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Assalaamu `Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa
Barakaatuhu
Dear Brother Osama,
This is the umpteenth time I have received this
posting so I have decided write to you and to post it to all the yahoogroups in
the hope you and our brothers and sisters in Islam will cease and desist in
forwarding the following claim, in shaa`Allaah:
- quote: MOST OF US USE THE SPELLING MAKKAH AS MECCA.THE WORD MECCA MEANS SHARAB
KHANA OR PROSTITUTE CENTRE THIS IS MODIFIED BY ISLAM'S ENEMIES... IT'S A HUGE
PLAN BE CAREFUL WRITE MAKKAH DON'T WRITE MECCA PLEASE... PLEASE FORWARD THIS BY
EVERY MEANS OF COMMUNICATION TO EACH AND EVERY MUSLIM BROTHER IF U R A TRUE
MUSLIM. -
unquote.
I found two websites (see
below) which published the article entitled "Makkah - Not
'Mecca'" explaining the incorrect usuage of the
name 'Mecca' for the West's un-Islamic enterprises. However,
there was no mention whatsoever that
'Mecca' means "prostitute center." In Arabic the word for 'prostitute
house' is Bayt ul Iqhaab.
Those who forwarded this statement should be asked to
provide the daleel (evidence) that
the word Mecca means "prostitute centre."
As for the spelling of the name, for most anglophones, Mecca has long been the accepted spelling for the Holy City. The word is a transliteration of the original Arabic, and has become part of the English language. The word Mecca now refers to more than just the geographical location (i.e. not only the Holy City in Saudi Arabia) , and is used to describe any center of activity sought or converged upon by a group of people with a common interest. Las Vegas, for example, is sometimes described as 'the Mecca of gambling,' and 'Mecca Bingo' a division of The Rank Group Plc., which Muslims find these out-of-context uses very offensive. Mecca is also used in the names of the following:
However, in an effort to distinguish
between the metaphorical and official references to the holy
site, the Saudi Arabian government in the 1980s began promoting a new
transliteration, 'Makkah al-Mukarramah' ( مكة المكرمة), which is closer to the original Arabic. While
this new usage has been officially adopted by the U.S. Department of State (http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3584.htm), its spread is still incipient among anglophones at
large (i.e. it is not part of the
active vocabulary of English-speakers.) So Muslims who forward the claim
that Mecca means "prostitute
centre," should seriously question themselves why was
there no public condemnation from Saudi Arabia when anglophones
first started using the word "Mecca" for example when the
British explorer Sir Richard Burton in 1853
disguised himself as an Afghan Muslim to visit and write his "Personal
Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al Madinah and Mecca?" Muslims should
also be mindful that by transmitting this rumour, they
may find themselves falling foul to the designs of the enemies of
Islam. It just simply makes Muslims appear ridiculous and
irresponsible forwarding such nonsense. All Muslims are responsible for
setting things straight - by what they say, write and transmit.
Quote: Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (hafidahullaah) relates: "Allaah - the Majestic, the Most High - orders us to verify any news that reaches us concerning a group or party from amongst the Muslims, when an evil news reaches us which necessitates fighting or opposing this group. Allaah - the Mighty, the Most High - orders us not be hasty and rush into this affair, until we have verified the matter. Allaah - the Most Perfect - says:
Meaning: If some news reaches you about a group or party from amongst the people, concerning an action that they have done and which deserves to be fought against, then do not be hasty about the matter, nor announce war against them, nor attack them - until you have verified the authenticity of the report." (Wujoobut-Tathbbat fil-Akhbaari wa Ihtiraamil-'Ulemaa, pp. 22-23) Imaam Muslim related in the
introduction to his Saheeh
(no.5): Aboo Hurayrah (radiyallaahu anhu) states
that the Prophet, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam said: "It is enough to
render a man a liar that he relates everything he hears." Shaykh Alee Hasan al-Halabee said: The daaee (caller) must be careful in
everything, particularly in regards to what he hears from people, or what he
reads in books. So it is an
obligation upon him to check and verify everything which reaches his ears or
eyes, before spreading it and circulating it amongst the people. His carefulness will be increased with
regards to two cases:
Firstly: When what is being conveyed to him
is connected to the Religion and the Shareeah, such as something being
quoted as a hadeeth, or a fiqh ruling, and its like.
Secondly: If someone reports something bad about a person, or an
evil word from someone. He must
check its correctness, carefully find out the reality and what is correct, and
not hasten to transmit it and add it to the stream of news! (Source: Arbaoon Hadeethan fid-Dawah wad-Duaat
p. 63) In closing I would
like to remind you, our brothers and sisters in Islam and myself, what
Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala tells us: "And do not follow (blindly) any
information of which you have no direct knowledge. (Using your faculties of
perception and conception, you must verify it for yourself). In the Court of
your Lord, you will be held accountable for your hearing, sight, and the faculty
of reasoning." (Al Israa 17:36 - interpretation of the meaning)
Fee Amaanillah,
Your sister,
K a r i m a
__________________________
[1] Mecca-Cola
was launched in France, in November 2002, by
entrepreneur Tawfik Mathlouthi, as a means of aiding Palestinians by tapping
into demand for alternative products in European countries. He had been inspired
by a similar Iranian product, Zam Zam Cola, which was already successful in
Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and in fact only decided to launch his own brand when
he was unable to agree on terms for a distribution contract with Zam Zam.
Mecca-Cola in turn inspired the creation of Qibla Cola in the United
Kingdom.
MAKKAH - NOT "MECCA" It is increasingly being observed with a degree of concern that all kinds of businesses are (mis-)using the name "Mecca". "Motor-Mecca", "The Mecca Group", etc. It should be respectfully pointed out to such persons that the use of the word "Mecca" to name their businesses is regarded as offensive to Muslims. A billion and a half Muslims, the world over, hold this holy city in the highest regard and veneration. To desecrate the name of this holy city by abusing it in this fashion is not acceptable. Protests On an international level, Muslims are offended by this practice. Recently, The British Rank Corporation which owns a chain of gambling and entertainment shops under the name of "Mecca", removed the name from its shop fronts as a result of protests from British Muslims. Muslims of Luton in the UK had protested against the defamatory use of the name of this holy city. It must be noted, that Saudi Arabia had officially changed the spelling of the name of this city to "Makkah" a few years ago due to the derogatory usage of the word by the Western media and Western authors. In most cases it is done out of ignorance, not deliberately. If pointed out politely but firmly, most companies respond favourably by changing the name. Muslims should also be encouraged to adopt the proper spelling of Makkah, rather than the old, incorrect "mecca" version. Madinah should rather be spelt as Madinah rather than being spelt as "medina". Principals and educators of educational institutions such as Madrasahs, Islamic Schools, academies, Muslim writers, authors, researchers, scholars are to be encouraged to use the correct spelling. Muslims have a duty to be vigilant and decisive in acting against anything that may be deemed sacrilegious, blasphemous or disrespectful to Islam or Muslims all over the world. Every town, city, province, country should have a dedicated and committed group of people to fulfil this important "watch-dog" role for the sake of the Ummah and Islam. Mufti Zubair Bayat
*************************************************************************** {Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125) {And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33) The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all." [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] -------------------------------------------------------------------------- All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in any way reflect the official views of IslamCity unless sanctioned or approved otherwise. If your mailbox clogged with mails from IslamCity, you may wish to get a daily digest of emails by logging-on to http://www.yahoogroups.com to change your mail delivery settings or email the moderators at [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the title "change to daily digest".
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