PILGRIMAGE AS IT SHOULD BE
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This is an authentic article written by ProGod (Anwar, me) and on my site under Pilgrimage. It is redone from what has been seen before and here it is
Pilgrimage as it should be
" Truly the best houses that could be established for humanity are to be held in estimation, with pre-eminence and notability, blessed with guidance for the world's nations, and where words and signs of enlightenment can be found; in particular the stance of Abraham. Whoever takes his stance will be secure. For God's sake people have the duty of pilgrimage to these houses; whoever has the means for it that is. And as for whoever rejects this, God is not in need of the world's nations." 396 God's MessageHOME
Pilgrimage is due to holy sanctuaries, houses of God, not specifically to a place called Mecca or to some cube, whether it's in Jerusalem, New York or Hong Kong. This is a statement that will blow the Muslim mind away but it is as true as daylight is shining. Pilgrimage is during the holy months mentioned in the Quran. The Quran says that there should be only 12 months (30 day periods) in a year and that 4 of them are to be holy. The word that translations of the Quran often use holy for is haraamun. This word is actually more along the lines of the English word 'inviolable' than 'holy' which is more like mukaddassatun. The word "inviolable" implies that there is something in it that is to be respected and not violated.
Quranically, the daily fasting for 30 days that we are commanded to fulfill during a season of heat (Ramadanun) is one Quranic example of a month with rules that we are to respect and not violate. So that is our first inviolable month. Besides that, the other inviolable months mentioned in the Quran are the months of pilgrimage, which means that the months of pilgrimage are only 3 months. (See the article entitled "The Proper Calendar The Koranic Perspective" to understand the absolute lack of necessity to follow an Islamic calendar.)
So now lets make some of the Quranic terms that have traditionally been associated with a pilgrimage to Mecca clear from a Classical Arabic perspective, in order to show you that the Quran has been being twisted in order to make you think that you have to go to Mecca to make the pilgrimage that God commanded.
'Umratun Wrongly and biasely translated as a 'minor' pilgrimage, this word, whose root 'amara means 'to live, to be active, to be lively or to thrive', means 'activity.' We are supposed to be engaged in activities during the pilgrimage and the following word to be defined is one of the key activities that we should be engaged in as pilgrims.
'Arafaatun This word is the plural of 'arafatun. This is the Arabic feminine form of the word 'arafun, which can correspond to the active form 'aarif, or to 'arfun. 'Arfun is the informational noun of the verb 'arafa to know, to be familiar with, to honor, to recognize, to approve. So 'Arafaatun means 'familiarization(s), honor(s), approbation(s), recognition(s).'
Asafaa & Al-marwatu Although these two words are also places in Saudi Arabia, they have their own Classical Arabic meanings of 'Stone & Pebble.' Interpreting these words' original meanings into the Koranic context where they are mentioned renders an understanding equal to the following
"Stone and Pebble will be apart of God's places of worship. So whoever might make pilgrimage to such houses there is no crime or sin if they come upon these two." 2158
The supersitious abound in every age and there will be those who will try to make taboos even on the building materials used for making God's houses, the inviolable sanctuaries. God never forbade gold and silk but of course this made its way into the religion because someone wanted to put their opinion into the mouth of one of God's prophets, God bless him and keep him. Because we know that this prophet, Muhammad, only preached the Quran we know better than to believe a lie like this. Just as God made silk and gold, God made every stone and pebble and there is no sin or crime if these are apart of God's houses. White stone, black stone, red stone, gold stone, none of this matters and that is why we have this passage; for those who would make it matter.
Becca from Ba, kaf, kaf can mean Pounding or crushing (al-&unuqa (on) the neck) (daqqul-&unuqa), distinguishing/ranking above others (farraqahu, kharaqahu), jostling, pressing or crowding(crowdszahm), any crowding(or crowds), competition. (izdihaam) heaping/piling together/amassing (taraakib), super-imposition of things on top of other things (taraakim), a man/male having or the trying to have sex with a female, denial or rejection of a thing or person's dignity, to humiliate, cancellation/dissolution/breaking, being in need or being stout, muscular or rough, from activity. Source Translated from the above entries from Lisaanul &Arabi and Mu'jam matnil-lughat
Mecca Meem, kaf, kaf, Sucking, Sucking up, Absorbing, drinking up, Destruction/Destroying, Diminishing/Diminution, Failing/Failure, to cast, to throw away, to discard, to straighten/tighten or impede/restrict, to beseech/ask/accept, crowding, competition(izdihaam) Source Translated from the above entries from Lisaanul &Arabi and Mu'jam matnil-lughat
The meanings in underlined italics are the ones that I think are implied in all of the Koran's contexts where these words are mentioned, from a logical standpoint, and independent of the later rumorous stories of the Hadeeth.
