2016 №2 (51) Article 6

A.M. Rodriguez

Muslim rituals: the Qiblah. P. 67-73.

UDC 297

The article focuses on the formation of the Qiblah, one of the most important rituals of Islam and the direction that should be faced when a Muslim prays. Muslim rituals and ceremonies, that regulate Muslims’ everyday life, were formed in several various ways. Some rituals and ceremonies were established without any complication, others were triggered off by various circumstances, yet others were formed or modified under the pressure of exterior circumstances, which can be illustrated by the creation of the Quibla, which is associated with external circumstances and tragic events. During the so called Meccan period, when Muhammad’s preaching was aimed against paganism and shared the common principles of monotheistic religions (Judaism and Christianity), prayers were to be done facing the direction of Jerusalem. However, after the flight to Medina (the Hegira) the situation changed. The area was populated by several pagan Arabic tribes and by two Jewish tribes (their ethnic origin remains unknown). The pagan tribes accepted Islam and became true followers of the prophet. But the Jewish tribes, who knew the Scripture well, accused Muhammad of illiteracy and criticized his references to Torah. The religious conflict was aggravated by economic and political circumstances. As a result Muhammad, despite his celebrated tolerance, changed the direction of the Qiblah, which became oriented towards the Kaaba in Mecca. Muhammad also separated himself from Judaism and Christianity, accused Jews of fabricating the Scripture and massacred the two tribes. The article attempts to investigate the obscure circumstances of the event.

Islam, Qiblah, Muhammad, Mecca, Judaism, Christianity.

References

1. Аt-Tabari, M. Tarik al’-imam va al’-malik [Text] : In Arabic. — Beirut, 1979.

2. Аt-Tabari, M. Kitab dzhami al’-bayan fi tafsir al’-Kur’an ta’alif al’-imam [Text]. — Cairo, 1905–1911. — In Arabic.

3. Аl’-Uzzi. Difa’a an Аbi Khurayri [Text]. — Beirut ; Baghdad, 1983. — In Arabic.

4. Belyaev, E.А. Аraby, islam i Аrabskiy khalifat v rannee srednevekov’e [The Arabs, Islam and the Arab Caliphate in the early Middle Ages] [Text]. — Moscow, 1999.

5. Bol’shakov, O.G. Istoriya Khalifata [The history of the Caliphate] [Text]. — Moscow, 1989.

6. Ibn al’-Dzhavazi. Kitab akhkam al’-nisa [Text]. — Beirut, 1980. — In Arabic.

7. Myuller, А. Istoriya islama [History of Islam] [Text]. — Moscow, 2006.

8. Imam Nasa’i. Al-Sunnah with Commentary by Al-Suguti and Notes by Imam as-Sindi [Теxt]. — Cairo [b. g.].