Islam

Answer 1

This is a misconception that it is only Islam where women are subjugated.

USA, the world's most powerful country has the highest rape rate in the world. This is due to the cultural effects and not due to religion.

Unfortunately, most of the Muslim countries are under monarchy and so lack proper judiciary. The judges in all the countries are easily bribed and so it is really hard for a rapist to be convicted. Thus this lack of accountability encourages the women who are then tortured. As far as the other things are concerned, the blame again goes to the weak countries. The weak countries do not have any women protection laws and so the women are made to suffer.

Islam provides for equality of women in every matter. In Qur'an, at several occasions, Islam has asked men to deal with women on equal basis. The prophet Muhammad said that a person who does not care for his wife will be held accountable at the Day of Judgement and may be sentenced to hell. What else can be said, except that misbehaving with women can send a person to hell.

Also, Islam asks the man to provide for the living of his whole family. According to Islam, a man cannot force a woman to go and earn money. It is purely her will. Even when she does a job, Islam gives her the right to keep the money earned to herself.

Thus Islam is a very sweet religion which provides for the welfare of women. It is the Muslim man that breaks the Islamic law and harshly treates his wife.

Answer 2

Women in Islam have equal rights and duties as Muslim men and in the meantime women have complementing role to men in family duties and responsibilities. The following are the basic rights for women in Islam that can explain accordingly women role:

1. The right and duty to obtain education.

2. The right to have their own independent property.

3. The right to work to earn money if they need it or want it.

4. Equality of reward for equal deeds.

5. The right to express their opinion and be heard.

6. The right to provisions from the husband for all her needs and more.

7. The right to negotiate marriage terms of her choice.

8. The right to obtain divorce from her husband, even on the grounds that she simply can't stand him. (pls note that God deeply frowns upon divorce as a solution unless there is hardly any other alternative but it does not mean that men have more right to divorce their wives than women do.)

9. The right to keep all her own money (she is not responsible to maintain any relations).

10. The right to get sexual satisfaction from her husband.

11. custody of their children after divorce.

12. to refuse any marriage that does not please them

In Islam there is absolutely no difference between men and women as far as their relationship to God is concerned, as both are promised the same reward for good conduct and the same punishment for evil conduct. The Qur'an says:

And for women are rights over men similar to those of men over women. (2:226)

The Qur'an, in addressing the believers, often uses the expression,'believing men and women' to emphasize the equality of men and women in regard to their respective duties, rights, virtues and merits.

Some non Muslims believe that women, in Islam, are viewed as utterly subservient to males. See their arguments below and accompanying hints on these arguments and seek the truth yourself:

