A PLACE OF REFUGE AND EQUALITY 1

By Shaikh Jalilu Issah

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.

[And when We made the House (at Mecca) a resort for mankind and a sanctuary
(saying): Take as your place of worship the place where Abraham stood (to pray). And
We imposed duty upon Abraham and Ishmael, (saying): Purify My House for those who
go around and those who meditate therein and those who bow down and prostrate
themselves (in worship)].

Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala talked about Abraham and his teaching. And also He talked
about the teaching of Imamat. While Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala has talked about the
teaching that next day Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala is talking about Al-Abraham that his
house. Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala in this verse the verse means means
Remember. Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala is telling the prophet means
Remember when We Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala will make a house in Mecca. Made the
house in Mecca at the place and the Quran uses the word . And the word Al
Bait could you remember when we made Al Bait means the house Masabaa.
The word Masabaa in Arabic comes from the word ., means in Arabic
something to go back to the way where it used to be . And that
means for example like the Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala means this it gives
the meaning that a centre that all Muslims and all the believers they retain it in order to
seek refuge, and peace. There Muslims come in the month of Zilhaj and do the
pilgrimage and then go back home and then people come back to it every year that’s why
they call it . That’s why in Arabic you call a house as well it was a place that a
man was retained for resting and stability. So ever any place that a man thinks as a
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house or other place of refuge or a place for the rest, a place of stability is called . So
here Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala means by that the house a house for the rest and
stability. And that’s why Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala says of the word .
it means a centre and a place where a man will find comfort, peace, and
security. The Quran in this regard says . Because, you find security in your life.
You find that you are secured by Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala. That the Satan can bring
no harm to you when you are in the direct shelter and refuge of Allah Subhana-Wa-
Ta’aala. The house of peace and security that as soon as you enter you should think that
no one in this world may come and harm you in the house of Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala.
And that’s why as a Muslim or a man or anybody who enters that house in the
Mecca No one is allowed to harm a man or even an animal. No harm can be given to any
man or even the animal in the house what has been mentioned above. According to the
modern word it can be said a safety zone just in order to have its crystal clear meaning.
Our Ulemas and scholars they have mentioned that even a someone lose something in
Mecca, in the procedure if you find something on the sweep or outside somewhere; there
is Islamic law how to handle it. That if you know the person the owner you take him to
the owner. If you know the owner, you serve the entire community the place that you
can’t and if you find something or someone knows they lose something they will come
and ask them questions to describe how the thing is. If they are the owners then you give
them back to them. This does not apply if you found something in Mecca. If you
something lose in Mecca no one is allowed to pick it up. Why? Because Allah Subhana-
Wa-Ta’aala said it is the place that secures everything. Human being or animal and
everything. That is why Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala says in this verse

and the same point Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala said

that we have made it the house in Mecca as a place of refuge and a

place of equality. For whom? For man.

Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala did not mention as a group of people. He says

for human. That as long as that you tell Iman (faith) in your heart as long as you believe
that there is no God but Allah. They think that in Islam we don’t have a Baitee
and those people say Allah Ho Rabi Allah is my lord and the Muhammad is my prophet.
And the Quran is my constitution and Kaaba is my direction.
So if a man, Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala says if a man does not know that who is
he? the holy Quran says look at your Iman. Your Iman tells you who are you! And that
is your culture/recognition. Islam is your culture/recognition. Islam is your life and your

soul and everything. That is why Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala said for each and
everybody, not for a specific people, not for a specific tribe a d for a special group of
men. No! Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala says that the recognition of Islam for all the
mankind who believe in it from the deepest possible core their heart. After having the
Islam in our heart we don’t have to face the identity crisis.
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Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala said that there is a specific place

