So I hear the Hindus are put down by Islam because they worship idols. I went out and asked many Hindus the reason behind this. Many tell me that they are actually worshipping God when they bow infront of these idols. Fair enough. Then the question pops up; why did Allah tell us to bow infront of a physical monument every time we worship him? Couldn’t we have just had the intention of worshipping him in our hearts and could have prayed in any direction? What are the reasons behind this? Thank you.
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
Well, but you are allowed to pray and worship him in your heart...you're supposed to make every move with Bismillah on your mind. You can read all the tasbeehs you want and not face the kabah. You can talk to God in your head, and you don't need to face Kabah.
Facing kabah serves a unification purpose.
Its not the same as idolatory , because we don't consider the Kabah as God.
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
^
True.
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
Kaaba is the Qibla i.e. the direction Muslims face during their prayers. It is important to note that though **Muslims face the Kaaba during prayers, they do not worship the Kaaba. **Muslims worship and bow to none but Allah.
It is mentioned in Surah Baqarah:
"We see the turning of thy face (for guidance) to the heavens: now shall We turn thee to a Qiblah that shall please thee. Turn then thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque: wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction."
[Al-Qur’an 2:144]
The Muslims were the first people to draw the map of the world. They drew the map with the south facing upwards and north downwards. The Kaaba was at the centre. Later, western cartographers drew the map upside down with the north facing upwards and south downwards. Yet, Alhamdullilah the Kaaba is at the centre of the world map.
At the time of the Prophet, people even stood on the Kaaba and gave the ‘adhaan’ or the call to prayer. One may ask those who allege that Muslims worship the Kaaba; which idol worshipper stands on the idol he worships?
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
I was presented with the same argument by a Hindu friend once. The following addresses this in detail. It is about 15 minutes audio, but is the most comprehensive and insightful discussion on this topic I have heard to date:
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
Thanks guys. Keep them coming if you can.
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
First of all, you have never heard me put down any Hindu for following his religion. Furthermore, since Jews have been facing masjid el Aqsa since the days of King Solomon do you also think Jews are idol worshippers? Finally, my discussions with non Muslims suggests they find our kissing the blackstone far more objectionable than our facing the kabaa.
regards,
bob
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
Very very wrong information. In early days of declaration of Islam the prophet asked his followers to bow towards Jerusalem.
As much as I have understood that the Prophet was sure that Jews would accept him as a Prophet. Jews did not give up and from the very begining an enimity started between the two faiths.
After that the Prophet asked his followers to bow towards Kaaba.
Ya, there can be another context…let them make up!
And Barbie_Girl Let me tell you that Geography information in Quran is too poor!
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
2:177. It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces Towards east or West; but it is righteousness- to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity; to fulfil the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the Allah.fearing.
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
nice quote.. think about it people.. would a God that says the above then command people to ‘point a certain way’ when they pray? Isn’t God everywhere? Are Qura’nic teachings lost on us cuz we want to be so damn literal about everything?
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
Can you show us what geograpahy information is provided in Quran and what is wrong there?
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
By the way, many Jews did accept Islam. For example, a large number of Palestinian muslims today are descendants of Jewish and Christian men that converted to Islam in the region. In addition, Arab history suggests that Jewish tribes that left Madina in the days of the prophet p and settled in the Levant, eventually joined the Army of the Arabs, many providing vital intelligence that helped us in defeating the Byzantine Empire. In return we see that early caliphs lifted restrictions imposed by the Byzantine emperor on Jews in Jerusalem and the Levant. Much later we find a high level of cooperation continues for centuries between Jews and Muslims in places like Spain and the Middle East. So please dont make it sound like all followers of Islam and Judaism have always been mortal enemies.
regards,
bob
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
Oh well Mr Righteous Right anjjan sahab,
From where did you gather such a great information…now stop this sillly propaganda against islam…dont be jealous…I know its hard for you to accept these kind of things… Now stop these bachkana things… I dont just put things here…i first look for verifiable source…and dumbs like you can never ever understand Quran…Go do pooja to your idols wo cant even move themselves… Aik din sab pata chal jay ga tumhain… stop reading books of prejudiced people who cant do anything but to do this silly propaganda…
chalo shabash ab apna feeder lo aur so jao
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
**Barbie_Girl , The simple answer to this is we follow what Allah SWT says. As u have quoted the Ayah of Sure Baqarah Al-Qur’an 2:144] in which Allah SWT says turn ur face towards Kaaba while praying. **
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
raju,
I think some posters here feel that we hypocrtically, only follow those orders that Allah has passed to please us, but not those things that pleases Allah. For example, in this verse, Allah the most Merciful and Forgiving, says He is appointing kabaa as a qiblah to please the Arabs. The subsequent verses make it clear that the Arabs were facing Jerusalem grudgingly, since it was not a part of their tradition. This was being done as a test of the Arabs. Now to please the ARABS (not Allah) a qiblah was being appointed that was a part of their tradition. This is a favor from Allah to the Arabs. In return, it is our duty to be righteous and do the things that pleases Allah. This would be things like giving to the poor, taking care of the orphan and widow, freeing slaves etc.
regards,
bob
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
bhaijaan raju sahib.. i know u’re a new Muslim but can you please revisit the verse and tell me where ‘prayers’ are mentioned in it?
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
Um the word "Qiblah" should indicate that the verse is talking about prayers...
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
This is what I think:
the act of turning to the kaba is no different from turning to anyother idol.
the Quranic objection was to Idolators and not Idols. That too, to a specific bunch of idolators who refused to yield on some conditions.
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
thank you for your 2c but I bet if you save more of these 2c and spend it on some reading it’d really benefit you 
Re: Prayers In The Direction Of Kaaba
Because those who reject the way of Prophet:saw: and create their own size of Islam think that they are the ALLAMA of Arabic and forget that their logic and understanding has a limit upto a translation.
For that very reason, the correct translation is: It is not the only righteousness that ye turn your faces Towards east or West
Now think of it, the correct context of the ayah is that praying salah (in any part of the world, facing either from east or west towards Ka’aba or **Qibla **for those linguistically challenged who even do not know the meaning of Qibla and can’t differentiate that Qibla is a derivative of Qib’l which means *something which is right infront *and Ka’aba means essentially the same) is not the only righteous thing but every moment of life is the worship of ALLAH:swt: if it is spent in the obidience of Him.