Friday, April 17, 2020

CIRA international find deeper meanings to Qibla change; a new nation under God?

In answer to the video "The Unknown History of Islam 04 - Modern Mecca, Ancient Qibla"

The change of qibla indicated to the Israelites they had been definitely deposed from their spiritual leadership over mankind, a leadership that what was for them to honourably carry 2:63-64,3:187,28:5,32:24. This prophecied supplanting, as stated by Jesus in Matt21, meant they werent worthy of carrying the flame anymore, that the geographical center of monotheism has switched to another location, under a new established nation under God 
33:45-46"We have sent you as a witness, and as a bearer of good news and as a warner, And as one inviting to Allah by His permission, and as a light-giving torch". 
This meant that their hopes of seeing the Jerusalem Temple rebuilt for the 3rd time through Divine sanction by their messianic salvific figure was over. The era of prophethood itself has now ceased
33:40"Muhammad..is the Messenger of Allah and the khaatim of the prophets; and Allah is cognizant of all things".
The term khaatim from kh-t-m means to seal something shut so that nothing can get in or out of it. It is used often to mean that something is finished since one seals something when it is over and it is also conceptually used for a well demarcated feature of an entity or person. Jesus' return as a sign of the end of times as reported in some narrations, if taken as true, doesnt deny the finality of prophethood with Muhammad if one considers that he was born before him, did not die in the process of tawfiya/full reception by God. He has outlived the prophet who has ended the era of prophethood. In addition to closing the door to the institution of prophethood, the verse also denies any further revealed scriptures.

The Quran repeatedly associates prophethood to scriptures, contrary to messengership which is never explicitly said to have ended. Prior to prophethood when he was a 12 year old boy, it is reported that he was taken on a caravan trip with his uncle to Syria. There, a Christian monk supposedly recognizes several signs of prophethood in him, including what he described as the "seal of prophethood/khatm al nubuwwa" on Muhammad's back. It was a protrusion the size of a pigeon's egg between his shoulder blades. Although the prophet himself never identifies this birth feature as such, it seems that this comment by the monk led to a legend about it among his companions. During his prophethood when a physician noticed it and proposed to treat it, the prophet did not mention the legend, simply relied on Allah for a cure "Its physician is He Who has credit it".

This last change of qibla was also an announcement of the glad tidings of the near conquest of Mecca, a forecast of its cleaning and purification from the idols placed in it over time. It signified the near return of Islam as a fulfilment of Ibrahim's prayers and God's subsequent promise of placing in it, the righteous from among his descendants as the leaders of mankind 2:124-130.

The appointement of the Kaaba as the Muslims' qibla was in honor of Ibrahim and Ismail, a confirmation of the Quran's claim about the Muslims being closer to Ibrahim than any group claiming spiritual descendancy from him 2:135. It was a favor in a series of favors bestowed upon the believers by Allah 2:150, such as the sending of a messenger from among themselves who brought them wisdom and spiritual purification
2:151"We have sent among you a Messenger from among you who recites to you Our communications and purifies you and teaches you the Book and the wisdom and teaches you that which you did not know".
At all times, the believers are told to keep their remembrence of these favors
2:152"Therefore remember Me, I will remember you, and be thankful to Me, and do not be ungrateful to Me". 
However immidiately after annoucing this favor, God warns the Muslims that leadership is not a bed of roses but a bed of thorns. They will be confronted with all kind of difficulties, and trials and that if they went through their ordeals with fortitude and proceeded on in the way of Allah, they would be blessed with countless blessings and rewards by Him 2:153-7 just as their failure would cause their uprooting.

No comments:

Post a Comment