SURAH (106) AL-QUREISH (AYA 1 to 4)

Sura (106) AL-QOREISH (The Qoriesh) Aya 1 to 4 verses in 1 Section

Revealed at Makka

SECTION 1

The Protection of the Qoriesh

To serve ALLAH (SWT) to earn protection against the seasonal inconveniences.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ 

لِإِيلَافِ قُرَيْشٍ {106:1}

[Q106:1] Li-ilaafi quraish.
[Q106:1] (It is a great Grace and Protection from Allah), for the taming of the Quraish,

THE QURAYSH, among whom the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) was born, was a tribe held in great esteem, as the guardians of the Ka’bah, by the Arabs. THEY WERE THE DESCENDANTS OF PROPHET IBRAHIM THROUGH HIS SON ISMA-IL. The custody of the sacred shrine of the Ka’bah enabled them to obtain covenants of security from the rulers of neighbouring countries on all sides on account of which they travelled to Syria in summer and to Yemen in winter, to carry out their trade. Their trade caravans enriched them, united them, and drew people from distant parts to visit Makka, to bring and take from there merchandise of various kinds.

±  THIS HONOUR AND ADVANTAGE THEY OWED TO THEIR POSITION AS SERVANTS OF THE SACRED HOUSE. THEY OWED IT TO ALLAH (SWT). It was therefore right and fitting that they should worship ALLAH (SWT) alone and accept as true the religion of ALLAH (SWT), Islam, brought by the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf).

As stated in the commentary of Inshirah although the surahs al Fil and al Quraysh are separated by bismillahir rahmanir rahim, they are one the latter is supplementary to the former.

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(106:1) Since the Quraysh became accustomed, *1

*1 The word ilaf, as used in the original is from alf which means to be habituated and accustomed to be reunited after breaking up, and to adopt something as a habit. About the lam that is prefixed to ilaf, some Arabists have expressed the opinion that it is to express surprise and wonder. Thus, Li-ilaf-i Quraish in means: "How surprising is the conduct of Quraish! It is only by virtue of Allah's bounty that they are reunited after their dispersion and have become accustomed to the trade journeys which have brought them their prosperity. and yet from Allah's worship and service they are turning away." 'This is the opinion of Akhfash, Kisa'i and Farra', and holding this opinion something after this lam, the same thing itself is regarded as sufficient to show that the attitude and conduct a person has adopted in spite of it, is surprising and amazing". On the contrary, KhaIil bin Ahmad, Sibawaih and Zamakhshari say that this is the lam of to `lil and it relates to the following sentence: Fal ya `budu Rabba hadh a!-Bait, which means: "Allah's blessings on the Quraish are countless. But if for no other blessing, they should worship Allah at least for this blessing that by His bounty they became accustomed to the trade journeys, for this by itself is indeed a great favour of Allah to them. "

إِيلَافِهِمْ رِحْلَةَ الشِّتَاءِ وَالصَّيْفِ {106:2}

[Q106:2] Eelaafihim rihlatash shitaaa‘i was saif,- 
[Q106:2] (And with all those Allah's Grace and Protections for their taming, We cause) the (Quraish) caravans to set forth safe in winter (to the south), and in summer (to the north without any fear),

The protection, safety and the honour, the Qureish enjoyed was due to the Holy Ka’bah [1] being in their city and their [2] being its guardians.

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(106:2) accustomed to the journey of winter and summer, *2

*2 That is, the trade journeys. In summer the Quraish travelled northward to Syria and Palestine, for they are cool lands, and in winter southward to Yaman, etc. for they are warm. 

فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هَٰذَا الْبَيْتِ {106:3}

[Q106:3] Fal y'abudu rabba haazal-bait,
[Q106:3] So let them worship (Allah) the Lord of this House (the Ka'bah in Makkah).

