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700 years of Islamic identity in RP

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 16:47:37 -0600

700 years of Islamic identity in RP

By Abdel Aziz Dimapunong

Imam, Masjid Alkhairi, Manila

Last Monday, February 5, 2007, the Arab News featured an article about the surviving mosques in Madinah since the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace on him). The article (P.K. Abdul Gafour) cited a study conducted by the Madinah Research & Studies Center which was done on the basis of historical evidence and authentic reports. According to Dr. Abdul Basit Badr, director of the center, there are five mosques that survived until today including the Prophet’s Mosque and Quba Mosque. Badr said his organization had identified the mosques on a map with the help of satellite pictures.

In the Philippines, several studies were also conducted concerning mosques with historical significance in this country. As early as 1986, a group of Maranaos headed by Grande Dianaton and Omama Rascal submitted a proposal to the World Muslim League for the reconstruction of Masjid Bab Arahman (Door of Mercy) which they claimed to have been originally established some 600 years ago. The proposal was submitted through the late Ambassador of the Philippines to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Mauyag M. Tamano. This mosque is located in Balindong, at the mouth of the river Taraka in Lanao Del Sur, by the side of Lake Lanao. It is believed that this is the oldest mosque in the island of Mindanao. However, the proponents failed to provide a historical background of this Masjid. Nevertheless, Masjid Bab Arahaman has been reconstructed and it is now the main Masjid in Taraka. It is also a shrine where investitures of sultans in the locality are held.

Last November 24, 2006, the Philippine Senate, under the sponsorship of Senator Edgardo Angara, approved a bill on final reading that declares the Sheikh Karimul Macdum a national shrine. Based on historical records, this is the oldest mosque in the Philippines. This mosque was built in 1380, or 627 years ago. On further accounts by the historian Dr. Cesar Adib Majul, a tombstone in Bud Dato, Jolo reveals Islamic inscriptions that show a date based on Islamic Hijrah calendar. The date is 710 A.H. corresponding to 1310 A.D. That was 697 years ago. By this account, it is reasonable to infer that Islam was already in Jolo, Philippines for more than 700 years. Dr. Majul inferred “that by the end of the thirteenth century or at the beginning of the fourteenth century there was already a settlement or colony of foreign Muslims in Jolo Island.” Jolo is in the southern tip of the Philippine archipelago.

Historical account on Muslims in the Philippines

There are voluminous historical records on Moro (Muslim) history in the Philippines including that of Dr. Najeeb M. Saleeby (Studies in Moro History, Law and Religion) and Cesar Adib Majul (Muslim in the Philippines). The most relevant here is the coming of Islam to the Philippines by the historian Cesar Adib Majul. The following is the Majul account which also cited an account by Saleeby.

Begin quote.

In 878 A.D., on account of an anti-foreign policy in China and a rebellion in the Celestial Empire, hundreds of Muslims were massacred in South China, and hundreds of those who survived flocked to the ports of the Malay Peninsula. Blocked from returning to China, these traders began to engage in a local trade in Southeast Asia. They gradually came to learn about new products. When, by the tenth century, Muslim merchants were allowed once again to return to China, they did not abandon the traffic in these new products or the use of the new routs since the trade with the Malay peoples was profitable. It was a trade, too, in which the Malays began to participate intimately - especially the port chiefs. Scholars generally believe that Muslim merchants made Borneo known to the Chinese during the tenth century. Since Borneo is close to the Philippines it can be presumed that Muslims traders had begun to know Sulu at least by that time, if not earlier. In any case, there is evidence that Arab ships, or rather, ships captained by Arabs, had reached China from some island in the Philippines during the tenth century.

One of the more reliable “tarsilas” (genealogical accounts) of Sulu narrates how a certain Tuan Masha’ika arrived at Jolo Island in the area of Maimbung and married a daughter of the ruling family. He came at a time, according to the account, when the people were still worshipping stones and other inanimate objects. That his origin is associated with extraordinary events only implies that he represented and old and highly developed culture. That he was a Muslim is evidenced by the typically Muslim names of most of his children. It is also known that the term “Masha’ika” is one of the plural forms of the word “Shaikh” and was used to denote descendants of saintly people in South Arabia to distinguish them from the Sharifs or Sayids who were descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. Significantly, this tarsila account indicates that the descendants of Tuan Masha’ika began to move northward on the Island of Jolo. That they were people of note, or had prestige, can be inferred by existing accounts about them as well as by the assertion that they were also descendants of a female member of the local ruling family or aristocracy. But what is important in this particular account is that it asserts the existence of Muslims in Sulu who married into the local population.

On Bud Dato, a few miles from Jolo town, there is a tomb that has been looked after for more than six hundred years. Without going into details, the tombstone reveals that the deceased was foreign Muslim who died away from his land of origin. The date is 710 A.H. or 1310 A.D. [underscoring mine] By the nature of the care given to the grave and tombstone, and because the tombstone seems to have been imported or constructed in Sulu by Muslims, it can be inferred that by the end of the thirteenth century or at the beginning of the fourteenth century there was already a settlement or colony of foreign Muslims in Jolo island. I would like to speculate that this is the time of the coming of Tuan Masha’ika; although I am not suggesting that the Tuan and the deceased foreign Muslim were one and the same.

