Claim:
Quran states that Kaba is a safe place. However we know that it is exposed to natural disasters such as flood from time to time. If it is vulnerable to floods or lightning, the verse stating that Kaba is a safe place is contradictory. This is a proof that Quran is not the words of Allah.
Answer:
The mentioned verse is the 97th verse of Ali Imran Surah. That verse says:
Turkish transcription of the verse:
Fîhi âyâtun beyyinâtun makâmu ibrâhîm(ibrâhîme), ve men dahalehu kâne âminâ(âminen), ve lillâhi alen nâsi hiccul beyti menistetâa ileyhi sebîlâ(sebîlen), ve men kefere fe innallâhe ganiyyun anil âlemîn(âlemîne).
Word analysis of the verse:
- fîhi : there
2. âyâtun : verses, proofs
3. beyyinâtun : obvious proofs
4. makâmu ibrâhîme : rank of Prophet Ibrahim
5. ve men : and whoever
6. dahale-hu : entered there
7. kâne : becomes
8. âminen : safe
9. ve li allâhi : and for Allah
10. alâ en nâsi : responsibility of people
11. hiccu el beyti : pilgrimage
12. men istetâa : who affords
13. ileyhi : to him
14. sebîlen : path
15. ve men : and who
16. kefere : denied
17. fe inne allâhe : then for sure Allah
18. ganiyyun : is rich, does not need anything
19. an el âlemîne : from the worlds
Meaning of the verse:
There are obvious proofs there: It is the attitude of Ibrahim against paganism. That who enters there is safe. Whoever affords traveling is obliged to pilgrimage to Kaba for Allah. Those who deny should know that Allah is not in need to anybody.
We will find out that the claim is based on very shaky basis when we understand the right meaning of the expression AMINEN which means SAFETY in the verse. Such claims always deliriums of people who just think the TURKISH meaning of the word and ignore its other meanings.
We can understand the real meaning of the word AMINEN when we check the other verses in Quran where it has been mentioned. This word is used 6 times in Quran in this meaning.
In two of those six verses where the word “aminen” is used in the meaning of safety/security the real meaning can be understood obviously.
Let us check verse 40 of Fussilet Surah:
Arabic (attention to the word aminen):
(İnnellezîne yulhıdûne fî âyâtinâ lâ yahfevne aleynâ, e fe men yulkâ fîn nâri hayrun em men ye’tî AMİNEN yevmel kıyâmeh)
Meaning:
”Those who leave the right way and deny our verses cannot hide from us. Then who is in a better position, that who enters into the fire of hell or that who is in SAFETY on the judgment day?”
The meaning of safety in this verse is obvious. It is not a physical safety. It is the safety in the eternal life. That who goes to Kaba goes for Allah and that who is through the path of Allah is safe. Death or any physical damage cannot harm him permanently.
Another verse that clarifies this matter is the 35th verse in Ibrahim Surah. The prayer of Prophet Ibrahim is mentioned in this verse:
Arabic:
(Ve iz kâle ibrâhîmu rabbic’al hâzel belede AMİNEN vecnubnî ve beniyye en na’budel asnâm)
Meaning:
Ibrahim said: ”My God, keep this place and its surrounding safe (Kaba and its surrounding), protect me and my children from worshipping icons.”
In this verse we understand that safety means being on the right path. Prophet Ibrahim wants Kaba and its surrounding to be the place of people who saved their eternal lives (are safe).
The classical Arabic dictionaries state that the meanings of this word are also “being protected from fear” and “being protected from evil”. (check: Classical Arabic Dictionary “Liane’s lexicon”, volume 1, page 101).
As you see the word safety is used in many meanings. It is nonsense to claim that Quran is mistaken by limiting tis word into just one meaning.
Besides, claiming that Kaba will not be exposed to any natural disaster, flood or lightning is against the principle of the test of life. Of course Allah is powerful enough to do anything. He can physically protect Kaba or any other place and he may have separately stated this fact but this is not the way of Allah and the people are being tested.