1. Have sex with your women whenever and as often as you like. 2:223 [Hint: The verse is truncated. The the verse says (meaning English translation):{Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will; but plan in advance and do some good act for your souls beforehand (foreplay sex) ; and fear Allah. And know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter), and give (these) good tidings to those who believe. (223)}. This means don't approach in sex with other than your wife that you can approach whenever you want. However, you should have foreplay sex first with her to please yourselves and get her acceptance. When approaching your wife fear Allah (God) and be kind to your wife.]
2. Women have rights that are similar to men, but men are "a degree above them." 2:228 [Hint:again the verse says (meaning English translation): {... And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage) over them. And Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise. (228)}. The men degree above wives is only in money spending. It is the Islam obligation that Husbands are responsible of all marriage expenditures even if the wives work and earn money. The wife money is for her own investment to her own choice. This is explained explicitly in verse 4:34 that says: {Men are the support of women as God gives some more means than others, and because they spend of their wealth (to provide for them)}
3. A woman is worth one-half a man. 2:282 [Hint: This is absolutely wrong. Only in two cases. First, in witness regarding money affairs, witness of two men is required or one man and two women. In other cases of witness, only woman witness is necessary. second, in inheritance by sons and daughters. the son inherit twice the daughter because it is the Islam obligation that Husbands are responsible of all marriage expenditures even if the wives work and earn money. The wife money is only for her own investment to her own choice. Accordingly, males are in more need of money than females.]
4. "Marry of the women, who seem good to you, two or three or four." 4:3 [Hint: Again the verse is truncated and miss understood. The verse says{marry women who are lawful for you, two, three, or four; but if you fear you cannot treat so many with equity, marry only one}.Accordingly, it is conditional to marry more than one. You must treat them equally, get the approval of previous wife before the new marriage, each wife to have independent and same level residence and receive same expenditure and appreciation, .... Because of the difficulty to fulfill these many conditions it very rare and very seldom to find one marrying more than wife. It is not like some Christian denominations that allow unconditional polygamy with unlimited number of wives]
5. Males are to inherit twice that of females. 4:11 [Hint: This is only in one case. When the one passing away has sons and daughters. The son inherits twice the daughter because it is the Islam obligation that Husbands are responsible of all marriage expenditures even if the wives work and earn money. The wife's money is only for her own investment to her own choice. Accordingly, males are in more need of money than females. Other cases are quite different. For example, if one died and has one daughter and his parents are alive. His daughter inherits 1/2 his wealth. His parents each equally gets 1/6 of his wealth.]
6. Men are in charge of women, because Allah made men to be better than women. 4:34 [Hint: Allah made men better than women only in expenditures. Otherwise, they are equal or in some cases women are better than men. The verse 4:34 says: {Men are the support of women as God gives some more means than others, and because they spend of their wealth (to provide for them)}]
7. Don't pray if you are drunk, dirty, or have touched a woman lately. 4:43. [Hint: The statement is misleading and not correct. The verse says:{O you who believe, do not perform your service of prayer when you are intoxicated until you are sure of what you are saying, nor when in a state of seminal pollution (due to intercourse sex with wife), until you have taken a bath,...}. The verse is very. Don't pray when drunk. If you are in a state of seminal pollution due to sex with wife, you should take bath. Is there any wrong ?]
8. Women are feeble and are unable to devise a plan. 4:98 [Hint: Please read the the verse before this verse and the verse after it to understand the meaning. The verses 97-99 say, those who dye as unbelievers and claim that they were oppressed will be punished in the day of judgment because they didn't migrate to other lands. The exceptions are men, women, and children who are feeble and can't plan to migrate. Those will be forgiven by God. Is there any thing here against women?]
9. "Unto the male is the equivalent share of two females." 4:176 [Hint: Refer to the Hint under item # 3]
10. When it's time to pray and you have just used the toilet or touched a woman be sure to wash up. If you can't find any water, just rub some dirt on yourself. 5:6 [Hint: it means don't pray without ablution (minor or major ablution) if you used the toilet or made sex with your wife. If you don't find water make what is called 'Taiammum'. In taiammum, you beat the floor (or carpet or the like) once and wipe your face and another time and wipe your hands as symbol for rituals before praying. What is wrong in this and what is against women in this?]

Additional issues:

