Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah — Volume 2Burton, Richard Francis, Sir
Islamic
Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah — Volume 2
Burton, Richard Francis, Sir
Arabian Peninsula -- Description and travel
2. There is considerable contradiction concerning the second house. Kaab
related that Allah sent down with Adam[FN#62] a Khaymah, or tabernacle
of hollow ruby, which the angels raised on stone pillars. This was also
called Bayt al-Maamur. Adam received an order to compass it about; after
which, he begged a reward for obedience, and was promised a pardon to
himself and to all his progeny who repent.
Others declare that Adam, expelled from Paradise, and lamenting that he
no longer heard the prayers of the angels, was ordered by Allah to take
the stones of five hills, Lebanon, Sinai, Tur Zayt (Olivet), Ararat,
and Hira, which afforded the first stone. Gabriel, smiting his wing
upon earth, opened a foundation to the seventh layer, and the position
of the building is exactly below the heavenly Bayt al-Maamur,a Moslem
corruption of the legends concerning the heavenly and the earthly
Jerusalem. Our First Father circumambulated it as he had seen the
angels do, and was by them taught the formula of prayer and the number
of circuits.
According to others, again, this second house was not erected till
after the Angelic Foundation was destroyed by time.
3. The history of the third house is also somewhat
[p.321] confused. When the Bayt al-Maamur, or, as others say, the
tabernacle, was removed to heaven after Adams death, a stone-and-mud
building was placed in its stead by his son Shays (Seth). For this
reason it is respected by the Sabaeans, or Christians of St. John, as
well as by the Moslems. This Kaabah, according to some, was destroyed by
the deluge, which materially altered its site. Others believe that it
was raised to heaven. Others, again, declare that only the pillars
supporting the heavenly tabernacle were allowed to remain. Most
authorities agree in asserting that the Black Stone was stored up in
Abu Kubays, whence that first created of mountains is called Al-Amin, the
Honest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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