The “tarsilas” tell about the coming of a certain Makhdum Karim [underscoring mine] who on account of his saintly qualities was also called Tuan Sharif Awliya, this last term being used for holy men. He is said to have traveled extensively and effected conversions. Najeeb Saleeby, [underscoring mine] a student of Sulu history and the scholar who first published some of the most important “tarsilas”, wrote that the Makhdum must have come in the second half or possibly around the middle of the fourteenth century. And this calculation tallies well with the date usually given for the coming of other makhdumin to java and Balambangan. These makhdumin were probably Sufis with missionary aims. As is well known, the Sufis, (that is, Muslims with certain mystical inclinations and belonging to brotherhoods) had come to the Indonesian Archipelago at around this time to spread Islam, having fled when Baghdad fell to the Mongols in the last half of the thirteenth century. It is not really correct to say that Makhdum Karim was the first man who introduced Islam to Sulu. What probably happened was that he reinforced Islam among the foreign Muslim, or their descendants, and with their help and support and the use of their settlement as a base, he was able to effect conversions among the surrounding local and older population.

Islam must have seen by now fairly well spread among the population around Buansa as evidenced by the narration that when baguinda (prince) coming from Sumatra landed with his courtiers and warriors, the local opposition against him was weakened when some Muslims (among them the grandchildren of Tuan Masha’ika) came to his support. This was at the end of the 14th or early in the 15th century - the date is not certain. Another version has it that the religious men of both factions, that is, the Buansa party and the party of the baguinda, promoted him as ruler in Buansa – his acceptability to the datus of Buansa being induced by the fact that the Sumatran prince was a Muslim. In any case, the coming of the baguinda with learned men in Islam must have contributed to the increasing consciousness of Islam among the people of Jolo, especially those in the area around Buansa.

After this time, Islam must have been deep among the datus and chiefs of Jolo in that they were willing to accept as their Sultan a foreign Muslim known as the Sharif-ul-Hashim. This Muslim, purportedly an Arab, did not come and impose Islam or a Sultanate among the People. Rather, by the time of his arrival the datus and mass of the people had become sufficiently sophisticated in their Islamic knowledge and had developed a high enough level of Islamic consciousness that they readily accepted the political institutions required by orthodoxy. The Sharif-ul-Hashim is calculated to have arrived in Buansa around the middle of the fifteenth century. Let me emphasize that this sharif is an historical figure and not the figment of Tausug imagination. His beautiful tomb still exists on one of the slopes of Mount Tumantangis, the tallest mountain in Jolo. All his titles are inscribed on his tomb for anyone who cares to go up there and read them. It is significant that one of his titles is Maulana, suggesting that he was a guide and teacher. Actually, the conversion of the interior or mountain tribes in Jolo, the Buranuns, is credited to him. In effect, this mean that the coastal peoples of Sulu and the mountain peoples, the later possibly older in the island than he coastal folk, came to share the same faith and submit themselves to one political and spiritual head. As is well known, the sultans of Sulu have all claimed descent from his sharif, called the first sultan.

To summarize the introduction and spread of Islam in Sulu, around the beginning of the fourteenth century or possible earlier there was already a colony or settlement of foreign Muslims on the island of Jolo. They were likely traders who married local girls and died and were buried in Jolo, not without having left descendants. After the middle of the fourteenth century, Muslim missionaries appeared to effect conversions in Malay lands. They were probably Sufis and their teachings were infused with mystical overtones. Around the turn of the fourteenth century, Muslims from other Malay lands came to establish a principality. By the middle of the fifteenth century, Islam must have been quite widespread, making the local chiefs and people receptive to the adoption of Islamic political institutions, more specifically that of the sultanate.

End of quote on Cesar Adib Majul

1521-1898 - The Muslims and the Spaniards in the Philippines

1521. The first Europeans to visit the Philippines were those under the command of Ferdinand Magellan. The Spanish Expedition came on March 16, 1521. Ferdinand Magellan was killed by Lapulapu, chieftain of Filipino natives in the island of Mactan. The coming of the Spaniards was wrongly accounted for by early historians as the discovery of the Philippines.

1542. Another Spanish expedition under the command of Lopez de Villalobos followed in 1542.

1564. The conquest of the Filipinos by Spain began in 1564 when Miguel López de Legaspi arrived in another expedition from New Spain. Spanish leadership was established over some small communities in some of the seven hundred islands in the Philippines. Muslim communities in Sulu, Lanao and Maguindanao were not penetrated by the Spaniards.

1571. In 1571, the Spanish foothold in the Philippines was secured by a conquest of Manila by López de Legaspi when he established the Spanish city of Manila on the site of a Muslim settlement that was previously ruled by Rajah Solaiman and Prince Abdullah (Lakan “Dula” of Tondo).

1589. The Spanish governor made a viceroy in 1589 and ruled with the advice of the royal audiencia. There were so many uprisings by the Muslims who resented the presence of the Spaniards. By the end of the 16th century, Manila had become a leading commercial center of East Asia, carrying on a flourishing trade with China, India, and the East Indies.

