`Umar Creates Bid`ah by Moving Maqaam Ibraahim

Here is a great article by Zeshan Zaveri (zzaveri from shaichat)

 مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَدْ أَدْرَكْتَ الْحُسَيْنَ ع قَالَ نَعَمْ أَذْكُرُ وَ أَنَا مَعَهُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَ قَدْ دَخَلَ فِيهِ السَّيْلُ وَ النَّاسُ يَقُومُونَ عَلَى الْمَقَامِ يَخْرُجُ الْخَارِجُ يَقُولُ قَدْ ذَهَبَ بِهِ السَّيْلُ وَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْخَارِجُ فَيَقُولُ هُوَ مَكَانَهُ قَالَ فَقَالَ لِي يَا فُلَانُ مَا صَنَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ فَقُلْتُ أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ يَخَافُونَ أَنْ يَكُونَ السَّيْلُ قَدْ ذَهَبَ بِالْمَقَامِ فَقَالَ نَادِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى قَدْ جَعَلَهُ عَلَماً لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَذْهَبَ بِهِ فَاسْتَقِرُّوا وَ كَانَ مَوْضِعُ الْمَقَامِ الَّذِي وَضَعَهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ع عِنْدَ جِدَارِ الْبَيْتِ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ هُنَاكَ حَتَّى حَوَّلَهُ أَهْلُ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ إِلَى الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي هُوَ فِيهِ الْيَوْمَ فَلَمَّا فَتَحَ النَّبِيُّ ص مَكَّةَ رَدَّهُ إِلَى الْمَوْضِعِ الَّذِي وَضَعَهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ع فَلَمْ يَزَلْ هُنَاكَ إِلَى أَنْ وَلِيَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ فَسَأَلَ النَّاسَ مَنْ مِنْكُمْ يَعْرِفُ الْمَكَانَ الَّذِي كَانَ فِيهِ الْمَقَامُ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ أَنَا قَدْ كُنْتُ أَخَذْتُ مِقْدَارَهُ بِنِسْعٍ فَهُوَ عِنْدِي فَقَالَ ائْتِنِي بِهِ فَأَتَاهُ بِهِ فَقَاسَهُ ثُمَّ رَدَّهُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ الْمَكَان‏

I asked Aboo Ja`far (عليه السلام), “Did you meet al-Husayn (عليه السلام), He (عليه السلام)replied, “Yes I remember when I was with him in the Sacred Masjid (Ka`bah) while the flood had entered it.  People stood on the station of Ibrahim and those coming out said, “The flood has moved the station away,” and others when coming out said, “The station is in place.” He (the Imam) said that he (al-Husayn) asked me, “O so and so, what do they say?” I replied, “I pray to Allah to keep you well.  They are afraid and say, “The flood may have taken away the station,” He (Imam al-Husayn) said, “Announce this, “Whatever Allah, most High, has made a banner (a light house), He does not take it away.  So you must calm down.”  The place of the station as Ibrahim had designated was near the wall of the House, and it remained there until people of the time of ignorance (jahiliyyah) moved it to the place where it is today.  When the Holy Prophet liberated Makkah, he returned it to its original place where Ibrahim had placed it.  It remained there until `Umar ibn al-Khattab took charge.  He asked people, “Who among you knows the place of the station where it was before?” A man said, “I know it.  I had taken its measurement on a belt and I have kept it with me.” He (`Umar) said, “Brint it for me.”  He brought it to him and he measured it, and then returned it to that place.”

Source:

1.     Al-Kulayni, Al-Kaafi, vol. 4, pg. 223, hadeeth # 2

2.     Al-Sadooq, Man Laa YaHDuruh Al-Faqeeh, vol. 2, pg. 243 – 244, hadeeth # 2308

Grading:

1.       Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is Muwaththaq Kal-SaHeeH (Reliable like SaHeeH)
à Mir’aat Al-`Uqool, vol. 17, pg. 66

2.       Al-Majlisi I (Al-Majlisi’s Father) said this hadeeth has a SaHeeH Sanad

à Lawaama` SaaHibaqaraanee, vol. 7, pg. 222

3.       Al-Majlisi I (Al-Majlisi’s Father) said this hadeeth is SaHeeH

à RawDah Al-Muttaqeen, vol. 4, pg. 132

في مثل تحويله مقام إبراهيم ع من الموضع الذي وضعه فيه رسول الله ص إلى الموضع الذي كان فيه في الجاهلية

“In an example is of him (`Umar) moving the Maqaam of Ibraaheem from its place that was placed by the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) to the place that was there during the Jahiliyyah (time).”

Source:

1.     Sulaym bin Qays Al-Hilaalee, Kitaab Sulaym bin Qays, pg. 675, hadeeth # 14

This historical reference can be also seen in Sunnee books.

From a Long hadeeth of Ibn `Abbaas:

وقد كان هذا الحجر ملصقا بحائط الكعبة على ما كان عليه من قديم الزمان إلى أيام عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه ; فأخره عن البيت قليلا ، لئلا يشغل المصلين عنده الطائفين بالبيت ، واتبع عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه في هذا

“And this stone (maqaam ibraaheem) was attached to the wall of the ka`bah and which was there from the old (ancient) times until the days of `Umar bin Al-KhaTTaab (رضي الله عنه); he removed it from the house a little, lest the people busy in prayer from the people (doing) tawaaf around the House, and they followed `Umar bin Al-KhaTTaab (رضي الله عنه) in this.”

Source:

1.     Ibn Katheer, Al-Bidaayah Wa Al-Nihaayah, vol. 1, pg. 189

2.     Ibn Katheer, Qasas Al-Anbiyaa’, vol. 1, pg. 226

3.     Al-Halabee, Al-Seerah Al-Halabiyyah, vol. 1, pg. 103

Conclusion: As we can see, that the 2^nd Caliph, `Umar ibn al-Khattab, once again he has exercised his Ijtihad (own opinion) and created another Bid’ah (innovation) into the religion of Islam by moving Maqaam Ibrahim from the original location (i.e. The Sunnah) which was established to be attached to the wall of the Ka’bah at the time of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWAS).  This is one of the many bid’ahs (innovations) either removed or introduced into the religion of Islam by the 2<sup>nd</sup> Caliph `Umar ibn al-Khattab.