24 Muslim Views .

November 2017

Multazam: where duahs are accepted

or they may do it at any time they touching the House from the door
want. They should not cause diffi- to the Black Stone. They had
culty for other people by offering placed their cheeks against the
a lengthy duah. House and the Messenger of Allah
Similarly, it is not permissible to (SAW) was in the midst of them.’
crowd other people or inconven- This was narrated by Abu Da-
ience them in order to cling there. wood (1898) and Ahmad (15124).
If a space is found then they One of the narrators in this chain
should make duah, otherwise it is is Yazeed ibn Ziyaad who was
sufficient to make duah while cir- classed as da’eef by some scholars.
cumambulating during tawaaf and It was narrated by Amr ibn
when prostrating in prayer. Shuayb that his father said: “I cir-
The issue of clinging at the cumambulated the Kaabah with
Multazam is a matter over which Abd-Allah, and when we came to
scholars differ. It was not narrated the back of the Kaabah I said:
about by the Prophet (SAW) him- ‘Will you not seek refuge with
self, and some say that it was not Allah?’ He said: ‘We seek refuge
narrated in a sahih (authentic) ha- with Allah from the Fire.’
dith, and the hadith concerning it “Then he proceeded to touch
is considered da’eef (weak). the Stone, and he stood between
It was, however, narrated by the corner and the door, and
some of the Sahabah, the Com- placed his chest, face, forearms
panions of the Prophet (SAW). and hands like this, and spread
These Sahabah used to iltizaam them out. ‘This is what I saw the
(cling to the Multazam) when they Messenger of Allah (SAW) do,’ he
arrived in Makkah. Some fuqaha said.” [Narrated by Abu Dawood,
(Islamic jurists) maintain: ‘He (the (1899)] Its chain of narrators in-
pilgrim) should do that when cludes al-Muthanna ibn al-
about to leave, and should cling to Sabaah, who was classed as da’eef
While performing tawaaf, when pilgrims are at the Black Stone, they queue and try to kiss or at least touch it. Thereafter,
the Multazam, which is the area by Imam Ahmad, Ibn Mu’een, al-
once they have achieved their intentions, they immediately leave the area and carry on with the tawaaf.
between the corner where the Tirmidhi, al-Nasaa’i and others.
Photo SALIM PARKER
Black Stone is located and the Some scholars say that different

SALIM PARKER
door of the Kaabah.’ chains refer to the same event and
signs of acceptance for any duah from there.’ It was narrated that Abd al- actually corroborate each other.
made between the Hajaratul Multazam means ‘place of Rahmaan ibn Safwaan said: Despite having a weak link in the
THE area between the Hajaratul Aswad and the door of the clinging’. There is no specific duah ‘When the Messenger of Allah narrations, the different independ-
Aswad and the door of the Kaabah will certainly be seen.’ that a Muslim should say while (SAW) conquered Makkah, I said: ent chains imply the same action
Kaabah is known as the Mujaahid (may Allah be there and whatever the person I will put on my garments, as my or event.
Multazam. It is about two metres pleased with him) said: ‘The area wants to pray for will be in order. house was on the road, and I will They deduce that, based on all
wide and is often as congested as between the Hajaratul Aswad and Some scholars maintain that wait and see what the Messenger the narrations, there is nothing
the Hajaratul Aswad. the door is called the Multazam. Muslims can cling to the Mul- of Allah (SAW) does. So I went wrong with iltizaam (clinging to
While performing tawaaf, Allah will grant a person whatever tazam whenever they enter the and I saw that the Prophet (SAW) the Kaabah at the Multazam) as
when pilgrims are at the Black he asks for there and save him Haram or they may do that before had come out of the Kaabah. long as that does not involve in-
Stone, they queue and try to kiss from whatever he seeks refuge performing the Farewell Tawaaf ‘He and his Companions were conveniencing others.
or at least touch it. Thereafter,
once they have achieved their in-
tentions, they immediately leave
the area and carry on with the
tawaaf.
At the Multazam, the situation
is very different. There, all try to
touch it and spend as much time
as possible. Pilgrims go there after
completing their tawaaf and make
as much duah as possible.
Very emotional and apprecia-
tive scenes can be observed there
as many bare their souls and at-
tempt to ask their Creator for as
much forgiveness as possible as
well as asking for the wellbeing of
humankind.
Some spend long periods there,
aggravating the congestion. This is
due to the widely-held view that
duah made there is mustajab and
will be accepted and answered.
It is considered Sunnah by some
(and disputed by others) to hold
on to the wall of the Kaabah in
such a manner that a cheek, chest
and hands are against the wall.
It is reported that Abdullah bin
Umar (may Allah be pleased with
him) once completed his tawaaf,
performed the waajib salaah and
then kissed the Hajaratul Aswad.
Thereafter, he stood between the
Hajaratul Aswad and the door of
the Kaabah in such a manner that
his cheek, chest and hands were
against the wall. He then said:
‘This is what I saw our Prophet
(SAW) do.’
Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah
be pleased with him) said: ‘The
Some fuqaha (Islamic jurists)
maintain: ‘He (the pilgrim) should do
that when about to leave, and should
cling to the Multazam, which is the
area between the corner where the
Black Stone is located and the door of
the Kaabah.’ Photo SALIM PARKER