1. Believing women must lower their gaze and be modest, cover themselves with veils, and not reveal themselves except to their husbands, relatives, children, and slaves. 24:31 [Hint: The first command, to lower gaze and be modest, is for both woman and men. Women are commanded to cover their whole bodies except their faces and hands (exactly as you notice in the pictures of the virgin Mary). This is also valid in Judaism and Christianity. What is wrong in this? Do you like women to reveal themselves to other than their husbands, close relatives, and children?]
2. Women must cover themselves when in public. 33:59 [Hint: Except face and hands as you notice in Virgin Mary picture. Refer to the hint above]
3. Those who "did wrong" will go to hell, and their wives will go to hell with them (no matter how they behaved). 37:22-23 {Hint: This groundless. The verses say:{Gather all the wicked together and their comrades, and those they had worshiped (22) Other than God," (the angels will be told), "then show them the way to Hell, (23)} The verses are very clear and have nothing against women]
4. Quran says: "For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in God's praise, for them has God prepared forgiveness and great reward". (33:35). This clearly contradicts the assertion of some Christian Fathers that women do not possess souls and that they will exist as sexless beings in the next life. The Qur'an says that women have souls in exactly the same way as men and will enter Paradise if they do good. Quran says: "Enter into Paradise, you and your wives, with delight." (43:70) and says: "Who so does that which is right, and believes, whether male or female, him or her will We quicken to happy life. " (16:97)
5. The Qur'an admonishes those men who oppress or ill-treat women: Quran says "O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should you treat them with harshness, that you may take away part of the dowry you have given them - except when they have become guilty of open lewdness. On the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If you take a dislike to them, it may be that you dislike something and God will bring about through it a great deal of good. " (4:19)
6. Considering the fact that before the advent of Islam the pagan Arabs used to bury their female children alive, make women dance naked in the vicinity of the Ka'ba during their annual fairs, and treat women as mere chattels and objects of sexual pleasure -- possessing no rights or position whatsoever, these teachings of the Noble Qur'an were revolutionary. Unlike other religions, which regarded women as being possessed of inherent sin and wickedness, and men as being possessed of inherent virtue and nobility, Islam regards men and women as being of the same essence created from a single soul. The Qur'an declares: "mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate, and from this pair scattered (like seeds) countless men and women. Reverence God, through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and reverence the wombs (that bore you); for God ever watches over you." (4:1)
7. The Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him, said, "Women are the twin halves of men". The Qur'an emphasizes the essential unity of men and women in a most beautiful saying: "They (your wives) are your garment and you are a garment for them." (2:187). Just as a garment hides our nakedness, so do husband and wife, by entering into the relationship of marriage, secure each other's chastity. The garment gives comfort to the body; so does the husband find comfort in his wife's company and she in his. "The garment is the grace, the beauty, the embellishment of the body, so too are wives to their husbands as their husbands are to them."
8. Islam does not consider woman "an instrument of the Devil", but rather the Qur'an calls her muhsana - a fortress against Satan because a good woman, by marrying a man, helps him keep to the path of rectitude in his life. It is for this reason that marriage was considered by the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, as a most virtuous act. He said: "When a man marries, he has completed one half of his religion." He enjoined matrimony on Muslims by saying: "Marriage is part of my way and whoever keeps away from my way is not from me (i.e. is not my follower)." The Qur'an has given the raison d'être of marriage in the following words: "And among His signs is this, that He has created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquillity with them; and He has put love and mercy between you. Verily in that are signs for those who reflect." (30:21)
9. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was full of praise for virtuous and chaste women. He said: "The world and all things in the world are precious but the most precious thing in the world is a virtuous woman." He once told the future Caliph, 'Umar: "Shall I not inform you about the best treasure a man can hoard? It is a virtuous wife who pleases him whenever he looks towards her, and who guards herself when he is absent from her." On other occasions the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "The best property a man can have is a remembering tongue (i.e. which remembers God), a grateful heart and a believing wife who helps him in his faith." And again: "The world, the whole of it, is a commodity and the best of the commodities of the world is a virtuous wife." Before the advent of Islam women were often treated worse than animals. The Prophet wanted to put a stop to all cruelties to women. He preached kindness towards them. He told the Muslims: "Fear God in respect of women." And: "The best of you are they who behave best to their wives." And: "A Muslim must not hate his wife, and if he be displeased with one bad quality in her, let him be pleased with one that is good." And: "The more civil and kind a Muslim is to his wife, the more perfect in faith he is." The Prophet, peace be upon him, was most emphatic in enjoining upon Muslims to be kind to their women when he delivered his famous sermon (Arabic: khutba on the Mount of Mercy, at Arafat, in the presence of one hundred and twenty-four thousand of his Companions who had gathered there for the Hajj al-Wada (Farewell Pilgrimage). In it he ordered those present, and through them all those Muslims who were to come later, to be respectful and kind towards women. He said: "Fear God regarding women. Verily you have married them with the trust of God, and made their bodies lawful with the word of God. You have got (rights) over them, and they have got (rights) over you in respect of their food and clothing according to your means."
10. In Islam a woman is a completely independent personality. She can make any contract or bequest in her own name. She is entitled to inherit in her position as mother, as wife, as sister and as daughter. She has perfect liberty to choose her husband. The pagan society of pre-Islamic Arabia had an irrational prejudice against their female children whom they used to bury alive. The Messenger of God, peace be upon him, was totally opposed to this practice. He showed them that supporting their female children would act as a screen for them against the fire of Hell: It is narrated by the Prophet's wife, 'A'isha, that a woman entered her house with two of her daughters. She asked for charity but 'A'isha could not find anything except a date, which was given to her. The woman divided it between her two daughters and did not eat any herself. Then she got up and left. When the Prophet, peace be upon him, came to the house, 'A'isha told him about what had happened and he declared that when this woman was brought to account (on the Day of Judgment) about her two daughters, they would act as a screen for her from the fires of Hell.