1600-1663. The period from 1600 to 1663 was marked by continual wars with Muslims who the Spaniards branded as Moro pirates. This was the most persistent problem of the Spaniards. Intermittent campaigns were conducted against the Muslims but without conclusive results.

1689. When the Spaniards first explored Ranao in 1689, they found another community of Muslims in Dansalan, the commercial center of Ranao. There were battles between the Muslims and the invading Spaniards.

1898-1946. The Muslims and the Americans in the Philippines

1898. The Americans fought the Spaniards and eventually took over the Philippines after it was surrendered to them by the Spaniards on August 13, 1898. The Philippines was surrendered to the American forces by the Spaniards after a short “little war”. On December 10, 1898, the Treaty of Paris signed over Philippines to the U.S. for $20 million. Spain considered the possibility of withholding Mindanao and Sulu from the treaty by arguing that it did not have sovereignty over those Muslim territories. However, on December 21, 1898, US President William McKinley issued his “Benevolent Assimilation Proclamation”, which declared that USA would assume control and disposition of the government of the Philippines, including Muslim Mindanao and Sulu.

1913. The Department of Mindanao and Sulu was created on July 24, 1913 under the American Regime.

1940. Dansalan, the commercial center of the Maranao Muslims became a city in 1940. The inauguration did not take place because the Second World War intervened.

1946. Philippine sovereignty was handed back to the Filipinos in 1946. This was the end of all foreign incursions in the Philippine Islands.

History shows that the Muslims in the Philippines had been freedom fighters for hundreds of years. All throughout Philippine history, they maintained their identity as Muslims.

The Masjid Al Macdum that was declared by law as a National shrine is located in Tubig Indangan, Simunul in the province of Tawi-Tawi, the Southern tip of the Philippines that is just few miles away from the City of Bandar Seri Begawan, capital of Brunei Darussalam. The Masjid al Macdum was named after Arabian missionary Sheikh Karim Al Macdum, who was said to have built the mosque in 1380 AD, two hundred years before the arrival of the Spaniards in the Philippines. At about this same time, another Arabian missionary also settled in the nearby seafront town of Cota Wato, which still exists as Cotawato, the precursor of Bandar Seri Begawan. He was popularly known as Imam Ahmad who married a sister of the then ruler of Bandar Begawan. Ahmad later succeeded the ruler and became Sultan Ahmad.

Senator Edgardo J. Angara is the author of the bill that declares Macdum as a National Shrine. He is chair of the Senate committee on peace, unification and reconciliation. In his press statement on the matter, Angara said the move is an “opportune gesture of friendship to our Muslim brothers.”

Until today the four pillars of the mosque are preserved as they were originally built. Macdum himself was believe to have been buried in Tandulbanak Sitangkai, Tawi Tawi., where a simple stone marks his grave.

The 626 year old mosque has immense historic and cultural significance for our country. “Its declaration”, said Senator Angara, “as a national shrine makes it a formal part of the country’s national heritage”. Muslim leaders in the Philippines say the declaration is a milestone in Philippine history, recognition to the contribution of Islam in the development of culture and civilization.

Senator Angara was also a co-sponsor of a Philippine law that declares Eidul Adha as a National Holiday in the Philippines. The other sponsor was Senator Loren Legarda. Eidul Adha is now among regular holidays under the Administrative Code. Before the law was signed, Eidul Adha used to be just a holiday for the Muslims only. Witnessed by Muslim legislators and diplomatic personalities from the Organization of Islamic Countries, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed the law last November 13, 2002 at Malacanang Palace. The law also proclaims Eidul Fitr as a Muslim regular holiday in the same way as Eidul Adha.

The Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) through its Legislative Assembly has already passed a law declaring the inclusion of the Sheikh Makhdum centennial celebration as one of the Islamic events entitled to a special non-working holiday within the five provinces under the ARMM.

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Sambolayang flag of pageantry

Sat, 20 Jan 2007 01:42:36 -0600

Sambolayang flag of

Maranao pageantry

By Abdel Aziz Dimapunong

Director, Maranaw Cultural Heritage

The Sambolayang flags

According to Wikipedia, “a flag is a piece of cloth, often flown from a pole or mast, generally used symbolically for signaling or identification”. By this definition, the Maranaw Sambolayang is a flag. It is always made of cloth and it is flown from a pole. It is among the colorful traditional flags of Maranaw pageantry. The other flags include the Pasandalan, Pandiya Ranao, Paramata, Pandi, Usunan, and many others.

For centuries, the Sambolayang and other Maranaw traditional cultural flags had been in use in the two provinces of Ranao in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, Philippines. Although flag-like symbols of Maranaw pageantry were in used even before the coming of the Spaniards in 1521, the origin of Sambolayang flags in the modern sense is a matter of dispute. According to Grande Dianaton of the Maranaw Cultural Heritage, some Maranaws believe that the Sambolayangs originated in China. Renayong Dimapunong has a different view. He claims that the Maranaw flags were inspired by the Srivijaya Empire during the 8^th century much earlier than Chinese influence.

