The Most Prominent Characteristics of the Sacred House
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Also, Honorable Shaykh, in his third question he says: What are the most prominent characteristics of the Sacred House?
Answer:
The Sacred House has many distinctive features. First, Allah has made it the qiblah (direction of prayer) for Muslims in their prayers; they face it in every prayer,[Al-Baqarah 2:150], so nothing is faced in prayer except the Sacred Mosque. It is also faced in supplication, and it is faced in other acts of worship as a recommended practice. Among its features is that Allah has made it obligatory for the community to perform Hajj every year. Regarding the community as a whole, it is obligatory for people to perform Hajj to the House. As for individuals, Allah has made it obligatory to perform Hajj once for those who are able, and anything beyond that is voluntary, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . Another feature of the Sacred House is that it is not permissible to perform tawaf (circumambulation) anywhere else; it is not permissible to perform tawaf in any place on earth, not around graves, not around shrines, and not around stations. Tawaf is performed only around the Noble Ka'bah and the Ancient House. Performing tawaf around anything other than the House, such as shrines, graves, domes, or other things, or stations, if the intention is to draw near to Allah, is a bid'ah (religious innovation). If the intention is to draw near to the deceased, it is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), which takes one out of the religion. This is one of the features of the House. Another feature of the Sacred House is that Allah has established a sacred precinct (Haram) around it where game is not hunted, trees are not cut down, lost items are not picked up except by one who announces them, and fighting is not permissible except against one who fights and aggresses. These are among the greatest features of the Sacred Mosque. Another feature of the Sacred Mosque is that if someone intends to do evil within it, Allah will seize him with painful punishment, [Al-Hajj 22:25], merely by the intention. How much more so if, may Allah protect us, he carries it out and commits transgression in the Haram; his punishment is even more severe. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.
Also, Honorable Shaykh, in his third question he says: What are the most prominent characteristics of the Sacred House?
Answer:
The Sacred House has many distinctive features. First, Allah has made it the qiblah (direction of prayer) for Muslims in their prayers; they face it in every prayer,
And from wherever you go out [for prayer], turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] may be, turn your faces toward it
وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُHajj is once; anything beyond that is voluntary.
الحج مرة واحدة ما زاد فهو تطوع،and [also] whoever intends [a deed] therein of deviation [in religion] or wrongdoing - We will make him taste of a painful punishment.
وَمَن يُرِدْ فِيهِ بِإِلْحَادٍ بِظُلْمٍ نُّذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍThe presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.
Source
نور على الدرب - الفوزان - 03/251 — archive.org (11:58)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.