 |
|
|
|
November 15th, 2010
09:15 AM ET
$4.5M covering for ‘God’s house’Editor's Note: CNN Correspondent Nima Elbagir is in Mecca for the Hajj and filed this report. It is the most recognizable landmark of Islam’s holiest site, but it actually pre-dates Islam. The black cloth of the Kabaa, or the Kiswa as it is known, is the covering of “God’s House." For Muslims, the cloth itself an object of reverence. And for nearly a century it’s manufacture has been entrusted to only a handful of local artisans. “Before the Saudi time it used come from Egypt by the order of the Ottoman Empire,” Dr. Fawwaz Al-Dahhas, an Islamic history expert at Umm Al-Qura University in Mecca told us. “But when they brought it from Egypt they brought with it a group of singers and that wasn't accepted by the King Abdulazziz at that time.” Today, not much has changed since King Abdulazziz’s time. Only one aspect of the production is now mechanized, the dyeing of the cloth. The embroidery, and even the weaving, of the cloth is still all done by hand. Each Kiswa costs over four and a half million dollars to make, with 120 kilograms of pure gold and 50 kilograms of pure silver used to make the thread. And now that the production of the cloth is firmly in Saudi hands, they ensure there is always a spare Kiswa. The very reverence with which it is held by Muslims poses a daily threat to the cloth. “People misuse the Kiswa itself,” Dr. Fawwaz said. “Sometimes they try to take a piece of it as a very nice memory from Mecca, something very holy from Mecca. Sometimes they write what they want to happen, what they need. They believe that this letter will go to Almighty God.” "Of course for the Islamic faithful, the beauty of the cloth and the skill of the embroidery will always run a very distant second,” Dr. Fawwaz said. |
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
|
|
|
%1G/?9[x, xn--eckycgsc7b6i.biz, chat, http://xn--eckycgsc7b6i.biz/53.html
The Bible, The Qur'an and Science
by Dr. Maurice Bucaille
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES EXAMINED IN THE LIGHT
OF MODERN KNOWLEDGE
Translated from French
by Alastair D. Pannell and The Author
http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Books/MB_BQS/default.htm
http://www.worldslastchance.com/wlc-videos/english/latest.html?gclid=CLii5o_tr6UCFc0_4wodMllRag
take wisdom even from the insane?
it all makes sense now.
@Josephine.
Funny.
Well this is a saying we learnt in the past that says we ought to learn wisdom even if it comes out of the mouths of insane "a madman".
An-Nahl Sura 16:
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth, best who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance. (125).
muneef, i care about you as a human being and i would recommend you not take wisdom from a madman.
As the saying goes, "Even a stopped clock is right twice a day..."
We must figure out what is 'wisdom' and what is nonsense disguised as 'wisdom'
A small example from Islam:
Frequent hand washing is actually wise; but entering a toilet area left foot first and exiting right foot first is nonsense.
@Know What.
Exactlly right you are and that is why God said we are to sence our mind and heart in judging what ever comes before us that is other than the Quran words. But here we should consider the same when it comes to translations or explanations of the Quran...
Another saying we have it says: "There is a fine line of hair between being genius or insane". Which means if this fine line breaks then it is a total insanity total loss. It means those genius are thought of to be peculiar and or insane, when they are really more of a wisely genius people and not total insane or loss.
Some of those spoke of things to early and were taken as insane or as witches and had to pay for it..
Truly search engines are magic look what I have found:
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fine+line+of+hair+between+insanity+and+being+genius&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari
@Josephine.
@Know What.
"fine-line-between-genius-and-insanity"
Check the word that means God inspire's revelations directly communicating with minds and not at all occasions through the Holy Spirit. And only by reading you will realize more that there were no angels or what you call fairies coming and going as told in many translations and explanations..!
The Meaning of Wahy
The word awha, from which 'wahy' (revelation) is derived, occurs in a number of shades of meaning in the Qur'an, each of them indicating the main underlying idea of inspiration directing or guiding someone. In each example below, the italicised words in the translation are forms of the root word wahy in the original text of the Qur'an:
http://www.sunnipath.com/library/books/B0040P0004.aspx
@Josephine.
@Know What
If you may allow me to suggest if you have faith in heart but would want to learn more wisdom's and knowledge of the Holy books?
