The Sharing Group Discussion: Why are Only Muslims Allowed in the Haramayn?

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Brother J. E. Mikell posted the following, on The Sharing Group, on the 27^th April 2015. He asked, “What is the scholarly, textual evidence that supports ‘Muslims only’, in Makkah and Madina?  Does anyone know?” 

Brother Colin Turner: Good question. It has always seemed ridiculously exclusive, and I can think of no textual evidence that I recall - although I am not the most widely-read muhaddits in the world. 

Sister Allison Hedrick: Indeed, I would love to see this justification. 

Brother Ishaq Mohammed: Most, including the ruling Saudi Government, cite the following as the reason for the restriction: 

سُوۡرَةُ التّوبَة

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِنَّمَا ٱلۡمُشۡرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ۬ فَلَا يَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدَ ٱلۡحَرَامَ بَعۡدَ عَامِهِمۡ هَـٰذَا‌ۚ … (٢٨) 

O you who believe!  Truly the pagans are unclean; so, let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque … (Surah at-Tawbah:28) 

Now, of course, it was speaking of the hostile idolaters of that day who would have come in, and brought their idols back.  It should not apply to anyone today, but we know how that goes.  And the verse only mentions Makkah, and is specifically talking about haj.  However, the ruling governments have extended that to mean Madina as well. 

Brother Colin Turner: Going by that verse, most of us are not welcome in the Sacred Mosque. 

Sister Allison Hedrick: Except, when we start using the verses in the Qur’an for general meanings of men, instead of the particular applications they had in the Qur’an, you cause confusion and discrimination.  They do have the authority over Allah’s (s.w.t.) Creation in such a way. 

Brother Colin Turner: Not sure what you mean, Sister Allison. 

Sister Allison Hedrick: The Qur’an is composed of general and particular ayat; at least, according to the scholarship I have read and lectures I have watched.  The brother brought an ayat from the Qur’an, and admitted the ayat’s tafsir was specific to a particular event, and then said that the government had changed its tafsir, and implementation to be general in nature, thus trying to change the meaning of the Qur’an itself.  It is Commanded, over and over, for Muslims to be moderate in their approach, and to honour the People of the Book. 

Brother Ishaq Mohammed: Thank you for the clarification as well, sister.  At first, I was not sure what you meant as well.  And I agree with you. 

Brother Terence Helikaon Nunis: The answer is found in an interpretation of a particular verse of the Qur'an: 

سُوۡرَةُ التّوبَة

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِنَّمَا ٱلۡمُشۡرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ۬ فَلَا يَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدَ ٱلۡحَرَامَ بَعۡدَ عَامِهِمۡ هَـٰذَا‌ۚ … (٢٨) 

O you who believe!  Truly the pagans are unclean; so, let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque … (Surah at-Tawbah:28) 

The four a’immah took it to refer to non-Muslims in general.  Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Malik ibn Anas (r.a.), Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi’i (r.a.), and Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (r.a.), took it to mean the entirety of the Haramayn, the entire Sacred Precinct.  Imam Malik (r.a.) further stated that it was a prohibition against entering any mosque. 

Imam Abu Hanifah Nu’man ibn Tsabit (r.a.) alone differed in this, and understood it to mean that the non-Muslims could only not enter the Sacred precinct during the time of haj, and ‘umrah, but were not explicitly banned from entering any mosque, even the Sacred Mosque. 

Sister Allison Hedrick: What about the fifth school? 

Terence Helikaon Nunis: The Ja’fari position is largely the same as the Maliki, except for the proscription against entering any mosque. 

Brother J. E. Mikell: Thanks, Brother Terence. 

Brother Muhammad Harun Riedinger: There is a well-known tradition about Shaykh Bayazid Thayfur ibn ‘Isa al-Bisthami (q.s.), who had a Christian slave, whom he took along when he went for haj, and then left him at the miqat, telling him he could not cross the boundaries of the Haram, and should stay there until he had performed the haj.  In the night, He had a vision of Allah (s.w.t.) Reprimanding him to the effect, “How dare you bar My slave, whom I have Dragged with the chains of love all the way from, visiting Me?”  That, of course, was long before the house of Sa’ud became the khuddam of the Haramayn. 

Brother Colin Turner: Again, Imam Abu Hanifah (r.a.) comes to the rescue.  A voice of reason.  Imam Abu Hanifah’s (r.a.) existence is a mercy, and part of the reason that Muslim law and legal theory did not ossify completely. 

I should also mention the theoretical dynamism of Ja’fari fiqh.  Interestingly enough, Imam Ja‘far ibn Muhammad asw-Swadiq (q.s.) was one of Imam Abu Hanifah’s (r.a.) teachers. 

Brother Terence Helikaon Nunis: He taught both Imam Abu Hanifah (r.a.), and Imam Malik (r.a.).  Although he was much older, Imam Abu Hanifah (r.a.) also studied under Imam Malik (r.a.).  Imam Abu Hanifah (r.a.) taught Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Sufyan ibn Sa’id ats-Tsawri (r.a.) amongst others.  And him and other students of Imam Abu Hanifah (r.a.) were the teachers of Imam ash-Shafi’i (r.a.).  Imam ash-Shafi’i (r.a.) was the teacher of Imam ibn Hanbal (r.a.).  Imam Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (r.a.) was the student of Imam Abu Hanifah (r.a.), and later of Imam Malik (r.a.).