1. Merits of the Sacred MosqueIn the Qur’an, God calls the Ka'abah, Al-Bayt al-Haram [the Sacred House] and Bayt Allah [House of God]. The Sacred Mosque around the Ka’abah, is known as Al-Masjidil-Haram or Al-Haram. In fact, The Sacred Mosque and the Ka'abah are synonymous. It is also known as the Protected House .
Allah thus called it the Protected House as He kept it safe from any transgression throughout history. When Abrahah wanted to demolish it, Allah sent down terror, the birds of torture dropping the pebbles against him and his soldiers the Companions of the Elephant in Muhassir, a stretch of land between Mina and Muzdalifah.
It is also called so because Allah protects its visitors from Hell fire since they would die as monotheists.
It was built by Abraham a.s and his son Ishmael a.s according to Allah's command. Allah says, "And when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House, they prayed: 'Our Lord! Accept from us (this act); You are indeed the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing,'" Thus, the father of the Prophets [Abraham] built the most venerated mosque in the most venerated spot on earth.
In addition, Allah favored the Sacred Mosque with the privilege that He made it one of the three shrines to which Muslims set out on journeys as religious devotion, along with the Prophet's Mosque [Al-Masjid An-Nabawi] in Madinah and the Aqsa Mosque [Baitul Maqdis]. He also provided the reward for performing prayer inside it to the extent that a prayer performed in it equals one thousand prayers performed elsewhere.
Supplication Said upon Entering the Mosque
"I seek refuge with the Mighty Allah. I seek protection with His Generous Countenance and His Everlasting Authority against the cursed Devil. Praise be to Allah. In the name of Allah. O Allah! Bless Muhammad. O Allah! Forgive my sins and open the gates of Your mercy to me."
2. Merits of Ka’abah
Etiquette of Entering the Ka’abah
One should bathe and purify himself. Upon entering the Ka'abah one should refrain from shoving.
One should direct his heart to reverence and submission, and his eyes to shed tears (if Allah bestowed that grace upon him).
In addition, he should not raise his eyes toward the top of the Ka'abah as a sign of glorification and exaltation of the Almighty Allah. Also, one should adhere to the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted. It has been narrated that 'A'ishah said, "I wonder at a Muslim, who, upon entering the Ka'abah, raises his eyes toward its top. He should refrain from doing so, as a sign of glorification and exaltation to Allah." The Prophet SAW entered the Ka'abah and never did he raise his eyes from the place of prostration till he left.
The Prophet's Entering the Ka’abah
After the first Hijrah, the Prophet SAW entered the House four times. The first was on the Day of Conquest; the second in the second year of the Conquest; the third during the Compensating 'Umrah and the fourth was during the Farewell Hajj.
Reward for Entering the Ka’abah
Allah's Messenger SAW said, "Whoever enters the House and performs Prayers therein, indeed enters by performing a good deed and leaves forgiven of a sin." In another narration, "He leaves after (his sins) have been forgiven." In relations to entering the House, Ibn ‘Umar r.a said, "It is actually performing a good deed and being redeemed of a sin."
‘Ata' said, "Performing two raka’ahs in the House (Ka’abah) is dearer to me than performing four raka’ahs in the Sacred Mosque."
Yahia bin J'dah bin Hubairah said, the Qur'anic verse : ''Whoever enters it attains security ",it means that one is guarded from the Hell Fire."
Al-Hafizh Abu Tahir Al-Salafi r.a upon entering the House, said:
After entering the House with Allah's guarantee,
Is there still a sin or guilt obscure,
By no means and nay. Forgiven are they all,
All men will go home, joyful and secure.
Merits of Looking at the Ka’abah
Ibn 'Abbas r.a said, "Looking at the Ka'abah is pure faith." Also, Hammad bin Abi Salamah r.a said, "The one who looks at the Ka’abah is very much like he who tirelessly worships Allah in any other place." In addition, Mujahid said, "Looking at the Ka’abah is a sort of worship." 'Ata' also said, "Looking at the House is a sort of worship." Furthermore, Sa’id bin Al-Musaiyib said, "Whoever looks at the Ka’abah, out of sincere faith, will become free of sins as if he has just been born."
Supplication
1. It has been narrated that pronouncing supplications upon seeing the Ka'abah is surely accepted by Allah. Some narrated supplications are:
"O Allah! Increase this House's honor, sublimity, respect and reverence, and grant all those who come to it for Hajj or 'Umrah more honor, respect, dignity and righteousness." And also, "O Allah! You are the Peace and from You is Peace. O Allah! Greet us with Peace."