I would say read the Holy Books start with the "Quran" being the latest Holy book that came combined to correct the older version ones read just for knowledge and not for finding a religion but to learn what they say about God.. And let your real religion or belief be in heart and mind only towards God the creator only...All you can do is communicate with God on daily basis within your self "mind and heart" gracing,thanking him for all health wealth family and talk speak with in total respect within your selves heard or unheard as respectable as should just as speaking talking to a dear elder respectable highly looked upon person and much higher than that...delegating every charity or good deed you do or good spoken word as only for him to reward you for and not the needy people you helped or assisted by any way ...only try to mind the other things that you might already know being sins or those you might come across when reading the holy books and take what you think makes sense to you and heart mind accepts, you might even quote some words of prayers that spoke of by the prophets that been mentioned in the Quran and even the older books since you would fancy using them as being the prayer of your daily communication with God that you know of in your heart and mind ...
You know if you did these things you are better than any other committed religious person that might have mixed both good and bad deeds or lost in the too much talk,rules and complications about all religions that has got those dragged far from God wants, communications and good deeds...be different but main thing doing that maintain being at whole time clean as told about the ablution of the person ...my wish to God is to give us guidance and get us all out of this mess and have to look upon him only and not to the policies and politics that are carried out by men running our religions as pleased by words they translated or explained wrongfully or deliberately...
Kindly ask of all to forgive me if have made any one feel unpleasant by any of my postings and feel thankful to all of you for your kind patience... So long now and God Bless All those are here with us...
This page can explains much of what I should have been able to explain to you in writing in more Scientific form and it explains how the Roman.Catholic Church of the Vatican is in good terms of understanding with Islam:
http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Books/MB_BQS/14quran.htm
@Some_Truth.
Well in such a case if you think that means no ground under my feet and my head in the misty clouds, then I would rather prefer to remain where I am standing as I cannot imagine my self living with out having a God to run on to for mercy every time I face difficult times in this cruel world.. And it is enough for me that after that I feel all the confidence that I am not alone and have God watching over me since I try my best to do what I have been asked from me in his holy book..?
Sorry to have let you down but it is the belief I want to have in order not to feel alone beside my deep believe in it for had few experiences that made me more faithful to my believe...
Kindly now allow me to go for my Fajer prayers as it is already 04:35 am in my timing and got to retire since being Friday am required to wakeup before noon for Friday Mosque prayers which I hope to catch with Insha'a Allah and thank you for the chat.
@Some_Truth.
My advice to you is "Seek and take the Wisdom even from the mouths of the ins-ane".
Al-Baqara Sura 02:
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
He granteth wisdom to whom He pleaseth; and he to whom wisdom is granted receiveth indeed a benefit overflowing; but none will grasp the message but men of understanding. (269).
Al-Baqara Sura 02:
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
A similar (favour have ye already received) in that We have sent among you a Messenger of your own rehearsing to you Our signs, and purifying you, and instructing you in Scripture and wisdom, and in new Knowledge. (151) Then do ye remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me and reject not faith. (152).
@Some_Truth.
Couldn't understand what you meant by "the fantasy and superst!tion of religion"?
Did that mean about the existence of God and Angels and Jinn and prophets of God,everything?
Muneef,
"Did that mean about the existence of God and Angels and Jinn and prophets of God,everything?"
Yes.
But pleased if would receive any respond for further explanation.
Prophets were invented by ancient scribes typically to keep the un-educated masses in line. Today we call them for-tune tellers.
Prophecies are also invali-dated by the natural/God/Allah gifts of Free Will and Future.
"5. To believe that all the prophets are true. However, we are commanded to follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) alone."
Mohammed spent thirty days "fasting" (the Ramadan legend) in a hot cave attended to by his wives before his first contact with Allah aka God etc. via a "pretty wingy thingy". Common sense demands a neuron deletion of #5. #5 is also the major source of Islamic vi-olence i.e. turning Mohammed's "fast, hunger-driven" hallu-cinations into horrible reality for unbelievers.
@Reality.
Not going to urge with what you think and what we believe in, but rather would say that we are happy for having some thing to believe in and live for rather than being broke having nothing to believe in or live for..? Son you are lost and no ground under your feet and no direction to head for..just as a piece of paper blown by the winds from side to side or place to place.. May God guide you to steady truthful path other than the path/state of denial...?!
@Reality.
You said: "5. To believe that all the prophets are true. However, we are commanded to follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) alone."
My say is : Did Muhammed(peace and blessings be upon him) bring some thing that the prophets before him did not come with? We as Muslims in our prayers pray for all the prophets but follow him because he was able to hand over the religion as complete set or pack while the ones before never got the chance to do that as they were being killed or denied by their people and their words were hidden or manipulated with in to becoming polytheism rather than the oneness of God.
@Reality.
You said: Prophets were invented by ancient scribes typically to keep the un-educated masses in line.
