seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Quran 22:26. We showed Abraham the location of the House: “Do not associate anything with Me; and purify My House for those who circle around, and those who stand to pray, and those who kneel and prostrate.”
27. And announce the pilgrimage to humanity. They will come to you on foot, and on every transport. They will come from every distant point.
28. That they may witness the benefits for themselves, and celebrate the name of God during the appointed days, for providing them with the animal livestock. So eat from it, and feed the unfortunate poor.
29. Then let them perform their acts of cleansing, and fulfill their vows, and circle around the Ancient House.
30. All that. Whoever venerates the sanctities of God—it is good for him with his Lord. All livestock are permitted to you, except what is recited to you. So stay away from the abomination of idols, and stay away from perjury.
31. Being true to God, without associating anything with Him. Whoever associates anything with God—it is as though he has fallen from the sky, and is snatched by the birds, or is swept away by the wind to a distant abyss.
32. So it is. Whoever venerates the sacraments of God—it is from the piety of the hearts.
33. In them are benefits for you until a certain time. Then their place is by the Ancient House.
Well, here's the commentary.
The words are addressed to the Holy Prophet, and contain a mighty prophecy that Makkah will become the centre to which men will come for pilgrimage. It was announced just at the time when the Holy Prophet was being driven away from Makkah by his enemies, who were the sole masters of the place. Just when Makkah seemed to have lost every chance of becoming a Muslim centre, and when the Muslims themselves were in danger of being entirely destroyed, a mighty prophecy is announced in the most forcible words that Islåm will spread to all countries of the world, and Makkah will become the universal centre to which pilgrims from all nations will resort.
The lean camel is particularly mentioned here to indicate the great distances from which the pilgrims would come. The addition of the words from every remote path shows that people will come from the remotest parts of the earth.
The subject of sacrifice is one that is specially related to the pilgrimage, because every pilgrim must sacrifice an animal. Thus it is the lesson of sacrifice that is taught in pilgrimage. It may be added that the act of the pilgrim finds an echo throughout the Muslim world, for every Muslim who can afford is required to sacrifice an animal on this occasion, and this subject is discussed in the next section.
The mention of the Ka‘bah as the Ancient House, here and in v. 33, shows that it is so old that it came to be known throughout Arabia by that name, thus pointing to its very remote antiquity.
They think.... the first house of worship was built in Mecca and it is called the Ka'bah..... or that's what I got from this. Everyone is supposed to take at least one trip to Mecca in their lifetime.... to visit this "ancient church".
Everyone is supposed sacrifice an animal for the trip. Those who can't afford it.... well they have to figure out a way.... from what I am reading. It's like the first bucket list item.... afford and animal.... afford the time.... afford the trip to Mecca to visit the Ka'bah.
If I were going to visit Mecca this year.... I would need to have money for transportation [the lean camel], and money for food and lodging.... thus the planning and the sacrifice to get to one town and one church.... at least once in a lifetime.
So... the Pilgrimage the chapter is talking about.... is the trip to Mecca. HOWEVER, the disbelievers were running Mecca at the time of the writing of the Quran. Muhammed and his cohorts were being driven from town. They weren't allowed in Mecca when this message was received by Muhammed.
It's as if Muhmmed knew this was not over. He knew people from all over the earth would be traveling to Mecca just to see the Ka'bah... that Ancient House of God.
This is the Muslim version of a very famous statement.
"I'll be back" said Muhammed.
"I'll be back"
