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EPISODE 3️⃣8️⃣ – MAKKAH AL-MUKARRAMAH (مكة المكرمة)
(Part B – Early History )
Location: Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
Coordinates: 21°25′21″N 39°49′24″E
🕋 After all the story that unfolds when Ibrahim khalillullaah (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) took his wife Hajar (عليها السلام) and his son Ismael (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) to the desert as commanded by Allaah (ﷻ), the desert became a settlement which is today known as Hejaz.
🕋 The injeel (Bible) also confirm Hejaz (mentioned as Paran) as the place where Hajar and his son had settled in Genesis 21:21.
🕋 In the 5th century, Makkah had become the center of pilgrimage for the pagans in worship of their idol gods, with the biggest, Hubal, placed in the Ka’aba.
🕋 Up to the 7th century, this journey was intended for religious reasons by the pagan Arabs to pay homage to their shrine, and to drink Zamzam. However, it was also the time each year that disputes would be arbitrated, debts would be resolved, and trading would occur at Hejaz fairs.
🕋 These annual events gave the tribes a sense of common identity and made Makkah an important focus for the peninsula
🕋 The Yemeni leader, Abraha Al-Ashram became jealous of the pilgrimage to the Ka’aba and the popularity of Hejaz.
🕋 For the purpose of refutation, he built a cathedral named al-Qullays in San’aa with the intention of diverting the pilgrims of Makkah to the cathedral after he must have demolished the Ka’aba, and as such, convert the Arabs to christianity.
🕋 In 570 CE, in the Year of the Elephant, which is also the year the Messenger of Allaah, Nabiy Muhammad (ﷺ) was born, Abraha set out with his army, riding on Elephants. They marched towards Makkah, aiming to destroy the Ka’aba.
🕋 Arab tribes of Makkah including the Quraysh, Kinanah, Khuza’a and Hudhayl united to defend the holy house. However, after diplomatic conversation failed, Abd al-Muttalib Shaybah ibn Hashim, the grandfather of the Prophet (ﷺ) advised the residents to seek refuge in the hills and leave the Ka’aba to the owner of the house to protect.
He was quoted saying “The Owner of this House is its Defender, and I am sure He will save it from the attack of the adversaries and will not dishonour the servants of His House.”
🕋 And indeed, the Owner of the house protected His house at the Valley of Muhassar (وادي محسر), located in the region of Hejaz between Mina and Muzdalifah. This location is believed to be the place of the destruction of Abraha’s Army. It is sunnah for Hujjaj (pilgrims) to walk briskly pass this area as the Prophet (ﷺ) did as it was a place of punishment from Allaah (ﷻ).
🕋 The event of the destruction was mentioned in Surah Al-Fil (Qur’an chapter 105) from which Allaah (ﷺ) informed Muhammad (ﷺ):
أَلَمۡ تَرَ كَيۡفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلۡفِيلِ
Have you not considered, [O Muhammad], how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant?
أَلَمۡ يَجۡعَلۡ كَيۡدَهُمۡ فِي تَضۡلِيلٖ
Did He not make their plan into misguidance?
وَأَرۡسَلَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ طَيۡرًا أَبَابِيلَ
And He sent against them birds in flocks,
تَرۡمِیهِم بِحِجَارَةࣲ مِّن سِجِّیلࣲ
Striking them with stones of hard clay,
فَجَعَلَهُمۡ كَعَصۡفࣲ مَّأۡكُولِۭ
And He made them like eaten straw.
[Surah Al-Fil, Ayah 1-5]
Such is the Power of Allaah (ﷻ).
To be continued… إِنْ شَاءَ ٱللّٰهُ
ISLAM IS GOOD, ITS HISTORY IS RICH
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🕋 ISLAM GENERATION DAWAH GROUP
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