Hijr Isma'il: Difference between revisions

Hijr Isma'il is the semicircular area on the northwest side of [[Ka'ba]], in front of the gold gutter.<ref>Kurdi, ''Al-Tarikh al-qawim'', vol. 2, p. 569.</ref>

Hijr Isma'il is marked by a wall with a height of 1.32 meters and a width of 1.52 meters. The distance of this wall from the [[gold gutter]] is nearly 6.80 meters and it covers an area of 8.44 square meters between the [[al-Rukn al-'Iraqi]] and the al-Rukn al-Shami.<ref>Raf'at Pasha. ''Mir'at al-ḥaramayn'', vol. 1, p. 266; Kurdi, ''Al-Tarikh al-qawim'', vol. 2, p. 576.</ref>

Based on religious traditions, Hijr Isma'il dates back to the time of the construction of the [[Ka'ba]] by [[Ibrahim(a)]]. There are different and sometimes conflicting reports about the reason for the Hijr's construction. Some reports show that [[Isma'il(s)]] took shelter from the scorching sun in this part.<ref>Qa'idan, ''Tarikh wa athar-i Islami Makka wa Madina'', p. 117.</ref> and probably Hijr is introduced as his house.<ref>Kulayni, ''Al-Kafi'', vol. 4, p. 210.</ref> Other narrations have attributed the construction of the first Hijr to Prophet Abraham(s), to protect the Isma'il's sheep.<ref>Azraqī, ''Akhbār Makka'', Vol. 1, pp. 64-65; Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, ''Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa'', vol. 13, p. 355.</ref>

Islamic narrations have reported that some prophets are buried in Hijr Isma'il without mentioning their names. According to these reports, Isma'il, his mother [[Hajar]], and some of his daughters were buried there.<ref>Kulayni, ''Al-Kafi'', vol. 4, p. 210; Ibn Hishām, ''al-Sīra al-Nabawīyya'', vol. 1, p. 5.</ref>

Hijr Isma'il has always attracted the attention of the people of Mecca. There are reports of [['Abd al-Muttalib]] sittings in Hijr Isma'il,<ref>Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 1, p. 82.</ref> disputes between the Prophet Muhammad(s) and polytheists of [[Quraysh]] in this place,<ref>Ibn Hishām, ''al-Sīra al-Nabawīyya'', vol. 1, pp. 289-290.</ref> and also the gathering of polytheists to decide on his assassination.<ref>Waqidi, ''Al-Maghazi'', vol. 1, p. 125.</ref> Numerous dreams are attributed to figures such as 'Abd al-Muttalib<ref>Ibn Hishām, ''al-Sīra al-Nabawīyya'', vol. 1, p. 142; Ibn Kathīr, ''al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya'', Vol. 2, p. 244. </ref> and the Prophet(s) in Hijr Isma'il<ref>Ibn Ṭāwūs, ''Saʿd al-suʿūd li-l-nufūs'', p. 100; Majlisi, Biḥar al-anwar, vol. 18, p. 317.</ref> showing that this place was suitable for resting after worship.

Reports that Hijr Isma'il was the starting point of the [[Ascension]] of the Prophet(s),<ref>Ibn Ṭāwūs, ''Saʿd al-suʿūd li-l-nufūs'', p. 100; Majlisi, Biḥar al-anwar, vol. 18, p. 317</ref> the place of some of his speeches,<ref>Qummi, ''Tafsir al-Qummi'', vol. 1, p. 379.</ref> and Shia imams on various occasions were staying and praying in the place<ref>ʿAyyāshī, ''Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī'', vol. 2, p. 337; Tusi, Al-Ghayba. , p. 259; Ṣaffar, Baṣa'ir al-darajat p. 373.</ref> shows the prominent position of Hijr Isma'il among religious figures.

Some scholars, citing a hadith attributed to [[Prophet Muhammad(s)]] addressed to [['A'isha]]<ref>Khuzaymah,Ṣaḥiḥ ibn Khuzaimah , vol. 2, p. 1413; Muslim Nayshaburi, ''Ṣaḥiḥ Muslim'', vol. 2, p. 968.</ref> believe that a portion of the current Hijr Isma'il was a part of the [[Ka'ba]], which became the inner Hijr due to the financial inability of the [[Quraysh]] to rebuild the Ka'ba completely in the fifth year before [[Bi'tha]] (605CE).<ref>Kurdi,''Al-Tarikh al-qawim'', vol. 2, p. 573.</ref> They have even considered the naming as hijr to be after the stones marking it as a part of the Ka'ba to prevent people from entering it while doing tawaf.<ref>Ḥamawī, ''Muʿjam al-buldān'', vol. 2, p. 221.</ref>

[['Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr]] in 64/683-4 while [[rebuilding the Ka'ba]], added the mentioned part to the building of the Ka'ba, but [[al-Hajjaj b. Yusuf]] by the permission of [['Abd al-Malik b. Marwan]] (Ruled: 65/684-5-86/705) in 74/693-4 restored the building of the [[Ka'ba]] to its previous form.<ref>Rusta, ''Al-a'laq al-nafisa'', p. 30;   Azraqī, ''Akhbār Makka'', Vol. 1, p. 214.</ref> The region of Hijr Isma'il has remained the same since then.

