THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HOUSE OF GOD (VERSE NO. 125)

      The argument now proceeds from ABRAHAM (AS) to KAABA the house of God; the foundation of which goes back to HAZRAT ABRAHAM (AS) by Arab tradition.

      ``And when We made the house (KAABA) a place of reference for people and safe.''

      It was then a center to which all the Arab tribes resorted for trade, for poetic contest, and for worship of Allah. It is also announced by Allah to be held a safe and secure place. And so was it taken as a sacred territory, and was respected by friends and foes alike. In a certain season fighting was and is forbidden within its limits, and no game is allowed to be hunted or killed. The verse continues saying:

``(AND FOR MEMORANDUM) Make the point where ABRAHAM stood, a place of worship.''

      There was a point in front of KABBA, and within the enclosure, wherein HAZRAT ABRAHAM stood in his prayers, and even now that every place is held as a station of prayer for memorizing this great prophet of Allah. Then the verse points at the covenant made with ABRAHAM and ISHMAEL to keep the House of God pure and clean:

``And we made a covenant with ABRAHAM & ISHMAEL, to purify My HOUSE for those who encompass it round, those who retreat in it for devotion, and for those who bow and prostrate themselves.''

      Here the purpose of purifying ``My HOUSE'' is to keep it clean physically as well as spiritually; like repudiating the polytheism which defiled it, before it was purified by HAZRAT MOHAMMAD (AS)

WHY THE HOUSE OF GOD?

      Here in this verse the house is called ``MY HOUSE'' while we know that God has not a physical body, and is not a material entity to need a room or to contain in space or time. This possessive pronoun, is used here only for emphasizing the importance of the House, and the personal relation of the only one true God, to it. Things are thus related to God in order to show their importance, such as the HOUSE OF GOD, or, RAMAZAN, which is the MONTH OF GOD, or else all the house and the months belong to God unexclusively.