#24: The Hajj is pure Idolatry, built on idolatrous stones!

Al Fadi and Dr. Jay continue their discussion concerning the many aspects of the Hajj (the Pilgrimage to Mecca) which have simply been pilfered from other religious practices, but with an idolatrous twist. They begin with the Jamaraat or the pillar in Mecca where the faithful followers of Islam fling 49 or 72 stones at a pillar to represent the stoning of the devil by Abraham. At least it was one pillar up to the 1980s. By that time the crowds in Mecca became so large and unmanageable that the officials decided to add two more pillars, and subsequently changed the narrative from stoning one devil to now stoning the 3 times that the devil tried to seduce Abraham. If in the last 40 years Islam has changed the meaning of one of the 5 stages of the Hajj due to crowd control without so much as a whimper from the theologians, then why should we be surprised that since the very beginning of Islam the narrative surrounding the Hajj has likewise been changed numerous times. What's more, if the Hajj can be co-opted so unceremoniously, then why could not the story of its origins be likewise co-opted centuries later and redacted back to the 7th century? Muslims insist that Islamic theology and philosophy never evolved over the first few centuries, claiming that what they practice and believe today is exactly the same as their prophet practiced and believed in the 7th century. Yet, they then quickly change a belief and a practice in full view of everyone, and don't see the irony? A similar problem concerns the black stone, which is placed on the eastern corner of the Kabah and is kissed by the pilgrims as they circumabulate around the Kabah 7 times. And why do they kiss it? According to the Standard Islamic Narrative, in order to have their sins forgiven, suggesting that at the very center of Islam, a religion whose statement of faith is based on the 'one-ness' of god, sits a stone whose function of forgiveness equates with that of Allah himself, permitting an inanimate object the same power as god himself, proving just how idolatrous Islam really is. What's also interesting are the number of stones which are included in the 5 stages of the Hajj. The Kabah itself is a large stone structure around which the pilgrims circulate 7 times. Safah and Marwah are two stones between which the pilgrims run back-and-forth 7 times. Mt Arafat is a hill made up of stones which the pilgrims stand on top of to pray. 49 stones are used to throw at 3 stone 'Jamarat' towers. Stones are used to line the ZamZam well from which inexhaustible water is drawn for the millions of pilgrims who drink from. And finally, the black stone itself is kissed by the pilgrims as an alternate for Allah's forgiveness. How can Muslims claim that their religion stands against idolatry, or that their prophet came to eradicate that very sin 1400 years ago, when at the very center of their faith, at the holiest shrine for almost 2 billion believers sits idolatrous stones which take on the functions of Allah, their god? © Pfander Centre for Apologetics - US, April 26, 2023 (72,760) Music: "Joy at Work" by Musiclfiles, from filmmusic-io-BOUGHT-2022-04-28