My say is: were there any educations before the prophets? I think Prophets were the only first teachers that brought education to mankind that has been written and accu-mulated in to what we call Holy Scriptures?
Con-troling the mas-ses to enable them to live peacefully and hono-rably was a must in uni-fying and that was why we were tought that there in no difference between Arab and non Arabic or one color to another except with good doings and deeds.
Have you read the sermon ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Farewell_Sermon
Muneef,
You can post quotes from this book all year long and it will not change the fact that: Yes, there are some practical words of wisdom for peaceful human behavior in it (as there are in most religious texts), but just because this is true it does not make all of the supernatural fantasies in it true. There is no ground under your feet - your head is in the misty clouds.
@Some_Truth.
So what is your believe then and how do you see the future should be among all races and how to combat overcoming international poverty??
For a proper definition of the word poverty kindly visit this page:
http://imamshirazi.com/combatingpoverty.html
Muneef,
As I said before, there is *some* practical wisdom in this message. I am not a sociologist, nor an economist, so I can't comment on the possible success of each item; but the fantasy and superst!tion of religion is not necessary to implement these measures.
@Sum Dude.
Do you think for some one who read the Quran would claim that Muslims are worshiping Prophet Muhammed and not God?
Any way have quoted for him all that proves him where he stands and am fulfilled now with him...
@Muneef
Yes. The Q'uran does not, as I recall, say to worship Muhammed in any way, so when you raise Muhammed up to the level of a god, even to prohibiting any disrespect for his image that no one knows (like a god), then it very much appears that many Muslims do indeed worship Muhammed – and if they do that, they are not giving all their worship to God.
Yet you say Muhammed was a prophet. A prophet is just a human being with all the bad parts forgotten because the "message" was so overwhelming.
A messenger is not the message. The message is not the messenger. God is not the message...and the message is not God.
Therefore the messenger is just a person like you and me, and the message needs to be tested to see if it is real.
Are you not trying to be a messenger who posts so many "messages"? Should we kill anyone who draws a cartoon of you? How far will you take this thing? Sometimes I think Muslims are like young kids who become over-enthused to the point of saying everything touched by a "prophet" is holy. I hope you don't subscribe to this sort of extreme foolishness.
And how can you tell if the message is real? What assurances, proofs, symbols of accuracy and authority do you have with the messages in the Q'uran? I do not know of any, myself. Otherwise I would read the Q'uran more often.
No religion has been able to prove that God exists, or that their "holy words" are truly from a god. They are always written by men. There have been no exceptions to this for any "holy words" throughout recorded history.
I think Muslims worship Muhammed and lose their wisdom at the same time.
If God is important, why worship Muhammed? Or why should you care about what people say and do about Muhammed?
I have read the Q'uran and I think Muslims worship Muhammed because of the way Muhammed is raised up and made into something greater than what is real, what is right. To raise someone that high requires more proof than proof for God.
God is expected to be hard to prove, but a human is already known to be human. To make a human more than human the proof should exist that it is true. Assertions without proof cannot bring faith unless one is fooled into having no questions.
@Sum Dude.
Dear if you had been reading my Quranic posts you would have been saved from asking it all over again. Kindly read the verses I quoted if you need the answers to your questions. Cartoonists can draw what ever they like and call it any other names but not to make the use of the name of Muhammed for their foolishness that serves no cause but hurting feelings of the majority of believers and then become to complain that you are being attacked ??
@Muneef
I guess you dont see the hypocrisy in your form of worship. Muhammed didnt want to be worshiped as an idol.. Yet many fight and kill in Muhammed name. You Muslims revere him more than God. Islam is part of Babylon the great. The world EMPIRE OF FALSE RELIGION.
Muslims worship Muhammed. Not God
@Jay.
We worship God alone no other and we are asked in the Quran to Pray for our Prophet Muhammed for he brought the light upon us...
Check Sura 33:56 to 59
Al-Ahzab
Lo! Allah and His angels shower blessings on the Prophet. O ye who believe! Ask blessings on him and salute him with a worthy salutation. (56) Lo! those who malign Allah and His messenger, Allah hath cursed them in the world and the Hereafter, and hath prepared for them the doom of the disdained. (57) And those who malign believing men and believing women undeservedly, they bear the guilt of slander and manifest sin. (58) O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful. (59)
@Jay.
Christians were as well supposed to worship God and pray for Jesus for having brought the light upon them but instead politics wanted him as God or as Son of God to be worshiped beside God the Creator..?.
