Why masjid Haram is called that name?

Sources

• ✓ 5:97 · Al-Maaida

  5:97 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  ۞ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْكَعْبَةَ ٱلْبَيْتَ ٱلْحَرَامَ قِيَٰمًۭا لِّلنَّاسِ وَٱلشَّهْرَ ٱلْحَرَامَ وَٱلْهَدْىَ وَٱلْقَلَٰٓئِدَ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِتَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

  Allah hath appointed the Ka'bah, the Sacred House, a standard for mankind, and the Sacred Month and the offerings and the garlands. That is so that ye may know that Allah knoweth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and that Allah is Knower of all things.

• ✓ Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 5:97

  Sunni

  Tafsir Ibn Kathir · 5:97

  Ibn Abi Talhah narrated on the authority of Ibn Abbas, as well as Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, Sa'id ibn Jubayr, and others, regarding the phrase "Permitted to you is the catch of the sea," that it means what is caught alive from the sea, while "and its food" refers to what is taken from it dried and salty as provisions. Ibn Abbas in another well-known narration stated: "Its catch is what is captured alive, and its food is what the sea casts up dead." Similarly, this report has been transmitted from Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, Zayd ibn Thabit, Abdullah ibn Amr, Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, Ikrima, Abu Salama ibn Abd al-Rahman, Ibrahim al-Nakha'i, and al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah be pleased with them all). Sufyan ibn 'Uyaynah narrated from 'Amr ibn Dinar, from Ikrima, from Abu Bakr al-Siddiq that he said: "'And its food' means everything in it." Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim also recorded this. Ibn Jarir further related a chain wherein Ibn Abbas reportedly said that Abu Bakr addressed the people, saying: "Permitted to you is the catch of the sea and its food as provision for you," where "its food" means what the sea throws up. Ya'qub narrated that Ibn 'Ulayyah related from Sulayman al-Taymi from Abu Mijlaz, from Ibn Abbas concerning the phrase "and its food" that it means what is cast up (by the sea). Ikrima narrated from Ibn Abbas that "and its food" means what it spits out dead; Ibn Jarir also recorded this. Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib said: "Its food is what it spits out alive or what was eaten and then died." Ibn Abi Hatim transmitted this. Ibn Jarir related from Ibn Bashar, from 'Abd al-Wahhab, from Ayyub, from Nafi' that 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Hurayra asked Ibn 'Umar about many fish dead in the sea — "Should I eat them?" Ibn 'Umar said: "Do not eat them." When Abdullah ibn Umar came to his family, he recited this verse and said: "Go tell him to eat, for it is its food." This is the choice of Ibn Jarir, who explained "its food" as what dies naturally in it, noting some narrate this hadith as mursal (stopped chain). Hannad ibn al-Surri narrated from 'Abda ibn Sulayman, from Muhammad ibn 'Amr, from Abu Salama, from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said regarding "Permitted to you is the catch of the sea and its food as provision for you": "Its food is what it spits out dead." Some have narrated this from the wording of Abu Hurayra. The meaning here is that what the sea throws up dead is allowed. The phrase "as provision for you and for travelers" means benefit and sustenance for you, the addressed, and for those journeying; 'Ikrima said this means for those by the sea and those traveling. Others explain "fresh from the sea" is for those fishing near the coast, and "its food" is the salted deceased seafood provisioned for travelers and those far from the sea. This interpretation is reported from Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, al-Suddi, and others. The majority of scholars have used this verse as evidence permitting dead seafood removal and consumption. Malik ibn Anas narrated a report from Wahb ibn Kaysan from Jabir ibn Abdullah about an expedition sent by the Prophet (peace be upon him) to the coast under Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, among three hundred men. When their food ran out, Abu Ubaidah gathered their date rations which barely sustained them until finally, they reached the sea where a large fish appeared. The army ate from it for eighteen nights. Abu Ubaidah then placed its ribs to form a shade and a camel passed underneath without harm. This hadith is found in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim with various chains. Similarly, it is reported in Sahih Muslim from Abu az-Zubayr, from Jabir, that the fish was massive, akin to a great mound, and its flesh was sufficient as provisions. After returning to the Prophet, they fed him from this fish, and he acknowledged it as sustenance provided by Allah. Malik narrated from Safwan ibn Sulaym from Sa'id ibn Salamah (from Ibn al-Azraq), reporting a transmission from Abu Hurayra that a man asked the Prophet: "O Messenger of Allah, as we travel by sea carrying little water, if we perform ablution with it, will it quench our thirst?" The Prophet said, "It is pure; its water is pure and its dead creatures are lawful." This hadith is authenticated in the major collections. Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and others narrated from Hammad ibn Salamah from Abu al-Muhazzam that they were with the Prophet during Hajj or Umrah when locusts approached. They killed some, wondering if they could eat them while in a state of Ihram. The Prophet said, "No harm in eating the catch of the sea." Although Abu al-Muhazzam is considered weak, the content agrees with other authentic narrations. Ibn Majah narrated a tradition from Jabir and Anas ibn Malik where the Prophet would pray against locusts, describing them as "the scattered army of the sea". When Khalid objected, the Prophet explained that locusts were spread by fish in the sea. This narration is unique to Ibn Majah. Imam Shafi'i narrated from Said ibn Jurayj from 'Ata from Ibn Abbas that he disapproved of hunting locusts in the sacred precincts. Some jurists, based on this verse and related hadiths, hold that all sea creatures are permitted for consumption without exception. Others except frogs, which the Prophet specifically forbade killing, although some allowed consuming them; there is some disagreement about other creatures resembling them. Abu Hanifa did not permit eating animals that died in the sea, equating that with the prohibition on carrion on land. A hadith related by Ibn Mardawayh shows that Abu Zubayr narrated from Jabir that the Prophet said: "What you catch alive and it dies, eat it. What the sea throws up dead, do not eat." Some narrations reject this chain. The majority of Malik, Shafi'i, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s followers use reports like the 'Amber' story and the statement "Its water is pure and its dead creatures are lawful" as proof of permissibility. Imam Shafi'i also related a narration from Ibn 'Umar where the Prophet said: "Two dead things are permitted for us: the fish and the locust; and the two types of blood are the liver and the spleen." Regarding the phrase "Forbidden to you is the game of land as long as you are in the state of Ihram," it indicates the prohibition of hunting during Ihram. If a pilgrim intentionally hunts, he is sinful and must pay a penalty, and the game is forbidden to eat; if accidental, only a penalty is due, and the meat is forbidden. This is the ruling by Malik and at least some Shafi'i jurists and others. Scholars differ on whether eating game hunted by a pilgrim who violated the prohibition entails further punishment, with views ranging from requiring expiation to absolution. The majority tend to the latter. Abu Hanifa said the pilgrim must pay the value of what was eaten. Abu Thawr held that if a pilgrim kills game, he must pay a penalty, but it is lawful to eat it, although he personally disliked it. The hadith "Game of the land is lawful if not hunted deliberately or if it is caught for you by others" will be discussed later. Regarding gifting game hunted by one to a pilgrim, many scholars allow the pilgrim to eat it without differentiation. Ibn Jarir related a narration from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib from Abu Hurayra that the Prophet was asked whether a pilgrim may eat lawful game he caught, and he said yes. When Ibn Jarir told 'Umar ibn al-Khattab about this, 'Umar said he would have reprimanded Ibn Jarir if he had given another ruling. Others maintain a total prohibition of hunting for and eating game while in Ihram. Abd al-Razzaq reported from Ma'mar, from Ibn Tawus, and others that Ibn Abbas disliked eating game meat for a pilgrim, saying the verse is ambiguous. Ma'mar and others narrated similarly about Ibn 'Umar. Ibn Abdul Barr and others maintain this view, while Malik, Shafi'i, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and the majority hold that if the game is hunted intending the pilgrim, then its meat is forbidden for him, supported by the hadith about Sa'b ibn Jaththama returning a donkey gift due to Ihram. If the game was not hunted for the pilgrim, it is lawful, supported by Abu Qatada’s narration where his companions, while in Ihram, hunted a wild donkey, did not participate in killing it, asked the Prophet, and were told to eat it. Imam Ahmad recorded a narration from Sa'id ibn Mansur and Qutaybah from Jabir in which the Prophet said: "Game of the land is lawful for you pilgrims, provided you do not hunt it or have it hunted for you." This is recorded by Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and al-Nasa'i from Qutaybah. Al-Tirmidhi notes he did not recognize his chain from Jabir. Imam Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i narrated from Amr ibn Abi Amr from al-Muttalib concerning Jabir that this is the most authentic hadith on this matter. Malik also narrated from Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr from Abdullah ibn 'Amir ibn Rabi'ah that he saw 'Uthman ibn 'Affan, while in Ihram, bringing game meat and ordering his companions to eat. When asked, he said it was hunted for him. The above is a comprehensive exposition concerning the meaning of this verse, its implications about what sea game is lawful, the permissibility of eating what the sea casts up dead, the story of the Prophet’s companions benefiting from sea fish, regulations on hunting and eating land game during Ihram, and various scholarly opinions and supporting hadith.