11. The worst calamity for a woman is when her husband passes away and, as a widow, the responsibility of maintaining the children falls upon her. In the Eastern World, where a woman does not always go out to earn her living, the problems of widowhood are indescribable. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, upheld the cause of widows. Most of his wives were widows. In an age when widows were rarely permitted to remarry, the Prophet encouraged his followers to marry them. He was always ready to help widows and exhorted his followers to do the same. Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet said: "One who makes efforts (to help) the widow or a poor person is like a mujahid (warrior) in the path of God, or like one who stands up for prayers all of the the night and fasts all of the day."
12. Woman as mother commands great respect in Islam. The Noble Qur'an speaks of the rights of the mother in a number of verses. It enjoins Muslims to show respect to their mothers and serve them well even if they are still unbelievers. The Prophet, peace be upon him, states emphatically that the rights of the mother are paramount. Abu Hurairah reported that a man came to the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, and asked: "O Messenger of God, who is the person who has the greatest right on me with regards to kindness and attention?" He replied, "Your mother." "Then who?" He replied, "Your mother." "Then who?" He replied, "Your mother." "Then who?" He replied, "Your father."
13. In another tradition, the Prophet advised a believer not to join the war against the Quraish (i.e. the pagan disbelievers at that time) in defense of Islam, but to look after his mother, saying that his service to his mother would be a cause for his salvation. Mu'awiyah, the son of Jahimah, reported that Jahimah came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and said: "Messenger of God! I want to join the fighting (in the path of God) and I have come to seek your advice." He said, "Then remain in your mother's service, because Paradise is under her feet."
14. The Prophet's followers accepted his teachings and brought about a revolution in their social attitude towards women. They no longer considered women as a mere chattels, but as an integral part of society. For the first time women were given the right to have a share in inheritance. In the new social climate, women rediscovered themselves and became highly active members of society rendering useful service during the wars which the pagan Arabs forced on the emerging Muslim umma. They carried provisions for the soldiers, nursed them, and even fought alongside them if it was necessary. It became a common sight to see women helping their husbands in the fields, carrying on trade and business independently, and going out of their homes to satisfy their needs.
15. 'A'isha reported that Saudah bint Zam'ah went out one night. 'Umar saw her and recognized her and said, "By God, O Saudah, why do you not hide yourself from us?" She went back to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and told him about it while he was having supper in her room, and he said: "It is permitted by God for you to go out for your needs." The predominant idea in the teachings of Islam with regard to men and women is that a husband and wife should be full-fledged partners in making their home a happy and prosperous place, and that they should be loyal and faithful to one another, and genuinely interested in each other's welfare and the welfare of their children. A woman is expected to exercise a humanizing influence over her husband and to soften the sternness inherent in his nature. A man is enjoined to educate the women in his care so that they cultivate the qualities in which they, by their very nature, excel. These aspects were much emphasized by the Prophet, peace be upon him. He exhorted men to marry women of piety and women to be faithful to their husbands and kind to their children. He said: "Among my followers the best of men are those who are best to their wives, and the best of women are those who are best to their husbands. To each of such women is set down a reward equivalent to the reward of a thousand martyrs. Among my followers, again, the best of women are those who assist their husbands in their work, and love them dearly for everything, save what is a transgression of God's laws."
16. Once Mu'awiyah asked the Prophet, peace be upon him: "What are the rights that a wife has over her husband?" The Prophet, peace be upon him, replied: "Feed her when you take your food, give her clothes to wear when you wear clothes, refrain from giving her a slap on the face or abusing her, and do not separate from your wife, except within the house." Once a woman came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, with a complaint against her husband. He told her: "There is no woman who removes something to replace it in its proper place, with a view to tidying her husband's house, but that God sets it down as a virtue for her. Nor is there a man who walks with his wife hand-in-hand, but that God sets it down as a virtue for him; and if he puts his arm round her shoulder in love, his virtue is increased tenfold." Once he was heard praising the women of the tribe of Quraish, saying: " . . . because they are the kindest to their children while they are infants and because they keep a careful watch over the belongings of their husbands."
17. The Shari'ah (Islamic Law) regards women as the spiritual and intellectual equals of men. The main distinction it makes between them is in the physical realm based on the equitable principle of fair division of labor. It allots the more strenuous work to the man and makes him responsible for the maintenance of the family. It allots the work of managing the home and the upbringing and training of children to the woman, work which has the greatest importance in the task of building a healthy and prosperous society.
18. It is a fact, however, that sound administration within the domestic field is impossible without a unified policy. For this reason the Shari'ah requires a man, as head of the family, to consult with his family and then to have the final say in decisions concerning it. In doing so he must not abuse his prerogative to cause any injury to his wife. Any transgression of this principle involves for him the risk of losing the favor of God, because his wife is not his subordinate but she is, to use the words of the Prophet, peace be upon him, 'the queen of her house', and this is the position a true believer is expected to give his wife. In contrast to these enlightened teachings of Islam in respect of women, Western talk of women's liberation or emancipation is actually a disguised form of exploitation of her body, deprivation of her honor, and degradation of her soul!