Ya-Seen Sura 36:
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Sin. (1) By the wise Qur'an, (2) Lo! thou art of those sent (3) On a straight path, (4) A revelation of the Mighty, the Merciful, (5) That thou mayst warn a folk whose fathers were not warned, so they are heedless. (6) Already hath the word proved true of most of them, for they believe not. (7) Lo! We have put on their necks carcans reaching unto the chins, so that they are made stiff-necked. (8) And We have set a bar before them and a bar behind them, and (thus) have covered them so that they see not. (9) Whether thou warn them or thou warn them not, it is alike for them, for they believe not. (10) Thou warnest only him who followeth the Reminder and feareth the Beneficent in secret. To him bear tidings of forgiveness and a rich reward. (11) Lo! We it is Who bring the dead to life. We record that which they send before (them), and their footprints. And all things We have kept in a clear Register. (12).
@Jay.
Al-Baqara- Sura 02:
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Alif. Lam. Mim. (1) This is the Scripture whereof there is no doubt, a guidance unto those who ward off (evil). (2) Who believe in the Unseen, and establish worship, and spend of that We have bestowed upon them; (3) And who believe in that which is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) and that which was revealed before thee, and are certain of the Hereafter. (4) These depend on guidance from their Lord. These are the successful. (5)
@Jay.
Ibrahim Sura 14:
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Alif. Lam. Ra. (This is) a Scripture which We have revealed unto thee (Muhammad) that thereby thou mayst bring forth mankind from darkness unto light, by the permission of their Lord, unto the path of the Mighty, the Owner of Praise, (1) Allah, unto Whom belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. and woe unto the disbelievers from an awful doom; (2) Those who love the life of the world more than the Hereafter, and debar (men) from the way of Allah and would have it crooked: such are far astray. (3) And We never sent a messenger save with the language of his folk, that he might make (the message) clear for them. Then Allah sendeth whom He will astray, and guideth whom He will. He is the Mighty, the Wise. (4).
@Jay.
Ibrahim Sura 14:
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Seest thou not how Allah coineth a similitude: A goodly saying, as a goodly tree, its root set firm, its branches reaching into heaven, (24) Giving its fruit at every season by permission of its Lord? Allah coineth the similitudes for mankind in order that they may reflect. (25) And the similitude of a bad saying is as a bad tree, uprooted from upon the earth, possessing no stability. (26) Allah confirmeth those who believe by a firm saying in the life of the world and in the Hereafter, and Allah sendeth wrong-doers astray. And Allah doeth what He will. (27)
@Jay.
Ta-Ha Sura 20:
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Ta Ha. (1) We have not sent down the Qur'an to thee to be (an occasion) for thy distress (2) But only as an admonition to those who fear (Allah)― (3) A revelation from Him Who created the earth and the heavens on high. (4) (Allah) Most Gracious is firmly established on the Throne (of authority). (5) To Him belongs what is in the heavens and on earth, and all between them, and all beneath the soil. (6) If thou pronounce the word aloud, (it is no matter): for verily He knoweth what is secret and what is yet more hidden. (7) Allah! there is no god but He! To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. (8).
@Muneef
So when were you going to stop and let "Jay" respond? Do you think he has not read the Q'uran or something? Did you ask?
bad letter combinations / words to avoid if you want to get past the CNN "awaiting moderation" filter:
Many, if not most are buried within other words, but I am not shooting for the perfect list, so use your imagination if you can't find the offending letter combination.
You can use dashes, spaces, or other characters to modify the "offending" letter combinations.
----------–
s-ex.....as in Ess-ex, s-exual, etc.
fu-ck
c-um.....as in doc-ument, accu-mulate, etc.
sp-ic....as in disp-icable, etc.
jacka-ss
ho-mo....as in ho-mo sapiens or ho-mose-xual, etc.
who-re
t-it.....as in const-itution, att-itude, ent-ities, etc.
sh-it
tw-at....as in wristw-atch, etc.
pr-ick
va-g.....as in extrava-gant, va-gina, va-grant, va-gue, sava-ge, etc.
hor-ny...as in tho-rny
ra-pe....as in gr-ape, thera-peutic, etc.
c-ock
cu-nt....as in Scu-ntthorpe, a city in the UK famous for having problems with filters...!
co-on....as in rac-oon, coc-oon, etc.
ar-se
p-is.....as in pi-stol, lapi-s, pi-ssed, etc.
nip-ple
ft-w.....as in soft-ware
sl-ut
wt-f.....also!!!!!!!
j-ap.....as in j-apanese, ja-pan, j-ape, etc...this is one I had forgotten,as I only encountered it elsewhere...
ef-fing..as in ef-fing filter
There are more, some of them considered "racist", so do not assume that this is complete.
