From exile and rebellion to trade, transformation, and mercy, explore surprising facts about Makkah you may never have heard.

A Complex History

Most of us think we know Makkah. It is the holiest city in Islam, the direction of our prayers, and the destination of Hajj. We picture the Ka’bah surrounded by worshippers, the call to prayer echoing through the sacred precinct.

But beneath that familiar image lies a history that is far more complex, and at times surprising. Makkah has been a place of upheaval and renewal, of trade and transformation, of loss, resilience, and immense mercy.

Here are fifteen things you may not know about Makkah and the Ka’bah.

1. The descendants of Ismail were once driven out of Makkah

As you may know, after Hajar and Ismail were blessed with the water of zamzam, a passing Yemeni tribe settled in the oasis. This tribe was called Jurhum. Ismail married into Jurhum, and from their descendants came several Arab tribes, including the Quraysh.

You may have thought that the descendants of Prophet Ismail (as) remained in the valley of Bakkah (which became Makkah) continuously until the time of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. That is not the case.

Classical sources describe Jurhum’s rule over Makkah as lasting many generations, and possibly centuries, before their decline. As one traditional account states:

“When the misdeeds of Jurhum in the sacred land grew worse… Khuza’a arose against them… and expelled them from the Ka’bah.” (Al Bidaayah Wan Nahaayah, Ibn Kathir).

Their offenses are described in stark terms: mistreatment of pilgrims, misuse of the sanctuary’s wealth, and violations of its sanctity. Another early account notes that they began to ill-treat visitors to the Sacred House and unlawfully appropriate its resources, provoking resentment and ultimately rebellion.

The tribe of Khuzaa’, which had settled nearby after migrating from Yemen, led the uprising. After defeating Jurhum, they expelled them from Makkah and assumed control of the Ka’bah. Some reports state that Jurhum, upon their expulsion, buried treasures in the Zamzam well before departing.

But the transformation did not end there.

During the rule of Khuzaa’, a deeper shift took place – this time in religion. According to Ibn Ishaq and later scholars such as Ibn Kathir, their leader ‘Amr ibn Luhayy traveled to the Levant, where he encountered the idol worship of the powerful Amalkites. Impressed by what he saw, he brought back an idol called Hubal and placed it near the Ka’bah, instructing the people to venerate it. This was the first appearance of idol worship in Arabia.

Ibn Ishaq records that ‘Amr:

“brought back with him an idol called Hubal and set it up in the Ka’bah, commanding the people to worship it.”

Over time, this opened the door to widespread idol worship in Makkah, with idols multiplying in and around the sanctuary.

Khuzaa’s rule lasted for several centuries before the Quraysh rose to prominence and took control of Makkah in the 5th century CE, restoring custodianship of the Ka’bah to the lineage of Ismail.

What makes this episode so striking is not merely the shift in power, but the reason for it. Custodianship of the Sacred House was never guaranteed. It could be lost through corruption, injustice, and the betrayal of the sanctity it was meant to protect. That is something for the current custodians of the holy land to reflect upon.

2. The Ka’bah has been rebuilt and reshaped throughout history

Many people assume that the Ka’bah standing today is exactly the same structure built by Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail. In reality, the Ka’bah has been rebuilt multiple times over the centuries.

According to early historians such as Ibn Ishaq, one of the most significant reconstructions occurred when the Quraysh rebuilt the Ka’bah shortly before the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The structure had been weakened and badly damaged, first by a conflagration that spread from a cooking fire, then by a flood. However, resources – particularly timber – were limited. As a result, they reduced its size and left a portion of the original foundation outside the walls (and, as you likely know, the Prophet ﷺ himself replaced the black stone in its niche).

This area is known today as the Hijr of Ismail.

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ conquered Makkah, he considered restoring the Ka’bah to the full footprint built by Ibrahim, but decided against it, as he himself explained to Aishah in an authentic narration:

“Were it not that your people are recent converts to Islam, I would have demolished the Ka’bah and rebuilt it on the foundation of Ibrahim, and I would have included the Hijr within it.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari)

The Ka’bah was rebuilt again in the first Islamic century by Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr after it was damaged during conflict. Aware of the Prophet’s ﷺ statement, he expanded the Ka’bah to include the Hijr and added a second door at ground level.

However, this change did not last. When the Umayyads regained control, the Ka’bah was altered once more and returned to the earlier Quraysh design.

Even after this, the question remained. Should the Ka’bah be restored to the original foundation of Ibrahim?

