⚖️ Divine Blessings Compared: Sham’s Inherent Sanctity and Mecca’s Prayer-Bestowed Honor in the Qur’an

The difference between the divine blessing of the land of Sham (Greater Syria, including Palestine) as mentioned in Surah 21:71 and the blessing of Mecca (Makkah) in the Qur’an lies in the source and nature of the sanctity attributed to each location.

Here’s a structured comparison:

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📍1. Sham (Greater Syria / Holy Land / Jerusalem) – Direct Divine Blessing

🔹 Qur’anic Reference:

Surah Al-Anbiya’ (21:71):

“And We delivered him [Ibrahim] and Lot to the land which We had blessed for the worlds.”

(وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَلُوطًا إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلَّتِى بَـٰرَكْنَا فِيهَا لِلْعَـٰلَمِينَ)

🔸 Key Point:

• The land itself is blessed by Allah directly, without mentioning any human prayer or intervention.

• Classical and modern scholars identify this “blessed land” as Sham, specifically Palestine, including Jerusalem.

• This indicates intrinsic and pre-existing sanctity granted by divine will.

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📍2. Mecca (Makkah) – Blessed Through Prophetic Prayer of Abraham

🔹 Qur’anic References:

• Surah Al-Baqarah (2:126):

“And [remember] when Abraham said, ‘My Lord, make this a safe city and provide its people with fruits…’”

• Surah Ibrahim (14:35–37):

“My Lord, make this city secure and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols… I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House…”

🔸 Key Point:

• Mecca was originally a barren valley (valley of Bakkah) without vegetation.

• Its sanctity and blessings came as a result of Abraham’s prayer and the subsequent building of the Kaʿbah (House of God).

• The Qur’an presents Mecca’s blessing and safety as a response to prophetic supplication.

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⚖️ Summary of the Difference

Source of Blessing:

• Sham / Holy Land: Direct divine declaration — “…the land which We had blessed…” (Surah 21:71).

• Mecca / Makkah: Blessed through Abraham’s prayer (Surah 2:126, 14:35–37).

Timing of Blessing:

• Sham / Holy Land: Already blessed when Ibrahim and Lut arrived.

• Mecca / Makkah: Became blessed due to Abraham’s prayer for the settlement of his offsprings.

Nature of Sanctity:

• Sham / Holy Land: Inherent, natural sanctity as a land for all nations.

• Mecca / Makkah: Earned sanctity through prophetic action and ritual significance.

Historical Role

• Sham / Holy Land: Site of many prophets (e.g., Ibrahim, Musa, Isa).

• Mecca / Makkah: Site of the Kaʿbah and the final prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

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🧭 Theological Implications

• Sham is viewed as a blessed land for all peoples and times, with spiritual, historical, and eschatological significance (e.g., place of Jesus’ return, land of many prophets).

• Mecca stands as the spiritual epicenter of Islam — the qiblah of all Muslims and the destination of the Hajj — yet its blessed status in the Qur’an is portrayed not as an inherent quality from the beginning, but as a divine bestowal granted in response to the supplication and devotion of Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام.

— Azahari Hassim

Founder, The World of Abrahamic Theology