"The pilgrimage is for certain known months. So to whoever would take on the duty of pilgrimage during these months, there shall be no sexual activity, no acting wrongfully, nor arguments or disputes during the pilgrimage. Whatever good you do, God knows it. (He says), "Make provisions for yourselves. Certainly, the best provision is self-protection. And to those of you with intelligence, protect yourselves from me!" There is no crime on you all in your seeking some grace from your lord and superior. So when you all pour out from the familiarizing, the honoring, the approbations and the recognitions, remember God and mention Him in a spirit of holiness and respect. Mind him however he may direct you to mind him. Before His direction, you all were misguided. Afterwards, flow back into the place from which the people had poured out of, and ask for God's forgiveness. Surely, God is forgivingly merciful. When you have finished your rites, remember God and mention him like you would your fathers & ancestors, or more strongly. Some people will be those who say " Lord! Give to us in the earthly realm." But they will have nothing in the very end. There are also people who will say, "Lord! Give to us excellence in the earthly realm, and excellence in the very end. Save us from the pain of the fire." These will be given from whatever they earn. God is quick to account. Mind God during some 3 or more days, but whoever is rushed, then during two days. There is no wrong in this. Nor is there any wrong in lingering on for a while. Whoever protects himself commits no crime. But protect yourselves from God, and know that you will be gathered to Him." 2197-193
The purpose of the pilgrimage when the Quran was revealed and even now has been the unity of the vast godly community of individuals and families who believe in the divine inspiration of the Quran and in the prophecy of Muhammad but who are active in their lives and on their lands doing their best to fulfull what God wants from them in the myriad of ways that they see fit and are capable of, from working to feed their families, to publicizing, organizing, learning, developing and improving as God commands us to do.
The word 'Qiblah' can mean a center, focal point or gathering place (literally a recieving place that can recieve people, attention, etc). 1087 confirms this. It is not 'a place of worship' as the Yusef Ali translation puts it although it can mean this, in that places of worship are communal centres of gathering. Place of worship is literally 'masjid.' or 'ma&bad.'
In Arabic 'turning your face' towards a place can mean heading there and this makes more sense in the universal sense. As not all people faced a certain way when they prayed in the past. The fact that
Christians, Jews and pagans don't do this universally today, should lean away from the understanding of the passage 2142 as 'what has turned you away from your direction of prayer' to 'what has turned you away from your communal centers of gathering?' being the preferrable understanding. 2144-45
"Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makka). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction. Cerainly, the people who were given the Scriptures (i.e. Jews and the Christians) know well that, that (your turning towards the direction of the Ka'ba at Makka in prayers) is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do. And even if you were to bring to the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) all the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they would not follow your Qiblah (prayer direction), nor are you going to follow their Qiblah (prayer direction). Nor indeed will they follow each other's Qiblah. "
is better understood as
'Surely we shall turn your attention (wajhaka) to a place to convene on that shall please you. So go to the Respected Sanctuaries. Wherever, you (Muhammad and those who follow you) may be, head towards them. The people who already have scripture, laws and decrees will know that this is only right, and from their lord. God is not oblivious to their actions. However, even if you were to bring to these people all the words or wonders in the world they would not comply with your place of convening, and you are not to comply with theirs. Some of them won't comply with each others' places of convening! . .'
Universal meanings should be preferred from words and verses that could have been specifically applied to Muhammad's people and time (God bless him) but also to all times and all mankind. The Quran is a revelation for all mankind, as we all know.
When it comes to the pilgrimage 597, 2198-2200 and all of the other passages that address pilgrimage we should know that they are talking about the activities (umrah) to go on at the holy sanctuaries during this season of pilgrimage when Quranists gather at these houses.
A pilgrimage is really just the trip whose destination is a respected/holy place and these places that we are to make a pilgrimage to are the respected sanctuaries, these are the houses of God, built following the example given to us through Abraham (God bless him and keep him).
Once we have gathered in these houses, we are to recognize, approve of and honor each other, bestowing ranks/tokens/adornments/decorations of honor to each other. We are also to celebrate, mention and mind God as we celebrate, mention and remind of our forefathers. There we eat together, through the sacrifices,
we get to know one another and we organize to support God's causes and good.
