Valley of Bakkah in the Bible
A refutation of a weak commentary by non-Muslims regarding a passage of the Bible which clearly mentions Valley of Bakkah (where the Kaaba is)
Introduction
In the Psalm of David (as), in the Bible, there is a passage which mentioned a specific “Valley of Baca”, Muslims believe that this valley is the Valley of Bakkah i.e Makkah – the central site of Islam. Christians and Jews deny this application.
About the Islamic Valley of Bakkah its written in the Holy Quran:
Surely, the first House founded for mankind is that at Becca, abounding in blessings and a guidance for all peoples.
[Holy Quran 3:97]
In Psalm 84 its written:
For the director of music. According to gittith. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.8 Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty;
listen to me, God of Jacob.
9 Look on our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.12 Lord Almighty,
[Psalm 84]
blessed is the one who trusts in you.
Christians and Jews say that “Valley of Baka” here is not the well-known site of Muslims “Valley of Bakkah” instead they say since “Baka” in Hebrew means “weeping” this means, “valley of weeping”, and is a metaphorical passage about one’s spiritual journey. This article refutes this strange and weak view, as it seems Jews and Christians have concocted this view to oppose the existence of the ancient site of the Kaaba which the Muslims revere. They do not want the Bible to support Muslims in any way.
Refutation
Psalm 84, doesn’t just have a random “valley of Baka” mentioned, that Muslims have simply taken to mean their Islamic site. The Psalm mentions a few key points regarding the literal characteristics of this Baka Valley:
Baka Valley related to an altar/House of God
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
This is a House of God related to the Bible’s Baka Valley, which has dwellers always praising God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
This Baka Valley is related to a religious altar in which even even animals find refuge
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord Almighty!
Baka Valley is related to God’s dwelling place i.e House.
10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
House of God, which has some relation to Baka Valley of Bible, possess a door, and is extremely blessed.
Christians have said that its possible this means The Valley of Rephaim near Jerusalem. Look how they are chasing after loose and obscure possibilities when a famous “Valley of Bakkah” already exists. This weak possibility is already falling apart, but the next points make it irrefutable.
Baka Valley related to pilgrimage
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
Baka Valley has relation to pilgrimage, and people’s hearts are set on pilgrimage as they pass through Baka Valley of the Bible.
Baka Valley related to springs
they make it a place of springs;
This Baka Valley of the Bible has some relation to springs.
Baka Valley litearlly pools in autumn season
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
Baka Valley is clearly said to have a phenomena in which pools form in the Fall season (close to November)
Baka Valley’s House of God has animal refuge
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
Near this sacred religious alter thats somehow related to the Baka Valley, animals and birds find refuge. Specifically the sparrow and swallow.
Doorkeeper of Baka Valley House of God
10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
The House of God mentioned in the chapter, that somehow is related to Baka Valley of Bible, has a doorkeeper.
“Strength to Strength” in Baka Valley
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
Pilgrims go “strength to strength” before leaving Baka Valley to go to Zion (Jerusalem).
Characteristics of Islamic Bakkah
The Kaaba, the sacrad altar of Islam, is located in the Baitullah (House of God) in the Valley of Bakkah, Arabia. Bakkah’s main 2 characteristsics are
- It possesses the House of God (Baitullah) i.e Kaaba for all mankind
- Its the place of pilgrimage (Umrah/Hajj) for all mankind
These are literally its 2 main characteristics.
Additonally some famous geographic points about the Valley of Bakkah are:
- It has the famous spring of Zamzam used to procure blessed water throughout the Sacred Area (al Masjid al Haram)
- There is famous flooding in the rainy season i.e. Autumn, from November to February
Furthermore, here are some religious points in the Islamic House of God located in the Valley of Bakkah, which was known even before Islam:
- Hunting and killing any non-harmful animal is prohibited, for example birds and equids
- Pilgrims during the pilgrimage have to go multiple sites, they must go “strength to strength”
- There is a doorkeeper for the House of God, a job which has passed from generation to generation in the same family (Bani Shaiba) for hundreds of years, current doorkeeper who has keys of the House of God is Abdul Wahab bin Zian Al-Abidin Al-Shaibi
Conclusion
Now which random valley of Baka near Jerusalem, or metaphoric valley of weeping possesses those 7 points as clearly as the Islamic Bakkah does?
- It relates to the House of God
- It relates to pilgramage
- It possesses a famous spring thus is related to springs
- It has famous historical phenomena of pooling in the autumn season
- Animals like birds find refuge near this religious altar as its prohibited to harm them
- Pilgrims must go from “strength to strength” i.e. to different sites to complete the Islamic pilgrimage
- The House of God has a doorkeeper
Christians and Jews have not applied inductive reasoning to determine what this “Valley of Baka” in the Bible is. These 7 poins unequivocally prove that the valley of Baca in the Bible is none other than the Islamic Valley of Bakkah.
Christians and Jews can interpret this metaphorically all they wish but the literal application to the Islamic Valley of Bakkah is obvious and clear. They cannot simply ignore that the valley of Baca in the Bible is the valley of Bakkah in the Quran.