that Abraham chose as a place of prayer. Our scholars have different opinions about the
word . Some scholars say that the Maqam-e-Abraham means that all
pilgrimage, all the rituals of Haj is called Maqam-e-Abraham. This is according to some
scholars. When they define Maqam-e-Abraham, they say it means all the rituals that a
man does from the beginning to the end of Hajj. This is called Maqam-e-Abraham.Why?
The reason is that this is Maqam is the position of Abraham and entire performance that
you do in Hajj, it was sought by Abraham. So all performance that you do until the end
of Hajj is all Maqam-e-Abraham. So when they say Maqam-e-Abraham, it does not mean
that it is just a place that Abraham chose. It means the entire rituals of Hajj. That is one.
And two that some people say No. Maqam-e-Abraham is not the entire rituals that we do
at Hajj or in Hajj. The Maqam-e-Abraham means the Arafaat the mountain of
Arafaa so that is the Maqam-e-Abraham. Why? They say because the Arafaa is the most
important place. The most important position in Hajj. They say if you go to Hajj and
you are not able to climb the mountain of Arafaa even if you do the rest of the rituals
your Hajj is incomplete. So this is Maqam-e-Abraham; is to find and tell us the most
important part of Hajj and that is Arafaa. So when we say Maqam-e-Abraham the
scholars say it means the Arafaa. That is the second explanation.
Now I proceed to the third explanation: Some say No. The word Maqam-e-
Abraham means Al-Jamarakala. That is the place where you go and do the rituals as
Satan. The Morakalakbar Sidhrah, Jamarakal akbal Woosa, and Jamaratul Akbal Sughra.
Three places to go and through pebbles at Satans. That is the worst thing of a man.
Because the Satan is the enemy (foe) who always work day and night in order misguide a
man. And that is one of them important parts of the Hajj. Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala

said that think the position of Abraham as a place of prayer

this is the place that Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala made a refuge where you go. And some
scholars say; we should come to know the need of their Maqam-e-Abraham is the entire
Maqtaa. The entire Maqtaa where people go as they call it Maqam-e-Abraham. There is
a different opinion of our scholars. That if you look at their explanations there are some
kinds or there are some people who indicate that the Maqam-e-Abraham is a place which
is close to Kaaba. Is the place which is known today as Maqam-e-Abraham. This place
is close the Kaaba. And there are a lot of ayaat a lot a Hadiths in this regard. And if a
man goes and does Tawaaf he has to come to that particular place. And that is why Allah

Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala said , place of worship the

place where Abraham stood (to pray). Here something we learn from the verse. The first
thing we can learn is that Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala has made it mandatory upon us to
go there and stand and take a place as a place of prayer in the way as Abraham used and
prayed for Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala. And there is another understanding behind it and
that understanding is that when I go there and I stand at the same place where Abraham
stood and prayed. It means I am doing something that prophet Abraham did when he was
alive. And that is not only what Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala wants me to do it and adapt
all the light of Abraham in my life and to copy and imitate prophet Abraham and take
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prophet Abraham as an example in my life. So when I go there Allah Subhana-Wa-

Ta’aala when He said take the place of Abraham as a pleasure. You should go and pray
at that place. No. There are a lot of things that a man can learn from Abraham. There
are millions of blessings a man learn from there.
There are a lot of things a man can learn. Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala has told us
in the holy Quran that is why the Quran has mentioned the prophet Abraham more than
He mentioned any other prophet. Why Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala talks about Abraham?

He mentions in one of the verses that Abraham is a nation. It is not a

nation by numbers. It s a nation by its deeds. So when I go there and I stand at the
Muslaah of Abraham - at the place of Abraham. Maqam-e-Abraham is to learn that we
could take place of Prophet Abraham. How this prophet Abraham became Prophet
Abraham? We have to learn a lesson. That is one of the reasons when we go and stand at
the place of Maqam-e-Abraham. Because Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala said and
Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala made it mandatory, made it compulsory that we have to
adapt a place of way of Abraham. As a place of security. The place when we stand there
to pray is like you are copying and imitating Abraham. And you ask Allah Subhana-Wa-
Ta’aala to make you able to adapt that type of life of Abraham. And then Allah
Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala makes you like Abraham. In order to become someone like
Abraham. And then Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala said Allah
Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala tells us about the responsibility He gave to Abraham and his son
Ismail (peace be upon them). He fixed a great responsibility We advised
Abraham and Ismail to keep my house clean. Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala said .
One of the responsibilities of Abraham and his son Ismail after they made the house of
Allah. Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala said We made it mandatory upon them to clean the
house. When Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala said to clean - what kind of cleanliness
Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala meant?
Because we have material things and also spiritual things. The material
cleanliness is to clean something from Najis that is blood etc. As we come to the spiritual
cleanliness when people come there with the pollution what they think something in the
house of Allah. Then they should back. So Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala made it a
responsibility of Abraham and Ismail. It is their responsibility to clean the house
spiritually and materially.
Number one is to clean the house of Allah from the idols. The house was
full of idols at that time. At the time of Abraham people used to worship the idols. So
Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala chose Abraham the patient clean the house means to get the
idols out of the house. That is why the prophet Abraham went and broke all the idols
placed in Kaaba. Because Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala gave command to clean His
house. It was Wajib on Abraham to accept the command of Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala.
So Abraham did work what Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala commanded. So
clean my house of idols. Further you must know the meaning of it is to purify.
So when you enter the house of Allah make sure you have purified your hearts. There is
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no specific understanding of Qum . Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala did not specify what