When the Sambolayang is flown, it signals that there is an ongoing Maranaw pageantry. It identifies the location to be having a magnificent ceremonial display of a highly colorful event, splendid, a stately ceremony. All Maranaw ceremonies are marked with a historical or traditional flavor. The master of ceremony usually speaks of the historical background or a traditional flavor of the occasion. The event could be a royal wedding. In this case, the genealogy of both the groom and the bride serves as the historical backgrounder. The occasion could be the crowning of a Sultan, whose genealogy is presented as the historical background. The occasion could also be just a splendid display of Kalilang, a festival event that marks a holiday.

Various modern flags are on display at the

Provincial Capitol of Lanao Del Sur

In modern times, the ceremony could be an inauguration, or an investiture of a newly appointed or elected government official. Nowadays, the Sambolayangs are used in many ways including rallies and demonstrations. The use of the Sambolayangs now extends to corporate or political advertising. In its simplest usage, it could be used just for decorative purposes in an informal way. The Maranaw so love the use of flags. There are even house flags of various designs or form used to identify a certain family, especially those who claim to belong to a certain royal family.

The Maranaw cultural flags are potent patriotic symbols with varied wide-ranging interpretations, often including cultural and political associations due to their original and ongoing cultural uses. The existence of so many kinds of Maranaw flags coupled with various designs of royal seals as the seal of Paramata Bantugan could only mean that there were vexillographers among the Maranaws. The scholarly study of flags is known as vexillology.

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The final witness of Saddam Hussein

Sun, 14 Jan 2007 20:31:55 -0600

The final witness of Saddam Hussein

By Abdel Aziz Dimapunong

Imam, Masjid Alkhairi, Manila, Philippines

Praise is to God-Alone. Praise to Him who revealed the books of guidance for mankind, including the original Holy Bible, and the Holy Quran. Peace is to Muhammad and his companions.

Friday, January 12, 2007. As Sunday is to Christendom, Friday is to Islam. Every Imam delivers a sermon to the Friday congregational prayer. In addition to preaching the Islamic Faith, the Imam may include in his sermon the religious concerns of his community. Our Shariah Council in Masjid Alkhairi suggested that I speak about the relation of the Holy Quran and the man who constantly read it. This topic came about during our Kapihan, a gathering of members of our congregation where the group talks about Islam. Somehow the discussion touches on the Holy Quran being held by Saddam Hussein just before his execution.

May I preface this article by saying that this is really for Muslims. There is no harm if it is peruse by non-Muslims, especially those interested to know about Islam and its beliefs. I suggest that it be read by prospective converts and reverts to Islam.

In the last few weeks, I had written about Islamic holiness. Last December, I wrote a blog about “Eidul Adha, a global Muslim holiday”. My previous blog was about the Holy Kaaba in Masjid al Haram that is the holiest place on earth for Muslims. This article is about the Holy Quran, the holiest thing for Muslims. It is Most Revered because it is the word of Allah (swt), the One Almighty God.

At predawn Last December 30, 2006, a day of Eidul Adha, Saddam Hussein was hanged. In Islamic reckoning based on the Hijrah lunar calendar, any day begins not after midnight as in the Western world but after sundown of a previous day. The day that Saddam Hussein was hanged was exactly the day that begins the Eid al Adha even though the sun was to rise in Baghdad at 7:06 on that Saturday morning of December 30, 2006. That day was sacred. It was Eidul Adha. It was not merely a national holiday of any Muslim country like Iraq, or Saudi Arabia, or Pakistan. It was a holiday of Muslims in U.S.A., Canada, Britain, Australia and elsewhere. It was not merely a global Muslim holiday. According to Islam, it was a sacred universal holiday for all Muslims of all times to come.

During that great Day of Sacrifice, which is the true meaning of Eid al Adha, the whole world has witness the execution of Saddam Hussein after having received a death sentence. The execution was witnessed by unauthorized video coverage. It has been leaked to the media. And now it is available for download from many websites including YouTube. According to the website at Google, the video on Saddam has been viewed by 13,257,935 as of this writing.

On his way to the gallows, Saddam Hussein brought with him his last trusted companion and FINAL WITNESS, the Holy Quran. The original copy of all available Quran on earth is the Glorious Quran that is “Inscribed in a Tablet Preserved” (Quran: 85:21-22). The original is preserved and guarded from corruption. It is located somewhere in outer space.

For twenty years during the life of Muhammad as a Prophet, peace on him, a copy of the Holy Quran was downloaded to him piece by piece in the form of Revelations through an Angel Server known as Jibreel, the messenger of Allah (swt). For two decades, this was committed to memory by Prophet Muhammad; peace on him, and some of his companions, the first community of Muslims that began the Muslim Ummah (the World of Muslim). Until today it is a practice of every Muslim to memorize the whole of the Quran. Usually, memorizing the holy book begins at an early age of seven. There are known boys who succeeded memorizing it by the age of twelve. In our Alkahiriya Madrasah (Islamic school) that used to be financed by the government of Kuwait, we had 120 boys, aged seven to 15, who were enrolled exclusively (live-in students) for memorizing the holy book. Some Muslims are still trying, yet most would have only a part of it.

Presumably as a Muslim, Saddam Hussein also had an image file or a fraction of the Holy Quran that was saved in his memory.

