What is the definition of idolatry?
Dictionary definitions of idolatry speak of religious worship of PHYSICAL idols or EXCESSIVE reverence or DEVOTION
to SOMETHING. You shall NOT bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God"
(Exodus 20:3-5). Many of the Old Testament commands against idolatry refer specifically to physical idols, such as
those that would have been present in the PAGAN nations surrounding the Israelites. Because idol worship was
such a threat to the Israelites' purity, God even instructed His people to destroy the pagan nations they conquered
and to refrain from intermarrying (Deuteronomy 7:1-5). They were to destroy the places built to worship false gods.
We know that such physical idols are mere wood or STONE (Deuteronomy 4:28). They are impotent; not gods, but human creations. Some religions still use physical idols or icons, perhaps as an image of a god they believe to be elsewhere.
Biblically, we know that those other gods do not exist. There is One God (1 Timothy 2:5).
Even if we are not bowing down to physical images of false gods, idolatry is still an issue today.
SOURCE: https://www.compellingtruth.org/definition-of-idolatry.html

Leviticus 26:1 - “Ye shall make you NO IDOLS nor GRAVEN IMAGES, neither rear you up a standing image,
neither shall ye set up any IMAGE OF STONE in your land, to BOW DOWN unto it: for I am the LORD your God.”

 

Deuteronomy 29:17 - “And ye have seen their abominations, and their IDOLS, wood and STONE,... SOURCE: NIV

Psalms 97:7 - “Confounded be all they that serve GRAVEN IMAGES, that boast...of IDOLS: worship him, all ye gods.”

Psalms 115:4 - “Their IDOLS are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.”

 

GRAVEN IMAGE noun [ C ] disapproving
* an OBJECT made especially from wood, STONE, etc. and used for religious WORSHIP.
SOURCE: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/graven-image
Synonym: IDOL

 

Deuteronomy 7:5 - This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their SACRED STONES,...
Deuteronomy 12:3 - Break down their altars, smash their SACRED STONES... SOURCE: NIV
Deuteronomy 16:22 - "and do not erect a SACRED STONE, for these the LORD your God hates. SOURCE: NIV
Deuteronomy 12:2 - “Ye shall UTTERLY DESTROY all the PLACES, wherein THE NATIONS...SERVED their gods,...

 

The Black Stone is "SACRED", since it is attached to a "SACRED HOUSE" the Kaaba (3 Verses)
Quran 5:2 - ... and garlanding [them] or [violate the safety of] those coming to the SACRED House...
Quran 5:97 - Allah has made the Ka'bah, the SACRED House,...
Quran 14:37 - Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your SACRED House,

 

Sahih Muslim (527) Vol. 1, Book of Prayers, Hadith 1075
Anas reported: The Messenger of Allah used to pray towards Bait-ul-Maqdis, that it was revealed (to him):"
Indeed We see the turning of the face to heaven, wherefore We shall assuredly cause thee to turn towards
Qibla which shall please thee. So turn thy face towards the SACRED Mosque (Ka'ba)" (reference Q2.144).
Classification: Sahih (Authentic), SOURCE: https://muflihun.com/muslim:527

 

IDOL (noun), Definition of idol -
1: Is an OBJECT of extreme DEVOTION.
2: a REPRESENTATION or symbol of an OBJECT of WORSHIP.
SOURCE: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idol

 

ICON noun (icons also ikons)
Definition of icon
2: EMBLEM, SYMBOL
Synonyms: god, hero, IDOL
SOURCE: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/icon#synonyms

 

The word "OBJECT" means - "a THING that you can SEE (and) or TOUCH but that is NOT usually a living
animal, plant, or person:" SOURCE: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/object

 

The word "IDOL" means - a picture or OBJECT that people PRAY TO as part of their religion:
SOURCE: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/idol

 

The word "IDOLATROUS" means - "the RELIGIOUS PRACTICE of PRAYING TO a picture or OBJECT".
SOURCE: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/idolatrous

 

DEVOTION noun (RELIGION) / (WORSHIP)
* Religious worship: acts of religious worship, especially prayers
SOURCE: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/devotion

 

