Mecca and Jinn in the Qur'an and the Bible
Question:
Dear Sir, Salam
1. If Mecca, established by Ibrahim (AS) was to be a central city for mankind to rally around, why don't we find any reference to it in the Old Testament and none of the Biblical Messengers made it an essential site for pilgrimage?
2. Do we find any references to Jinns in the Old or New Testament?
Answer:
Salam,
1. Mecca was initially only the worship centre of the local people (at the time of Ibrahim - pbuh) and Bani Ishmael. It was only after coming of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) that as a symbol of changing the chosen nation from Bani Israel to Bani Ishmael, Muslims were instructed to stand in the direction of Ka'bah (in Mecca). It is therefore not expected to see directives about pilgrimage to Mecca in the Old and the New Testament.
The Qur'an has closely linked the directive to stand towards Ka'bah to the fact that Bani Ishamel has chosen (in place of bani Israel) to be witness to the truth for the rest of the people:
... وَ كَذَالِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُواْ شهَُدَاءَ عَلىَ النَّاسِ وَ يَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا
"and (just as We made the Ka‘bah your Qiblah) in a similar manner, We have made you an intermediate people so that you may bear witness upon all the people and the Prophet of God may bear witness upon you ..."
Having said that I suggest you read the book "Isaac or Ismael" by Abdus Sattar Ghauri. In this book the author argues based on his extensive research that there are references to Mecca and Ka'ba in the Old Testament (OT) that are often ignored or misinterpreted by the Biblical scholars. I summarize some of the conclusions of the author:
- The Well known as Beer-Sheba that is mentioned a number of times in the OT is in fact Zam Zam in Mecca.
- The name Baka (or Baca) in the Bible is in fact Hebrew for Mecca (this is why in the Qur'an, 3:96, Mecca is called Bakka, to get the attention of the People of the Book in Arabia). In Psalms 84th we read the Prophet David's (pbuh) pilgrimage to Baka. This (Psalms 84) is a very nice piece, showing the love and respect of David (pbuh) for Baka,
- Isaiah chapter 60 is in fact referring to offering sacrifice at Mecca (there is a long research based discussion by the author to prove this).
- The mountain of Moriah in the Bible that is the place where Ibrahim (pbuh) wanted to sacrifice Ismael (pbuh) is in fact the same as Marwah in Mecca.
2. There are references in the the Bible to satanic spirits or demons. Many of these, if not all, can be easily interpreted to be the same as Jinn, as introduced by the Qur'an. Some of the verses are as follows:
- Deuteronomy, 32:17: They sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known, to new gods that had come recently, whom your fathers had never dreaded.
- Psalm 106:37: They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons;
- Leveticus, 19:31 Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
- Leveticus, 20:6: I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people.
- 1Samuel 28:3: Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah.Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.
- Matthew 9:32: While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus.
- Matthew 9:33: And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."
- Matthew 9:34: But the Pharisees said, "It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons."
- Luke 11:15: But some of them said, "By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons."
- Luke 11:19: Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.
- Luke 11:20: But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
- Luke 9:1: When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases.
- Luke 8:31: And they (demons) begged him [Jesus] repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.
- Matthew 17:18: Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.
You may be interested to know that in some of the Arabic translations of the Bible, some of the words of Demon or Spirits in the above verses are translated as Jinn.
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March 2013
Dear Sir, Salam
1. If Mecca, established by Ibrahim (AS) was to be a central city for mankind to rally around, why don't we find any reference to it in the Old Testament and none of the Biblical Messengers made it an essential site for pilgrimage?
2. Do we find any references to Jinns in the Old or New Testament?
Answer:
Salam,
1. Mecca was initially only the worship centre of the local people (at the time of Ibrahim - pbuh) and Bani Ishmael. It was only after coming of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) that as a symbol of changing the chosen nation from Bani Israel to Bani Ishmael, Muslims were instructed to stand in the direction of Ka'bah (in Mecca). It is therefore not expected to see directives about pilgrimage to Mecca in the Old and the New Testament.
The Qur'an has closely linked the directive to stand towards Ka'bah to the fact that Bani Ishamel has chosen (in place of bani Israel) to be witness to the truth for the rest of the people:
... وَ كَذَالِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُواْ شهَُدَاءَ عَلىَ النَّاسِ وَ يَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا
"and (just as We made the Ka‘bah your Qiblah) in a similar manner, We have made you an intermediate people so that you may bear witness upon all the people and the Prophet of God may bear witness upon you ..."
Having said that I suggest you read the book "Isaac or Ismael" by Abdus Sattar Ghauri. In this book the author argues based on his extensive research that there are references to Mecca and Ka'ba in the Old Testament (OT) that are often ignored or misinterpreted by the Biblical scholars. I summarize some of the conclusions of the author:
- The Well known as Beer-Sheba that is mentioned a number of times in the OT is in fact Zam Zam in Mecca.
- The name Baka (or Baca) in the Bible is in fact Hebrew for Mecca (this is why in the Qur'an, 3:96, Mecca is called Bakka, to get the attention of the People of the Book in Arabia). In Psalms 84th we read the Prophet David's (pbuh) pilgrimage to Baka. This (Psalms 84) is a very nice piece, showing the love and respect of David (pbuh) for Baka,
- Isaiah chapter 60 is in fact referring to offering sacrifice at Mecca (there is a long research based discussion by the author to prove this).
- The mountain of Moriah in the Bible that is the place where Ibrahim (pbuh) wanted to sacrifice Ismael (pbuh) is in fact the same as Marwah in Mecca.
2. There are references in the the Bible to satanic spirits or demons. Many of these, if not all, can be easily interpreted to be the same as Jinn, as introduced by the Qur'an. Some of the verses are as follows:
- Deuteronomy, 32:17: They sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known, to new gods that had come recently, whom your fathers had never dreaded.
- Psalm 106:37: They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons;
- Leveticus, 19:31 Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
- Leveticus, 20:6: I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people.
- 1Samuel 28:3: Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah.Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.
- Matthew 9:32: While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus.
- Matthew 9:33: And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."
- Matthew 9:34: But the Pharisees said, "It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons."
- Luke 11:15: But some of them said, "By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons."
- Luke 11:19: Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.
- Luke 11:20: But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
- Luke 9:1: When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases.
- Luke 8:31: And they (demons) begged him [Jesus] repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.
- Matthew 17:18: Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.
You may be interested to know that in some of the Arabic translations of the Bible, some of the words of Demon or Spirits in the above verses are translated as Jinn.
-------------
March 2013