In the cerebrum of every Muslim resides a verbatim copy of the Holy Quran which maybe the whole of it, most of it, part of it, or a chapter. A Muslim is known as a Hafidh if he has fully memorized the Holy Quran. One could be a doubtful Muslim if one does not even know the opening chapter known as Al Fatiha. The daily Islamic prayer consists mainly of a reading of the Fatiha followed by any verses or chapter of the Quran. In his minimum of five daily prayers, he recollects from his memory some verses or a whole chapter and recites them aloud in the morning during Subuh prayer, at about 5:00 A.M. and in the evening during the Magrib prayer at around 6:00 P.M. and the Isha prayer at around 7:30 P.M. During every month of Ramadhan, a Muslim devotes his time to reading the whole of the Holy Quran. Prophet Muhammad, peace on him, reviewed the Holy Quran once a year and twice in the last year of his life.

In his regular Tarawih and Tahajud, the nightly prayers of Ramadhan, a Muslim recollects whatever verses or chapters he has stored in his memory and read them aloud and correctly while standing in prayer. If he is a member of a congregation he will listen intently to the reading of the Imam who leads the prayer. When in distress anywhere, be it in the middle of the ocean or a mountain, a Muslim will read the Quran even without a printed book because he always has a copy of it in his memory. He will read it silently, in soliloquy or aloud.

The Holy Quran contains applicable verses suitable to any particular situation; in war and in peace; in making a fight or in making love; in celebration or in distress, in famine or harvest; in the hospital or in captivity, in the face of death and everything. While in jail, Saddam Hussein had more time to read the Holy Quran in his cell even without a printed copy. He could download verses from his memory and then say it in soliloquy or aloud. He may have actually prepared himself for the submission of his life to Allah (swt). He may have followed the routine many times during his 14 months of trial, knowing that the court was only a formality. Evidently he did surrender his life to Allah in all dignity, while dressed in black overcoat, wearing a haircut, looking straight without fear in the presence of people not in sympathy to him. Thanks to YouTube and all the cellphone videos.

From the Holy Quran, the verse for the surrender of life to God-Allah (swt) can be said in less than a heartbeat, thus:

“INNA LILLAH, WA INNA ILAIHI RAJION”.

(“VERILY I AM YOURS MY LORD ALLAH, UNTO YOU IS MY JOURNEY”)

This does not have to be said aloud. It could be said in soliloquy. In a complete personalized statement, this could be said thus: “YA ALLAH, INNA LILLAH WA INNA ILAIHI RAJION. This means, Oh My Lord Allah, “surely I am Yours, and surely to You is my return’. In the case of Saddam Hussein, it is audible from the video that he had said “YA ALLAH”… then presumably, he engaged in soliloquy, addressing the verse of surrender to himself and to his lord.

It is reasonable to presume that Saddam already read the verse of surrender of his life not only on the gallows but when he was in captivity. When the death sentence was read to him, he knew the execution would soon follow. I strongly feel that, during the invasion of the Allied Forces, Saddam Hussein already made a plan for his death in his own preference. When captured, he made no resistance. No shot was fired from his side. There was neither fight nor flight from his end. He preferred to be captured. He later said in public that he preferred to be executed by a firing squad. Perhaps, he planned for a grandstanding way of death (the Islamic way).

In the same way as the Verse of Surrender, to die as a Muslim, one can say the appropriate verse in less than a heartbeat by saying:

“LAILAHAILLALLAH, MUHAMMAD RASULLOLLAH.”

This phrase is known as Sahada. Of course, when there is time, a Muslim may engage in redundancy by reciting the Sahada as many times as possible; maybe ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times, or more. This is known as Dikr, the remembrance of Allah (swt).

In the video of Saddam Hussein, it was audible that Saddam pronounced clearly the Sahada. In his last minute on the gallows, Saddam had been chanting the most appropriate words in Islam, such as Allaho Akbar, and the Sahada (There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet). According to a witness, his last word was “Muhammad” in the verse of Sahada.

The video on the execution of Saddam Hussein says it all in Cyberspace. No one can pluto the fact surrounding the last minute of Saddam Hussein. Now it can be seen on video. It can be heard. Now it can be told unedited. Men, women, and children had witnessed what on earth man can do to another. According to Anna Johnson of the Associated Press, in “Several boys die copying Saddam hanging”, there were boys who died copying the hanging of Saddam Hussein. Johnson said, “The boys' deaths — scattered in the United States, in Yemen, in Turkey and elsewhere in seemingly isolated horror — had one thing in common: They hanged themselves after watching televised images of Saddam Hussein's execution.”

The Internet is always accessible. The video on Saddam can be viewed anytime. He is still on the spotlight even after his life on earth.

A decision of death sentence to a deposed ruler has always been a political issue. When it is followed by an execution, it is usually claimed to have been done in the name of justice. In the case of Saddam Hussein, the trial that led to a death sentence lent a veneer of formality, perhaps to the credit of American coaching on civility. In my previous blog, “Saddam Hussein on the spotlight”, I have said that the trial was at least colorable even if it was plausible. The video clips show them all.

