The Mysteries Of Islam's Most Sacred Site | Absolute History

The Sacred City presents compelling evidence that suggests the holy city of Mecca is in the wrong location and that the worlds 1.6 billion Muslims are praying in the direction of the wrong city. Compiling evidence from both historic sources and new technologies point to the correct location in this seismic, revelatory new film. In this startling and original documentary, writer and historian, Dan Gibson, shows that descriptions of Mohamed’s original holy city – as detailed in the Qur’an and Islamic histories, do not match that of the Mecca we know today. If true this could shake Islam to it’s roots, because every Muslim is required to pray towards the ‘forbidden gathering place’.

If Dan Gibson is right, Muslims are praying in the wrong direction. In the film ‘The Sacred City’ we set out his evidence from within Islamic and ancient histories – while also using modern technologies - to track down the biggest secret of the last fifteen hundred years. Gibson not only finds the location of the original Mecca but also provides a convincing argument as to how such a great misunderstanding in Islamic history came about.

While clearly controversial, The Sacred City is respectful of Islam’s prophet, and does not dispute the events of the Qur’an; but shows how a deliberate attempt was made to hide from Islam, secrets that impact every Muslim today. The evidence is compelling and fascinating. In a time when the world agenda is being set by Islam, it is more important than ever for the origins and history of this world religion to be examined afresh. This is an important documentary with world-wide appeal for both religious and secular audiences. Beautifully filmed in the ruins and deserts of the middle east, the film is a detective story that investigates the dawn of Islam and will become the most talked about film for years to come.

[maculka]

Every time I hear about books being destroyed in the past, it breaks my heart. So much knowledge gone forever.

[abhijeetkjaiswal]

Whether you are a Muslim or not, I think this scholarly research should be fascinating to anyone interested in history.

[fingerboxes]

As someone who has ghost-written several books about the early history of Islam, this is actually a very well researched and thoughtful documentary. All too often you see widely popular theories about Islam by people who don't know even the most basic facts about Islam, Islamic history, Mohammad, or the Arabic language and those are extremely frustrating. Dan Gibson does actually know what he's talking about. Whether you agree or disagree with his conclusions about Islam it's obvious to me--as someone who has studied and written extensively on the topic--that he does know the subject matter and cares about it.

[evelynguillen]

I absolutely love history. I'm a Christian. In order to understand the present you have to understand the past. Something that kids are sadly not taught.

[zappababe]

Even as a non-Muslim, a Christian, I am appalled by the burning of so many books. It seems to me to be a terrible act of vandalism and a complete destruction of many, many historical texts. How our modern historians would have loved to have pored over so many pieces of historical writings! To say it took many months to burn all those books shows that an absolutely enormous amount of irreplaceable historical texts, of immense importance, were burned - for fuel! All the work of the scribes, the many years it would have taken them to painstakingly write out those texts, which must have been precious to them - just gone up in smoke! This is truly very sad.

[nizaamkader]

This theory was proposed by Dan Gibson, a Canadian amateur archaeologist, who claimed that early mosques face the modern direction of Petra rather than the modern direction of Mecca⁴. He based his argument on his own measurements of mosque orientations and his interpretation of historical sources.

However, his theory has been challenged and refuted by many scholars who have expertise in Islamic history, astronomy, geography, and architecture. Some of these scholars are:

- David A. King, a professor of the history of science at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt. He wrote a book called "The Petra Fallacy: Early Mosques do face the Sacred Kaaba in Mecca but Dan Gibson doesn't know how"¹², where he exposed the flaws and fallacies in Gibson's methodology and conclusions. He showed that Gibson ignored the historical and astronomical evidence that Muslims used different methods to determine the qibla (the sacred direction toward the Kaaba in Mecca) in different times and places, and that Gibson compared historical mosque orientations with modern directions of Petra and Mecca, which are not the same due to the curvature of the earth and the precession of the equinoxes. He also provided a comprehensive bibliography of works on historical qibla determinations by Muslim and Western scholars.
- Patricia Crone, a historian of early Islam who taught at Princeton University. She cast doubt on the claim that Mecca was a major historical trading outpost, which was one of the premises of Gibson's theory³. However, she did not deny the existence or importance of Mecca as the birthplace of Islam and the location of the Kaaba. She also later on disregarded some of her theories and acknowledged that there was evidence for Mecca's role in the pre-Islamic and early Islamic periods.
- Glen Bowersock, a professor emeritus of ancient history at Princeton University. He disagreed with Crone and asserted that Mecca was indeed a significant trading center in the Arabian Peninsula, and that there was archaeological and epigraphic evidence for its involvement in the spice trade and the pilgrimage to the Kaaba³. He also criticized Gibson's theory as a "fantasy" and a "conspiracy theory" that lacked any historical or scientific basis.

[panzlithium]

There are few flaws for this theory. First thing is Cave of Hira location where Muhammad SAW first met Jibril. And second is how the hell did they miss Zam zam well? Also what is this black rock? Do you mean Hajr Aswad? If that is the black rock, we don't pray at it. Ka'abah is just a direction we have to pray towards. If these simple things you can miss, please don't call yourself some 'hIsToRiAn'

[chupoohniji]

Hands down one of of the most insightful research and documentary ever done and seen. Spectacular work sir 🙏🏼

[habibm.sesaydr.]

The narrative about the history of the Ka'bah and Islam is fastinàting and educative. The research has not only developed a new perspective, it has questioned the very foundation of Islam.