-----
okay words that you might have thought were bad...lol
penis
ass
crap
damn
anal
anus
sphincter
testicles
testes
pubic
boob
-–
The CNN / WordPress filter also filters your EMAIL address and name as well – so you might want to check those.
I have found the best way to re-submit is to hit the back button, look for and fix the problem, delete your cookies, and then hit "post".
There are also "technical" ways past the filter to create "banned" words that are spelled correctly, like "html ent-ities" (google it without the dash) also known as unicode strings.
p.s. All "Smilies" supported by this blog can be found at: en.support.wordpress.com/smilies/
Islam is the truth and the religeon of all the prophets, no matter what any body say or do, Islam will prevail and spread it is the fastest growing religeon, ask those who have recently reverted (converted) check them on youtube.com, such as Dr.Jerald Dirks,Yusuf Hamza,Jashua Evans,Dr.Jeffrey Lang,Gary Miller,Khalid Yaseen(Lary young),Yusuf Estes,Yvonne Ridley(British Journalist) she was captured in Afghanistan,yusuf Hamza,Yusuf Islam and many many others
The Five Steps To Deprogram 1400 Years of Islamic Myths/Prophets/Fortune Tellers:
( –The Steps take less than two minutes to finish- simply amazing, two minutes to bring peace and rationality to over one billion lost souls- Priceless!!!)
Are you ready?
Using "The 77 Branches of Islamic "faith" a collection compiled by Imam Bayhaqi as a starting point. In it, he explains the essential virtues that reflect true "faith" (iman) through related Qur’anic verses and Prophetic sayings." i.e. a nice summary of the Koran and Islamic beliefs.
"1. Belief in Allah"
aka as God, Yahweh, Zeus, Jehovah, Mother Nature, etc. should be added to your cleansing neurons.
"2. To believe that everything other than Allah was non-existent. Thereafter, Allah Most High created these things and subsequently they came into existence."
Evolution and the Big Bang or the "Gi-b G-nab" (when the universe starts to recycle) are more plausible and the "akas" for Allah should be included if you continue to be a "crea-tionist".
"3. To believe in the existence of angels."
A major item for neuron cleansing. Angels/de-vils are the mythical creations of ancient civilizations, e.g. Hitt-ites, to explain/define natural events, contacts with their gods, big birds, sudden winds, protectors during the dark nights, etc. No "pretty/ug-ly wingy thingies" ever visited or talked to Mohammed, Jesus, Mary or Joseph or Joe Smith. Today we would classify angels as f–airies and "tin–ker be-lls". Modern de-vils are classified as the de-mons of the de-mented.
"4. To believe that all the heavenly books that were sent to the different prophets are true. However, apart from the Quran, all other books are not valid anymore."
Another major item to delete. There are no books written in the spirit state of Heaven (if there is one) just as there are no angels to write/publish/distribute them. The Koran, OT, NT etc. are simply books written by humans for humans.
Prophets were invented by ancient scribes typically to keep the un-educated masses in line. Today we call them for-tune tellers.
Prophecies are also invali-dated by the natural/God/Allah gifts of Free Will and Future.
"5. To believe that all the prophets are true. However, we are commanded to follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) alone."
Mohammed spent thirty days "fasting" (the Ramadan legend) in a hot cave attended to by his wives before his first contact with Allah aka God etc. via a "pretty wingy thingy". Common sense demands a neuron deletion of #5. #5 is also the major source of Islamic vi-olence i.e. turning Mohammed's "fast, hunger-driven" hallu-cinations into horrible reality for unbelievers.
Walk these Five Steps and we guarantee a complete recovery from your Islamic ways!!!!
Iqbal khan,
Your list gets a big, "So What".
Here is another list for you:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_former_Muslims#Became_Atheists
please check out http://www.islamicsolutions.com/world-day-of-god-2010/
If that's "God's house" then somebody needs to drag him out of there. A lot of people would like answers to some very important questions....!
Amen to that!!!
@Sum Dude.
That what Prophet Muhammed did when he took over Mecca from Pagans he broke in to it dragged the Idol Gods from in side and broke the to peaces and now the house lays empty spaced with nothing inside.
That spot had been considered as the house of God even before Ibrahim and Ismael came along but they did clean the area and rebuild it for the pilgrims to come and worship the belief of Ibrahim but after that era people went astray again worshipping idols or considering them as their media connection to God "Polytheists" and again the belief of Ibrahim was revived by Muhammed breaking all idols and not in Mecca only but all over are ruled by Islam...
No, the devil is kept inside, it will be destroyed soon!
@Enoch.