But when is it? We know that it is during 3 months but are there any Quranic clues to this? Yes. Chapt. 106. Remember that we should prefer the universal meaning of a passage and its words, all the while accepting its time-limited meanings as well. The word Quraish, while also being the ancient tribe of Muhammad from what we know, is also the dimunitive form of qarsh and this noun can mean 'to collect together from various places of origins' This is from Muheetul-Muheet (Cl. Arabic dictionary).
This dictionary also says that the people of the Quraish were called this because of their tajammu&un around the sancutuary there. Helping us further identify that quraish means 'tajammu&' or 'coming toghether or gathering.'
The diminutive in Cl. Arabic can have a meaning of 'small' or it can imply endearment or approval, as in all languages. For instance &abd and &ubaid (slave/servant and little or dear slave/servant). Ibnee and bunaiya(my son and my dear or little son), akhee and ukhaya (my brother and my dear or little brother) Umm and umaimah or umaihamah(Mother and little or dear mother). The same goes for Hasan and Husein, Hirr and Hurairah. Shay'un and shuway'un. However, it is not derogatory in Arabic, like it can be in English. So 106 can mean
'As for the obligation of a beloved gathering; the people's obligation is a trip (that falls) in both summer and spring. So let them worship the lord of that/this house who has and will provide them with food against any hunger and has and will protect them from any fear.'
So the pilgrimage is a period of 3 respected/inviolable months (the 4th holy month is the month of fasting in a local season of heat) that is to fall in both winter and spring. Meaning that the vernal equinox should be smack dab in the middle of these 3 months.
Following the Quranically-based calendar (The Proper Calendar) starting at the summer solstice, following twelve 30 day months and having 5 exta days at the end (in total 73 five-day weeks) this pilgrimage would begin on the 9th month of the year and end at the start of the 12th month. In the Gregorian calendar that would be about roughly, this year from Feb 17 to May 18.
The Quran tells us to pray and even ta pray at certain times (Prayer A simple guide) but we can pray anywhere and the purpose of these sanctuaries is not just for prayer but to serve as common-grounds, the qiblah or focal-point, for the members of this godly community to come together, know each other, network with each other, eat with each other, pray together and celebrate God together. The pilgrimage was never designed to be the death trap that Mecca is now during the pilgrimage season, nor are those rituals of dressing in white, throwing stones at boulders that represent satan, or walking seven times around a stone edifice significant to what the Quran preaches within its pages. The Quran says that in God's messengers and particularly in Abraham is an upstanding example to follow. To try to look for the house that he actually built is silly. And prefering ancient Arab folklore that tries to shadow over all of the other houses that Abraham supposedly built according to ancient Hebrew histories, only to draw attention to that cubical house in Mecca that only gained its glory through the good fortune of the Arab tribes who have prized the shrine in this place since their pagan days, is even more silly. We are to take the example of what Abraham did and do likewise, build the house and then make the call to the pilgrimage, for the three months that transition from winter into spring.
The concept of the pilgrimage should be viewed like what we consider conventions nowadays, where the meaninful rites and practices mentioned in the Quran about this pilgrimage are put into practice. The first step is applying it the way the Quran applies it, universally and with organization. The pilgrimage is not just to Mecca, and God's houses can be built anywhere as longs as there is a band of godly people available to willingly maintain these houses and ensure successful pilgrimages to them.
Godbless,
Anwar -
Peace Anwar,
Nicely found. Interesting read.
I myself think pilgrimage has something to do with spreading God's word in other countries or at least looking for likeminded people who can pass the Message on to others. It's about trying to reach people and discuss with them their religion and explain to them what real monothe?sm is.
I came to that conclusion after reading the meaning of 'haj'. 'Hajja' means to intend a certain target, aim at, repair, undertake, aim, argue, contend with, overcome dispute, please and, last but not least, go on a pilgrimage.
I think pilgrimage is abouting spreading the Word/Truth, like Christians do nowadays. Ofcourse I could be wrong since I'm not finished studying it yet, although those were the first things that came to mind and that basically sounded logical to me.
Any criticism is welcome and will only help me in my search of this meaning.
peace
Latifah
*adjusted
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I myself think pilgrimage has something to do with spreading God's word in other countries or at least looking for likeminded people who can pass the Message on to others. It's about trying to reach people and discuss with them their religion and explain to them what real monothe?sm is.
I came to that conclusion after reading the meaning of 'haj'. 'Hajja' means to intend a certain target, aim at, repair, undertake, aim, argue, contend with, overcome dispute, please and, last but not least, go on a pilgrimage.
