associated with Hajj to the Sacred House. There is also indication in the verse that God is the One who has instituted all the religious rites required for the people.
[8:35] And their contact prayer at the House (al-bayti) was nothing but an imitation with voice and posture. So, taste the retribution because of what you used to disbelieve.
Note: God has made the Ka’bah to observe the contact prayer being reverent to Him but those who fail to do so will suffer from His retribution.
[11:73] They said: “Are you amazed at the decree of God? God’s mercy and His blessing are upon you, the people of the House (al-bayti). He is Praiseworthy, Glorious.”
Note: It is an opportunity for the people who live nearby the House to have God’s mercy and blessing fulfilling rites as decreed by Him.
[14:37] “Our Lord, I (Abraham) have settled a part of my family in an unproductive valley near Your Sacred House (baytika al-muhraama); our Lord, that they are to observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata). So let the hearts of the people incline towards them and provide them with fruits so that they may be grateful.”
Note: Abraham called upon his Lord for his family that they are to observe the contact prayer to the Sacred House and that they would be guided and provided with provision.
[22:26] And when we assigned to Abraham the location of the House (al-bayta) that do not associate anything with Me and you shall purify My House (baytiya) for those who go around, those who devote, those who bow and those who prostrate.
Note: The Ka’bah is established to use it as a prayer house avoiding idol worship and to perform Hajj to it.
[22:29] Then let them complete their obligations and fulfill their vows, and go around the ancient House (al’ateeqi bil-bayti).
Note: The commandment is to perform Hajj to the ancient House.
[22:33] In it (livestock) there are benefits for you for a certain period of time, then their place of sacrifice is to the ancient House (al’ateeqi bil-bayti).
Note: Livestock provides many benefits to people before it has been sacrificed to the ancient Shrine is an indication of animal sacrifice to be a ritual of Hajj.
[33:33] You shall settle down in your homes, and do not present yourselves like the old days of ignorance. You (female) shall observe the contact prayer (al-salata), and give the obligatory charity (al-zakata), and obey God and His messenger. God wishes to remove any impurities from you, the people of the House (ah’la al-bayta), and to purify you complete purification.
Note: The wives of the prophet have been commanded to change their lifestyle, observe the contact prayer (al-salata) and pay the obligatory charity (al-zakata) as well as obey God and obey messenger while it is an opportunity for those who live nearby the Ka’bah to perform Hajj to purify them for their complete purification.
[52:4] And the frequented House (wal-bayti al-ma’moori).
Note: The frequented House is one of the 5 items included in the oath of God that affirms the event of the promised day.
[106:3] So let them worship Lord of this House (rabba haadhaa al-bayti).
Note: The Quraysh were the idol worshipers. Hence, the commandment is very specific for them to worship the Lord of the Ka’bah not what they placed in and around it.
Mathematical confirmation
There are 19 instances in the 17 verses that are thoroughly reviewed to confirm the Ka’bah, the Sacred House to be a sanctuary for the people while 18 instances in the 16 verses across 10 suras participate in the mathematical confirmation. Thus, if the relevant sura and verse numbers are added, the sum is a multiple of 19 => 1444 = 19x76 (see details in the table below).
It is noteworthy that the verse numbers, 125 of sura 2 and 26 of sura 22 are repeated twice in the calculation as the two instances of the House are found in different forms in each verse cited: al-bayta and baytiya while the verse number 33 of sura 22 is excluded from the calculation as the core message in the verse is the animal sacrifice being a ritual of Hajj and mathematical coding of the Quran plays a crucial role help us to reflect to the appropriate message in the verse.
Summary
Here is the list of the summary studying each verse cited above reflecting on its context to have a clear understanding of the Ka’bah to be the Sacred House and the rites decreed to it by God:
- Abraham together with Ismail raised the foundation of the House and asked God for its acceptance.
- People are to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah to the House while walking the distance between the Safa and Marwah is also one of the rituals of Hajj and ‘Umrah.
- The first House is in Becca (Mecca) to which the people are to perform Hajj for God, who are able to make the journey to it.
- Those who come to the Sacred House to observe Hajj shall fulfill all its rituals and shall not incite the hatred for the people if they are prevented from going to the Sacred Masjid.