Find out about this story from the Quran;
Al-Fil
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Seest thou not how thy Lord dealt with the Companions of the Elephant? (1) Did He not make their treacherous plan go astray? (2) And He sent against them flights of Birds, (3) Striking them with stones of baked clay. (4) Then did He make them like an empty field of stalks and straw, (of which the corn) has been eaten up. (5)
(1. Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the Owners of the Elephant) (2. Did He not make their plot go astray) (3. And He sent against them birds, in flocks (Ababil).) (4. Striking them with stones of Sijjil.) (5. And He made them like `Asf, Ma'kul.) This is one of the favors Allah did for the Quraysh. He saved them from the People of the Elephant who had tried to tear down the Ka`bah and wipe out all traces of its existence. Allah destroyed them, defeated them, thwarted their plans, made their efforts in vain and sent them back routed. They were people who were Christians, and thus, their religion was closer to the True Religion (Islam) than the idolatry of the Quraysh. However, this was a means of giving a sign and preparing the way for the coming of the Messenger of Allah . For verily, he was born during that same year according to the most popular opinion. So the tongue of destiny was saying, "We will not help you, O people of Quraysh, because of any status you may have over the Ethiopians (Abyssinians). We are only helping you in order to defend the Ancient House (the Ka`bah), which We will honor, magnify, and venerate by sending the unlettered Prophet, Muhammad , the Finality of all Prophets."
Sum Dude
"If that's "God's house" then somebody needs to drag him out of there. A lot of people would like answers to some very important questions....!"
Good one!
If Allah (or any god) exists and wants me to believe that it is real, it's going to have to provide better proof of its existence. These words from the imaginations of primitive men don't do it.
Back on topic - those people can spend the money they have earned by selling Earth's natural resources as they wish, I suppose.
NL – But can't you see China sending over planes full of factory representatives to tell the Sauds that they can make it from now on for a low walmart cheap price of $800,000? Apologies, but when I heard about the cost to make this covering the first thing that came to mind was some Chinese executive passing right out.
Naa, we build beautiful, expensive museums to house valuable artifacts so I don't see any reason to cheap out on this without being hypocritical. Even some of our more historic churches deserve care for their significance.
If what's under the cloth predates Islam then it deserves some form of protection from the elements, especially if it's a man-made structure. I see no problem with spending some money to protect it. My local public school board just spent over a million repairing the roof of a school that really ought to be condemned, but has 'historical value.' So this is just par for deciding to preserve our past.
@NL: I am of the same mindset. We must try to preserve the artifacts of our past. While there must be a cheaper way to do so, at least they are trying to protect it.
I wonder what happens to the money though? How much do the artisans actually get?
And then of course there's always the question of couldn't that money be used to feed the hungry? Well it's better han building a brand new church with it I guess.
The basics:
"In Islam, the pilgrimage to Mecca required of all Muslims at least once in their lifetime, provided they are physically and financially able. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. By tradition the pilgrimage is undertaken between the 7th and 12th days of the last month of the Islamic year. At Mecca, the pilgrims are obliged to perform several rituals, including walking seven times around the Ka'bah shrine. They must also visit holy places outside Mecca and sacrifice an animal in honor of Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac. In conclusion, they return to Mecca and perform a farewell circling of the shrine."
The reality:
"
origin: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20E1EFE35540C7A8CDDAA0894DA404482
New Torah For Modern Minds
Abraham, the Jewish patriarch, probably never existed. Nor did Moses. The entire Exodus story as recounted in the Bible probably never occurred. The same is true of the tumbling of the walls of Jericho. And David, far from being the fearless king who built Jerusalem into a mighty capital, was more likely a provincial leader whose reputation was later magnified to provide a rallying point for a fledgling nation.
Such startling propositions – the product of findings by archaeologists digging in Israel and its environs over the last 25 years – have gained wide acceptance among non-Orthodox rabbis. But there has been no attempt to disseminate these ideas or to discuss them with the laity – until now.
The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, which represents the 1.5 million Conservative Jews in the United States, has just issued a new Torah and commentary, the first for Conservatives in more than 60 years. Called "Etz Hayim" ("Tree of Life" in Hebrew), it offers an interpretation that incorporates the latest findings from archaeology, philology, anthropology and the study of ancient cultures. To the editors who worked on the book, it represents one of the boldest efforts ever to introduce into the religious mainstream a view of the Bible as a human rather than divine docu-ment. "
With respect to "laws" of Islam,
From Sir Salman Rushdie's book "Satanic Verses", p. 376, paperback issue – for those 1 billion Muslims to read as they are forbidden to purchase or read said book:
One of the passages that prompted the crazy Ayatollah Khomeini to issue a fatwa against Sir Rushdie:
Mahound = Mohammed
Gibreel = Gabriel
"The faithful lived by lawlessness, but in those years Mahound – or should one say the Archangel Gibreel? – should one say Al-Lah? – became obsessed by law.
