Maqam ibrahim is located near the holiest Islamic location; the Kabaa.
"Maqam" means literally the place where someone stands. Being attributed to prophet Abraham, so it's the place where prophet ibrahim PBUH stood.
Scholars of Islam tell us that "Maqam Ibrahim" is place where Prophet Abraham stood while he was constructing the Kabaa with his son Ishmael PBUT.
It has been mentioned by name in Quran 3:97 pointing out it's location in Baca.
What most people do not know that the "place" where Allah told Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim/ Abram) about is "Maqam Ibrahim" and it was mentioned by name in the bible.
First let us read the Quranic verse 3:97 :-
فِيهِ آيَاتٌ بَيِّنَاتٌ مَّقَامُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ۖ وَمَن دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِنًا ۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ
Interpretation of the meaning by Muhsin Khan:
In it are manifest signs (for example), the maqam (place) of Ibrahim (Abraham); whosoever enters it, he attains security. And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka'bah ) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one's conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allah], then Allah stands not in need of any of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists) .
( سورة آل عمران , Aal-e-Imran, Chapter #3, Verse #97 )
Let us examine a Biblical verse from the book of Genesis:
Genesis 22:3 -
New International Version (NIV)
Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.
At first glance, it appears that the verse does not mention or point out to any place called "Maqam"! Let us read the verse carefully in original Hebrew.
Here is an interlinear version of the original text in Hebrew.
The Hebrew counterpart of "place" is transliterated as "Maqom".
Same word can be found in Strong's numbers:
H4725
מקמה מקומה מקם מקום
mâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh(1,2) maw-kome', (3,4)
mek-o-mah'From H6965; properly a standing, that is, a spot; but used widely of a locality (generally or specifically); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind): - country, X home, X open, place, room, space, X whither [-soever].
It can be therefore concluded that the Arabic word "Maqam" is the same as the Hebrew word "Maqom".
Hebrew and Arabic are both Semitic language. Semitic languages share many of the words between them.
The word "Maqam" in Arabic can be traced back to the trilateral root "kam".
The root "kam" can give rise to many different words. The root "kam" is found also in many Semitic languages.
The root "kam" is found in Amharic (a language once spoken in Ethiopia), Hebrew, Aramaic and Syriac.
In Arabic = kama
[ See Misbah Al-Mostanir , page 520 ]
In Amharic = ḳoma
[ W. Gesenius, op, cit, P.877 ]
In Hebrew = kum
[ Exodus 21: 19, 2 Samuel 12:12 ]
In Aramaic = kum
[ W. Gesenius, op, cit, P.877 ]
In Syraic= kam
[ L. Costaz, op, cit, p. 312 ].
The following figure shows how the corresponding word is written in those languages.
Written by:
Dr. Plasma
M.M.Sللمزيد من مواضيعي