Published — Tuesday 1 September 2015
JEDDAH: A short video showing a pilgrim, draped in the two pieces of seamless cloth called ihram, circumambulating the Kaaba in Makkah using a Segway board, has gone viral on social media.
The well-built man is seen swooshing past fellow pilgrims on the second level of the mobile platform set up in the Grand Mosque’s open mataf section specifically for wheel-chair-bound and elderly pilgrims.
The high-tech device, which is a self-balancing battery-operated machine with no handlebars, also known as the “uberboard,” was perhaps used for the first time by a pilgrim in this manner. The video was taken by a visitor to the mosque, with the pilgrim oblivious to the fact that he was being filmed.
The video was first posted on Monday evening by British Haj Travel Limited on their Twitter handle @BHTofficial. From there, the clip went viral. It was on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and every other platform.
The clip elicited thousands of responses with everyone wondering if it was right from an Islamic point of view to circumambulate perched on this innocuous self-propelled machine.
“This is not fair. If you can walk, then you must perform Tawaf by walking; this is disrespectful,” tweeted Ahsan via @AsnSaleem. “People in pain walk to get the reward and he is just abusing it,” wrote @ibeabdul.
“It is allowed,” ruled Riyadh-based Maulana Najeeb Qasmi Sambhali, who has done his postdoctoral thesis in Hadith from a reputable university in India. He is a graduate of the world famous religious seminary Darul Uloom Deoband. “As long as the pilgrim’s feet are not covered by the contraption, it is all right. There is no problem with that. It is like doing circumambulation in a wheelchair.”
On whether an able-bodied pilgrim should use the device, Maulana Qasmi said: “Different scholars will have different opinions on this particular aspect. As far as possible, where such things can be avoided, they should be avoided.”
He said if performing Tawaf on this contraption obstructs fellow pilgrims, then the ruling would be very clear. “It must not be used. If it harms fellow pilgrims, crashes into them, or creates fear, it must not be used at all.”
To a query posed on Twitter in response to the video clip on whether Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, performed Tawaf seated on the back of a camel, Maulana Qasmi said: “This is true. The Prophet performed Tawaf on a camel and had a stick in his hand which he pointed in the direction of the Black Stone (Hajr-e-Aswad) when starting each of the seven mandatory rounds around the Holy Kaaba.”
The Segway board, known by various names such as the “leviboard,” has been a viral sensation, being used by celebrities and video personalities to showcase a new and innovative method of personal mobility. The board consists of two plates attached to a large wheel on either side, thereby allowing the user to stand on the board without falling over.
Maneuvering the board is a simple process, involving the user to simply tilt in the direction needed. The board has a limited top speed of 4 mph, costs roughly $1,000 and is powered by a rechargeable battery that holds sufficient charge for six hours of continuous usage. The maximum weight the board can support is 110 kg.
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/799896
A man was pictured doing his rounds in the Kaaba on a rollerboard. (Aliexpress)
The highly unusual sight of a man circumambulating the Kaaba in Makkah’s Grand Mosque on roller shoes has sent Saudis scurrying to religious edicts and explanations to decide whether religion allows the practice.A short clip of the man performing Tawaf (walking around Kaaba) as part of the Umrah rituals went viral on the Internet.Social media users were sharply divided whether religious texts allow abled men and women to resort to roller shoes or mini skate boards to go round the Kaaba seven times as required from people performing Umrah or pilgrimage.Most users seemed shocked that the man used roller shoes, saying that if he was physically able, he should do it on foot.
And if he had health issues, he should have hired a handicap chair or a wheelchair, Saudi news site Al Marsad reported on Monday.
Poor Saudi, a blogger, said that religious scholars needed to speak out quickly on the issue.
“If they lapse into silence, then we might have new innovations and inventions that might not be within the spirit of Umrah or pilgrimage,” he posted. "I believe that this man should have walked like everybody else since he seemed to be fit enough to stand on the roller shoes and not fall,” he said.
Abdul Rahman said that he was looking forward to a religious edict to decide on the issue before it becomes overwhelming.
Ban sought
“My view is that roller shoes should not be allowed,” he said. “People usually circumambulate Kaaba and focus on their prayers and supplications to God. This man and others would be focusing rather on keeping their balance on their moving shoes. They should not be allowed,” he said.
Bu Nawwas, another blogger, said he was concerned roller shoes would soon be the fashion in the Grand Mosque.
“I believe that a ban should be imposed on such gadgets because many people would try to use them if there were no restrictions,” he said. “There are enough chairs to help the disabled,” he said.
By Habib Toumi
http://www.albawaba.com/editorchoice...erboard-738066
Kaaba roller shoes pilgrim raises religious issue
Social media users press for urgent fatwa on allowing moving shoe
Published: 22:34 August 31, 2015 09
By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
Manama: The highly unusual sight of a man circumambulating the Kaaba in Makkah’s Grand Mosque on roller shoes has sent Saudis scurrying to religious edicts and explanations to decide whether religion allows the practice.
A short clip of the man performing Tawaf (walking around Kaaba) as part of the Umrah rituals went viral on the Internet.
Social media users were sharply divided whether religious texts allow abled men and women to resort to roller shoes or mini skate boards to go round the Kaaba seven times as required from people performing Umrah or pilgrimage.
Most users seemed shocked that the man used roller shoes, saying that if he was physically able, he should do it on foot.
And if he had health issues, he should have hired a handicap chair or a wheelchair, Saudi news site Al Marsad reported on Monday.
Poor Saudi, a blogger, said that religious scholars needed to speak out quickly on the issue.
“If they lapse into silence, then we might have new innovations and inventions that might not be within the spirit of Umrah or pilgrimage,” he posted. "I believe that this man should have walked like everybody else since he seemed to be fit enough to stand on the roller shoes and not fall,” he said.
Abdul Rahman said that he was looking forward to a religious edict to decide on the issue before it becomes overwhelming.
Ban sought
“My view is that roller shoes should not be allowed,” he said. “People usually circumambulate Kaaba and focus on their prayers and supplications to God. This man and others would be focusing rather on keeping their balance on their moving shoes. They should not be allowed,” he said.
Bu Nawwas, another blogger, said he was concerned roller shoes would soon be the fashion in the Grand Mosque.
“I believe that a ban should be imposed on such gadgets because many people would try to use them if there were no restrictions,” he said. “There are enough chairs to help the disabled,” he said.
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-...ssue-1.1576122
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