At-Tawaf (Circumambulating the Ka`bah) and other things!

More than fifteen years ago an American young man entered Turkey and he had in possession a piece of narcotic substance for personal use, but the customs officer discovered it. The American young man was caught, sentenced, and jailed. As the relations between the two countries were tense at that time; the issue was used politically between the two countries.

That story was turned into a movie that got the most famous award after the Oscar. The most important is that the movie contained many abuses for Muslims and their religion!

The Westerners are still bearing in their hearts a lot of hatred toward the Turks because the Ottomans had eradicated the Byzantine Empire, turned its capital Constantinople to Istanbul, and had taken Istanbul as the capital of the Ottoman Islamic Caliphate. Turkey was the country that shook the thrones of Europe on its way toward the West until it reached the heart of Europe, besieged Vienna, the capital of Austria. Had it been for the rebellion of the Safavids in Iran against the Islamic Caliphate, history would have taken another course, "but (you met) that Allâh might accomplish a matter already ordained (in His Knowledge)." [Surat Anfal: 42].

The complex of the Turks was precipitated in the minds of the Westerners over time, which is evident in their writings, movies, and their political and economic stances.

Turkey —in the minds of the Westerners— is synonymous with Islam, therefore you see them describe some Islamic rituals as Turkish rituals; they say, for example: "The Turkish Hijab!" Secularists in our countries call the era of chastity and purity, "the era of the harem!" because the Westerners call it: "The Age of Turkish harem!"

Despite the tremendous efforts made by "Ataturk" to alienate Turkey and skin it from its Islamic identity, starting from fighting the Arabic language which is the language of the Qur'an, passing by prohibiting men to wear Islamic clothes and women to wear Hijab, and ending by harassing Muslims. Despite the tremendous efforts exerted in that course and Turkey's heading to secularism, the complex of the Ottomans remains in the Westerners' minds and the grudge of history is still in their hearts. This is the main reason which incites the European countries to reject Turkey's joining to the EU, which is useful for Turkey and its Muslim people.

In that movie, the American addict appeared as a hero to draw people's sympathy for him as well as all the American criminals who spend their sentence in Turkish prisons.

As for the Turks, they showed up in the worst form, starting from politicians, passing by the commander of the prison and the guards, and ending by prisoners themselves whom were described by the ugliest qualities such as the abuse of power, corruption, bribery, mental and intellectual disorder, effeminacy, and homosexuality.

However, the events of the movie are taking place in Turkey, its makers shoved a low song in Arabic to show the Turkish prisoners swaying like debauched dancers.

The events of the movie were very irritating, but what I have mentioned earlier was in one scale and what I am going to say is in another.

In one of the prison courtyards, the prisoners built a column in the middle and wore clothes like Ihram and started to go around it while humming with strange words.

The hero stopped to watch this scene with amazement, and when he was informed by his friends that this was an act of worship, he started to cast accusations of ignorance and stupidity, then he walked angrily between the masses of Ta'ifin (the prisoners who were circumambulating the Column) trying to push them to the opposite direction. He exclaimed: "O fools, you are running against clockwise!" "You are running out of time and time will cast you out of life!" "Wake up. Wake up!".

That scene was very humiliating for me and for my rituals and I felt a deep hatred to those Westerners who mock at the rituals of my religion.

The clockwise rotation is not moving the time, but it is an indication to the passage of time. Moreover, the rotation direction is not inevitable but it was the choice of those who created the clock. If they had chosen rotation in the other direction, nobody would have objected. As for the circumambulation around the Ka`bah, it was not the choice of Muslims but it is the command of the Lord of the world who commanded Muslims to follow His Instructions.

Modern science has proven that the earth rotates a full circle around its pivot every 24 hours which causes the alternation of night and day i.e., the passage of time which is against clockwise; and that is exactly what Muslims do around the Ka`bah; so who is going out of time?!

Modern science has proven that the earth rotates around the sun once a year which causes the alternation of the four seasons, and that is also in harmony with the Muslims' circulation around the Ka`bah; so who is going out of time?

Furthermore, the sun and its solar group, the rest of the solar group in our galaxy, and all galaxies, which have been discovered, rotate against clockwise in harmony with the Muslims' circulation around the Ka`bah.

I have told that explanation to one of the Westerners who tried to philosophize the matter and said: This is true but if we look at the earth as Muslims do, but if we revearse the matter, the rotation shall be in harmony with clockwise.

I said to him: To match the clockwise or not; this is not important but what I care for is that the circulation of Muslims is in harmony with the general rotation of the entire universe.

This apparent harmony between the rotation of the universe and the circulation of Muslims around the Ka`bah is useful in addressing the people whether Westerners or orientalists, but it is not the only harmony; there is more. A believing person knows that the one who obeys Allah (Glory be to Him) is in harmony with the entire universe as Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, glorify Him and there is not a thing but glorifies His Praise. But you understand not their glorification." [Surat Isra: 44].

Allah also says: "Then He rose over (Istawâ) towards the heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth: "Come both of you willingly or unwillingly." They both said: "We come willingly."" [Surat Fussilat: 11].

As for the infidel, who denies the divinity of his Lord, he goes against the current and against the entire universe!

No wonder that his rank in the world shall be lower than animals as Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "They are like cattle, nay even more astray;" [Surat Al A`raf: 179].

No wonder that those people shall wish to be in the ranks of animals on the Day of Recompense as Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "and the disbeliever will say: "I wish I would have been dust!"" [Surat An-Naba': 40].

The story of the fake hero ended after several years when he died of AIDS!

As for the believers about whom Allah says: "and circumambulate the Ancient House (the Ka'bah at Makkah). * That (Manâsik - prescribed duties of Hajj is the obligation that mankind owes to Allâh), and whoever honours the sacred things of Allâh, then that is better for him with his Lord." [Surat Al Hajj: 29-30], their story with the disbelievers do not end here but Allah narrated to us their story, where He says: "These two opponents (believers and disbelievers) dispute with each other about their Lord: then as for those who disbelieved, garments of fire will be cut out for them, boiling water will be poured down over their heads.* With it will melt (or vanish away) what is within their bellies, as well as (their) skins. * And for them are hooked rods of iron (to punish them). * Every time they seek to get away therefrom, from anguish, they will be driven back therein, and (it will be) said to them: "Taste the torment of burning!" * Truly, Allâh will admit those who believe (in the Oneness of Allâh - Islâmic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, to Gardens underneath which rivers flow (in Paradise), wherein they will be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls and their garments therein will be of silk." [Surat Al Hajj: 19-23].