When is it prescribed for a worshipper to do the prostration of forgetfulness?.

Praise be to Allaah.

By the mercy of Allaah to His slaves, as one of the beauties of this perfect religion, Allaah has prescribed that His slaves may make up for shortcomings and mistakes that they make in their worship and cannot avoid completely, by performing supererogatory (naafil) acts of worship, praying for forgiveness and so on.

One of the things that Allaah has prescribed for His slaves to make up for shortcomings that may occur in their prayer is the prostration of forgetfulness, but it is only prescribed to make up for certain things; it does not make up for everything nor is it prescribed for everything.

Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about the reasons for doing the prostration of forgetfulness, and he replied as follows:

The prostration of forgetfulness in prayer is generally prescribed for three reasons:

1- Doing something extra

2- Omitting something

3- Being uncertain

Doing something extra: for example, doing an extra bow (rukoo'), prostration (sujood), standing or sitting.

Omitting something: such as omitting an essential part of the prayer, or omitting one of the obligatory parts of the prayer.

Being uncertain: such as when a person is not sure how many rak'ahs he has prayed, whether it was three or four, for example.

In the case of doing something extra, if a person adds something to his prayer - bowing, prostrating, standing or sitting - deliberately, then his prayer becomes invalid, because when he added it, that means that he did not do the prayer in the manner ordained by Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever does an action that is not part of this matter of ours (i.e., Islam), will have it rejected." Narrated by Muslim, 1718.

But if he did that extra thing by mistake, then his prayer is not invalidated, but he should do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the salaam. The evidence for that is the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said the salaam after two rak'ahs in one of the two afternoon prayers, either Zuhr or 'Asr, and they told him about that, he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did the rest of the prayer, then he said the salaam, then he prostrated twice (the prostration of forgetfulness) after saying the salaam. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 482; Muslim, 573.

And Ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led them in praying Zuhr and he prayed five rak'ahs. When he had finished it was said to him: "Has something been added to the prayer?"

He said: "Why are you asking that?"

They said: "You prayed five (rak'ahs)."

So he turned towards the qiblah and prostrated twice. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4040; Muslim, 572.

In the case of omitting something, if a person omits one of the essential parts of the prayer, one of the following two scenarios must apply:

Either he remembers it before he reaches the same point in the following rak'ah, so he has to go back and do that essential part of the prayer and whatever came after it,

Or he does not remember it until he reaches the same point in the following rak'ah, in which case the following rak'ah takes the place of the one in which he omitted that essential part, and he should make up the invalid rak'ah.

In either of these two cases, he should do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the salaam.

For example: a man stood up after doing the first prostration of the first rak'ah and did not sit or do the second prostration. When he started to recite Qur'aan he remembers that he had not done the second prostration or sat between the two prostrations. In that case he should go back and sit as between the two prostrations, then prostrate, then stand up and do whatever is left of his prayer, and do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the salaam.

An example of one who did not remember until after he reached the same point in the following rak'ah is a man who stood up following the first prostration in the first rak'ah and did not do the second prostration or sit between the two prostrations, but he did not remember that until he sat between the two prostrations in the second rak'ah. In this case he should make the second rak'ah the first rak'ah, and add another rak'ah to his prayer, then say the salaam then do the prostration of forgetfulness.

Omitting an obligatory part of the prayer - such as if he omits an obligatory part and moves on to the next part of the prayer. For example, he forgets to say Subhaan Rabbiy al-A'la (Glory be to my Lord Most High) and he does not remember until he has got up from prostrating. In this case he has omitted an obligatory part of the prayer by mistake, so he should carry on with his prayer then do the prostration of forgetfulness before saying the salaam, because when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) omitted the first tashahhud he carried on with his prayer and did not go back and repeat anything, then he did the prostration of forgetfulness before saying the salaam.

In the case of being uncertain, such as if a person is not sure if he has done something extra or omitted something, e.g., he is not sure whether he has prayed three rak'ahs or four, one of the following two scenarios must apply:

Either he thinks that one or the other is more likely to be case, whether it is doing more or omitting something, in which case he should proceed on the basis of what he thinks is more likely to be the case, complete his prayer accordingly, then do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the salaam;

Or neither appears more likely to be the case, so he should proceed on the basis of what is certain, namely the lesser amount, and complete his prayer accordingly, then do the prostration of forgetfulness before saying the salaam.

For example: a man prays Zuhr then he is not sure whether he is praying the third or fourth rak'ah, but he thinks it more likely that it is the third. So he should pray another rak'ah, then say the salaam, then do the prostration of forgetfulness.