In history, the trial and execution of a deposed ruler become the talk of the town and secrets come to the open as witnesses, jailers, even yeomen and nannies eventually relate their own accounts. In the case of Saddam Hussein, stories are now unfolding. According to John F. Burns: “In Days Before Hanging, a Push for Revenge and a Push Back From the U.S”, “the story of how American commanders and diplomats fought to halt the execution until midnight on Friday, only six hours before Mr. Hussein was hanged, is only now coming into focus, as Iraqi and American officials, in the glare of international outrage over the hanging, compete with their versions of what happened.”

In our age of technology, subterranean motives surface awhile with the use of cell phones and the Internet. But these are other stories that do not belong in this article.

Many rulers of history were hanged or assassinated, living behind unending political controversies about their death. Among those executed were: Charles I of England, 1649; Maximilian of Mexico, 1867; Nicholas II of Russia, 1917; Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan, 1979; and Nicolas of Romania, 1989. The issues involved in those executions belong to politics. They never cease to amuse historians and political pundits.

This article is not about political issues. It is about certain Islamic belief which may be applicable to Saddam Hussein – not while he was alive but after execution. It is about trial after death.

In this connection, I am now quoting a Hadith of Prophet Muhammad, peace on him, which in my opinion, may apply to Saddam Hussein. Prophet Muhammad, peace is on him, had said:

"On the Day of Judgment, before Allah, no other intercessor will have a greater status than the Holy Quran, neither a Prophet nor an angel."

That, in my opinion, is the final relation between man and the Holy Quran. And the final witness of Saddam Hussein that he died as a Muslim, as a Muslim must die as a Muslim, as prescribed by the Holy Quran, is the Holy Quran itself.

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The Holy Kaaba in Mecca

Fri, 05 Jan 2007 22:03:57 -0600

The Holy Kaaba in Mecca

By Abdel Aziz Dimapunong

Imam, Masjid Alkhairi, Manila, Philippines

In the Islamic faith, the Holy Kaaba inside the Masjid al Haram is the holiest place on earth. The Holy Kaaba, a cube-shaped structure, is the focal point of the Muslim annual pilgrimage known as Hajj and the visitation to the Kaaba known as Umrah. The Hajj pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam.

The Holy Kaaba in Masjid al Haram is located in the holy city of Mecca, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Haram is a holy land area bounded by three sides: three miles on one side, seven miles on the second and nine miles on the third side towards Jeddah. The Holy City of Makkah lies 73 kilometers east of Jeddah. Inside the Haram, it is forbidden to hunt or even bother any living creature. It is not allowed to cut trees, not even grass. It is only permitted to kill dangerous animals such as dogs with rabies and the like of snakes, scorpions, rats, etc.

Mecca to the Muslim world is Makkah, the birthplace of prophet Muhammad, peace is on him. It is also the place of revelation of many chapters of the Muslim scripture, the Holy Quran. Mecca is Bacca in this Holy Quran (3.96 Quran). Bacca is actually the entire valley of Makkah. The Holy Kaaba in Makkah is popularly known as the Masjid al Haram. Actually, the Kaaba is inside the Haram which is also inside the city of Mecca.

Background of the Holy Kaaba

It is believed that the Kaaba was built by the first man on earth, Adam. After it was forgotten for a long long time, it was found and rebuilt by prophet Ibrahim with his son, Ishmael (peace is upon them). That was more than 3,000 years ago. Today, the Kaaba stands in the middle of a complex that is popularly known as Masjid al Haram. To some, the Kaaba itself is also known as Masjid al Haram. It is the place which captures the hearts of more than a billion Muslims all over the world. This number is ever increasing because Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world today.

The Holy Kaaba was the first house ever built for the worship of One and Only God, Allah. That is why it is called “Bait-ul-Ateeq”, meaning the oldest house. It is also called “Bait-Ullah”, meaning House of Allah. Muslims all over the world face towards Kaaba whenever and wherever they offer their five daily prayers and supplications. Muslims have been commanded by the Holy Quran to pay homage to the Holy Kaaba. Suratul Imran, the third chapter of the Holy Quran says of the first House, thus: “Surely, the first House founded for mankind is that at Becca, abounding in blessings and guidance for all peoples. In it is manifesting signs; it is the place of Abraham; and whosoever enters it, enters peace” (3:96-97). Other chapters also mentioned the Kaaba. ”And when We assigned to Ibrahim the place of the House (Kaaba), saying: Do not associate with Me aught, and purify My House for those who make the circuit and stand to pray and bow and prostrate themselves.” (Quran, 22:26). The circuit mention is the Hajj ritual of simply walking around the Holy Kaaba in prayer. The Quran also says of the builders of the Kaaba,”And when Ibrahim and Ishmael raised the foundations of the House (Kaaba): Our Lord! Accept from us; surely Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing.” (Quran, 2:127)

Prophet Ibrahim, peace be on him, founded a community of believers on a valley of a desert land by command of the All-Mighty Allah. He settled on this holy land with his wife, Hajira, and his son, Ishmael. From the progeny of Ishmael would come the greatest prophet, Prophet Muhammad, peace is on him. He was prophesized to be a mercy for all mankind. The teaching that he brought down would be for the whole world and for all times.