During the Abbasid period, Khalifah Harun al-Rashid considered doing exactly that. He consulted Imam Malik ibn Anas, one of the great scholars of Madinah.

Imam Malik advised against it, saying:

“I fear that the Ka’bah will become a plaything for the rulers.”

In other words, if each ruler altered the structure according to his own judgment, the Ka’bah would be repeatedly changed, losing its stability and dignity.

The khalifah accepted this advice, and the structure has remained unchanged since.

In the end, it is not the stones and mortar of the Ka’bah that are sacred, but the site itself. It is the first house of Allah on the earth, and Allah is its protector.

3. The Black Stone was stolen and missing for decades

In the year 930 CE, one of the most shocking attacks in Islamic history took place. A radical sect known as the Qarmatians attacked Makkah during the Hajj season.

The Qarmatians were a militant movement based in eastern Arabia, in the region of Bahrain and al-Ahsa. Classical historians such as al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir describe them as a deviant Ismaili Shiah sect that rejected the Abbasid caliphate and held contempt for mainstream Islam. Under their leader Abu Tahir al-Jannabi, they launched a raid on Makkah, overwhelming its defenders and committing atrocities within the Haram itself.

Pilgrims were killed in large numbers, and the sanctity of the Sacred Mosque was violated. Some historical reports state that bodies were left in the precinct and even cast into the well of Zamzam.

Ibn Kathir records:

“They took the Black Stone and carried it away to their land, and the people were prevented from Hajj for many years.”

The Black Stone was removed and taken to al-Ahsa. It is said that the Qarmations shattered it – although, to be fair, there are also claims that the damage was done centuries earlier, when the Umayyads catapulted missiles at the Ka’bah to try to kill Abdullah ibn Az-Zubayr. Allah knows best.

For more than twenty years, the Black Stone remained with the Qarmatians.

Eventually, in 951 CE, the Stone was returned to Makkah. The exact circumstances of its return are unclear. Some sources suggest political pressure or negotiations. What is certain is that it was restored to its place after more than two decades.

Today, the Black Stone is no longer a single intact piece. It consists of several fragments, set into the Ka’bah and held together within a silver frame by means of a dark resin. Anyone who has seen it up close can observe that it is composed of multiple joined pieces.

This history, however, should not trouble the believer or shake one’s faith in any way.

The Black Stone, though it is said to be a stone from Jannah, is not an object of worship, nor is it central to the fundamentals of Islam. Touching or kissing it is not a requirement of Hajj or Umrah. It is an act of reverence, not obligation.

Our religion does not depend on the physical state of any object.

If the Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself could pass away and leave this world, and the religion of Islam could continue, intact and growing, then the damage or fragmentation of a stone does not affect the truth or strength of our faith.

What this event shows is something else entirely. Even the most sacred objects in Islam have passed through moments of trial. Yet their meaning, and the devotion they inspire, have endured.

4. Makkah was once a major trading hub

If you have visited Makkah’s modern malls, such as the Abraj Al Bait complex or the shopping centers surrounding the Haram, you may think of it as a city of commerce. And in a sense, it is. Its economy today benefits heavily from serving millions of visitors each year.

Abraj Al Bait mall in Makkah

But Makkah was once much more than that.

Long before Islam, it was an international trading hub.

Situated along key caravan routes linking southern Arabia with the Levant, the city became a vital stop for merchants transporting spices, leather goods, textiles, and incense. The Quraysh built their wealth and influence through these trade networks.

This commercial role is alluded to in the Qur’an itself:

“For the accustomed security of Quraysh. Their accustomed security in the caravan of winter and summer…”
(Surat Quraysh 106:1–2)

Classical commentators such as Ibn Kathir explain that these verses refer to the regular trade journeys of Quraysh, who traveled north to Syria in the summer and south to Yemen in the winter, establishing economic prosperity and political alliances.

This trade brought immense wealth to certain Makkan families. Among them was Abdullah ibn Jud’an, founder of the Hilf Al-Fudool, who became famous for his generosity and scale of wealth. Historical reports describe him sending thousands of camels laden with food aid to famine-stricken regions such as Syria.

SubhanAllah. Imagine a desert Arab from a small and remote town, sending such vast aid to lands under the Roman Empire.

This also helps explain the immense wealth later possessed by some of the Sahabah, such as Abdurrahman ibn Awf and Uthman ibn Affan (Allah be pleased with them).