An example of when neither seems to him more likely to be the case is when a man is praying Zuhr and is not sure whether he is in the third rak'ah or the fourth, and neither seems to him more likely to be the case. In that case he should proceed on the basis of what is certain, which is the lesser amount. So he should regard it as the third rak'ah, then do another rak'ah and do the prostration of forgetfulness before saying the salaam. Thus it becomes clear that this should be done before the salaam if you have omitted one of the obligatory parts of the prayer or if you are not sure how many rak'ahs you have done, and neither of the two choices seems more likely to be the case. And it should be done after the salaam if you have added something extra to the prayer or you are not certain but one of the two choices seems more likely to be the case.

See Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh, 14/14-16

And Allaah is the Source of strength.

No. God says in the Quran:

Say: He is God, the One and Only; God, the Eternal, the Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him. [Sura 112 Al Ikhlas]

How can God's son be a man who has needs of life & can't survive without them. while Allah is absolute & he doesn't need anything or anyone for his existence.

In Arabic, Kaaba is called الكعبة. It is a cuboidal building in Mecca, in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is the most sacred site in Islam. It may spelled as Kaaba, Kaba, Ka'ba, Kaabah, Ka'bah, or Kabah. Muslims believe that Kaaba is the oldest religious building, in world history, for God Worship. It was raised by the Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) with help of his son prophet Ismael (peace upon them). It is significant for Muslim for praying and for performing part of Hajj rituals.

More details

The Ka'bah is a stone cubicle structure measuring 15.25 m high. It is empty on the inside except for the sacred black stone (Hajr-al-Aswad) which is embedded in one corner. The Ka'bah is the physical center of Islam. It is revered as the very House of God worship.

The Ka'bah, as hinted in the Qur'an, was originally built by the Prophet Adam (as) and was, for some time, the center of worship for his progeny. Then in the course of time people became separated into different communities and adopted different centers for worship. The Qur'an (Ch. 3, v. 97) and authentic Traditions favor the view that prior to the erection of a building on this site by Abraham some sort of structure did exist, but it had fallen into ruins and only a trace of it had remained.

Abraham, under divine guidance, then rebuilt it some 4000 years ago and it continued to remain a centre of worship for his progeny through his son Ishmael (peace be on them). But with the lapse of time it became virtually converted into a house of idols which numbered as many as 360, almost the same as the number of days in a year.

At the advent of the Prophet Muhammad (sa) however, it was again made the centre of worship for all nations -- the Holy Prophet (sa) having been sent as a Messenger to all mankind, to unite those, who had become separated after Prophet Adam (as) into one common human brotherhood. It is said that around the year 570 A.D., the Christian Chief of Yemen, named Abraha, attempted to invade Makkah with the intention of destroying the Ka'bah. Abraha's army rode on elephants and in the Arab history the year 570 A.D. is known as the 'Year of the Elephant'. Abraha did not succeed in his mission and his army was destroyed by an epidemic of disease and a terrible storm. A special mention is made of this incident in a chapter of the Holy Qur'an in Surah Al-Fil

[Quran, chapter 105]: In the name of Allah, the Gracious, Merciful. Knowest thou not how thy Lord dealt with the Owner of the Elephant? Did He not cause their design to miscarry? And He sent against them swarms of birds, which ate their dead bodies, striking them against stones of clay. And thus made them like broken straw, eaten up.

This is the same year in which the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) was born, at which time his grandfather, Abdul-Muttalib, chief of the Arab noble tribe 'Quraish', was also the chief of Makkah. Prophet Muhammad's (sa) desire for maintaining peace and averting conflict is quite evident from an incident that occurred when he was about 35 years old. The Quraish of Makkah decided to rebuild the Ka'bah after some cracks had appeared in its walls.

All the families of the Quraish assisted in this effort. As the walls rose from the ground and the time came to replace the sacred black stone in its place, a dispute broke out. Each of the four main families of the Quraish wanted this honour exclusively for themselves and the construction of the Ka'bah came to a halt.

After many days of suspended work, the Quraish assembled again and decided that the first person to enter the Ka'bah's courtyard will be chosen to settle the dispute. Muhammad (sa) happened to be the first person to pass through. He was informed of the dispute, quickly grasped the situation and placed his mantle on the ground and asked that the Black Stone be placed on it. He then asked the four families of the Quraish to hold each corner of the cloth and raise the stone to its place. Thus, through his wisdom, he averted the conflict and resolved the dispute in a manner acceptable to the Quraish. No one knows for sure the background to the Black Stone (Hajr-al-Aswad), except for the fact that it was already there when Prophet Ibrahim and Ismael (peace be on them) rebuilt the Ka'bah under the direction of God.