kind of cleanliness He wants. Clean my house of your things that before you go to Kaaba
or before you enter you are supposed to be clean in all respects. So go and do the Ghusal
before you enter the Kaaba. Some say No just go and take shower and that is enough. So
there are different opinions. But true we can say as it has been mentioned above that
there is no specific guidance that what kind of cleanliness is required. So in short we can
say that any kind of cleanliness that a man knows he must do it before he enters the house
of Allah or Kaaba. Because no particular specifications have been given in this respect.
So it depends upon a man to do and follow in true letter and spirit.
So if you think that you are dirty as you do understand yourself then it is
your bounden duty to clean your body and mind before you enter the house of Allah. So
these are required from a man. Even what Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala talked to Abraham
He guided him in this respect. It is the requirement of all Muslims before they enter the
house of Allah. Make sure that you are clean materially and spiritually.
Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala said We advised Abraham and Ismail to keep my house
clean. He described the house to Himself. When we say my house it means we live and
rest in. So the house of Allah means that Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala lives over there. So
how it is possible to leave that house unclean? There should be utter and pure cleanliness
before we enter the house.
In Arabic we call it is to glorify the house. After all we have to benefit
from that house. So Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala ascribed the house to Himself in order to
glorify that house. So He said to purify and clean My house for those who
come and do the Tawaaf and perform other rituals of Hajj around the Kaaba.

Those who come and stay and worship. And the holy Quran says and those who
go down in the Rukooh and prostrate themselves before Allah in worship. Allah
Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala has mentioned here different groups of people
The first group of Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala mentions here as the group
of those who make Tawaaf. And Twaaf is one of their rituals of Hajj. And He said
and the worshipers. Some people they go to Hajj. They do their rituals but all
they do is the actions that they don’t have the meanings of Hajj. They do and go to the
place from one another and do the rituals that all their Hajj is those actions what they do
and perform over there. They don’t have the real Hajj.
Just look at the Sehaba it is also a worship. That when you are in your
worship also there is a best worship is when you are in Rukhoo and Sujood. This is the
pleasure of a true Muslim. One of the important worships in Islam is to go in Rukhoo
and Sujjood. That is the best possible worship that a man gets closer to Allah Subhana-
Wa-Ta’aala. When he goes into the Rukhoo and Sujjood. He did not mention entire
Salaat, He mentioned the important part of the Salaat which is the Rukhoo and Sujjood.
So, if you want anything from Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala, then you
should go into the Rukhoo and Sujjood. Because here you become closest to Allah
Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala. And not only that that is why is a nation that a man was to live
long when a long life the prophet said make sure that you stay long in your Rukhoo and
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Sujjood. The prophet said; if you want to live long in this world, if you want Allah
Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala to grant you a long life, He said go in your Rukhoo and Sujjood.
Your Rukhoo and Sujjood assure that you keep long in touch with your Allah Subhana-
Wa-Ta’aala. Inshallah Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala will give you a long life.

Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala says us we should go in Rukhoo. It

means that we should bow before the laws and codes of Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala and
we should follow them in pursuance of the holy Quran and the holy Imams. This Allah
Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala requires from us if we really want to have a longer, healthier and
fear free life. The same thing is in plural form of the grammar. For the present in
the form of plural and the form of and the worship is and those who bow down
and prostrate in the form of plural. This is the emphasis that worship is always
recommended in the form of groups. That’s why always Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala
talks in the holy Quran about the prayers. You see that Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala is

talking in the form of plural . He is talking to one of the prophets. He

talks in the form of plural. in the form of plural. That a Muslim

should always keep in mind that there should the following of the rules and codes of
Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala in groups not individually. Because the individual endeavor
does not produce any result for the caravan of mankind. Because this is not the matter of
one single person it is a matter for the human beings. All have to prosper. All have to
obtain the sustenance. All have to survive equally. It is a collective effort and a joint
venture. That’s why Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala emphasizes on the plural form of the
grammar.
A Muslim is required to do these things together because they are one. They
came form one Lord. And their messenger is one, which is the prophet Muhammad
(PBUH). Their constitution in the form of the holy Quran is one and universal far from
any doubt in its veracity. And the direction, the Kaaba, is also one and the same. Whose
direction can never ever be altered!

That’s why Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala said in this verse and then

Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala mentions the last thing it is one of the things that a man
should follow the codes and laws of Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala in true letter and spirit.
We should go in Ruhkoo and Sujjood

Further would be discussed in detail in next sitting Inshallah!