Ibn Ishaq and other early historians describe how Makkah’s status as a sanctuary contributed to its success. Because fighting was prohibited within the sacred precinct, the city functioned as a neutral zone where tribes could meet, trade, and negotiate safely.

In this way, religion and commerce became intertwined. The Ka’bah drew pilgrims, and pilgrims brought trade. This was the world into which Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was born. He himself took part in these trade journeys, traveling north on behalf of Khadijah.

5. One prayer in the Haram equals 100,000 elsewhere

The Prophet ﷺ said that prayer in Masjid al-Haram is worth 100,000 prayers elsewhere. It is a number that is easy to hear, and difficult to truly grasp. A single prayer in Makkah is equal to nearly 55 years of prayer anywhere else. Over the course of Hajj, which lasts about six days, the prayers performed there are equal to more than 1,600 years of prayer.

SubhanAllah!

I made my first Umrah when I was 15 years old. I found Makkah beautiful and fascinating. I remember the crowds, the movement, the sense of something special in the air.

But I did not fully understand it.

At that time, I had not studied the seerah. I could look at the Ka’bah, but I could not see what had transpired there. I did not picture the Prophet ﷺ standing atop Safaa, inviting the people to Islam, and being mocked in response. I did not imagine him being attacked by Abu Jahl or Uqba bin Abi Mu’ayt. I did not picture a young Abdullah ibn Masud (ra) standing in front of the Ka’bah, defiantly reciting Surat Ar-Rahman, and the Quraysh nearly beating him to death for it. I did not see the triumphant moment, years later, when the Muslims returned in victory, and Bilal ibn Rabah (ra) climbed onto the Ka’bah to call the adhan, and the Prophet ﷺ forgave all who had harmed him.

And I did not understand what 100,000 prayers really meant.

When you are young, time feels endless. A number like 100,000 sounds impressive, but abstract. It does not carry weight.

When you are older, you begin to understand time differently. You realize how limited it is. You see how quickly days pass, how years slip by, and how little you are able to do within them. Only then do you begin to grasp what it means for a single prayer to carry the weight of a lifetime.

This is a tremendous expression of Allah’s mercy.

There is a reason why Allah describes Himself as Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim. His mercy is vast beyond what we can comprehend. A single act of worship, performed in the right place and with sincerity, can outweigh a lifetime of effort.

At the same time, this mercy is not limited to Makkah.

For those who have not had the opportunity to perform Hajj or Umrah, there is no reason for despair. Allah has opened many doors. The Prophet ﷺ taught that fasting Ramadan with faith and seeking reward is a means for all past sins to be forgiven. And Laylat al-Qadr is described in the Qur’an as “better than a thousand months” (Surat al-Qadr 97:3), which is more than eighty years of worship.

Visiting Makkah and praying in the Haram is one of the greatest of these opportunities. But it is not the only one. Allah’s mercy is not confined to a place. It is available to those who seek it, wherever they are, and no matter their spiritual state.

* * *

Reader comments and constructive criticism are important to me, so please comment!

See the Story Index for Wael Abdelgawad’s other stories on this website.

Wael Abdelgawad’s novels – including Pieces of a Dream, The Repeaters and Zaid Karim Private Investigator – are available in ebook and print form on his author page at Amazon.com.

 

Related:

You Are Perfectly Created

If Not You, Then Who?

The post 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Makkah and the Ka’bah [Part 1] appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Shadow justice secretary had called Trafalgar Square event an ‘act of domination’

James Cleverly has said he disagrees with his Conservative frontbench colleague Nick Timothy’s assertion that public Muslim prayers are an act of domination, as another senior Tory called for the party to respect the right to worship.

Kemi Badenoch has defended Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, after he posted images of mass prayer at a Ramadan event on Monday evening in Trafalgar Square, calling it “an act of domination” and “straight from the Islamist playbook”.

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US scrambles to contain an energy crisis of its own making as Tehran shows it can counter Washington and Tel Aviv with force.

Exclusive: Tariq Ahmad says he has raised concerns with party leadership after shadow justice secretary’s remarks

The shadow justice secretary, Nick Timothy, has been accused by a Conservative peer and former counter-extremism minister of “instilling fear” among Muslims with his comments about public prayer.

British Muslims were openly talking about leaving the Conservative party, added Tariq Ahmad, who said he had raised his concerns with the party leadership and expected action to be taken.

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Eid Mubarak from the MuslimMatters team to you and your family!

TabbalAllah minnaa wa minkum saalih al-a’mal – may Allah accept our righteous deeds from Ramadan!

