وَمَا لَهُمْ أَلَّا يُعَذِّبَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُوٓا۟ أَوْلِيَآءَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنْ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ 34
Translations
But why should Allāh not punish them while they obstruct [people] from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām and they were not [fit to be] its guardians? Its [true] guardians are not but the righteous, but most of them do not know.
Transliteration
Wa mā lahum allā yu'adhdhibahumu Allāhu wa hum yaṣiddūna 'an al-masjidi al-ḥarāmi wa mā kānū awliyā'ahu, in awliyā'uhu illā al-muttaqūn wa lākinna akthara-hum lā ya'lamūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rebukes the Meccan polytheists for their transgression in preventing Muslims from accessing the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid Al-Haram) while themselves being unworthy of guardianship over it. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the true guardians and protectors of the Sacred Mosque are only the God-conscious believers (al-muttaqūn), not those who commit shirk and obstruct the faithful. The ayah emphasizes that Allah's punishment is justified against those who commit such injustice, and their ignorance of this truth does not exempt them from accountability.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period during the early conflicts between Muslims and the Meccan Quraysh. It addresses the historical context of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah (6 AH) when the Quraysh prevented Muslims from performing Umrah and accessing the Haram. The surah Al-Anfal discusses the Battle of Badr and the broader struggle for religious freedom and the right to worship.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari (Book of Hajj) describes how the Prophet (ﷺ) was prevented from entering Makkah and performing Umrah, leading to the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. Also relevant is the hadith about the sacredness of the Haram and its special status as a sanctuary for believers.
Themes
Key Lesson
True guardianship of sacred places and religious responsibilities belongs only to those who possess taqwa (piety and God-consciousness), not to those who misuse power or prevent others from worship. Modern believers should recognize that obstructing others' path to faith and prayer is a grave injustice that invites divine accountability, and we must strive to be among the muttaqūn who genuinely protect sacred values.