- Hunting is prohibited during Hajj but if anyone kills the game on purpose, he must compensate it judging by the two equitable men, which need to reach the Ka’bah. The equitable compensation may be from a livestock, or an expiation feeding the needy persons or its equivalent in fasting.
- God has made the Ka’bah, the Sacred House and has prescribed certain rites to it for the people what are required for them.
- God has made the Ka’bah to observe the contact prayer being reverent to Him to avoid His retribution.
- It is an opportunity for a people who live nearby the House to have God’s mercy and blessing fulfilling rites to it as decreed by God.
- Abraham called upon Lord for his family that they are to perform the contact prayer to the Sacred House and that they would be guided and provided with provision.
- The Ka’bah is established to use it as a prayer house avoiding idol worship as well as to perform Hajj to it.
- Livestock provides many benefits to people before it has been sacrificed to the ancient Shrine.
- The wives of the prophet have been commanded to change their lifestyle, observe the contact (salat) and pay the obligatory charity (zakat) as well as obey God and obey messenger while they have the opportunity to perform Hajj for their complete purification being among those who live nearby the House.
- The frequented House is one of the 5 items in the oath of God that affirms the event of the promised day.
- The commandment for the Quraysh is to worship Lord of the Ka’bah.
Conclusion
God has designated the Ka’bah built at Mecca by Abraham together with his son Ismail to be the Sacred Masjid to use it as a prayer house as well as to use it as a qibla from anywhere of the world, and the Sacred House to perform ‘Umrah year round and Hajj in the Sacred months. To mention it to be the first House confirms that Abraham is the first one among the God’s chosen who was given all the religious rites including the Hajj that the Muslims practice today all over the world. It is not only to be used as a prayer house but also to worship God alone being reverent to Him as well as to perform ‘Umrah year round and Hajj in the Sacred months to it to purify them for their complete purification. The ‘Umrah and Hajj is an opportunity for those to purify themselves who live nearby the House while it is a commandment for those who live far from the House but are able to make the journey.
God is the One who has instituted all the religious rites for the people. He has also decreed specific rituals to the Sacred House for the people that can be traced back to the time of Abraham while some of them can also be used to understand certain violations and misconception around it. In this context we can focus to the animal sacrifice and garlanding the animal to be sacrificed to it, prohibition of hunting during Hajj time but allowing it after removing Ihram, reaching of the equitable compensation to the Sacred House, performing Hajj in the Sacred months and establishment of the Ka’bah.
The animal sacrifice is directly related to the ritual of Hajj to the Sacred House. Hence, the animal sacrifice is a ritual for the pilgrims while the practice of the animal sacrifice during the Hajj time among the non-pilgrims in the Muslim community outside of Hajj is an innovation or introduced by tradition. There are four Sacred months during which Hajj can be performed while limiting it only to a few days of Dhu al Hijjah is a violation of God’s commandment in the Quran and its consequence is many disasters during the Hajj session because of overcrowding. If the Hajj could be performed throughout the four Sacred months, it would open the door for a large number of Muslims to perform Hajj every year and the Muslims from any part of the world who wish to perform Hajj would be able to fulfill their obligation with peace and security. The establishment of the Ka’bah is clear in the Quran while some people believe that the Ka’bah to have built on a site originally founded by Adam and Eve is a myth.
The rituals decreed to the Ka’bah being the Sacred Masjid and the Sacred House have been reviewed isolating 2 sets of verses dissecting the Quran. Even the sets of verses are mathematically confirmed to strengthen our hearts to clearly understand and fulfill the rituals to the Ka’bah avoiding all corruptions and distortions. However, the Ka’bah has been mentioned twice in two different verses (5:95 and 5:97) while it has been designated as the Sacred Masjid and the Sacred House in the same verse (5:2) in the same sura of the Quran to make our attention to it. Being the Sacred Masjid people are to observe Salat in it being reverent to Him without associating anyone or anything with Him while being the Sacred House they are to perform ‘Umrah and Hajj to it with an understanding that none but God has made the Ka’ba the sacred House, the sacred months, the offering and the garlanding avoiding all kinds of idolatry in and around it including the Black stone, the water of Zam Zam are sacred and salatul Ka’bah upon completing tawaf around the Ka’bah are from God.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (9/8/2017)