Whether you celebrated on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, may Allah bless all your families and bring you joy, and let us continue to pray for (and work towards) a liberated Masjid al-Aqsa. Please make du’a for the MuslimMatters team, and our families as well.

If you’re looking for some Eid-related reading material, here’s a mix of old and new!

Selamat Hari Raya! – Celebrating Eid In Malaysia

4 Fun And Easy Eid al-Fitr Activities for Kids

Eid Mubarak! Have the Reward of Fasting 2 Months in Just 6 Days

Eid Gift: Excerpt From ‘When The Stars Prostrated’

Eid Is A Celebration For All: Caring For Families Facing Hospitalization During Eid

Eid Lameness Syndrome: Diagnosis, Treatment, Cure

The post Eid Mubarak from MuslimMatters appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Tamara Jernigan, American astronaut

Earlier today I saw a short video on Facebook or Instagram, I forget which, by a woman called Tamara who migrated from Croatia to the United States (I don’t know which part). I saw the video when I had just arrived from work; when I tried to open the app again to re-watch the video and maybe reply, the app had refreshed and the video had gone, so I have no way of finding it or its author. Tamara is married to a man I’m guessing is from Taiwan: he has a Chinese name spelled the “old way” which I also can’t remember. Their new friends habitually call her ‘T’ and her husband also a pair of letters because their names are supposedly too foreign or unfamiliar for them to try to pronounce. Americans, she said, always favour ‘comfort’ over accuracy and it was nothing personal. I disagree: to not even bother to try to pronounce someone’s name is simply lazy and disrespectful.

The name Tamara is not even difficult to pronounce in the least. It’s not even a name that is unknown in the US. Wikipedia has a list of famous people with that name and there are a number in the US: Tamara Braun (actress), Tamara Brooks (choral conductor), Tamara Feldman (actress), Tamara Hope (Canadian actress and musician), Tamara Johnson-George (volleyball player), Tamara Stocks (basketball player), Tamara Jernigan (astronaut), though maybe that’s over these people’s heads, figuratively if not literally. In Judy Blume’s ‘Fudge’ book series, the title character has a younger sister born during the series called Tamara Roxanne, though they end up calling her Tootsie. Americans tend to pronounce it with the stress on the middle syllable rather than the first as the Croatian Tamara pronounces her name, but still, it’s not at all unfamiliar. When I mentioned this in a social media post earlier, someone pointed out that the name Tamara has the same consonants as the word ‘tomorrow’, so there’s no real excuse to just shorten it to ‘T’ (not even Tammy or for that matter Tootsie).

I was reminded of the chapter in Maya Angelou’s childhood autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, where she works as a servant to a wealthy local white woman, Viola Cullinan. She was named Marguerite Johnson at birth; the employer first calls her Margaret and then, at her friends’ suggestion, Mary. A colleague had been similarly renamed from Hallelujah to Glory, simply because she couldn’t be bothered to call her by her real name. (Angelou’s family called her Ritie; the name Maya originated with her brother who always called her “my sister” and this became My and then Maya.) The young Maya was not going to “let a white woman change her name for her own convenience” and explained that most Black people she knew were horrified by being “called out of their name”, in large part from being referred to by derogatory racial terms for generations. She dropped some precious crockery which Cullinan’s mother had brought from Virginia, and Cullinan was distraught. Her friend demanded, “was it Mary?” to which Cullinan responded, “her name’s Margaret, God damn it!”. As she fled the scene and never went back to the house, we don’t know if Viola Cullinan continued treating her employees in that way.

Chinese names are a bit more tricky, as they are tonal and getting the tone wrong can make a name mean something completely different (the word ‘Ma’ in Mandarin has five meanings including mother and horse, all differing by tone), but refusing to pronounce a mildly foreign name just sounds like racism. The attitude is that they are the dominant race in the world’s biggest superpower and they have no need to learn anything about any language or culture besides their own. Whether the people concerned say it’s “nothing personal” is immaterial; it’s plain rude and insulting to refuse to call someone by their name.

Image source: NASA.

Officials understood to be investigating use of visas by company linked to Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light

The Home Office is investigating a company linked to a religious sect based in Cheshire over its use of immigration visas.

The company under investigation is linked to the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL), a sect that blends tenets of Islam with conspiracy theories about the Illuminati and aliens controlling US presidents. Followers believe the sect’s leader, Abdullah Hashem, can cure the sick and make the moon disappear. About 100 of his followers live in a former orphanage in Crewe, in the north-west of England.

