Page 59 - Demo

“ The Mustapha (pbuh) ”! [1]55From what has been stated above, our curiosity would naturally lead one to ask the following questions:-(a) Why did the Muslims and Unitarian descendants of Abraham (pbuh) choose a stone to perform their religious service on or around it?(b) Why should this particular stone be named sapha?(c) What is the writer driving at? And so on - perhaps several others.The stone was selected as the best suitable material upon which a travelling devotee offered his sacrifice, poured his pure oil and wine [2] , and performed his religious services around it. It was more than this; this stone was erected to commemorate the vows and certain promises which a prophet or righteous man made to his Creator, and the revelation he received from God. Consequently, it was a sacred monument to perpetuate the memory and the sacred character of a great religious event. Forsuch a purpose, no other material could surpass the stone. Not only does the solidity and durability of the stone make it suitable for that purpose, but its mere simplicity, cheapness, worthlessness in a lonely place would guarantee it against any attraction of human avarice or enmity to steal or destroy it. As is well known, the Law of Moses (pbuh) strictly forbids to hew or carve the stones of the altar. The stone called Sapha was to be absolutely left natural; no images, inscriptions, or engravings were to be wrought upon it, lest any one of these should be worshipped in time to come by the ignorant people. Gold, iron silver, or any other metal, could not answer all these qualities required in the simple stone. It will be understood, therefore, that the purest, the most durable,[1] The chosen one in Arabic. (Editors).[2] Wine was not forbidden to the people of Israel. (The author)