To an outsider, the sight of thousands of fervent Muslims bowing down and clambering to touch the ‘Kaaba’
strongly suggests that it is an object of adoration and worship. The opposite is true.
Muslims do not worship the ‘Kaaba‘ nor the Black Stone. They are hugely significant to Muslims, but everyone
understands that Muslims can only worship Allah, (God) alone and non-other. None has the right to worship but
Him. They do not join partners with others, worship statues, objects and other things of this world.
What are the origins of the Black Stone?
It has never been tested scientifically. Muslims surmise that it came from Heaven (Al Jannah) a gift from Allah to
Adam and Eve. Others believe it is a meteorite, some glass, some an agate.
The stone was VENERATED at the ‘Kaaba’ in pre-Islamic pagan times. Later, it was stolen, broken into pieces and
reassembled and has remained in its current form since the year 952.
SOURCE: https://insidesaudi.com/why-muslims-walk-around-the-kaaba-seven-times/

 

Is the Ka’aba an idol? Do Muslims worship it? Significance & History of Ka’aba - By Ayesha Nadeem.
Subtitle: KA’ABA; THE FIRST EVER BUILDING BUILT FOR WORSHIP:
Before the prophet-hood of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him), the boundary walls of the Holy Kaaba was
damaged due to flood and was repaired by the four tribes of Quraysh. At the honourable moment of placing the
SACRED Black Stone “Hajr-e-Aswad” on the eastern wall of Kaaba, the tribal leaders started arguing. A fight was
about to start when the issue was resolved by the Holy Prophet’s (Peace Be upon Him) intelligence and wisdom.
He put the SACRED stone on a broad piece of cloth, asked the tribal leaders to lift and take that cloth-piece together
to the eastern wall of the Holy Kaaba. Afterwards, Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) himself located the
SACRED Black Stone at its original place. SOURCE: https://backtojannah.com/is-kaaba-an-idol/

 

KISSING THE BLACK STONE DISCOVER THE STORY AND SYMBOLISM OF THE BLACK STONE
When circling the Kaaba as part of the TAWAF, you can try to touch the stone with your hand and kiss it.
If you can’t reach it, you can point at it or kiss something else which has touched the stone.
As the cornerstone of the Kaaba, the Black Stone is the most VENERATED stone on the face of the earth.
Muslims wish to kiss it because the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) did so. However, keep in mind that the
Black Stone is simply a stone. It is symbolic like a country’s flag is symbolic: something to respect and
take pride in. Kissing it is not an obligation but a demonstration of love, just as you would kiss one of
your children. (ACCOR MAKKAH BLOG) SOURCE: https://makkah-madinah.accor.com/black-stone/

 

VENERATE verb (venerated; venerating)
Definition of venerate
2: to honor (an ICON, [or] a relic, etc.) with a ritual act of DEVOTION
SOURCE: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/venerate
Synonyms for venerate: adore, DEIFY, glorify, REVERE, reverence, WORSHIP
SOURCE: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/venerate#synonyms

 

Jami` at-Tirmidhi (961), Vol. 2, Book of Hajj, Hadith 961
Ibn Abbas narrated that: The Messenger of Allah said about the (Black) Stone: "By Allah! Allah will raise it on
the Day of Resurrection with two eyes by which it sees and a tongue that it speaks with, testifying to whoever
touched it in truth." Classification: Hasan (Good), SOURCE: https://muflihun.com/tirmidhi/9/961

 

ANIMATE (adjective)
1: possessing or characterized by LIFE : ALIVE
SOURCE: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/animate

 

OMNISCIENCE (noun)
the quality of having or seeming to have UNLIMITED knowledge:
SOURCE: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/omniscience

 

INANIMATE (adjective)
having none of the characteristics of life that an animal or plant has:
SOURCE: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/inanimate

 

Admiration and Emulating Prophet Mohammed (SAW) by Mohammed Francis
The fact that Prophet Mohammed (SAW) claimed the Black Stone was sent to earth by Allah and that it would
intercede for Muslims on the Day of Judgement is proof enough for Muslims that there is something very
special about it... SOURCE: https://insidesaudi.com/why-do-muslims-kiss-the-black-stone-in-mecca/

 

INTERCEDE (verb) formal
to use [...] influence to persuade someone in authority to forgive another person,
or save this person from punishment: SOURCE: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/intercede