Amid the palm-trees of the oasis Gibreel appeared to the Prophet and found himself spouting rules, rules, rules, until the faithful could scarcely bear the prospect of any more revelation, Salman said, rules about every da-mn thing, if a man farts let him turn his face to the wind, a rule about which hand to use for the purpose of cleaning one's behind.
It was as if no aspect of human existence was to be left unregulated, free. The revelation – the recitation- told the faithful how much to eat, how deeply they should sleep, and which se-xual positions had received divine sanction, so that they leamed that so-domy and the missionary position were approved of by the archangel, whereas the forbidden postures included all those in which the female was on top.
Gibreel further listed the permitted and forbidden subjects of conversation, and earmarked the parts of the body which could not be scratched no matter how unbearably they might itch.
He vetoed the consumption of prawns, those bizarre other-worldly creatures which no member of the faithful had ever seen, and required animals to be killed slowly, by bleeding, so that by experiencing their deaths to the full they might arrive at an understanding of the meaning of their lives, for it is only at the moment of death that living creatures understand that life has been real, and not a sort of dream.
And Gibreel the archangel specified the manner in which a man should be buried, and how his property should be divided, so that Salman the Persian got to wondering what manner of God this was that sounded so much like a businessman.
This was when he had the idea that destroyed his faith, because he recalled that of course Mahound himself had been a businessman, and a damned successful one at that, a person to whom organization and rules came naturally, so how excessively convenient it was that he should have come up with such a very businesslike archangel, who handed down the management decisions of this highly corporate, if noncorporeal, God."
Once again, 'reality' chooses to take the word of men and all of their false wisdom, over the word of God.
Reality, your ignorance is absolutely astounding. You spend way too much time looking for ways to doubt God, rather than seeking God for your proof. Your post is complete blasphemy, yet you actually believe you are "wise" ?? The wisdom of men (and wikipedia) is false wisdom. Your source is the iternet, my source is God. What a HUGE mistake you are making leading people astray. Father, give this person eyes so they can see, and ears so they can hear...
@The Irony – "to take the word of men and all of their false wisdom, over the word of G od."
The real irony is that everything quoted above is the word of men, as is every printed let ter on this planet (unless you want to count the elephant that can paint "let ters").
I agree with "The Irony" regrading you spending way too much time looking for ways to doubt God, and I say that as an atheist! If people want to have faith, as long as they aren't troubling me with it I have no problem with them having a belief. Faith is really not logical. II don't mean that as an insult, I just mean that trying to cite sources to build some "proof" against faith is pointless.
Farewell sermon by Prophet Muhammed SAW on his days like these days.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Farewell_Sermon
Prophet Muhammed has gathered and delivered the Miraculous Quran teaching believers and that was the core project for science and scientists to avail and contribute in creation,invention,innovations under the Islamic Rule while in some religions those were treated as witches..?
http://www.kalamullah.com/Books/The%20Miracles%20of%20the%20Quran.pdf
@hwertz – you are correct, there can be no proof for or against faith since by definition faith is a "firm belief in something for which there is no proof" – Merriams. But then, should we really build society's on something for which there is no proof? Should we decide who lives or dies based on something, again, with no proof? Its not about spending time looking for ways to doubt G od. Its about anyone spending whole lives looking for ways to validate G ods existance and power. It takes no time to understand that there is no proof of G ods existance, it takes time to nurture faith in something for which there is no proof.
"....sacrifice an animal in honor of Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac."
You meant "Ishmael"! Anyways, this never took place - a complete fabrication.
@ hwertz – You're right, faith is not "logical." It is not something we figure out with our intellect. That is he problem with people nowadays, you think everything can be deciphered with the human mind, or google for that matter. Faith is spiritual, and prayer is sacred conversation between man and his Creator. There is only ONE WAY you will figure that out and find your "proof." How? SEEK GOD and He will reveal Himself to you -period. You must take the first step. He already did enough by sending Christ here to die in your place.
@ ScottK – The scripture was not written by men. They were inspired and written by God's spirit working through men (Holy Spirit). The only way you will be able to wrap your head around this fact is when you allow Him into your life and feel His spirit working in you. Yes, I used to think that sounds crazy too! But when it happens to you personally (by seeking Him through prayer and scripture) your doubts will MELT. As long as you doubt and question God's word, He will question your faith..