I think pilgrimage is abouting spreading the Word/Truth, like Christians do nowadays.
Salaams latifa,
Agree with your findings.
And here is mine, God Bless.
On the day of the greatest aim/ desire- can be seen in sura 9 where the pagans are told to conduct themselves according to 53 below or face consequences of their actions if they carry on breaking these commands as they have made an agreement to abide by them (The shahr)
53 (four forbidden shahr)
Verily He has forbidden upon you The Death and bloodshed and to revile/vilify with pride and to do opposite to Allah or in accordance with other then Allah ? strangling, beating, repulsing/ repelling, corruption and that (you) devour by obscenety or lewdness, except that/ what is legal to you and what lawful/ clean / pure by labour/ toil and that you seek knowledge of your fate by divining arrows that is sin this day have given up all hope those who disbelieved of your religion so do not you fear them but fear Me????.
http//www.free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=6287.0
And the eight shahr encouraged.
9112
Those who repent/ return from sin or disobedience, who imbibe and reflect-on Gods attributes, who commend/ praise/ speak well of/ eulogize, who devote themselves for/to others, who are humble, who submit/ Accept, who command/ enjoin to do good and forbid evil and who observe the limits set by God and give glad tidings to the believers.So it is worth learning AND PRACTICING the twelve shahr as they are the basis to all of Gods messages to mankind ? I think.
As where the 10 commandments in the bible.
see also
http//www.free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=6836.0
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Peace Anwar,
Nicely found. Interesting read.
I myself think pilgrimage has something to do with spreading God's word in other countries or at least looking for likeminded people who can pass the Message on to others. It's about trying to reach people and discuss with them their religion and explain to them what real monothe?sm is.
I came to that conclusion after reading the meaning of 'haj'. 'Hajja' means to intend a certain target, aim at, repair, undertake, aim, argue, contend with, overcome dispute, please and, last but not least, go on a pilgrimage.
I think pilgrimage is abouting spreading the Word/Truth, like Christians do nowadays. Ofcourse I could be wrong since I'm not finished studying it yet, although those were the first things that came to mind and that basically sounded logical to me.
Any criticism is welcome and will only help me in my search of this meaning.
peace
Latifah
*adjusted
Salam all,
After having a "conversation" ( -inside joke-) with a friend, I came to the conclusion that 'hajj' has not only to do with taking trips to (foreign) "holy" countries or spreading Allah's words. I think 'hajj' means taking a journey into our Self, into our Being, and reparing everything that doesn't need to be IN us. Reparing emotions like hate, revenge, anger, greed, lust etc.
Those are just some examples of negative emotions that we need to control, before it takes over our lives and leads us into bad behaviour. Bad behaviour which will only hurt people around us and ourselves. Unhealthy emotions that only sickens our soul and other souls.They ask you about the phases of the moon! Say, "They provide a timing device for the people, and determine the time of Hajj." It is not righteous to beat around the bush; righteousness is attained by upholding the commandments and by being straightforward. You shall observe GOD, that you may succeed. (2189)
Surely the Safa (many think it's referring to a mountain in Mecca, but it actually means ?to purify?) and the Marwa (also known as a mountain in Mecca, but actually means 'quench thirst') are among the signs appointed by Allah; so whoever makes a pilgrimage to the House or pays a visit (to it), there is no blame on him if he goes round them both; and whoever does good spontaneously, then surely Allah is Grateful, Knowing. (215
The above verses only proofs that our soul is "trapped" into our body, which can be called a 'House' of our spirit. Which I think means that we now and then need to clean up our "House". I would like to call it a pilgrimage into our Self, into our soul, and remove and repare everything that's useless to our health and other people's health.
Just having a 'Eureka-moment'!
peace
Latifah
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Peace,
Hajj means pilgrimage or argument. You can make a pilgrimage within your soul or to the moon. That does not mean that that is the pilgrimage that God recommended to you in the Quran.
Furthermore I had an enlightenment just now. The Quran says there is to be no jidaal during hajj. If we are to understand hajj correctly in this context then we cannot understand it in anyway that includes jidaal. I have always translated jidaal as arguing or disputing. And some here tried to distinguish that from debate. However, if we look at 16125 (Thanks for pointing this out Damon ), We read
"?nvite to the way of your lord with wisdom and excellent/beautiful preaching/admonition. And argue with them (jaadil-hum) in ways that are best and most gracious/beautiful."
The noun of jaadala is jidaal, showing that jidaal can be done in an excellent, beautiful and most gracious way. That means that jidaal is just a dispute or the act of giving mutual statements and rebutals.
