Maqam Ibrahim



In order to build the upper part of the walls of the Holy Ka’bah, Prophet Ibrahim stood on a large stone block, which he moved along each side until the Ka’bah was built. His son, Prophet Ismail, would hand stones up to him. When they had finished, the large stone remained close to the eastern side of the Ka’bah. Today, Maqam Ibrahim, also known as the Station of Abraham, stands in front of the door of the Ka’bah, which is where Prophet Ibrahim prayed after the construction was completed. Muslims pray behind Maqam Ibrahim after they circumambulate around the Ka’bah during Umrah or Haj.  Tradition has it that when Prophet Ibrahim stood on the rock, it became as soft as clay and his feet sunk into the rock; leaving an impression of his feet on the rock which is still present to this day.

 

Saudi Gazette Report

Eagerness and longing to see the Holy Ka’bah in all of its sublimity and to perform the pilgrimage draws millions of Muslims from around the world; with increasing numbers each year.



During Haj season, the number of pilgrims in the Grand Mosque can reach over 4 million, necessitating the expansion projects that are currently underway. The expansion will facilitate movement and protect the lives of pilgrims, but some measures of this project are a cause for concern and are being heatedly debated by many scholars and intellectuals; for example, re-positioning of Maqam Ibrahim.



Al-Madinah newspaper went to the experts and professionals in architecture, Islamic history, and other fields, to investigate the validity and the proposed necessity of moving Maqam Ibrahim to another location as a means of reducing congestion.



Dr. Sami Angawi, PhD holder in Islamic architecture and founder of the Haj Research Center and the Amar Center for Architectural Heritage, is passionately involved in preserving the Islamic architectural history of the two holy cities, Makkah and Madinah.



Angawi said in the report, “Several studies prove that Maqam Ibrahim is not an obstacle in the motion of pilgrims, nor is it the cause of overcrowding that occurs in the tawaf (circumambulation) around the Holy Ka’bah. There is no imperative need to reposition Maqam Ibrahim.”



According to Angawi, Maqam Ibrahim actually serves a beneficial function; it slows down and reduces the impact of the waves created by the influx of people circulating the Ka’bah. He likened the Maqam to a large boulder in the face of a torrential stream; the boulder slightly decreases the flow and the force of the current of the stream.



He strongly urges keeping the Maqam in its place because of its immense historical and spiritual significance and he views that moving it is an unnecessary human interference in the sanctity of this sacred place. “This is not an either or dilemma, between either preserving the Maqam or making it easier for pilgrims. It is not a choice between flesh or stone. There are solutions that can help in achieving both ends. It is not the Maqam that is causing crowding; it is the practice of pilgrims insisting on praying directly behind the stone that causes the problem,” said Angawi. Directing people to pray at a safer and farther distance behind the Maqam can significantly ease the congestion.



Professor of Arab history at Umm Al-Qura University, Dr. Fawz Al-Dahhas, affirms the importance of preserving Maqam Ibrahim in its place; protecting an essential part of Islamic history.



“The place where Maqam Ibrahim lies today is the same spot where it was situated at the time of Prophet Ibrahim, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Rightly Guided Caliphs after him, and it has been there for over 14 centuries,” said Al-Dahhas to Al-Madinah newspaper.



From another standpoint, researcher Dr. Ahmed bin Qasim Al-Ghamdi sees no drawback in moving the Maqam and changing its place if this move will bring advantages for worshipers, in terms of facilitating the tawaf.



“If there are benefits to be gained for the safety, comfort, and convenience of pilgrims as they perform the tawaf, and there are no clear and explicit instructions from Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon) or in the Holy Quran against moving Maqam Ibrahim, then I see no fault in repositioning the Maqam,” said Al-Ghamdi to Al-Madinah newspaper.  



Al-Ghamdi further states that during the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Maqam Ibrahim had been in closer proximity to the Ka’bah and it was repositioned later by Caliph Omar ibn Al-Khattab to alleviate congestion around the Ka’bah and improve conditions for pilgrims. Some scholars believe that there is no Islamic legal prohibition in moving the stone of Ibrahim, if it accomplishes the purpose of protecting the lives of people.



Sheikh Salih Al-Sadlan, professor in Islamic Law at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud University, was of the opinion that the position of Maqam Ibrahim in some instances has hindered the smooth movement of worshipers circling around the Ka’bah. Whether the Maqam will be moved or not is under speculation as more in-depth research and investigation is being conducted. Although Sadlan confirmed that Maqam Ibrahim is in its original place from the time of the noble Prophet Ibrahim, the safety of worshipers is of higher priority than the physical place of the Maqam.