As the Ka'bah was a centre of worship centuries before the advent of Prophet Ibrahim (as), it is believed that the Black Stone was part of the original structure. And as the structure fell to ruin over the centuries, traces of the foundation with the Black Stone remained. God directed Prophet Ibrahim (as) to the site of the remaining traces of the foundation and directed him to rebuild the Ka'bah for the purpose of worship. The Black Stone was embedded in one of the four corners above ground level. Though it had obviously been revered and respected by the previous generations, it should be borne in mind that the Black Stone itself does not hold any spiritual significance at all. The pilgrim may touch or if he can approach near enough, kiss the Black Stone, which is an emotional gesture calling to mind the Prophet (sa) kissed it when he performed circuit. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) did this, not because of any sanctity attached to the stone, but as an expression of his emotion at the Ka'bah, originally constructed by Prophet Ibrahim and his son, Prophet Ismael (peace be on them), having been finally restored to the worship of the One True God, and would henceforth remain dedicated to that worship. Fearing that the Prophet's kissing the Black Stone might be interpreted as ascribing some special virtue to the stone, Hadhrat Umar, the 2nd Khalifa (peace be on him), when performing the circuit, observed: I know this is only a stone no different from other similar stones, and were it not the memory that the Prophet expressed his gratitude to God for His favours and bounties by kissing it, I would pay no attention to it. From whichever direction the pilgrim enters the enclosure and approaches the Ka'bah, he begins his circuit from the corner in which the Black Stone is placed. A circuit of the Ka'bah means turning around it 7 times, reciting certain prayers, beginning and ending opposite the Back Stone. The Ka'bah is held in reverence by all Muslims of the world. Pilgrimage to the 'House of God' is a duty of every Muslim (if they can afford it), as is facing the direction of the Ka'bah (Qiblah) during their 5 daily Prayers.

The cloth covering that drapes the Ka'bah is called the Kiswa and has a fascinating and colourful history. Although its precise origin has been difficult to trace, the use of the Kiswa clearly pre-dates the advent of Islam. It is traditionally known that when the Prophet Abraham (as) was told by God to rebuild the Ka'bah, no mention was made of the Kiswa. Some scholars argue that the first Kiswa was made by the Prophet Ismael (as), but there is no evidence to support this. Others affirm that the first Kiswa was made by Adnan bin Ad', a great great-grandfather of the Prophet Muhammad (sa), but this claim also lacks authentication. The first historically verifiable record of the draping of the Ka'bah attributes the honour to Tabu Karab Aswad, King of Humayyur in the Yemen. Tabu invaded Yathrib (now Madinah) in 400 C.E., 220 years before the Hijra. He also entered Makkah and performed Umrah. He is said to have dreamt that he was making a covering and then dressed the Ka'bah with this Kasaf made of dried palm leaves sewn together. In one form or another, the Kiswa has draped the Ka'bah ever since. After the Prophet Muhammad (sa) defeated the pagans of Makkah and entered the Ka'bah, he cleansed it of all idols and turned it into a sacred sanctuary of monotheistic Islamic worship. In the 10th year of the Hijra (630 C.E.), 2 years after the Prophet (sa) led the campaign to free Makkah, the sacred valley of Mina, and Mount Arafat from the control of the Makkan pagans, he performed his first and only pilgrimage (Hajj). Over 100,000 pilgrims, at that date the largest gathering ever, flocked from all over Arabia for this pilgrimage.

For the first time in many centuries, the Ka'bah had once again become the exclusive sanctuary of monotheism. It is said that on this pilgrimage the Prophet Muhammad dressed the Ka'bah in its first Islamic Kiswa, referred to as the 'Yemeni Kiswa'. Khalifa (Caliph) Umar bin Al-Khattab ordered the first Egyptian-made Kiswa in 13 A.H. (634 C.E.). It was made from thick cloth known as Gabaati. Every year, at the time of pilgrimage, the Kiswa was cut into pieces and distributed among the pilgrims. Verses such as 'Glory be to Allah', 'There is no God save Allah', and 'Allah is Merciful and Loving' used to be stitched on to the Kiswa in those early days of Islam. At one time, it had become a custom that the old Kiswa was not removed, the new one being put on top of the old. This continued until the reign of Al-Mahdi, the Abbasid Khalifa. When he performed Hajj in 160 A.H. (775 C.E.) he saw that the accumulated Kiswas could cause damage to the Ka'bah itself. He therefore decreed that only one Kiswa should drape the Ka'bah at any one time, and this has been observed ever since.