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Eid al-Fitr celebrated amid political furore over claims public Ramadan prayers an ‘act of domination’

On Friday morning, little space remained in Baitul Futuh mosque as thousands of people poured in to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

The south London mosque, one of the largest in Europe, offered a glimpse of the Eid al-Fitr festivities being celebrated by millions of Muslims across the UK. This year, however, a political furore around one of the most important holidays in the Islamic calendar has divided UK party leaders, drawn warnings of bigotry and left members of the community feeling disturbed and disappointed.

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In both Singapore and Malaysia, Eid is called Hari Raya, or the Day of Celebration – it’s either Hari Raya Puasa (Eidul Fitr) or Hari Raya Haji (Eidul Adha). I have fond Raya memories from my childhood in Singapore. On the morning of Eid, my siblings and I would kiss our parents’ hands, and they would give us a packet of money – a dollar for every day we fasted. My mother would prepare delicious traditional Malay dishes like kuah lodeh (vegetable stew cooked with turmeric and coconut milk) and rendang ayam (slow-cooked chicken with lemongrass and coconut milk). We would visit our relatives, eat more tasty food, and they would give us even more precious Raya packets. We all envied my oldest cousin, who was the only child, and who raked in the most cash compared to all six of us.

Multigenerational Celebration 

Now that I’m a mother of three primary-school-aged children, it’s up to me and my husband to build positive childhood memories around Ramadan and Eid. The combination of corralling small children to the masjid can be a stress-inducing one. The secret sauce lies in planning for success the night before. We try our best to ensure our kids have an early bedtime, help them set aside their Eid clothes, and wake them up early to get to the masjid.

On top of that is ensuring elderly care is sorted, which means medications are lined up, factoring extra time to help them get in and out of cars, and checking ahead of time that the masjid is accessible. We pack small notes so that our children can give sadaqah at the masjid too. To help them last through the Eid khutbah, I pack snacks and fidget toys. It’s common for generous elders seated near us to give my delighted children Raya packets too. Once we’re back home, then we can give our children their long-awaited Raya packets. This Ramadan, we’ve jumped from one fasting child to three fasting children, alhamdulilah. 

A Month-long celebration

In Malaysia, Eid is celebrated for the entire month, and the lead-up to this is baked into the very fabric of daily life. As we get closer to Eid, the banks here have specific hours every morning allocated to breaking down large notes into smaller notes – perfect for adults to give little children Raya packets.

There are also Raya buffets at restaurants and hotels, and massive sales across any item imaginable – from clothes, to mobile phones and even cars. The danger of this is the risk of falling into the ever-waiting trap of excessive consumerism – even if it’s in the form of a Muslim celebration. Instead of succumbing to every appealing Raya sale, it helps to make mindful purchases, and to remember to give to the less fortunate as well.

Open houses

During the month-long celebration, there is the ubiquitous ‘open house’ where there are invitations to visit each other’s homes for tasty treats and, of course, Raya packets for children. The bulk of the family visits happen during the first week of the Raya break, where priority visits start with the elders in the family. After that, Raya visits are often mostly on the weekend, to cater for working hours. Visits mostly don’t last for very long – usually no longer than one sit-down meal – because there are often many houses to visit! If a family’s current elder is not feeling up for hosting, then younger relatives are always welcome to take turns hosting.

This not only strengthens family ties, but can also double as a wonderful dawah opportunity for non-Muslim friends, neighbours, colleagues and classmates. I have heard so many wonderful stories about non-Muslims embracing Islam after many years of visiting and eating delicious halal food.

Orphanages

There are many opportunities here to give new Eid clothes, other gifts and/or Raya packets to orphaned children and children from marginalized communities. It’s important to build this awareness around the less fortunate from a young age. One way to do that is by bringing children along to these initiatives, and giving them age-appropriate tasks to get them involved. Even more important than that is scheduling in regular charitable acts so children know that sadaqah and compassion are not only isolated to Ramadan – even if the reward is multiplied then. 

School holidays

Even non-Muslim students in public schools come to school dressed in traditional clothing to celebrate Eid before the official start of Eid school holidays. School holidays are specifically designed to give children at least a whole week off to celebrate Eid. Many families use this long break to ‘balik kampung’ or to drive back to their respective hometowns to spend time with their elderly relatives. The only downside is how Malaysian Eid school holidays don’t match up with school holidays in the West, making it challenging to sync visiting times with family members who live abroad.