• ✓ Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an on 5:97

  Shia

  Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an · 5:97

  Recitation: Ibn 'Amir alone reads it as "qiyma linnas" without the alif, while the others read "qiyaman" with the alif. The argument: The verbal noun "qiyam" is like that of "sawm" (fasting) or "‘iyadh" (seeking refuge). As for "qaim," it can be either a verbal noun as in "shab‘" (fullness) or a truncated form of "al-qiyam," similar to shortening a long vowel, but this is acceptable only in poetry, not in prose. If it is a verbal noun, it should be written with an alif because the root verb is defective; thus, the verbal noun follows the pattern of the verb. For instance, both the verb and verbal noun for seeking refuge with God have the defective letter correctly maintained. Likewise, "sawm" and "qiyam" maintain their vowels because the root verb is defective, so the verbal noun is also defective. Language: The Ka‘bah is called "Ka‘bah" because it is square. The term "ka‘bah" originally means a projection or bump. For example, the heel of a person is called "ka‘b" for its protrusion, and when a woman's breast protrudes, it is described as "haka‘bat." The Arabs call any square house "ka‘bah." Another explanation is that it is called "ka‘bah" because it stands alone apart from other buildings, but this still refers to the same root idea of projection from the ground. As for "al-Bayt al-Haram" (the Sacred House), it is called so because God forbade hunting its game, forbade cutting its trees, and forbade anyone from secluding themselves there, to show the sanctity of it. As narrated in a hadith: "Written below the Station of Abraham is: 'Indeed I am Allah, Lord of Bakkah, sanctified it the day I created the heavens and the earth, and the day I placed these two mountains and encircled it with seven monotheistic angels. Whoever visits me appreciating their right and affirming my Lordship, his body shall be forbidden to the Fire.'" Meaning: After stating the sanctity of the inviolable jurisdiction (the Haram), Allah follows mentioning the Ka‘bah saying, "Allah has made the Ka‘bah, the Sacred House, a stand for the people." This means that Allah has established pilgrimage to the Ka‘bah, or has made the Ka‘bah a pillar established for humanity. The phrase "a stand for the people" can mean that through the establishment of the Ka‘bah, people attain their means of livelihood and sustenance because it is a verbal noun derived from "qiyam" meaning establishment or standing. The meaning is that they stand by virtue of it, so their lives and affairs become stable and well-ordered because of what they gain by visiting it from commerce and various blessings. Sa‘id ibn Jubayr said: "Whoever comes to this House seeking something for this life and the next receives it," a narration also attributed to Abu Abd Allah (a.s.). Ibn Abbas explained: "It means Allah made the Ka‘bah a place of safety where people feel secure. Without it, they would perish, would not stand firm. Even in the pre-Islamic era, people felt safe there; if a man met his father's or son's killer in the Sacred Mosque, he would not kill him." Another interpretation of "a stand for the people" is that if they abandoned Hajj for even one year, they would see destruction approaching them. ‘Ata narrated from the Imams: "As long as people pilgrimage to the Ka‘bah, they will not perish; but if it is demolished and they abandon the pilgrimage, they will perish." As for "the sacred months," it refers to the four sacred months: one singular and three in succession. The singular is Rajab; the successive three are Dhu al-Qa‘dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, and Muharram. They are mentioned in the singular and plural because the singular is treated as a category that encompasses all, and both are objects of the verb "ja‘ala" being connected grammatically as if saying, "I thought Zayd was departing and ‘Amr." Regarding "the sacrifices and neck ornaments," these were mentioned earlier in the Surah. They are stated again after mentioning the Ka‘bah because they are among the reasons for pilgrimage, thus considered part of it. The Arabs used to refrain from war during the sacred months, put away their spears temporarily, and people focused on their livelihoods. Men would adorn themselves or their camels with necklaces made of the bark of the sacred tree, which was part of the religion passed down from Prophet Isma‘il (peace be upon him). This tradition remained as a mercy from God to His creation until Islam came and forbade oppression and transgression. Abu Bakr al-Anbari said there are two ways to interpret this verse: first, that God granted Muslims by making the Ka‘bah the source of both their religious and worldly welfare, a support for them; second, that God informed about the state of the Ka‘bah during the pre-Islamic period. Regarding the phrase "that you may know that Allah knows what is in the heavens and what is on the earth; and that Allah is All-Knowing of everything," some objected why this statement is inserted here after saying "Allah has made the Ka‘bah the Sacred House, a stand for the people." The response is multifold: first, the signs and wonders within the sacred territory and sacred months indicate that God is All-Knowing of everything, as He made the sanctuary a place of safety where all creatures live peacefully. For example, the gazelle feels safe in the presence of the lion inside the sanctuary, but outside fears it; the lion doesn't attack inside the sanctuary; the same applies to birds and doves who are safe around humans within the sanctuary but flee outside it. This is among the many wonders referenced in the beginning of Surah Al-Imran with "clear signs" which indicate God's knowledge of all affairs. Second, Allah knew that Arabs were prone to enmities and grudges, and that they lived around the Ka‘bah. So when He created the heavens and earth, He made the Ka‘bah a place of security and elevated its sanctity deeply in hearts, which has persisted to this day. Without God's knowledge and arrangement beforehand, this would not have been possible. Third, after recounting the stories of Moses and Jesus and the Torah and Gospel and their judgments and news—things unfamiliar to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his contemporaries—He states here "that you may know Allah knows" to confirm that God’s knowledge of unseen and future events validates these accounts. The pronoun "that" refers to the information God provided about the unseen and knowledge of all created things. The text then continues to warn: "Know that Allah is severe in punishment and that Allah is Forgiving, Merciful."