Tafsir of Surah Quraish - Verse 2

Which was revealed in Makkah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

(In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

This Surah has been separated from the one that preceded it in the primary Mushaf (the original copy

They (the Companions) wrote "In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful" on the line (i.e., the space) between these two Surahs. They did this even though this Surah is directly related to the one which precedes it, as Muhammad bin Ishaq and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam have both clarified. This is because the meaning of both of them is, "We have prevented the Elephant from entering Makkah and We have destroyed its people in order to gather (Ilaf) the Quraysh, which means to unite them and bring them together safely in their city." It has also been said that the meaning of this (Ilaf) is what they would gather during their journey in the winter to Yemen and in the summer to Ash-Sham through trade and other than that. Then they would return to their city in safety during their journeys due to the respect that the people had for them because they were the residents of Allah's sanctuary. Therefore, whoever knew them would honor them. Even those who came to them and traveled with them, would be safe because of them. This was their situation during their journeys and travels during their winter and summer. In reference to their living in the city, then it is as Allah said,

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ أَنَّا جَعَلْنَا حَرَماً ءامِناً وَيُتَخَطَّفُ النَّاسُ مِنْ حَوْلِهِمْ

(Have they not seen that We have made it a secure sanctuary, while men are being snatched away from all around them) (29:67) Thus, Allah says,

لإِيلَـفِ قُرَيْشٍ إِيلَـفِهِمْ

(For the Ilaf of the Quraysh. Their Ilaf) This is a subject that has been transferred from the first sentence in order to give it more explanation. Thus, Allah says,

إِيلَـفِهِمْ رِحْلَةَ الشِّتَآءِ وَالصَّيْفِ

(Their Ilaf caravans, in winter and in summer.) Ibn Jarir said, "The correct opinion is that the letter Lam is a prefix that shows amazement. It is as though He (Allah) is saying, `You should be amazed at the uniting (or taming) of the Quraysh and My favor upon them in that."' He went on to say, "This is due to the consensus of the Muslims that they are two separate and independent Surahs." Then Allah directs them to be grateful for this magnificent favor in His saying,

فَلْيَعْبُدُواْ رَبَّ هَـذَا الْبَيْتِ

(So, let them worship the Lord of this House.) meaning, then let them single Him out for worship, just as He has given them a safe sanctuary and a Sacred House. This is as Allah says,

إِنَّمَآ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ رَبِّ هَذِهِ الْبَلْدَةِ الَّذِى حَرَّمَهَا وَلَهُ كُلُّ شَىءٍ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

(I have been commanded only to worship the Lord of this city, Who has sanctified it and to Whom belongs everything. And I am commanded to be from among the Muslims.) (27:91) Then Allah says,

الَّذِى أَطْعَمَهُم مِّن جُوعٍ

(Who has fed them against hunger,) meaning, He is the Lord of the House and He is the One Who feeds them against hunger.

وَءَامَنَهُم مِّنْ خوْفٍ

(And has made them safe from fear.) meaning, He favors them with safety and gentleness, so they should single Him out for worship alone, without any partner. They should not worship any idol, rival or statue besides Him. Therefore, whoever accepts this command, Allah will give him safety in both this life and the Hereafter. However, whoever disobeys Him, He will remove both of them from him. This is as Allah says,

وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلاً قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ ءَامِنَةً مُّطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِّن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَصْنَعُونَ - وَلَقَدْ جَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَهُمْ ظَـلِمُونَ

(And Allah puts forward the example of a township, that dwelt secure and well-content: its provision coming to it in abundance from every place, but it denied the favors of Allah. So, Allah made it taste extreme of hunger and fear, because of that which they used to do. And verily, there had come unto them a Messenger from among themselves, but they denied him, so the torment overtook them while they were wrongdoers.) (16:112-113) This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Quraysh, and all praise and thanks are due to Allah.

Verse [ 106:2] رِ‌حْلَةَ الشِّتَاءِ وَالصَّيْفِ (...their familiarity with the trips of winter and summer.) It is a known fact that Makkah is situated in an utterly bleak and arid valley where no agricultural produce grows, nor are there any orchards where the people of Makkah could reap any kind of fruits. Therefore, the founder of the House of Allah, Sayyidna Ibrahim Khalil ullah (علیہ السلام) prayed to Allah at the time of founding the city, thus: [ 2:126] رَ‌بِّ اجْعَلْ هَـٰذَا بَلَدًا آمِنًا وَارْ‌زُقْ أَهْلَهُ مِنَ الثَّمَرَ‌اتِ (My Lord, make this a city of peace, and provide its people with fruits) and this fact is mentioned in [ 28:57], thus: يُجْبَىٰ إِلَيْهِ ثَمَرَ‌اتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ (to which the fruits of everything are drawn) ". The Quraish thus needed to make these commercial trips out of Makkah into the neighboring territories to bring the necessities of life to their city. Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ reports that the people of Makkah were in a state of abject poverty and Hashim, the great grandfather of the Prophet ﷺ ، exhorted the Quraish to undertake the trading caravans to the neighboring territories. As Syria was a cold region, they went there in summer; and Yemen had a warm climate, so they went there in winter to carry out their commercial activities. They, after their commercial ventures that brought to them great profits and gains, would return to their city safely due to the respect that the people had for them, because they were the keepers and custodians of Allah's sanctuary. Therefore, whoever knew them would honor them. Even those who came to them and traveled with them, would be safe because of them. Hashim was the leader of the Quraish and maintained the economic principle to distribute among the rich and the poor members of the Quraish the gains and the profits made in their business. As a result, even the poor people lived like the wealthy people. Furthermore, an additional Divine favor was granted to them: Allah spared them the trouble of making these annual trips, in that the areas adjacent to Makkah such as Yemen, Tabalah and Harsh were made fertile, fecund and productive where corns, food grains and other agricultural produce grew abundantly - even more than their need. As a result, they had to carry these agricultural produce to Jeddah where they sold them. Thus most of the necessities were available in Jeddah. The people of Makkah, instead of undertaking the two long journeys, went to Jeddah, merely two stations away, to bring their necessities of life. In the current verse, Allah mentions His favor upon them.

This chapter was revealed at Makkah, where the Quraysh tribe was the custodian of the Kabah. Owing to this position they were held in high esteem throughout Arabia. This gave them a number of privileges. The Quraysh was a trading community. During the summer their traders’ caravans used to go to Syria and Palestine and in winter they would trade with Yemen. Their economy was dependent upon these trading activities. In ancient times, when the robbing of traders was common, the caravans of the Quraysh went unscathed. The reason for this was their connection with the Ka‘bah of which the Quraysh were the servants and trustees. Since respect for the Ka‘bah dominated the minds of the people, they used to respect its servants and trustees also, and on account of this they did not rob their caravans. Their tribe thus became prosperous. Here, in connection with the call for the acceptance of Truth, the Quraysh have been reminded of this blessing of God and called to Islam. They are told that it would be highly ungrateful to enjoy the worldly benefits of the House of God—the Ka‘bah (‘Baytullah’) while shirking the religious responsibility incumbent upon them. They are enjoined to worship only God who confered all material benefits upon them. This is to say, they are urged to give a positive response to the call of Truth brought to them by the Prophet Muhammad and surrender to their Creator and Sustainer. By extension, every believer is reminded here to be thankful to the Lord and worship Him.