Do Muslims Worship a Stone called the Ka'bah?

[faqir]

Direction in Prayer and the transcendence of Allah



(1) From lecture 1, I understand and accept that one can’t fix a location for Allah, however when we offer our Salah what intention should we have as to who or what we are performing the postures of obedience and submission before (i.e. standing, bowing, prostrating and sitting)? I.e. do we perform these simply in the direction of the Ka’bah or are we actually before Allah? Which one of the following would be the correct intention for when we are performing Salah?








In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. May His blessings and peace be on His Beloved Prophet, the best of creation, and his family, companions, and followers


First, it is important to understand that it is not required to ‘intend’ the direction of the qibla for one’s prayer to be valid. [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]

Our intention in prayer is to perform the given prayer for the sake of Allah. Our motive is expression of slavehood, thankfulness, and love of Allah. [ibid, and Dabusi, al-Amad al-Aqsa]

Allah exists beyond time and space. We face the Qibla for the purpose of having an objective direction to face in prayer; to express our unity of purpose and goal; to manifest the honor of this noble direction; and for the
believers to be united and not fall into disagreement.

Thinking about Allah in physical or spatial terms is sinful and an innovation in matters of belief.

Allah told us,

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ

“And there is absolutely nothing like unto Him.” [Qur’an, Surat al-Shura: 11]

Wassalam,

Faraz Rabbani


www.sunnipath.com

[Pro-History]

Thank you, faqir. Interesting.
Jews pray toward Jerusalem. Initially the Muslims did also, as instructed by Mohammed, until he later changed the direction toward Mecca.
Personally, I feel a sense of worldly community, of unity, during prayers, knowing fellow adherents around the world are praying similarly.
The sense of the power of prayer is, in my mind, magnified.
Thank you for sharing.

Respectfully,
History

[Alhumdulillah]

Hello.

You are right Pro-History, Muslims also used to face Jerusalem in prayer during the early years of Islam. Actually, I remember being taught that even Christians used to face Jerusalem, that is why a lot of Churches face towards that direction, but in Western Christianity that has now been eroded, (even though looking at the very old churches, it can be confirmed) but it may still be continuing in Eastern Christianity (i.e. Greek and Russian Orthodox).

Abraham and his son Ismail built the Ka'aba at Makkah - Makkah is mentioned in the Torah and the Psalms as follows. The first reference is to the Prophet Ismail peace be upon him and the Well of Zam Zam which sprung up next to him in Makkah. The second reference contains the word Baca, which was the old name for Makkah (Quran 3:96):

'Arise and lift up the lad and hold him in thy hand for I will make him a great nation'. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. (Genesis 21: 19-20)

"Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well (Psalm 84: 5-6)

An interesting fact is that Jews, before Islam, used to visit the House (i.e. the Ka'ba) at Makkah and venerated it as a Temple to God built by Abraham. But as the centuries passed and idolatory crept into the life of the Arabs, and the became pagans, the Jews stopped visiting it. (Reference: Ibn Ishaq).

Amazing how all the three Abrahamic faiths are connected eh?

Bye.

[Crono]

The Kabaa' is a building....not a stone.

(no i didn't read the whole post)