 

Jami` at-Tirmidhi (877), Vol. 2, Book of Hajj, Hadith 877
Ibn Abbas narrated that: The Messenger of Allah said: "The Black Stone descended from the Paradise,
and it was more white than milk, then it was blacked by the sins of the children of Adam."
Classification: Hasan (Good), SOURCE: https://muflihun.com/tirmidhi:877

 

Sahih Muslim (183a), Vol. 1, Book of Faith (Kitab Al-Iman), Hadith 352
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported: Let every people follow what they used to WORSHIP.
Then all who WORSHIPPED idols and STONES ... Classification: Sahih (Authentic),
SOURCE: https://muflihun.com/muslim/1/352

 

Sahih al-Bukhari (3159), Vol. 4, Book of One-fifth of Booty, Hadith 386
Narrated Jubair bin Haiya: ...'Umar sent the Muslims to the great countries to fight the pagans.
When Al-Hurmuzan embraced Islam, 'Umar said to him. "I would like to consult you regarding these
countries which I intend to invade. So, 'Umar sent us (to Khosrau) appointing An-Numan bin Muqrin as
our commander. When we reached the land of the enemy, the representative of Khosrau came out with
forty-thousand warriors, and an interpreter got up saying, "Let one of you talk to me!" Al-Mughira replied,
"Ask whatever you wish." The other asked, "Who are you?" Al-Mughira replied, "We are some people from
the Arabs; we led a hard, miserable, disastrous life: we used to suck the hides and the date stones from
hunger; we used to wear clothes made up of fur of camels and hair of goats, and used to WORSHIP trees
and STONES. Classification: Sahih (Authentic), SOURCE: https://muflihun.com/bukhari/53/386

 

Sahih al-Bukhari (4376), Vol. 5, Book of Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (Maghaazi), Hadith 661
Narrated Abu Raja Al-Utaridi: We used to WORSHIP STONES, and when we found a better stone
than the first one, we would throw the first one and take the latter, but if we could not get a stone
then we would collect some earth (i.e. soil) and then bring a sheep and milk that sheep over it,
and perform the TAWAF around it. Classification: Sahih (Authentic),
SOURCE: https://muflihun.com/bukhari/59/661

QIBLA is the fixed DIRECTION towards the Ka’bah in the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
It’s the DIRECTION which all Muslims FACE when performing their PRAYERS, wherever they are in the world.
SOURCE: https://al-rida.net/knowledge-base/qibla-directions/ (Masjid Al-Rida)

Quran 2:144 - We have certainly seen the TURNING of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven, and We will
surely TURN YOU to a QIBLAH with which you will be pleased. So TURN your FACE TOWARDS al-Masjid al-Haram.
And wherever you [believers] are, turn your FACE TOWARDS IT [in prayer].

 

Quran 2:145 - And if you brought to those who were given the Scripture every sign, they would not follow your
qiblah. Nor will you be a follower of their qiblah. Nor would they be followers of one another's qiblah.

 

Quran 2:148 - For each [religious following] is a DIRECTION toward which it FACES.
Quran 2:149 - So from wherever you go out [for prayer, O Muhammad] turn your FACE TOWARDS al-Masjid al-Haram
Quran 2:150 - And from wherever you go out [for prayer], turn your FACE TOWARDS al-Masjid al-Haram.

Quran 41:37 - Do not prostrate to the sun or to the moon, but prostrate to Allah, who created them,...
Quran 53:62 - So prostrate to Allah and worship [Him].

Sahih al-Bukhari (398), Vol. 1, Book of Prayer (Salat), Hadith 391
Narrated Ibn Abbas: When the Prophet entered the Ka'ba, he invoked Allah in each and every side of it and did
not pray till he came out of it, and offered a two-Rak'at prayer FACING the Ka'ba and said, "This is the Qibla."
Classification: Sahih (Authentic), SOURCE: https://muflihun.com/bukhari:398

 

