UMRAH - ARRIVAL TAWAF - DETAILS - MECCA |
Merits of the Blessed Mecca
Allah, the Almighty, calls it "The Mother of Cities", for He
says, "That thou mayest warn the Mother of Cities and all around her."
Allah, the Almighty, calls it also "The City of Security", for He says, "By
the Fig and the Olive, and the Mount of Sinai, and this City of security."
He also says, "I do call to witness this City. And thou art a freeman of this
City."
In Mecca there is the Ancient House about which Allah, the Almighty, says, "and
circumambulate the Ancient House" and says, "Allah made the Ka`bah, the Sacred
House, an asylum of security for men..."
Abraham, the Close One to Allah, invoked Allah for the favor of Mecca saying, "O my
Lord! make this city one of peace and security; and preserve me and my sons from
worshipping idols."
Allah also says, "And remember Abraham said, 'My Lord, make this a City of Peace, and
feed its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day.' He said,
'Yea,' and such as reject Faith, for a while will I grant them their pleasure, but will
soon drive them to the torment of Fire, an evil destination (indeed)!"
Allah, the Almighty, says, "Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men
and a place of safety; and take ye the Station of Abraham as a place of Prayer; and we
covenanted with Abraham and Ishmael, that they should sanctify My House for those who
compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in
Prayer)." On the tongue of Abraham (peace be upon him), Allah, the Almighty, says,
"O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without
cultivation, by the Sacred House."
When the Quraish got the Prophet (peace be upon him) out of Mecca, he stood on a mountain,
turned back towards Mecca and its paths and said, "Verily, I know that you are the
dearest city to my heart and that you are the dearest city to Allah. If only that the
disbelieves drove me out, I would have never left you."
In the Two Sahihs, it is narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Verily,
Allah made this City sacred on the day He created the heavens and the earth; So it is
sacred by the sacredness conferred on it by Allah until the Day of Resurrection."
In the Year of Conquest, the Prophet (peace be upon him) stood at Jamarat Al-`Aqabah and
said, "By Allah, you (Mecca) are the best spot of Allah's land and the dearest one to
me. Unless I have been driven out (by your people), I would have never left you. (Fighting
in it) was not lawful for anyone neither before or after me. It was made lawful for me
only for an hour of a day, for it is sacred; its thorns are not to be cut, its game is not
to be molested, and the things dropped are to be picked up only by one who makes a public
announcement of it." Mecca, moreover, is the sanctuary of Allah and of His Messenger
(peace be upon him). Therefore, whoever inters it is safe.
Supplication
"O Allah! This is Your sanctuary and secure place, protect my body
from Hell Fire. Guard me from Your punishment on the Day You will bring back to life Your
servants. Make me amongst Your devotees and obedient ones." Also, the Messenger
(peace be upon him) used to say on entering Mecca, "O Allah! Don't let us die there
until we complete our rituals." As the houses of Mecca come into sight, the pilgrim
should say, "O Allah! Grant me residence and bestow legal sustenance upon me.