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Encyclopedia of Religion entry for
Haramu Makkah
. The sacred boundary of Makkah within which certain acts are unlawful which are lawful elsewhere. It is not lawful to carry arms, or ti fight within its limits. Its thorns must not be broken, nor its game molested, nor must anything be taken up which has fallen on the ground, unless it is done to restore it to its owner. Its fresh grass or even it dry grass or even its dry grass must not be cut; except the bog rush (izkhir), because it is used for blacksmith ‘s fires and for thatching houses. (A tadition by Ibn ‘Abbas. Mishkat, book xi. ch xv, pt,1) ‘Abdu l-Haqq says that when Abraham "the friend of God", placed the black stone at the time of the building of the Ka ‘bah its east, west, north, and south quarters became bright with light and that wherever the brightness extended itself beame the Hadudu ‘l-Haram, or the limits of the sacred city. These limits are marked by manars or pillars on all sides, except on the Jiddah and Jairanah roads, regarding which there is some dispute as to the exact distance.
citations: Dictionary of Islam, Hughes
article created 2006-04-12 , last updated 2006-04-12
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