"O Allah! This sanctuary is Yours, this city is Yours, the security is Yours and I am Your slave. I have come to You from far away lands, burdened with my sins, and encumbered with misdeeds. I beseech You as those who are in dire need of You, who fear Your punishment, to favor me with Your forgiveness, and cause me to enter Your vast Paradise, the Paradise of Bliss. O Allah! This is Your sanctuary and the sanctuary of Your Messenger, protect my flesh, blood and bones from the Hell fire. O Allah! Guard me from Your punishment on the day You will bring back to life Your slaves."
3. Al-Multazam
Supplication
"O Allah! Praise be to You equal to Your favors and equal to Your abundant Grace. I praise You with all Your worthy attributes whether I know them or not, for all Your favors, whether I know them or not, and for everything. O Allah! Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad. O Allah! Provide me with refuge from the cursed devil, and from every evil. Make me satisfied with what You bestowed upon me, and bless it for me.
"O Allah! Make me among the most honored ones to come to You, and make me adhere to the ways of righteousness till I come to You, O Lord of the worlds!"
4. The Merit of the Black Stone
1. It is a well-known fact that the Prophet SAW kissed the Black Stone, and so did his Companions; and Muslims will follow him in doing so till the Day of Judgment.
2. `Umar bin Al-Khattab warned the community against the belief that anyone other than Allah can cause harm or good. It has been narrated in an authentic hadith that 'Umar said, " By Allah! I know that you are a stone, and that you can cause neither harm nor good; and if I had not seen Allah's Messenger SAW kissing you, I would have never kissed you."
3. It has been reported that the Prophet SAW said, "Allah will surely resurrect the Black Stone on the Day of Judgment, with two eyes to see, and a tongue to utter, testifying to those who rightly kissed or touched it." Al-Tirmidzi authenticated the Prophet's hadith that says, “The Black Stone was descended from Paradise and was whiter than milk. Yet, the sins committed by human beings have turned it black. (In another narration: Till the polytheists' sins turned it black."
Supplication Said upon Facing the Black Stone
"In the Name of Allah. Allah is the Greatest. O Allah! (I begin this Tawaf) believing in You, affirming the truth of Your Book, fulfilling my covenant with You, and following the Sunnah of the Prophet SAW." It is desirable to repeat this supplication each time when passing by the Black Stone during each round of Circumambulation.
5. The Station of Abraham
Allah's Messenger SAW said, "The Corner and the Station are two precious stones from Paradise, whose light has been extinguished by Allah. If it were not for that, they would have lit all that is between the East and the West."
Ibn 'Umar r.a said, "Verily, the Corner and the Station are two precious stones of Paradise. Had it not been for the sins of human beings, they would have lit all that is between the East and the West."
Supplication Said at the Station
1. It is sunnah to recite the Qur'anic verse (2:125) “And take the Station of Abraham as a place of Prayer."
2. It is sunnah to perform two raka’ahs, reciting Surah Al-Kafirun in the first raka'ah and Surah Al-Ikhlas in the second, after reciting Al-Fatihah in each.
3. Then one starts to supplicate by saying, "O Allah! I am Your servant, and the son of Your servant. I have come to You burdened with many sins and encumbered with misdeeds. This is the place for he who seeks Your refuge from the Fire. Forgive me, for You are the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful."
6. Hijir Isma’il
Supplication Said at Hijir Isma’il
"O Lord of the World! I have come to You from far away, with the hope of receiving Your favor. Grant me Your favor so as to ask no one else. You are well-known for granting favors."
7. Zamzam Water
Allah's Messenger SAW said, "It is food for the hungry, and a cure for the sick.”
1. Ibn 'Abbas reported that Allah's Messenger SAW said, "The water of Zamzam is (good) for whatever intention it is drunk."
2. Ibn ‘Abbas r.a also reported that Allah's Messenger SAW said, “The best water on earth is that of Zamzam. It is food for the hungry, and a cure for the sick."
3. When Mu'awiah bin Abi Sufyan r.a performed Hajj, and drank from Zamzam water, he said, "Zamzam (water) is a cure, and it is (good) for whatever intention it is drunk."
4. Ibn ‘Abbas r.a also said, "We called it (Zamzam water) as the most satisfying and we found it to be the best aid to nourish the children." He also said, "Drink from the water of the righteous (i.e. Zamzam)."
6. He also said, "Whenever Allah's Messenger wished to make a valuable gift to anyone, he would offer him the water of Zamzam."
End
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