The earliest known prophet that had been commanded to do the pilgrimage in the Quran was Prophet Abraham. He did his pilgrimage in Bakkata the blessed precinct an area in Makkah . Although he did not stayed permanently there after doing his pilgrimage, he left some of his off springs to dwell in the valley by God’s Sacred House in Makkah.
In the Quran Allah confirmed that He gave the site for Prophet Abraham to call people to do the pilgrimage those who can afford the journey by sacrificing their time to visit the Holy Place.
S22:26-28 Behold! We gave the site to Abraham, of the Sacred House, saying: “Associate not anything in worship with Me; and sanctify My House for those who compass it round, stand up and bow to prostrate themselves therein in prayer. And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men; that they will come to you on foot and mounted on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways; that they may witness the benefits provided for them, and celebrate the Name of God, through the Days appointed, over the cattle which He has provided for them for sacrifice, then eat you thereof and feed the distressed ones in want.
S3:96-97 The first House appointed for the people was that at Bakkata: full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings: in it (Bakkata) are sign manifest; the station of Abraham; whoever enters it (Bakkata) attains security; pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to God; those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, God stands not in need of any of His creatures.
From several evidences shown in the Quran it gave indication that Abraham was a foreigner to the local area of Bakkata. When he and his son was in the area of the Holy Place and Allah gave him the responsibility to raise the foundation of the House for people to do the pilgrimage he also pray to Allah to send to the local area an apostle of their own to rehearse God’s signs, he prays –
S2:129 “Our Lord, send among them an apostle of their own, who shall rehearse your signs to them and instruct them in scripture and wisdom, and sanctity them: for You are the Exalted in Might, The Wise.
If Abraham was a local there, he would have prayed “send among us an apostle of our own” but he did not; and instead he prayed for the local and showed that he was a foreigner in a foreign land and this place is in Bakkata. Furthermore he also prayed to God to leave some of his off springs to dwell in the Valley by God’s Sacred House which again showed he was not a local but a foreigner visiting the place to do the pilgrimage, when he said
S14:37 Our Lord, I have settled some of my offspring in a valley where there is no sown land, by Your Sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish regular prayers, so that the hearts of people yearn towards them, and provide them with sustenance, that they may be grateful.
The above evidence not only mentioned there is a valley, which is normally a big area hollow between hills but it also showed that the location of the Sacred House is in the same valley. Since God mentioned that the First House for men is at Bakkata, it can be deduced that Bakkata is the area in the same valley. However the Sacred House in Bakkata is part of the more extensive area as the name of this was mentioned in the following verse below.
S48:24 And it is He Who has restrained their hands from you and your hands from them in the midst of Makkah, after that He gave you the victory over them. And Allah sees well all that ye do.
It is without any reasonable doubt that pilgrimage by Abraham was done at Bakkata which is the blessed area by Allah and its location is part of a more extensive area of Makkah. To add to the authenticity of the place Bakkata in Makkah the command to Abraham to do the circumambulating at the Sacred House can be seen only done in Makkah and no other area is seen doing similar pilgrimage in any part of the world and the following verses confirmed the rituals.
S2:126 Behold! We gave the Site to Abraham, of the Sacred House, saying: “Associate not anything in worship with Me; and sanctify My House for those who compass it round, stand up and bow to prostrate themselves therein in prayer.
S2:158 Behold! Safa and Marwa are among the Symbols of God. So if those who visit the House in the seasons or at other times should compass them round, it is no sin in them. And if any one obeys his own impulse to good; be sure that God is He Who recognize and know.
And Moses was not unfamiliar with the pilgrimage seasons as when he escaped from Pharaoh to the land of Madyan he was married to the woman whom he helped to water the animals and the father married him to his daughter with a contract which said:
S28:27 “I intend to wed one of these my daughters to you, on condition that you serve me for eight pilgrimage seasons (hijaji); but if you complete ten, it will be grace from you. But I intent not to place you under a difficulty: you will find me, indeed, if God wills, one of the righteous.
And finally the Sacred House is located in the land of the Quraish the Arab tribe who used to overseer the pilgrims in Makkah.
S106:1-4 For the covenants (of security and safeguard enjoyed) by the Quraish, Their covenants covering journeys by winter and summer, Let them adore the Lord of this House, Who provides them with food against hunger, and with security against fear of danger.
S197: For Hajj are the months well known. If any one undertakes that duty therein, Let there be no obscenity, nor wickedness, nor wrangling in the Hajj. And whatever good ye do, (be sure) Allah knoweth it. And take a provision (With you) for the journey, but the best of provisions is right conduct. So fear Me, o ye that are wise.
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