@ Enoch – Really?? Are you SURE that was Ishmael genius? Please READ before you comment.
9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
11 But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”
So he said, “Here I am.”
12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
@The Irony.
As-Saaffat Sura 37
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
My Lord! Vouchsafe me of the righteous. (100) So We gave him tidings of a gentle son. (101) And when (his son) was old enough to walk with him, (Abraham) said: O my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice thee. So look, what thinkest thou? He said: O my father! Do that which thou art commanded. Allah willing, thou shalt find me of the steadfast. (102) Then, when they had both surrendered (to Allah), and he had flung him down upon his face, (103) We called unto him: O Abraham! (104) Thou hast already fulfilled the vision. Lo! thus do We reward the good. (105) Lo! that verily was a clear test. (106) Then We ransomed him with a tremendous victim. (107) And We left for him among the later folk (the salutation): (108) Peace be unto Abraham! (109) Thus do We reward the good. (110) Lo! he is one of Our believing slaves. (111) And we gave him tidings of the birth of Isaac, a prophet of the righteous. (112) And We blessed him and Isaac. And of their seed are some who do good, and some who plainly wrong themselves. (113).
Ismael is the elder son and who helped to build the house of God Kabba notice as well only after wanting to slaughter Ismael God has promised him the second son Issac which means there is big gap of time between both brothers the sons of Ibrahim.
@ Muneef – So according to the quran Ismael was also offered up by Isaac but God ceased the sacrifice at the last moment the same way he did with Isaac? Doesn't make much sense to me? Yes, I know there was a gap between the birth of Isaac and Ismael. Abraham's wife Sarah got impatient waiting for God's promise of Isaac' birth so he told Abraham to impregnate her egyptian maidservant who then gave birth to Ismael. Later, after the birth of Isaac, there was trouble with Sarah and the maidservant so the maidservant and Ismael got kicked out of the house.
Hagar and Ishmael Depart
8 So the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned.
9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. 10 Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” 11 And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son.
12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. 13 Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.”
Muneef- As you can see, Isaac was the son of promise, though God still blessed Ismael his seed would remain in bondage (religion) as Islam is a very religous faith. Those who believe in God and the Son Christ (whom God sent), however, are set free as you can see:
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
The Irony
@ Muneef – So according to the quran Ismael was also offered up by Abraham but God ceased the sacrifice at the last moment the same way he did with Isaac? Doesn't make much sense to me? Yes, I know there was a gap between the birth of Isaac and Ismael. Abraham's wife Sarah got impatient waiting for God's promise of Isaac' birth so she told Abraham to impregnate her egyptian maidservant who then gave birth to Ismael. Later, after the birth of Isaac, there was trouble with Sarah and the maidservant so the maidservant and Ismael got kicked out of the house.
Hagar and Ishmael Depart
8 So the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned.
9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. 10 Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” 11 And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son.
12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. 13 Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.”
Muneef- As you can see, Isaac was the son of promise, though God still blessed Ismael, his seed would remain in bondage (religion) as Islam is a very religous faith. Those who believe in God and the Son Christ (whom God sent), however, are set free as you can see:
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Babylon the Great, The world empire of false religion, the harlot, sitting on many waters (peoples), living in shameless luxury.....
YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED
Decided by who?
Now here you are attacking the religion core and not the terrorists? Which you made it clearly to indicate that those we once called with you as terrorists are not terrorists but a Muslim front to defend Islam from your intentions that you couldn't hide long?? In such case there is no religion to blame when defending it self?
Let me add here that though the 1400 years of Islam did you think there were not attempts to end it from start? That only got it to increase more and go globally as an increasing religion and what ever is happening today is just like anti biotic that gives it more strength and power by fighters dying in fight to reach heavens for rewards defending Islam the religion given to us by Allah.
I'm not an expert but 4.5 million dollars....ok 120 kilos of gold....2.2 pounds in one kilo means like 264 pounds and 16 ounces in a pound equals 4224 ounces and gold cost 1300 an ounce so thats about 5,491,200 dollars so thats just in gold. I wonder were CNN got there reporting wrong...the amount of gold or the cost? Don't be surprised it.'s CNN!
@CNN's Math
In the precious metals market, a pound has 12 ounces, not 16. It's one of those weird things left over from the old days.
correction: Although Troy Ounces are still used to weigh gold, silver and gemstones, the Troy Pound is no longer used.
And one troy ounce (ozt) is equal to 31.1034768 grams.
troy weights vs avoirdupois weights = confusion that can trip you up when buying gold by the "ton". 😛
I know where they could have gotten a really good deal on aluminum siding, for god's house.