The Qureish, under the great obligation, in duty bound, should worship or serve the Lord of the Ka’bah who is the True ALLAH (SWT) and not their own made idols and their other fanciful deities in His place, who could neither hurt nor profit anyone.

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(106:3) therefore, let them worship the Lord of this House; *3

*3 "This House": the Holy Ka'bah. The sentence means that the Quraish have attained to this blessing only by virtue of the House of Allah. They themselves acknowledge that the 360 idols, which they worship, are not its lord, but Allah alone is its Lord. He alone saved them from the invasion of the army of elephants. Him alone they had invoked for help against Abrahah's army. 'It was His House the keeping of which enhanced their rank and position in Arabia, for before that they were dispersed and commanded no position whatever. Like the common Arab tribes they too were scattered factions of a race. But when they rallied round this House in Makkah and began to serve it, they became, honourable throughout Arabia, and their trade caravans began to visit every part of the country fearlessly. Therefore, whatever they have achieved, it has been possible only by the help of the Lord of this House; therefore, they should worship Him alone.

الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُمْ مِنْ جُوعٍ وَآمَنَهُمْ مِنْ خَوْفٍ {106:4}

[Q106:4] Allazi at'amahum min ju'inw-wa-aamana hum min khawf. 
[Q106:4] (He) Who has fed them against hunger, and has made them safe from fear.

When the Quriesh have been granted such great blessings they must gratefully worship the Lord of the Ka’bah, who in spite of their land being only a desert and thus unproductive, [1] provides them with every kind of good food and the other provisions of life through merchandise and the pilgrimage which brings to their vey door, their needs [2] through the great multitudes of the visitors who come there also to buy and sell, and [3] ALLAH (SWT) had protected them from the most formidable enemy Abraha, but for ALLAH (SWT)’s help they would have been destroyed and their city would have been lost, the Ka’bah, on account of which they are honoured and respected, their city would have been laid to waste by the enemy, they with their wives and children would have been taken as captives, and enslaved and sold away to the others and thus they would have been torn away from their kith and kin and their tribe as a whole would have been disintegrated and wiped out of existence.

Ù  This was an open admonition to the Qureish who had been in the start of the ministry of the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf), the most inveterate enemies of the Apostle of ALLAH (SWT) and the message of the Unity of the Lord which he preached.

IT WAS AS WELL A WARNING INVITING THEIR ATTENTION OF THE MIGHTY POWER OF ALLAH (SWT) WHO COULD ALSO DESTROY THEM AND HUMILIATE THEM AS HE DID ACT WITH THEIR MIGHTY FOE ABRAHA. (See also chapter Teen [95]).

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(106:4) Who fed them against hunger, *4 and secured them against fear. *5

*4 The allusion implies that before the Quraish came to Makkah, they were a scattered people in Arabia and living miserable lives. After their gathering together in Makkah they began to prosper, and the Prophet Abraham's prayer for them was literally fulfilled when he had prayed: "Lord, I have settled some of my descendents in a barren valley near Thy sacred House. Lord, I have done this in the hope that they will establish salat there. So turn the hearts of the people towards them, and provide fruits for their food." (Ibrahim: 37)
*5 "Secure against fear" : secure from the fear from which no one anywhere in Arabia was, safe. There was no settlement anywhere in the country the people of which could sleep peacefully at night, for they feared an attack any time from any quarter by some unknown enemy. No one could step out of the bounds of his tribe for fear of life or of being taken prisoner and made a slave. No caravan could travel safely from fear of attack, or without bribing influential chiefs of the tribes' on the way for safe conduct, But the Quraish were immune from every danger; they had no fear of an attack from an enemy. Their caravans, small or big, freely passed on the trade routes everywhere in the country. As soon as it become known about a certain caravan that it belonged to the keepers of the Ka`bah, no one could dare touch it with an evil intention, so much so that even if a single Quraishite was passing on the way, he was allowed to pass unharmed and untouched as soon as the word haram " or "ana min haramillah " was heard from him.

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