Even though there was no sign of any provisions for food at Becca during the time of settlement by prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him, he settled and relied on the merciful provisions of God-Allah. In due time the provisions for food and water came in abundance. Slowly the place was populated and was called Becca. This was the place where Prophet Ibrahim, peace is upon him, found lost signs of the first House of Allah that was originally built by Adam. It was built for worship of the one and only God-Allah. It was then re-built by Prophet Ibrahim with the help of his son. Ishmael. He fervently prayed to Allah to make this house the Place for Humanity. Yet, Prophet Ibrahim’s message of the One God was gradually forgotten and pagan idolaters violated the sacred Kaaba. Only a few kept the faith until Prophet Muhammad (peace is upon him) destroyed the myriad of pagan idols in the Kaaba. The prophet restored order and reestablished the manner of Umrah and Hajj. It should be noted here that the worship of the one God-Allah, known today as Islam, predates the life of Muhammad, peace is on him. Even the Holy Kaaba and the Hajj pilgrimage predates the era of Muhammad, peace is on him. Indeed, the worship of One Almighty God has been the religion of all prophets from Adam to Noah, and to Ibrahim, Ishmael, Moses, and Isa the son of Maryam, and Muhammad, peace is on them.

Around the Kaaba is referred to as Masjid el Haram which includes the rectangular shape of the Kaaba. Pilgrims offer prayers here by facing towards the Kaaba.

The black stone

There is a black stone in one of the corners of the Kaaba. This stone is popularly known as Hajr-e-Aswad. It was probably part of a meteoroid that fell near Mecca. When he was rebuilding the Kaaba, prophet Ibrahim brought the black stone down and placed it inside the Holy Kaaba as a monument. It was prophet Muhammad, peace is on him, and some members of the family of Quraish who placed the black stone in one of the corners of the Holy Kaaba, the place where it is found these days. Kissing the stone is not required but it is not also prohibited. It is optional for anyone and it is not part of the legitimate rituals while performing the Hajj. The stone has no power and it provides neither benefit nor harm to anyone.

There is a small well to the east of the Kaabba known as the Zamzam. There is a small structure in front of the door of the Kaaba which was used by prophet Ibrahim to stand on to complete the walls of the Kaaba. There were two small hills that were located inside the Masjid al Haram. The small hills were still noticeable when I first visited the Holy Kaaba in 1977. Some big stones were still on the hills. I had stepped on them. In my pilgrimage in 1981, I did not notice the two small hills due to more improvements. In my 1986 pilgrimage, I realized that the two small hills were somewhat smoothened if not flattened for convenience.

Improvements of the Masjid al Haram that houses the Holy Kaaba continues through the years. I understand that work on a new project began on September 1988. The project includes an expansion, an addition of a new part to the Masjid al Haram. The area of the expansion floors totaled 76,000 square meters, accommodating some 152,000 worshippers. The expansion also includes furnishing the mosque’s outer yards for prayer, an area totaling 85,000 sq. meters and accommodating 130,000 worshippers. This raised the Sacred Mosque’s total area to about 365,000 square meters, accommodating 773,000 worshippers on normal days and more than one million during Hajj season and the holy month of Ramadan. A new air-conditioning system has been devised with a total capacity of 13,500 cooling tons. New toilets were constructed covering an area of 14,000 sq. meters. The construction includes 1,440 toilets, 1,091 ablution areas and 162 drinking water taps. Separate toilets have been set aside for women.

The area of the basement expansion totaled 20,000 square meters accommodating 33,000 worshippers. The area of the first floor totaled 47,000 square meters, accommodating 77,000 worshippers, the area of the roof after improvements totaled 42,000 square meters, accommodating 90,000 worshippers. There are now 56 escalators. The Tawaf area was tiled with heat-dissipating marble, doors were renewed and a library was established. There are 55,000 lighting lamps. The connecting cables have a combined length of 3.5 kilometers.

Further expansion areas towards Al-Souq includes: basement area 19,000 square meters, accommodating 35,000 worshippers; ground floor area 19,000 square meters, accommodating 35,000 worshippers and first floor 16,000 square meters, accommodating 27,000 worshippers.

The current structure covers an area of 356,800 square meters including the outdoor and indoor praying spaces and can accommodate up to 820,000 worshippers during the Hajj period.

It’s been eleven years since my last visit to the Holy Kaaba. How I long to perform another Hajj pilgrimage again and visit the Holy Kaaba, the center of the Muslim world.

xxxxx

Related article.

My previous blog entitled: “Eidul Adha, a global Muslim Holiday” is very much related to this article. It is actually a part of the historical background of the Kaaba inside Masjid al Haram.

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Eidul Adha, a global Muslim holiday

Sat, 30 Dec 2006 13:47:40 -0600

Eidul Adha, a Muslim global holiday

By Abdel Aziz Dimapunong

Imam, Masjid AlKhairi, Manila, Philippines

Today, December 30, 2006, is a Muslim holiday. The exact date is the corresponding date in the lunar Hijrah calendar which is the tenth day of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah. This holiday is called Eidul Adha to the Arabs, Eid-e Qurban for Persians and Kurban Bayrami for Turkish. The exact spelling is the corresponding Arabic script. If one has to search the Internet about it, the spelling in English could be Eidl Adha, Eid ul Adha, Eid al-Adha, or Eidul Adha.

