Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

“The first sanctuary established for the people is the one in Bakk’a, blessed, and a guidance for the worlds. In it are clear signs: the situation of Abraham. And whoever enters it will be secure. And God is owed from mankind to make Pilgrimage to the sanctuary, whoever can make a path to it. And whoever rejects, then God has no need of the worlds.” (Quran 3:96-97)

ok my question is that if that if the first house was at bakka which arabs claim is now mecca, then where is the second house? now we know Abraham prayed at the first house in jerusalem so how come maqam Abraham is at mecca(SA)? should it not be at the first house of worship? if our prophet regarded the first house of worship at jerusalem and thats where all muslims faced when praying than how is possible that maqam i Abraham is now at MEcca?

please help me understand. 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

First house of worship and maqam Ibrahim

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: ok my question is that if that if the first house was at bakka which arabs claim is now mecca, then where is the second house?

At the time the first House or Sanctuary was established, the city was known in those times as ‘Bakka’ and subsequently the city’s name was changed and became recognized as Makkah. Even to this day it sometimes happens that for one reason or another, the citizens or residents wish to change the name of their city; just as ‘Bombay’ becomes ‘Mumbai’, or ‘Madras’ becomes ‘Chennai’, or ‘Peking’ becomes ‘Beijing’ or ‘Leningrad’ becomes ‘St. Petersberg’! When the Prophet (saws) migrated from Makkah to Madinah, the city of Madinah was then known as ‘Yathrib’, and the believers changed the name of the city of ‘Yathrib’ to ‘Madinat-un-Nabi’ (the Prophet’s city) or in-short ‘Madinah’.

Thus the changing of the name of a city is not as unusual as it may seem; its just that Allah Subhanah in the above Aayah has chosen to call the city by the name it was called when the first House or Sanctuary was established; ie. Bakka.

Your Question: then where is the second house?

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.585 Narrated by Abu Dhar

I asked, "O Allah's Messenger (saws)! Which mosque was first built on the surface of the earth?" He (saws) said, "Al-Masjid-ul-Haram (in Makkah)." I asked, "Which was built next?" He (saws) replied "The mosque of Al-Aqsa ( in Jerusalem)." I asked, "What was the period of construction in-between the two?" He (saws) said, "Forty years."

In light of the guidance of the above authentic narration, the second House of worship was established in the city of Jerusalem and that Sanctuary was and is known as the ‘Masjid-al-Aqsa’.

Your Question: now we know Abraham prayed at the first house in jerusalem so how come maqam Abraham is at mecca(SA)?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 125-129:

125 Remember We made the House (in Makkah) a place of assembly for men and a place of safety; and take ye the ‘Maqam-e-Ibraheem’ as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Ibraheem and Ismail that they should sanctify My House (in Makkah) for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer).

126 And remember Ibraheem said: "O My Lord, make this (Makkah) a City of Peace, and feed its people with fruits such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day." He (Allah) said: "(Yea) and such as reject faith, for a while will I grant them their pleasure, but will soon drive them to the torment of fire; an evil destination (indeed)!"

127 And remember Ibraheem and Ismail raised the foundations of the House (in Makkah, with this prayer): "O Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us, for Thou art The All-Hearing, The All-Knowing.

128 O Our Lord! Make of us Muslims bowing to Thy (Will), and of our progeny a people muslim bowing to Thy (Will), and show us our places for the celebration of (due) rites; and turn unto us (in mercy); for Thou art The Oft-Returning, Most-Merciful.

129 O Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own who shall rehearse Thy Signs to them and instruct them in Scripture and Wisdom, and sanctify them; for Thou art The Exalted in Might, The Wise."

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale-Imraan verses 96-97:

96 The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakka, full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings:

97 In it are Signs manifest; (for example) the ‘Maqam-e-Ibraheem’; whoever enters it (the House) attains security; pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah (for) those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of His creatures!

Prophet Ismail (a.s.) grew up in the city of Makkah, and when Prophet Ismail (a.s.) reached the age of youth, Allah Commanded Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.) to travel from Hebron in Palestine to Makkah, and with his son Prophet Ismail (a.s.) to raise the foundation of the first House of Worship in Makkah, and together they built this House under the guidance of Allah, which we know today as the Kaaba.

Because the height of the Kaaba being built was taller than the height of Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.), he stood on a platform to build the upper portions of the Kaaba. The platform that Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.) used to stand upon while building the Kaaba is known as the ‘Maqam-e-Ibraheem’ or ‘Station of Ibraheem’.

Because the First House of Worship was built in Makkah, and because the platform that was used by Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.) to stand upon while building the Kaaba was in Makkah, it is only natural that this platform or the ‘Maqaam-e-Ibraheem’ would be in Makkah.

The platform or ‘Maqaam-e-Ibraheem’ has absolutely nothing to do with the city of Jerusalem.

Your Question: should it not be at the first house of worship?

Indeed the ‘Maqaam-e-Ibraheem’ should be and is at the First House of worship, which is in the ‘Masjid-al-Haraam’ in the holy city of Makkah.

Your Question: if our prophet regarded the first house of worship at jerusalem and thats where all muslims faced when praying than how is possible that maqam i Abraham is now at MEcca?
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale-Imraan verses 96-97:

96 The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakka, full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings:

97 In it are Signs manifest; (for example) the ‘Maqam-e-Ibraheem’; whoever enters it (the House) attains security; pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah (for) those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of His creatures!

Allah Subhanah Himself Declares in the above verse that the First House of worship is in ‘Bakka’ (Makkah) and that the ‘Maqam-e-Ibraheem’ is in it; thus it is absolutely inconceivable that the Prophet Mohamed (saws) would regard the first house of worship at Jerusalem and not in Makkah! Without an iota of a doubt, the Messenger of Allah (saws) and all the believers who believe in Allah and the Last Day regard the Sanctuary at Makkah as the first House which was established for the worship of Allah on this earth.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan