In answer to the video "The Unknown History of Islam 04 - Modern Mecca, Ancient Qibla"
There is evidence much prior to Islam or Christianity's advent, of references to a singular Temple in Arabia by Greek historians, which mentions a single Temple venerated by all of Arabia.
For example Muir and other orientalists, as well as Bible scholars quote Diodorus Siculus speaking in the 1st century BC of a
"temple"in Arabia which was
"greatly revered by all the Arabs"and all conclude, like anyone aware of the location's historicity that it cannot be anything else than the Meccan Kaaba. The Encyclopaedia Britannica further adds that the first to wrap the shrine in a veil was a pious King of the Homerites, who reigned 700 years before the advent of Islam. There is a reason why the Quran refers to Mecca as umm al qura/the mother of the towns 6:92,42:7.
Edward Gibbon equally recognizes
"the genuine antiquity of Caaba ascends beyond the Christian era".
The fact is, no other Temple has ever served as a central point of pilgrimage, despite the fact that Arabia, during these days, had temples all throughout the region that were all established subsequently to and in imitation of the Meccan Kaaba. The Yemeni Kaaba is an example. It is because of such prominence of the Meccan Kaaba that Abraha marched towards it to destroy it. Sura Fil refers to this episode.
But none of those shrines were older than the Kaaba, nor was any one of them regarded by the Arabs as of similar antiquity and commanding comparable veneration. The Arabs identified Mecca originally as Becca as corroborated in the Quran in addition that it is the first monument of worship of the One God and that it will remain so 3:95-99. When asked
"which mosque was set up first on the earth? He said: Al-Masjid al-Haram".
It is also mentionned several times as the Ancient/Atiq House because it was so old that it came to be known throughout Arabia by that name 22:29,33 and its history went back to the days of Ibrahim and Ismail 2:125. The word Atiq conveys also the meaning of honor and reverance since it had been made sacred by God 27:91. The root word rataqa conveys also the deeper sense of freedom from bondage and the Kaaba effectively has always been free from the bond of ownership of the mortals and in no time it had a possessor, save Allah.
Interestingly, when Moses had fled Egypt where he was wanted for man slaughter, and hid in Midian/Madyan, which is nowhere else than in the Arabian Peninsula, a "foreign land" in Moses' own words, from where he had to "return to Egypt" to free the Israelites Ex2:22,4:18, the Quran mentions his encounter with a righteous man in that land of Arabia, saying to him
Another interesting observation, linguistically is that Makka and bakka are used once in the Quran, and not randomly; in the context of hajj which involves the mass ingathering of populations, bakka is used since it stems from a word meaning crowd, while makka is employed outside that context.
The Area around Mecca was a completely unexplored area, appart from Arabia Felix. Historians mainly knew and wrote about cities in and close to trade routes, where there was some significant activity. The internal geographical features of Arabia as a whole and its climate prevented any foreign intrusion into it. Mecca was therefore not a passing point of voyagers nor a trade route, hence the scarcity of non-Arab sources mentionning it, besides the lack of inland explorations of the area by either Greek or Roman writers.
Outside the annual pilgrimmage during which all of Arabia flocked in and generated profit to the city and its inhabitants, Meccan was an isolated village and its people had to journey outside their own region to places like Syria and Palestine (in summer) and Yemen (in winter) to sell and buy goods because no trading route passed by or close to them. These long journeys were dangerous at the time and caravans were frequently raided and looted. The Quraysh however benefited from an immunitiy that was not provided to any other tribe, for they were given a special respect as the custodians of the Temple and caretakers of the pilgrims.
It is with all this background that the Quran admonishes the Quraysh not to become inebriated with these worldly successes and forget the Lord of this House and their ancestral duty towards Him
In fact, any tribe who became their ally was also treated with similar regard. The Quraysh instead of being thankful to their Lord for this favour became neglectful and rebellious.
Interestingly, when Moses had fled Egypt where he was wanted for man slaughter, and hid in Midian/Madyan, which is nowhere else than in the Arabian Peninsula, a "foreign land" in Moses' own words, from where he had to "return to Egypt" to free the Israelites Ex2:22,4:18, the Quran mentions his encounter with a righteous man in that land of Arabia, saying to him
28:27"I desire to marry one of these two daughters of mine to you on condition that you should serve me for eight hijaj/pilgrimages; but if you complete ten, it will be of your own free will, and I do not wish to be hard to you; if Allah please, you will find me one of the good".This righteous Arabian man, whom tradition identifies with Shuayb, is quoted as counting the years in terms of pilgrimage, as it happened every year. Also, the valley where God first spoke to Moses is called Tuwa 20:12. The word tuwa means to fold, from the root ta-waw-ya, it is used as a name of the valley because a valley is by definition folded between higher ground, and in this case, figuratively folded with holiness. Dhi tuwa, which is near Mecca might very well be this same Tuwa of Moses where he had been dwelling with his Madian or Arab family prior to his return to Egypt and confrontation with Pharao.
Another interesting observation, linguistically is that Makka and bakka are used once in the Quran, and not randomly; in the context of hajj which involves the mass ingathering of populations, bakka is used since it stems from a word meaning crowd, while makka is employed outside that context.
The Area around Mecca was a completely unexplored area, appart from Arabia Felix. Historians mainly knew and wrote about cities in and close to trade routes, where there was some significant activity. The internal geographical features of Arabia as a whole and its climate prevented any foreign intrusion into it. Mecca was therefore not a passing point of voyagers nor a trade route, hence the scarcity of non-Arab sources mentionning it, besides the lack of inland explorations of the area by either Greek or Roman writers.
Outside the annual pilgrimmage during which all of Arabia flocked in and generated profit to the city and its inhabitants, Meccan was an isolated village and its people had to journey outside their own region to places like Syria and Palestine (in summer) and Yemen (in winter) to sell and buy goods because no trading route passed by or close to them. These long journeys were dangerous at the time and caravans were frequently raided and looted. The Quraysh however benefited from an immunitiy that was not provided to any other tribe, for they were given a special respect as the custodians of the Temple and caretakers of the pilgrims.
It is with all this background that the Quran admonishes the Quraysh not to become inebriated with these worldly successes and forget the Lord of this House and their ancestral duty towards Him
106:1"For the protection of the Quraysh, Their protection during their trading caravans in the winter and the summer, So let them serve the Lord of this House, Who feeds them against hunger and gives them security against fear".The Quraysh have specifically been pointed out, for it was their primary obligation to become the torch bearers of the truth. An oath has been sworn in 100:1-11 by the feared raiding horses, that testify to the concrete reality of what was a common feature of the pre-Islamic Arabian society, and the sura further pictures the Quraysh's forgetfulness of the true essence of their privileges in that context. As already stated, they commanded great respect in the whole of Arabia and all their caravans and settlements were protected in every part of the country.
In fact, any tribe who became their ally was also treated with similar regard. The Quraysh instead of being thankful to their Lord for this favour became neglectful and rebellious.
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