In my country, the Philippines, Eidul Adha is recognized officially by the Government as a Muslim holiday. By virtue of a law which was recently signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Eidul Adha is now a National Holiday in this country. It is among regular holidays under the Administrative Code. Before the law was signed, Eidul Adha used to be just a holiday for the Muslims only. Witnessed by Muslim legislators and diplomatic personalities from the Organization of Islamic Countries, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed the law last November 13, 2002 at Malacanang Palace. The law also proclaims Eidul Fitr as a Muslim regular holiday in the same way as Eidul Adha. The Eidul Fitr takes its name from the Fitrah which is an obligatory religious Tax (Zakat) to be paid by all financially able Muslims. Fitra becomes due and obligatory upon sighting of the moon of the month of Shawwal and in the Hijrah calendar. Fitra is recommended to be paid before the prayer of Eidul Fitr.

Eidul Adha marks the completion of the annual hajj, the pilgrimage to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. On this occasion, I wish every Muslim a great holiday and I congratulate all who perform the annual hajj this year. At the end of the Hajj, Muslims throughout the world celebrate the holiday of Eidul Adha.

Eidul Adha is also known as the Festival of Sacrifice. The sacrifice is called Qurban. It lasts for three days and commemorates Ibrahim's (Abraham) willingness to obey God-Allah by offering to sacrifice his son, Ishmael. It was with a heavy heart that Abraham agreed to sacrifice his son but he was ready to show his loyalty to his Lord. The feeling of Abraham's son, Ishmael, was also the same as that of his father. Both of them were committed to follow the commandment of God-Allah. Abraham drew his knife to slaughter his son but just as the knife drew near, God-Allah intervened and Ibrahim's son was replaced by a sheep. Ibrahim and Ishmael were was so happy that they were relieved when they saw that it was a sheep that was slaughtered. Ishmael was safe. God-Allah had asked Ibrahim to sacrifice his son to test his faith in Islam and when Abraham proved that he was willing to do it, God-Allah did not need him to commit the slaughter of his beloved son. Being obedient to God-Allah, Ibrahim is described in the Holy Quran as follows: "Surely Abraham was an example, obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the polytheists. He was grateful for Our bounties. We chose him and guided him unto a right path. We gave him good in this world, and in the next he will most surely be among the righteous." (Qur'an 16:120-121)

The Feast of Sacrifice re-enacts Ibrahim's obedience to God-Allah. It is done by pilgrims and all Muslims by sacrificing a cow, a ram, or a goat. The family eats about a third of the meal and donates the rest to the poor.

During the Hajj, the pilgrims perform rituals in remembrance and in commemoration of the trials and triumphs of Prophet Ibrahim, peace is on him.

Ibrahim’s trial was to face the command of Allah to kill his son, Ishmael, as a sacrifice. Upon hearing this command, he prepared to submit to Allah's will. When he was all prepared to do it, Allah revealed to him that his offer for sacrifice had already been fulfilled. He had shown that his love for his Lord was above all and everything else, that he would lay down his own life or his son in order to submit to God-Allah.

During the celebration of Eid al-Adha, all Muslims commemorate Ibrahim's trial by slaughtering an animal such as a cow, sheep, camel, or goat. The meat from the sacrifice of Eid al-Adha is mostly given away to others. One-third is for the family and relatives, two-thirds for others, especially to the poor. The act symbolizes a Muslim’s willingness to give certain things, in order to follow Allah's commands. It also symbolizes a Muslim’s willingness to give up one’s own bounties in order to strengthen ties of friendship and help those who are in need.

On the morning of every Eidul Adha, Muslims around the world attend morning prayers at their local mosques or any suitable places. Eidul Adha begins with a short prayer (Salat) followed by a sermon (Kutbah) that is delivered by the Imam. For the pilgrims in Makkah, the sermon is delivered from Mount Arafat. For others, prayers are followed by visits with family and friends, and the exchange of greetings and gifts.

The charitable practices of the Muslim community are demonstrated during Eidul Adha by the concerted effort to see that no impoverished Muslim is left without sacrificial food during this day. On his last pilgrimage, Prophet Muhammad, peace is on him, pronounced the final seal on the religion of Islam, coming immediately after the Day of Mount Arafat. The day before Eid al-Adha is the Day of Arafat' or the Day of Hajj when millions of Muslims make the journey to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to perform a pilgrimage of religious rites known as the Hajj.

Virtually all of the rites and rituals of Hajj are based on the actions of Prophet Abraham. These acts were re-implemented by Prophet Muhammad, peace is on him. Even the Kaa'ba, also known as Masjid El Harram, in Makkah was originally built by Abraham and his two sons. Masjid El Harram is now a huge complex. Within this complex Masjid is located a holy plinth to remind pilgrims of Prophet Ibrahim and Ishmael.

During Eidul Adha, Muslims greet each other by saying "Eid Mubarak". On this occasion, may I say Eid Mubarak to everyone.

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