[jeffreyweaver]

An amazing documentary. I am so grateful that there are people who dedicate their lives to unraveling such unanswered mysteries. It makes me realize that all throughout history there are those forces that try to rewrite history to inforce their agenda as well as those forces that work to uncover the truth.

[CortinaATX]

What a incredible research documentary. As a non-Muslim, I still found it very interesting. I agree with others, the burning of the books is extremely sad.

[isatousarr]

Islam's most sacred site, the Kaaba in Mecca, holds profound spiritual and historical significance for Muslims worldwide. As the focal point of the Hajj pilgrimage and daily prayers, it embodies a deep connection to the faith's origins and the Prophet Abraham's legacy. The Kaaba's rich history, including its reconstruction and the rituals performed around it, continues to inspire and unite millions of believers, fostering a sense of global Islamic identity and devotion. Its mysteries and enduring reverence underscore the spiritual depth and cultural heritage of Islam.

[MrCODEmaster]

Makes you wonder what were those manuscripts burned.

[ultimatekp]

This information is just amazing, with ultimate micro detailing and connected data. Luckily the religion and incidents were not too old to track down. Thank you Mr Dan and team for the wonderful work of the masterpiece. Well appreciated.

[SingleHandedProductions]

What a GREAT video! Great research! I am convinced Petra it where is started. Thanks DAN +

[melo]

Can’t believe I watched all of this and I’m a Catholic 😂❤

[alditoroe]

They’re trying to misguide this religion, but little that they know this religion is guarded by Allah.
May Allah give them guidence.

[AZadeh-ndvx]

I don't imagine this video is popular with the Meccan tourist industry!

[NoorAsmahMdTaib]

We learn at school, twice a year, Sun will align directly above the kaabah known as Istiwa' A'dzam. We can determine the exact direction of the Kaabah by placing a wooden stick vertically in the ground; the direction of the Qiblat will be the exact opposite to the stick’s shadow. It's easier for us facing Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Alhamdulillah.

[save_sudan_and_palestine]

your claim have a lot of problems:
1- We know that The First who built the Kaaba was Ibrahim and his son Ismael, because Allah ordered Abraham to Immigrate with his wife to a place which no water, no food, no crops, no trees which is Mecca not Petra (Petra have water, food, trees...) but when they reach to Mecca, he went back by Order of God leaving his wife and son in this place with small amount of food and water, after few weeks, the food and water end, so Hajar started going between Safa and Marwa 7 times searching for water and food, but she don't find anything until she heard Angel Gabriel hit the ground and then the Zamzam water that we know in Mecca appeared this water is special, even the science prove that this water is the most pure and blessed water in the earth, after that Abraham come back to Mecca to kill his Son (Ismael) but we know what happened, after that Allah ordered Ibrahim and Ismael to build The Kaaba, in certain position (Mecca) near to the place that he leave her wife and his son (Mecca) and they built it, two things also proves that that position located in Mecca, 1- because that place must be not inhabitants, but Petra is really old city older than Ibrahim himself (this proven historically) 2- that place must be in desert, without no source of living (Mecca not Petra) because after he finished the building of Kaaba, he demanded Allah to make this place full of blessings and crops so if he was in Petra why he will demand Allah to make the place agriculture if it already agriculture so even The sol of Mecca not good for growing, Allah make it possible.
2- The Prophet travelled to Ethiopia by the sea, which close to Mecca and very far from Petra
3- Petra was under the control of Romans during the first period of Islam and we know that Quraysh wasn't under the control of Romans but they was part of Arab tribes that lives individually (no country or civilization)
4- Also Petra during that time was Christian but Quraish are polytheism worshipping the idols.
5- Also Battle of Badr and Uhud occurred near to Mecca and Medina so if Quraysh was in Petra then why these battles occurred near to Mecca and above that one of reasons why Battle of Uhud occurred because Muslims stopped Quraish from going to Syria, now just imagine, Quraish in Petra and Islam in Medina, how Muslims can break the line between Syria and Quraish???
6- Allah promised to Protect the Kaaba from the Disasters until the time of destruction which will be in future when Dhu'l-Suwayqatayn will destroy it, and he is from Ethiopia, that means that Ethiopia is close to Kaaba so Mecca not Petra also Allah mentioned Mecca in The Holy book which Allah promised to protect it from hands of corrupters so Mecca exist
7- Also the word Mecca means the place where people really want to go so it's not change from Becca to Mecca but it has a meaning
8- For The Qiblah:
People before 14 centuries don't have much of knowledge where the Qibla located exactly they aren't machines or they have GPS that's why Allah says that Qibla must be toward *Chatr* Masjid Al Haram (I already proved is located in Mecca) please put 100 lines under *Chatr*, Chatr means around Masjid Al Haram not itself 100%, and even those in Africa and Europe who put their Qibla to South Africa they are following Chatr of Mecca!
9- Also Allah mentioned the place of Prophet Muhammad by saying we made you in middle nation, of course Mecca is in exactly in middle of Arabian peninsula not Petra.
10- Also in Sahih Hadith, Prophet Muhammad mentioned Mecca as his city.
11- Also Muhammad predicted that around Kaaba tall buildings will construct
12- Just Imagine Allah/God let this mistake occur it's impossible, especially when Allah promised Ibrahim that Kaaba that he built will be gathered by million of people, so if even Ibrahim built the original Kaaba in Petra, then we will see millions of Muslims there!