The colour of the Kiswa has also changed many times over the centuries. Al-Mamoon -- 198-218 A.H. (813-833) dressed the Ka'bah in a red Kiswa, and by the reign of contemporary of Saladin the Great, Khalifa Al-Nasir Al-Abbasi, the colour of the Kiswa had changed to green. Khalifa Al-Nasir changed it to black, and black it has remained to this day. For centuries the Kiswa used to be transported from Egypt to Makkah in the Mahmal -- a special litter at the head of a caravan, with as many as 15 camels carrying various sections of the revered garment. The sending of the Mahmal was regularly accompanied by much fanfare and celebration in Egypt, while its arrival in Makkah was hailed with music and joyous acclaim. When the founder of Saudi Arabia, the late King Abdul Aziz ibn Saud entered Makkah in 1924 C.E., he and his men objected to the music and dancing which accompanied the delivery of the Kiswa from Egypt. He and his men held to the pure Islamic faith and considered this an unacceptable innovation, and this eventually led to clashes with Egyptians which resulted in them stopping to send the Kiswa. King Abdul Aziz founded the holy Ka'bah factory.

The first Makkan-made Kiswa to drape the Ka'bah was at the end of 1927 and for the next 10 years Makkah produced the Kiswa. With the political rift healed in 1939, Egypt resumed sending the Kiswa until it fell victim again to the vagaries of political change in 1962. The Kiswa factory in Makkah was once again opened and it was declared that 'the Kiswa factory should be in Makkah so that it is not affected by the moods of the rulers of the Muslim world'. Every year the Kiswa is woven at a cost of SR17 million. It is made of 670 kg pure white silk, which is later dyed black. It is made up of 47 pieces, each piece being 14 m long and 95 cm wide. The Ikhlas Surah from the Holy Qur'an is embroidered in gold on the four corners. Under the belt, all round the Kiswa, there are 16 panels with Qur'anic verses. The intricate calligraphy is emblazoned on the black silk using 120 kg of gold and silver wire. The ratio of gold to silver is 1 to 4. On the bright sunny days the blazing Arabian sun glints off the Kiswa's lustrous gold and silver embroidery. At night the Kiswa shimmers with the soft glow in the brightly-lit open courtyard of the Grand Mosque. The effect is at once awe-inspiring and breathtaking, as well as being soothing to the eyes of the faithful. The sight of the Ka'bah covered with the splendour of the Kiswa is an image which becomes emblazoned in the minds of those who have had the honour of visiting the house of Allah. With longing they will picture this beautiful sight over and over. The interior of the Ka'bah is draped with dark green silk, also decorated with Qur'anic verses and Islamic designs. The solid gold doors of the Ka'bah are set 2 m above the ground and a movable wooden canopied staircase is used to enter the Ka'bah on the rare occasions when the doors are opened only to the King of Saudi Arabia and his special guests. One of these special people were the late Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan, a prominent member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at, who visited Makkah.

Twice a year, in the months of Shaban and Dhul Hijja, the interior of the Ka'bah is ceremonially washed with water perfumed with rose and sandalwood. The ceremonial washing is performed by the king or sometimes his deputised representative, the governor of Makkah. Nowadays it is done by the custodian of the two Mosques. At the second washing which takes places a few days before Hajj, the Kiswa is replaced by a new one. The removed Kiswa is then cut into pieces and presented as mementos to Muslim individuals and diplomats and to favoured institutions all over the world.

The reception hall in the delegates' lounge of the UN building in New York is adorned by one particularly large and impressive piece, the Sitara (one of the four drapes that cover the doors of the Ka'bah) which measures 2.5 m wide and 9 m high. The Kiswa, by itself, does not hold any particular religious significance to Muslims. It should therefore be understood that the reverence in which it is held, and the magnitude of effort and cost that goes into its making and upkeep, is due solely to the desire of Muslims to ensure that it reflects the sanctity, the splendour, and the majesty befitting the structure that it drapes, the Ka'bah -- House of Allah. The Ka'bah is par excellence the House of Allah. Of course, all the places of worship are 'Houses of Allah', and as the Prophet (sa) declared: 'The whole earth is made a mosque for me', but the Ka'bah has been declared by God Himself to be the Sacred House, being the first House consecrated to the worship of the One True God (Holy Qur'an, Ch. 3: v. 97). Thus the expression 'House of Allah' is understood through the Muslim world to refer to the Ka'bah.

The Ka'aba is the place which was a centre for idol worship before the Prophet Muhammad cleansed it. It is mostly seen from the outside but has a large open interior.