If we take that into consideration we cannot distinguish jidaal from hajj (as argument) in the context of the Quran. Literally hajj/hajjah may be more about logical debate, but jidaal is just dispute or arguing and includes logical dispute and illogical dispute. Therfore hajj falls under jidaal (as productive as logical debate may be) if we see it as debate, quranically.
Therefore in the Quranic context and through the Classical Arabic context hajj as debate falls under jidaal and this disallows our understanding hajj as debate when the Quran mentions that there is to be no jidaal during the hajj. Therefore we should only understand this word as pilgrimage, the journey to a respected/important place for a respected/important reason.
Godbless,
Anwar -
Salaam progod
There are 17 verses in the quraan with the verb "jaadala", most of them"arguing" about God or His decisions; one about a woman arguing with the prophet about her husband, and a few about arguing with "ahlul kitaab".
I do not see a contradiction between "debating" and "not arguing". Since the call for hajj is to all mankind, it is not a religious obligation, but a secular one; and it is meant to discuss our worldly interests. Therefore, we should not spend the limited time arguing with people of other faiths, or atheists, on God or religious matters.
If muslims have had understood hajj in this meaning, we could have established something like the UN , a God fearing UN, where people gather at a specific time, discuss their wordly affairs without arguing about rligious matters.
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There are 17 verses in the quraan with the verb "jaadala", most of them"arguing" about God or His decisions; one about a woman arguing with the prophet about her husband, and a few about arguing with "ahlul kitaab".
Does that disprove what I said? There is still this problem of Jaadala in the context of the quran NOT being arguing or quarelling. How can you quarrel with someone in the most beautiful, gracious and excellent way? Isn't that the opposite of quarreling?
I do not see a contradiction between "debating" and "not arguing". Since the call for hajj is to all mankind, it is not a religious obligation, but a secular one; and it is meant to discuss our worldly interests. Therefore, we should not spend the limited time arguing with people of other faiths, or atheists, on God or religious matters.
I agree with you from an english perspective, but not from the quranic/CLassical Arabic perspective which I made clear to you in my previous post. Furthermore if God tells us to do this, how is it not a religious obligation. Secular is without God, so how can an order from God, be secular? Don't you think this concept that you want to attach to hajj can be seen through many other passages that tell us to stand up for what it right (al-qistu), establish betterment and justice (zakaat), strive after all things good (saari&oo ilaal-khairaati) and other countless verses in the Quran. Why does hajj have to mean his like there is nothing else in the Quran that tells us to do this whenever possible.
If muslims have had understood hajj in this meaning, we could have established something like the UN , a God fearing UN, where people gather at a specific time, discuss their wordly affairs without arguing about rligious matters.
I'm sorry but a God-fearing UN is the opposite of a secular one. Secularism is not the right way. The right way is religious freedom and tolerance as well as the spirit of charity and justice for all humanity. We don't need to delete God from the picture to achieve this. If Muslims had studied, understood and stuck to the Quran period, something like this would have sprung from Muslim countries. But as we know they do not study it, nor stick to and analyze its teachings. The concept of tadabburu ayaatillaahi (carefuly studying and analyzing Gods words and works) which is commanded in the Quran is totally uknown to our dear Muslim brothers and sisters, except for a few, like me and you.
But we still haven't come to a common understanding on jidaal which in 16125 takes a just, moderate and even most gracious and excellent form. That is certainly not quarreling.
Godbless,
AnwarGodbless,
Anwar -
Salaam progod
There are 17 verses in the quraan with the verb "jaadala", most of them"arguing" about God or His decisions; one about a woman arguing with the prophet about her husband, and a few about arguing with "ahlul kitaab".
I do not see a contradiction between "debating" and "not arguing". Since the call for hajj is to all mankind, it is not a religious obligation, but a secular one; and it is meant to discuss our worldly interests. Therefore, we should not spend the limited time arguing with people of other faiths, or atheists, on God or religious matters.
If muslims have had understood hajj in this meaning, we could have established something like the UN , a God fearing UN, where people gather at a specific time, discuss their wordly affairs without arguing about rligious matters.
This is exactly the same conclusion I have.
2110 O Mankind! Now We have revealed unto you a Book that is all about you and it will give you eminence. Will you not, then, use your sense?
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Salaam
Dear Anwer, I was not ignoring your points, I just recognised a similarity of thinking with Samia which I responded too. I have not had time to investigate your points correctly. I hope to have some time this weekend inshAllah.