According to sources Hijr Isma'il was paved in 140/757-8 by the order of [[al-Mansur al-'Abbasi]](Ruled: 136/754-158/775<ref>Azraqī, ''Akhbār Makka'', vol. 1, p. 313; Sanjārī, ''Manāʾiḥ al-karam'', vol. 2, p. 92.</ref> and reconstructed in 164/780-1 by the order of [[al-Mahdi al-'Abbasi]] (Rulde: 158/775-169/785-6).<ref>Azraqī, ''Akhbār Makka'', Vol 1, pp. 313-314; Kurdi, ''Al-Tarikh al-qawim'', vol. 2, p. 579.</ref> Other renovations were done in 1040/1630-1, 1260/1844-5 and 1283/1866-7 during the period of the Ottomans.<ref>Kurdi, ''Al-Tarikh al-qawim'', vol. 2, p. 579.</ref>

Shia and Sunni jurists have disputed the method of [[tawaf]] and the obligatory and recommended prayers at Hijr Isma'il. The disagreement is rooted in the difference in their views on whether Hijr Isma'il is a part of the [[Ka'ba]].<ref>PurAmini, Hijr Isma'il. pp. 42-61;    Quarterly magazine of Miqat-I Hajj. vol. 8, p. 111.</ref>

Shia scholars have unanimously placed Hijr Isma'il inside the tawaf area, and in case someone enters Hijr Isma'il while doing tawaf, the Shi'a jurists have ruled that he has to do tawaf from the beginning.<ref>Tusi,''Al-Khilaf'', vol. 2, p. 324; Majma' al-fa'ida wa al-burhan, Vol. 7, p. 79.</ref> Among Sunni jurists only Abu Hanifa believes that entering Hijr Isma'il does not disturb the tawaf.<ref>Shafi'i, ''Al-Umm'', vol. 2, p. 193; kaludhani, ''Al-Hidaya'', p. 190.</ref>

* kaludhani, Abu al-khattab al-.''Al-Hidaya 'Ala madhhab al-imam Aḥmad''. Edited by 'Abd al-Latif Hamim and Mahir Yasin al-faḥl, [n.p], Mu'assisa Gharras, 1425 AH.

*Khuzaymah, Muḥammad b. ''Ṣaḥiḥ ibn Khuzaimah''. Edited by Muḥammad Muṣtafa al-a'zami,  Beirut: al-Maktab al-Islami, 1424 AH.

*Khwarizmi, Muwaffaq b. Aḥmad al-. ''Al-Manaqib''. Edited by Malik Mahmudi. Qom: 1414 AH.

*Kulayni, Muḥammad b. Ya'qub al-. ''Al-Kafi''. Edited by Najm al-Din al-Amuli. Tehran: Al-Maktabat al-Islamiyya, 1388 AH.:

*Kurdi, Muḥammad Tahir. ''Al-Tarikh al-qawim li Makka wa bayt Allah al-karim''. Beirut: 1420 AH.

*Majlisi, Muḥammad Baqir al-. ''Biḥar al-anwar al-jami'a li-durar akhbar al-a'immat al-athar''. Third edition. Beirut: Dar Iḥya' al-Turath al-'Arabi, 1403 AH.

*Muqaddas Ardibili, Aḥmad b. Muḥammad. ''Majma' al-fa'ida wa al-burhan fi sharḥ irshad al-adhhan''. Edited by Mujtaba Iraqi, 'Alipanah Ishtihardi and Husayn Yazdi Iṣfahani. Qom: 1st volume, 1403/ volume 11, 1414 AH.

*Nawawi, Yaḥya b. Sharaf. ''Ṣaḥiḥ al-Muslim bi sharḥ al-Nawawi''. Beirut: 1407 AH.:

*PurAmini, Muḥammad Amin. ''Hijr Isma'il''. Tehran: Intisharat-i Mash'ar, 1388 sh.

*Qa'idan, Aṣghar. ''Tarikh wa athar-i Islami Makka wa Madina''. 4th edition. Qom: Nashr-i Mash'ar, 1381 Sh

*Quarterly magazine of Miqat-I Hajj. Tehran: Representation of the Leader in matters of Hajj and pilgrimage.

*Qummi, 'Ali b. Ibrahim al-. ''Tafsir al-Qummi''. Edited by Tayyib Musawi Jaza'ri. Qom: Dar al-Kitab, 1404 AH.

*Raf'at Pasha, Ibrahim. ''Mir'at al-ḥaramayn''. Tehran: Mash'ar,[n.d].

*Rusta, Aḥmad b. 'Umar . ''Al-a'laq al-nafisah''. Beirut: Dar Ṣadir, 1892.

*Ṣaffar, Muḥammad b. Hasan. ''Baṣa'ir al-darajat fi faḍa'il-i Al-i Muḥammad''. Edited by Muḥsin Kuchabaghi. Qom: Kitabkhana-yi Ayat Allah al-Mar'ashi, 1404 AH.

*Shafi'i, Muḥammad b. Idris. ''Al-Umm''. Beirut: 1403 AH

*Tusi, Muḥammad b. al-Haasn al-. ''Al-Khilaf''. Edited by 'Ali Khurasani et.al. Qom: Daftar-i Intisharat-i Islami, 1407 AH.

*Tusi, Muḥammad b. al-Hasan al-. ''Al-Ghayba''. Edited by 'Ibad Allah Tihrani and 'Ali Aḥmad Naṣiḥ. Qom: Mu'assisat al-Ma'arif al-Islamiyya, 1411 AH.

*Waqidi, Muḥammad b. 'Umar al-. ''Al-Maghazi''. Translated to Farsi by Maḥmud Mahdawi Damghani. 2nd edition. Tehran: Markaz-i Nashr-i Danishgahi, 1388 Sh.