Sahih al-Bukhari (403) Vol. 1, Book of Prayer (Salat), Hadith 397
Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar: While the people were offering the Fajr prayer at Quba (near Medina), someone
came to them and said: "It has been revealed to Allah's Apostle tonight, and he has been ordered to pray FACING
the Ka'ba." So turn your faces to the Ka'ba. Those people were facing Sham (Jerusalem) so they turned their faces
towards Ka'ba (at Mecca). Classification: Sahih (Authentic), SOURCE: https://muflihun.com/bukhari:403

 

Sahih al-Bukhari (1585), Vol. 2, Book of Pilgrimage (Hajj), Hadith 655
Narrated 'Aisha: Allah's Apostle said to me, "Were your people not close to the Pre-lslamic period of ignorance,
I would have demolished the Ka'ba and would have rebuilt it on its original foundations laid by Abraham
(for Quraish had curtailed its building), and I would have built a back door (too)." Classification: Sahih (Authentic)
SOURCE: https://muflihun.com/bukhari/26/655

 

Sahih al-Bukhari (4486), Vol. 6, Book of Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an, Hadith 13
Narrated Al-Bara: The Prophet prayed facing Bait-ul Maqdis (i.e. Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months
but HE WISHED that his Qibla would be the Ka'ba (at Mecca). So Allah Revealed (Q2.144) and he offered 'Asr
prayers Classification: Sahih (Authentic), SOURCE: https://muflihun.com/bukhari/60/13

 

Sahih al-Bukhari (4491), Vol. 6, Book of Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an, Hadith 18
Narrated Ibn Umar: While some people were offering Fajr prayer at Quba' (mosque), some-one came to them
and said, "Tonight some Qur'anic Verses have been revealed to the Prophet and he has been ordered to face the
Ka'ba (at Mecca) (during prayers), so you too should turn your faces towards it." At that time their faces were
towards Sham (Jerusalem) so they turned towards the Ka'ba (at Mecca). Classification: Sahih (Authentic)
SOURCE: https://muflihun.com/bukhari/60/18

 

Sahih al-Bukhari (39), Vol. 1, Book of Belief, Hadith 39
Narrated Al-Bara' (bin 'Azib): When the Prophet came to Medina, he stayed first with his grandfathers or maternal
uncles from Ansar. He offered his prayers facing Baitul-Maqdis (Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months, but he
wished that he could pray facing the Ka'ba (at Mecca). The first prayer which he offered facing the Ka'ba was the 'Asr
prayer in the company of some people. Then one of those who had offered that prayer with him came out and passed
by some people in a mosque who were bowing during their prayers (facing Jerusalem). He said addressing them,
"By Allah, I testify that I have prayed with Allah's Apostle facing Mecca (Ka'ba).' Hearing that, those people changed
their direction towards the Ka'ba immediately. Jews and the people of the scriptures used to be pleased to see the
Prophet facing Jerusalem in prayers but when he changed his direction towards the Ka'ba, during the prayers,
they disapproved of it. Classification: Sahih (Authentic), SOURCE: https://muflihun.com/bukhari/2/39

 

Sunan Ibn Majah (1010), Vol. 2, Book of Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them, Hadith 1010
It was narrated that Bara’ said: “We prayed with the Messenger of Allah facing towards Baitul-Maqdis (Jerusalem)
for eighteen months, then the Qiblah was changed to the Ka’bah two months after the Prophet entered
Al-Madinah. When the Messenger of Allah prayed towards Baitul-Maqdis, he would often lift his face towards the
heavens, and Allah knew what was in the heart of His Prophet and how he longed to face the Ka’bah (during prayer).
Jibril appeared (in the sky), and the Messenger of Allah started watching him as he was descending between the
heavens and the earth, waiting to see what he would bring. Then Allah revealed the words: ‘Verily, We have seen the
turning of your face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah that shall please you, so turn your face
in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah). And wherever you people are, turn your faces (during prayer) in
that direction.’ [2:144] Then someone came to us and said: ‘The Qiblah has been changed to the Ka’bah.’ We had
performed two Rak’ah facing towards Jerusalem. And we were bowing. So we turned around, and we continued our
prayer. The Messenger of Allah said: ‘O Jibril! What about our prayer facing towards Baitul- Maqdis?’ Then Allah
revealed the words: “And Allah would never make your faith to be lost.” [2:143]. Classification: No Data
SOURCE: https://muflihun.com/ibnmajah/5/1010