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Tawaf
Direction and the Movement of the Universe
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By
Prof. Dr.`Abd al-Hakam`Abd al-Latif As-Sa`idi,
Al-Azhar
University |
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 Allah
Almighty says what means: [And
go around the ancient House]
(Al-Hajj: 29) and [And
purify My House for those who make the round (thereof) and those
who stand and those who bow and make prostration]
(Al-Hajj: 26).
The
Arabic word tawaf linguistically means going around a fixed
core. The whole universe-from the smallest atoms up to the largest
galaxies-are all obedient servants of Allah, Who has created and
managed them. The worship of matter in general is a kind of
movement; that is to say, every atom in the universe has a special
system of movement and has its own orbit. The electrons in the atom
go around a core called the nucleus, in a tiny planetary-like
system. The planets also revolve around the sun, each in a separate
orbit, with specific speed.
In
the same way, the Holy Ka`bah, which Allah Almighty has made the
first sanctuary appointed for mankind on earth, is located in the
center of the earth, as proved by the modern astronomical research.
It is like the heart in the body. Allah Almighty connected the
Muslims’ worship with that holy place; hence, He obligated them
to go to the Ka`bah for Hajj, and Tawaf is, thus, one of the most
important rituals of Hajj.
The
direction in which Muslims go around the Ka`bah during Tawaf agrees
with the prevailing movement in the universe around a fixed axis. A
pilgrim starts Tawaf from the Black Stone; he makes the Ka`bah to
his left and goes around it till he reaches the Black Stone again
and starts another round and so on. This establishes a relation
between a believer’s heart and the Ka`bah, the heart of the
earth, and, thus, he draws closer to Allah (the Creator of the
Ka`bah), senses true love for Allah, and enjoys His company.
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