After growing up in the Western diaspora, where there were no school holidays for Eid and no acknowledgement of Eid in public spaces, it’s thrilling for me to experience the entire country immersed in Eid celebrations. It’s so much fun seeing many Malaysian families wearing the same colours, from parents to children, like matchy-matchy family flags. What I do miss about Eid in Australia is the steady presence of my family and close friends, and the traditions that we shared together: going to our local masjid for Eid prayers, going to a favourite cafe together for breakfast, and hosting Raya open house on the weekends. These traditions were so anchoring, especially while living as a Muslim minority.

Conclusion

There is something so special and joyous about celebrating Eid in a Muslim-majority country. I hope to always be grateful for this blessing, especially for my children, who are experiencing this as their baseline. It’s such a gift for my children to form a strong Muslim identity, where they know that they can take up space, exactly as they are. For Muslim families living in the West, there is still so much you can do to bring Eid traditions to the forefront; these happy memories will help to fortify Muslim children too. 

 

Related:

– [Podcast] Palestine in Our Hearts: Eid al-Fitr 1445 AH

– Hot Air: An Eid Story [Part 1]

The post Selamat Hari Raya! – Celebrating Eid In Malaysia appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Under the shadow of war in the Middle East, Muslim worshippers around the world unite to celebrate the breaking of the fast

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Stuart Niven suspended after revelations he was struck off as company director, while other candidates have been accused of extremist statements including describing Humza Yousaf as ‘not British’

Severin Carrell is the Guardian’s Scotland editor.

Malcolm Offord, Reform UK’s Scottish leader, has doubled down on his defence of the party’s vetting by dismissing remarks by candidates backing Tommy Robinson or describing Humza Yousaf as an “Islamist moron” (see 10.12am) as “fruity language”.

It has taken a matter of hours for Reform Scotland’s big launch to fall apart and their true colours to show.

If Nigel Farage refuses to act and remove this candidate, Malcolm Offord must step up and show some leadership himself. This incident has confirmed once and for all how poisonous and chaotic Reform is and I have no doubt that Scots will send them packing.

Again, as I say, this was done in a former life before she became a member of Reform. We’ve all said things in the past that may be intemperate… I am saying that we have to grow up on this and not take offence at every moment in time.

I’ve been very clear that we have brought in a whole range of candidates, 80% of whom are not politicians. They’re real people with real lives who said real things in a past life. Okay, this was said before she was a candidate. She wasn’t even a member of the party at that time.

And what we got in the situation is that in all our lives in the past, we’ve made comments that might sometimes be intemperate. But the issue with this modern world we live in is everything is now written down and remembered. I just think we have to be more, more realistic about the fact that real people say real things, and now she’s a candidate, she will be held to a higher standard.

Liberal Democrats urge the government to ensure the NCA or new National Police Service takes over investigations into serious waste crime. We also need an independent review of the entire waste crime system to crack down on organised gangs once and for all. New powers for the Environmental Agency simply won’t cut it.

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Israel has committed at least 2,073 violations of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

For the first time in history Al-Aqsa is closed for Eid. Where is the Ummah?  – MuslimMatters

Barred from Masjid Al-Aqsa, worshipers pray outside the Old City on Friday morning, the day of Eid.

Israeli forces use stun grenades to prevent Palestinian worshipers from entering the Old City for Eid prayers.

Palestinians gather outside the Old City to pray Eid after being barred by the Israelis from Masjid Al-Aqsa.

 

The post AL-AQSA IS CLOSED appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

At a time when Britain has never felt more divided, we should draw on Christian values to reject hate and focus on what unites us

When you think about the unedifying political furore about the open iftar held in Trafalgar Square, try to bear in mind that every year on Remembrance Day – a stone’s throw from Trafalgar Square – the bishop of London leads a public Christian act of lamentation in the open air. It is an act of religious observance which happens in cities, towns and villages across the country. Alongside the hymns sung, there are readings from the Bible and prayers made in the name of Jesus Christ, and a blessing invoking the holy trinity. In Leeds, where I have the honour of leading the service alongside the Roman Catholic dean of Leeds, I am accompanied by leaders from other faiths: Jewish, Hindu, Sikh and Muslim. We join together in this public, open-air, unmistakably Christian service.

Over years of attending and conducting such services – and others like it such as those held in memory of Queen Elizabeth II – I have never heard a complaint from those of other faiths that such services represented a “domination of the public sphere” or that such services in our civic spaces were “an expression of power and intimidation”.

