Question:

Assalamualaikum shaykh,

i want to ask about stonehenge of UK
who built this and for what reason (for pray?)

thanks

Answer:

Wa `alaykum as-Salam wa rahmatullah.

There is no consensus as to the purpose of Stonehenge; moreover, the monument seems to have developed over a considerable period. Although the best record of the beliefs of its builders is none other than the enigmatic monument itself, it is important to remember that the more subtle clues to its purpose are not necessarily to be determined from its most material remains. In any case, the various theories about Stonehenge usually reveal more about its interpreters than about its real significance.

Still, its special character is clear, both in its comparison to other Megalithic sites as well as in the relocation of its bluestones from faraway Wales (these stones are to be distinguished from the so-callled Sarsen – or rather “Saracen” – stones). As with other stone “circles” – and there are very many in the United Kingdom –  its general form imprints the land with the shape that symbolizes a higher order of existence, such as that of the World Soul. Its specific geometry appears, thanks to the work of John Michell, to be rather precise, and its arrangement in harmony with celestial phenomena is further evidence of a talismanic purpose at the very least.

The very real possibility exists that Stonehenge functioned as a ritual center. The Stuart master architect Inigo Jones even alluded to a correspondence of function with the Temple of Solomon, the focal point of Jerusalem as a sacred center. With this in mind, some remarks concerning the Holy Ka`ba may not be out of place. The cubical form of the structure in Mecca, of course, contrasts with the circle, but this contrast is due to the unique function of the Ka`ba. What is not generally recognized in its design is that the corners of the Holy House are not oriented to the points of the compass; in fact, the Ka`ba seems to be aligned in accordance with certain celestial phenomena, such as the rising of the star Canopus. This alignment is implied in traditions attributed to Ibn `Abbas and Hasan al-Basri. Be that as it may, to conclude from the astronomical alignments of Stonehenge that its sole purpose was to function as some kind of astronomical computer is obviously puerile.

The history of the Holy Ka`ba suggests another observation, that the history of Stonehenge probably includes the performance of rituals of varying character. After all, even the House of Allah was not spared the abomination of idolatry. Even though Stonehenge now appears as an empty shell, recent years have brought a renewed activity to its surrounding landscape, namely the phenomenon – both real and artificial – known as crop circles. Leaving aside the possible link between this phenomenon and the ancient siting of stone circles, it may at least be said that clues relating to the purpose of Stonehenge should not only be limited to evidence from the ancient past.

Mahmoud Shelton