The Beginning of the House and Tawaf (Walking Seven Times Around the House)

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once when my father and I were performing Tawaf, a man, Sharjab, among men came forward. I asked, ’May Allah keep you well, what is al-Sharjab?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘It means ‘taller’ than others.’ The man said, ‘Al-Salamu ‘Alaykum’ and he brought his head between my father and me. He (the Imam) said that my father then turned to him and so did I, and responded to his greeting of peace. He said, ‘I have a question, may Allah grant you blessings.’ My father said to him, ‘Allow us to complete our Tawaf, then you can ask your question.’ When my father completed Tawaf we entered al-Hijr and said two Rak‘at salat (prayer). He (my father) turned around and asked, ‘Where is the man, son?’ He was just behind him and had completed his salat (prayer). My father asked, ‘Where from is the gentleman?’ He replied, ‘I am from al-Sham.’ He then asked, ‘From which people of al-Sham are you?’ He replied, ‘I am from the people of Bayt al- Maqdis.’ He (my father) asked, ‘Have you read the two books?’ He (the man) replied, ‘Yes, I have read them.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Ask your question.’ He said, ‘I like to ask about the beginning of this House, and about His words, “Nun, and by the pen with which you write” (68:1) and about His words, “...those in whose properties there is a certain share for the needy and deprived.’” (75:25-26) He (the Imam) then said, ‘O brother from al-Sham, listen to our Hadith and do not call it false. Those who call our Hadith false have called the words of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, as false, and those who do so have called the words of Allah as false. Those who call the words of Allah as false, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, subjects them to punishment. The beginning of the House was when Allah, the most Blessed, the most High, said to the angels, “I have decided to appoint a deputy on earth. . . .” (2:29) The angels responded to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, saying, “Do You want to appoint one who causes destruction and bloodshed therein?” He did not pay attention to them and they realized that it was due to His anger. They sought refuge with His Throne and Allah commanded an angel from among them to establish a house for Him in the sixth heaven, which was called al-Durrah parallel to His Throne. It was designed for the inhabitants of the heaven for Tawaf by seventy thousand angels every day, of whom no one had to return for Tawaf again. They ask forgiveness. When Adam descended to the heaven of the world, He commanded him to build this House. This is parallel to that house. This is designated for Adam and his offspring just as that is designated for those in the heaven.’ The man then said, ‘You have spoken the truth, O child of the Messenger of Allah.’”

“I heard Aba ‘Abdillah (a.s.), say, ‘My father and I were in al-Hijr. When he was standing for prayer, a man came to him and sat down. When he completed his prayer, the man turned to him (the Imam), offered him the greeting of peace and said, ‘I want to ask you three questions which no one except you and another person knows.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What are they?’ He said, ‘Tell me what the reason is for Tawaf around this House?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘When Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam, they responded saying, “Will You appoint someone who will destroy it with bloodshed, while we speak of You as free from all defects due to Your praise and holiness?” Allah, most Blessed, most High said, “I know what you do not know.” He expressed anger at them. They asked Him to accept their repentance. He then commanded them to make Tawaf around al-Durrah which is al-Bayt al-Ma'mur (the established house). They continued doing it for seven years and asked Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, for forgiveness because of what they had said. He turned to them, accepted their repentance and expressed happiness with them. This was the origin of Tawaf. Allah thereafter made the sacred House parallel with al-Durrah so that those who commit sin of the children of Adam repent as a means to cleanse themselves.’ He (the man) said, ‘You have spoken the truth.’”