All praise is due to Allah. The good end is for the righteous; may peace and blessings be upon His servant, Messenger, and the one whom He chose from among His creation to whom He entrusted with His Revelation, our master Muhammad ibn `Abdullah, and upon his family, Companions, and whoever adopted his way and followed his guidance.
I thank Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) for granting us this meeting with dear children and brothers and sisters in Allah to recommend and call for Al-Haqq (the Truth) and to be sincere towards Allah and His slaves.
May Allah (Exalted be He) reform our hearts and deeds, help us and all Muslims understand religion, and adhere steadfastly to it, support His religion, and cause His word to prevail, set right the affairs of all Muslims everywhere, entrust their affairs to the best of them, and guide all Muslim rulers to adhere to His Shari`ah (Islamic law), judge by it and enforce it upon peoples. He is the Only One Who is able to do that.
Then I thank my brothers who are in charge of this club, at the top of them, the honorable Dr. Rashid Al-Rajih, the head of the University of Um Al-Qura and president of the club for inviting me to attend this lecture, entitled "The sanctity of Makkah Al-Mukarramah and the status of Al-Bayt Al-`Atiq and the related reports."
O dear brothers and sisters in Allah, I do not think that anyone who has the least knowledge or insight does not know the sanctity of Makkah and the status of Al-Bayt Al-`Atiq. This matter is clearly stated by Allah in the Ever-Glorious Qur'an in many Ayahs and by His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) in many Hadith and by the scholars in their books and in the books of Tafsir (explanation/exegesis of the meanings of the Qur'an).
Praise be to Allah, the matter is quite clear; nevertheless, I would like to remind people of it and to recommend them to adhere to the Obligations of Allah regarding its sanctity and to stand against whatever opposes or violates this sanctity. In the Ever-Glorious Qur'an, Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:
Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for Al-'Alamîn (mankind and jinn). In it are manifest signs (for example), the Maqâm (place) of Ibrâhîm (Abraham); whosoever enters it, he attains security. And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka'bah ) is a duty that mankind owes to Allâh, 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 Allâh], then Allâh stands not in need of any of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists).
In the these Ayahs, Allah (Glorified be He) points out that Al-Bayt Al-`Atiq is the first House of worship established for people and that it is blessed and is a source of guidance for the worlds. These are great honors that raise the status of Al-Bayt.
It is reportedin the Two Sahih (authentic) Books of Hadith (i.e. Al-Bukhari and Muslim)and others on the authority of Abu Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about the first House (of worship) that was built for people. He (peace be upon him) said: Al-Masjid Al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque in Makkah) I asked, ' Then which?' He said: Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (the Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem) I asked, 'How long between them?' He said, 'Forty years.' I asked, 'Then Which?' He said: 'Whenever Salah (Prayer) comes unto you, offer it, for this place will be Masjid (mosque).'
This meaning is stressed by the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him)in the Two Sahih (authentic) Books of Hadith (i.e. Al-Bukhari and Muslim): I have been granted five (things) which were not granted to anyone before me (and these are): Allah made me victorious by awe, (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of a month's journey, and the earth has been made for me (and for my followers) a Masjid (place of Salah) and a means of purification.
Al-Bayt Al-`Atiq is the first House established for people to worship and obey Allah (Exalted be He). Many houses were established before it for living but Al-Ka`bah was the first house built for people to worship Allah and circumambulate around it. It is built by Khalil Allah (Close Friend of Allah), Ibrahim (Abraham) (peace be upon him), and his son Isma`il (Ishmael) (peace be upon him).
With regard to the report that it was first populated by Adam, this is a weak view. It is well-known to the scholars that it was first populated by Khalil Allah Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and the next house established for worship forty years after it was Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa at the hands