Arun Arora is bishop of Kirkstall in the diocese of Leeds

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

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Hundreds of Muslims gathered outside the walls of the Old City in occupied East Jerusalem for Eid al-Fitr prayers on Friday after Israeli authorities closed al-Aqsa mosque. Israel said the closure was part of security measures linked to the country's escalating war with Iran, but Palestinians said the move was part of a wider Israeli strategy to leverage security tensions to tighten restrictions and entrench control over Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site

• ‘The saddest day for Muslim worshippers in Jerusalem’: al-Aqsa mosque closed at Eid

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Exclusive: Richard Hermer, who is Jewish, says Tory leader and shadow minister seem ‘to only have an issue with Muslim events’

Richard Hermer, the attorney general, has challenged Kemi Badenoch to say whether she would object to Jewish prayer in public, after the Conservative leader backed one of her shadow ministers who said an Islamic prayer event was intimidating and un-British.

Hermer, one of the UK’s most prominent Jewish politicians, said Badenoch’s decision to support the views of Nick Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, put her on a par with Reform UK and Tommy Robinson, the far-right activist.

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Palestinians say the move is part of a wider Israeli strategy to leverage security tensions to tighten restrictions

For the first time since 1967, al-Aqsa mosque – Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site – will be closed at the end of Ramadan on Friday, with tensions rising among Palestinians as Israeli authorities keep the complex shut, forcing worshippers to hold Eid prayers as close as they can to the sealed site.

On Friday morning hundreds of worshippers were forced to pray outside the Old City, as Israeli police barricaded the entrances to the site.

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Thousands of people come together at one of Australia’s biggest mosques to mark the end of Ramadan

• Anthony Albanese and Tony Burke heckled by protesters at Lakemba mosque

• ‘Joy in the midst of much grief’: Australian Eid and Nowruz celebrations overshadowed by war in the Middle East

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‘So many people that I love and care about are worried about the survival of people they love overseas,’ Inaz Janif says

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Inaz Janif would ordinarily attend prayers at the mosque for Eid al-Fitr, the event that marks the end of Ramadan, a sacred month and fasting period for Muslims.

This year, however, she’s doing something a bit different.

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Ziyad Motala, Professor of Law, Howard Law School

A Troubling Spectacle

A troubling spectacle continues during the nightly prayers of Ramadhan. In Islam’s holiest mosques, supplications lavish praise upon the Saudi ruler, Mohammed bin Salman, and seek divine favour for the strength and victory of the Saudi state and its security forces. Millions of Muslims around the world instinctively respond with “Aameen.” They believe they are participating in devotion. In reality, many are unknowingly affirming prayers that sanctify the ambitions of the Saudi state and its ruler at a moment when that state stands aligned with powers devastating Muslim lands.

The Meaning and Purpose of the Qunoot

Each evening in the month of Ramadan, millions of Muslims stand in prayer during the final phase of the nightly prayer, known as the Witr. In that moment, the imam recites what is called the Qunoot. The word simply means supplication. The imam raises his hands and implores God for mercy, forgiveness, and protection for the community. The congregation responds with a soft but collective “Aameen,” affirming the prayer and making its contents their own. It is a moment meant to embody humility before the Divine. In principle, it is among the most moving practices in the Muslim devotional life. It reminds believers that all authority, all power, and all protection ultimately belong to God alone.

When Supplication Becomes Political Theatre

But segments of the Qunoot have become political theatre. Certain court clerics have transformed the Qunoot into a peculiar spectacle of political flattery. Their supplications have included prayers not only for the Muslim ummah, but for the well-being of the Saudi state and the personal success and triumph of the Saudi rulers. More striking still is the language in which these prayers have been framed. The ruler has been addressed with honorifics such as “Al Amin,” a title intimately associated with the Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H. himself.

Words shape the moral imagination of believers. In the Islamic tradition, the Prophet was known as Al Amin, the trustworthy, a designation earned through a life of moral credibility long before prophethood was proclaimed. To attach that title to a modern prince presiding over a state of debauchery, spectacle, repression, and geopolitical intrigue where Muslims are being massacred is grotesque clerical flattery bordering on parody. And when millions of Muslims dutifully respond with “Aameen,” they are unknowingly affirming not just devotion but the spectacle itself. They are giving their assent to this sycophancy offered in the language of prayer.

What are Worshippers Affirming?

The supplications have continued with appeals that God strengthen the rulers, grant them victory, empower the Saudi security forces, and preserve the Saudi state from every evil. The congregation of over two million responds with “Aameen.” For countless worshippers, the Arabic phrases are not fully understood. They are participating in an act of devotion and assume that the words being recited reflect the moral spirit of the tradition.

What exactly, then, are Muslims affirming when they say “Aameen”? The modern Saudi state is not an Islamic state. It is a nation state whose ruling order did not arise from Islamic legitimacy but was forged under British patronage and sustained by Western, particularly United States, power. This state claims custodianship of Islam’s holiest places while aligning itself closely with the strategic priorities of the United States and Israel, powers actively engaged in war against Muslims. At the same time, the world watches the devastation of Gaza and the steady seizure of Palestinian land, realities unfolding alongside the strategic partnership linking Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Israel.

Contradictions in Policy and Practice

One hears supplications for the protection of Muslim lands and the strengthening of the faith, while the political alliances of the state reciting those prayers sit comfortably beside the very forces that are devastating Muslim societies. The dissonance is difficult to ignore. Saudi Arabia’s recent trajectory only sharpens the paradox. The kingdom presents itself as the guardian of Islamic orthodoxy, yet it has simultaneously cultivated a political order increasingly defined by grotesque spectacle, wealth, and strategic alignment with Western power. Its rulers preside over a social transformation built around lewd entertainment and luxury while imprisoning scholars whose religious authority might challenge the state. Clerics who dissent disappear into prisons, while clerics who praise the ruler appear on the pulpits of the two holy mosques.

Beyond its borders, the kingdom’s political footprint is equally troubling. Its war in Yemen produced one of the most severe humanitarian catastrophes of the modern era. Its interventions in the politics of Egypt and elsewhere have strengthened authoritarian rule across the Arab world. It has historically encouraged a regional confrontation with Iran, whose consequences now threaten to engulf the entire Middle East. Against this background, the Qunoot sounds less like supplication and more like state messaging delivered through sacred ritual.

Power, Image, and Religious Authority

There is another irony. Mohammed bin Salman is frequently presented, by admirers and critics alike, as though he were a central figure representing the Islamic world. He is not. He is the ruler of a modern nation state that bears the name of his own family. The very designation “Saudi Arabia” is a historical anomaly. The Prophet Muhammad, may Allah give him peace and blessings, did not name Arabia after himself. Nor did the Rightly Guided Caliphs transform the lands of Islam into dynastic brands. Their authority rested on moral example and communal legitimacy. The modern Saudi state rests on oil wealth, security alliances, and the imposition of a ruling family whose name defines the country itself. To call the Saudi ruler “Al Amin” is theological absurdity.

The Weight of Saying “Aameen”

Yet through the symbolism of Mecca and Medina, the Saudi state possesses a unique capacity to project its voice into the devotional life of Muslims everywhere. When the imam in the Grand Mosque raises his hands in supplication, believers instinctively respond “Aameen.” But prayer is not passive. To say “Aameen” is to affirm the words that have been spoken. Muslims, therefore, confront a quiet but profound question. When the Qunoot asks God to grant victory to illegitimate rulers whose policies align them with all kinds of debauchery and vice, the bombardment of Gaza, the dispossession of Palestinians, and the escalation of war against Iran, should believers reflexively echo that prayer?

There is an even more basic issue. Muslims should not be saying “Aameen” to supplications that ask God to strengthen the nation state of Saudi Arabia or its ruler. Saudi Arabia is not an Islamic state. It is a nation state organised around a ruling family and structured primarily to protect the interests of its political and economic elite. The global Muslim community does not owe devotional affirmation to the success of such a state.

Lessons From Islamic Tradition

Islamic history contains many examples of scholars who refused to sanctify temporal power. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal endured imprisonment rather than submitting to doctrines imposed by the Abbasid state. Jurists across centuries insisted that religion must restrain rulers rather than ornament their authority. Those precedents were not acts of rebellion. They were acts of fidelity.

Preserving the Integrity of Worship

The Qunoot is meant to remind believers of their dependence on God. It is not meant to consecrate the ambitions of princes. When the language of supplication becomes indistinguishable from the language of court praise, the prayer itself loses its moral clarity. Ramadhan is a season of spiritual awakening. It is also a season of moral reflection. The lesson for Muslims is simple but urgent. Devotion must never become a vehicle for the sanctification of power.

And before saying “Aameen,” a believer should always know what they are agreeing to. For in matters of faith, an unthinking “Aameen” can become the quietest form of political consent.

This article is an opinion piece and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of MuslimMatters.

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The post When The Qunoot Becomes Politics: Religious Theater in Saudi Arabia appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.